I’m back blogging another FT crossword as cover for another blogger who is away. The puzzle can be found here
I find Artexlen variable, sometimes the clues sail in, sometimes it takes a while – this puzzle was a mixed bag for me, particularly the parsing of a few clues, but I think I’ve parsed everything satisfactorily.
It’s Tuesday, so there’s a chance there’s a theme, but there’s nothing leaping out at me. So over to everyone else.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | PASS UP |
Decline a second drink after first in pub (4,2)
|
| charade of A (from the clue) + S (second) + SUP (drink) after P (first in Pub) | ||
| 5 | SIBELIUS |
Brother, perhaps, announced pseudonym for composer (8)
|
| charade of SIB (brother, perhaps – short of SIBling) + ELIUS (soundalike (announced) of “alias” pseudonym) for this composer, possibly best known for Finlandia among other works | ||
| 9 | PROCURER |
One sourcing goods for healer (8)
|
| charade of PRO (for) + CURER (healer) | ||
| 10 | DANISH |
Plate containing hollow artisan pastry (6)
|
| insertion (containing) AN (hollow ArtisaN) into DISH (plate) | ||
| 11 | SERENE |
Calm son before start of nervous energy (6)
|
| charade of S (son) + ERE (before, poetically) + N (start of Nervous) + E (energy – from science) | ||
| 12 | PASTORAL |
Tense speaking about rural life (8)
|
| charade of PAST (tense – as in the past tense) + ORAL (speaking about) | ||
| 14 | COVER LETTERS |
Introductory documents of insurance put before landlords (5,7)
|
| charade of COVER (insurance) + LETTERS (landlords – those who let) for the letters sent with CVs when applying for jobs, and probably never read now AI is being used as the first sort through | ||
| 18 | STEWED PRUNES |
Cook spurned sweet fruit dish (6,6)
|
| anagram of (cook) (SPURNED SWEET)* | ||
| 22 | COVENANT |
Desire to receive older relative’s agreement (8)
|
| insertion (to receive) COVET (desire) around (to receive) NAN (older relative) | ||
| 25 | HEATED |
Angry European despised hosts (6)
|
| insertion (hosts) HATED (despised) around (hosts) E (European) | ||
| 26 | DIMWIT |
Daughter I am accompanying snubbed idiot (6)
|
| charade of D (daughter) I’M (I am) + WIT (WITh – accompanying snubbed) | ||
| 27 | REVIEWED |
Appraised cleric that is to join in partnership (8)
|
| charade of REV (cleric – REVerend informally) + IE (that is) + WED (joined in partnership) | ||
| 28 | AGONISES |
Frets as one is first to get drunk (8)
|
| anagram (drunk) of (AS ONE IS G)* where G is first to Get | ||
| 29 | NATTER |
Rabbit’s new issue, not male (6)
|
| letter swap – N (new) on MATTER (issue) without M (male) | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 2 | AGREED |
Granted revision of E grade (6)
|
| anagram (revision) of (E GRADE)* | ||
| 3 | SACRED COW |
Afraid with Conservative sinking lower, that’s unquestionable (6,3)
|
| charade of SCARED (afraid) with C (Conservative) sinking gives SACRED + COW (lower – as in an animal that lows) | ||
| 4 | PERCEIVED |
Saw agent turning on mobile device (9)
|
| composite of PER (REP < agent turning) + anagram (mobile) of (DEVICE)* | ||
| 5 | SCRAPER |
Rag on overturned decorating tool (7)
|
| charade of SCRAP (rag) + ER (RE< – on overturned) | ||
| 6 | BIDES |
Remains close to rescuer, plucked from debris strewn around (5)
|
| subtractive anagram (strewn around) of (DEBrIS)* without (plucked from) R (close to rescueR) | ||
| 7 | LINGO |
Language unusual in god-fearing circles (5)
|
| hidden (circles) in unusuaL IN GOd-fearing | ||
| 8 | UPSTAIRS |
Broadcast puts songs in the head (8)
|
| anagram (broadcast) of (PUTS)* + AIRS (songs) – heard in this sense in “there’s nobody upstairs” or “not a lot upstairs” referring to people who are lacking acuity | ||
| 13 | TIT |
Prime locations for stilt, type of bird (3)
|
| a variation on alternate letters (prime locations) using the prime numbers (2,3,5,7 … to find the positions) in sTIlT. To add to the surface, a stilt is also a type of bird. There are a lot of different tits / titmice. | ||
| 15 | EINDHOVEN |
Dove confused with hen in European city (9)
|
| anagram (confused with) of (DOVE HEN IN)* for this city in the Netherlands | ||
| 16 | TESTAMENT |
Deed of trained knight involved in trial (9)
|
| insertion (involved in) of TAME (trained) + N (knight) into TEST (trial) – TESTAMENT as in last will and testament – which are deeds – legal documents. | ||
| 17 | STROKING |
Brushing fine lace covers (8)
|
| insertion (covers) OK (fine) inserted into STRING (lace) | ||
| 19 | EON |
Individual cycling for a long time (3)
|
| cycling of ONE (individual) so last letter cycles to the front | ||
| 20 | RETURNS |
Priests regularly used ballot boxes for votes cast in election (7)
|
| charade of RET (pRiEsTs regularly) + URNS (ballot boxes in Roman times were URNS, apparently) | ||
| 21 | RECEDE |
Surrender after soldiers draw back (6)
|
| charade with ordering of words CEDE (surrender) after RE (Royal Engineers – soldiers) | ||
| 23 | EDWIN |
Name of fellow editor to succeed (5)
|
| charade of ED (editor) + WIN (to succeed) for a man’s name | ||
| 24 | ALTOS |
Singers stop after leader withdraws really upset (5)
|
| charade of ALT (hALT – stop after leader withdraws) + OS (SO< really upset) |
My faves: DIMWIT, UPSTAIRS and LINGO.
Nice puzzle. Thanks Artexlen.
Good blog. Thanks Shanne.
Another enjoyable, accessible and cleanly clued crossword (two days running!)
Favourites included SIBELIUS (fun), COVENANT, HEATED, NATTER and EINDHOVEN (surfaces) and REVIEWED (wordplay).
Had to check online for the [voting] ‘urns’ bit of RETURNS. It appears in the OED, in 1814, and has been fashioned in everything from Wedgwood pottery to perspex – that was an interesting little foray down the rabbit hole!
Thanks to Artexlen and Shanne.
Hey, I enjoyed this. I’d written Artexlen off as I’d previously found them too difficult, but today’s was great. The Roman ballot boxes were my only head scratch.
Yes the FT crossword editor appears to be in a mellow mood this week. Second in a row in <30m without recourse to outside help.
Liked Sibelius, Danish, stewed prunes, dimwit.
Shanne. In your intro I think you are mixing up with the Independent’s theme day.
Hovis @5 – I did know that it’s the Independent that always has a theme on Tuesdays, but the FT sometimes does – which is why I’ve phrased the introduction as “there’s a chance there’s a theme”, especially as I’ve seen Artexlen do them. I was looking in case (plus I occasionally cover Guardian blogs and we always have to look out for themes with certain setters).
Thanks Artexlen and Shanne
14ac: ODE 2010 p 402 has cover letter marked “N. Amer” as an alternative to covering letter. I could not find cover letter in either Chambers 2016 or Collins 2023. I would expect an indication for a North American usage.
Pelham Barton @7 – that’s interesting, because I’m fairly sure we called them COVER LETTERS when teaching the careers/job application bits of a PSHE (Personal Social Health Economic) qualification – that was a few years ago.
Knew about Roman urns from Colleen McCullough. Liked the Finnish composer, the Danish pastry, and stewed prunes [with custard, an occasional afters chez the young ginf]. Fun puzzle, ta Artexlen and Shanne.
I had similar thoughts and a similar experience to Diane@2. It was a very enjoyable puzzle.
Thanks Artexlen and Shanne
Thanks Artexlen for a good set of clues with my top picks being PASS UP, PASTORAL, SACRED COW, UPSTAIRS, and TESTAMENT. I’m not familiar with ‘circles’ as a hidden indicator but I guess it works. Thanks Shanne for the blog.
No real problems although the NE and SW corners took us a while to sort out. We had a smile at STEWED PRUNES – we weren’t surprised the cook spurned them.
Thanks, Artexlen and Shanne.
Enjoyable, clearly clued; I particularly liked SIBELIUS and the prime letters clue. Didn’t parse the “lower”, wondered if there’s an expression “SCARED COW” 🙂 thanks Artexlen and Shanne for a helpful & detailed blog!
Puzzle not showing in the FT app. Oh well, evening off.
Forgot to mention there were two clues with crossers _E_E_E. I usually do not notice these things, and thought it amusing