Thanks to Goliath for this morning’s challenge.
A very enjoyable solve with some clever devices. Got 1a pretty much immediately, and then had to save 1d for last. Great puzzle, so thanks Goliath and look forward to meeting here again.
ST (street) with RIFE (widespread)
Double definition
FAN (cool, as a verb) + FARE (food)
ARTS< (creative work, <backed) by TUM (corporation)
PER SE (as such) + PHONE (call)
[fri]ENDS[hip] (to infiltrate)
A SLAB< (a hunk, <rejected)
REED (grass) about ROUT (defeat)
COD PIECE (some fish)
MO (second, moment) and 1ST (first)
Double definition
MAIL< (letters, <returned) hidden by PARENT (father?)
BAG (secure) + ADHD* (*treatment)
[s]EDITION (insurgency, ignoring the start)
[evergre]EN TREE[s] (running through)
COURSE* (*gone astray)
Robinson Crusoe is a novel by Daniel Defoe about a shipwrecked sailor
Cryptic definition
S + HAVE (s + own)
REF (judge) + L (left) siding with USA (America)
IF< (provided, <backing) before REPLACE (change)
[a]UNTIE (the BBC, without its leader)
‘Auntie’ is the nickname for the BBC. Nobody truly knows why but here are some opinions if you want to explore.
CHAT (minou) sur EAU (lac)
Si tu ne parles pas un peu français, c’est impossible!
TURD (motion passed) during SIEST[a] (sleep, brief)
(FURORE SAY)* (*can produce)
BROKE (ruined) by RAGE (anger)
REMINDER (note to self) to take A
POT’S HOT (why use oven glove)
(IT’S MEAN)* (*to move)
PE (gym, physical education) + ACE (master)
[th]E (end of) after NOON
Didn’t understand what’s cryptic with SHAVE. Still don’t. And I’m afraid my French was not sufficient to understand CHATEAU.
Those were my only speed bumps. All else was tickety-boo, thanks Goliath & Oriel.
SHAVE as in the blog is a separation of S and OWN, gives S and HAVE.
Although I wasn’t sure about Palace of Versailles being categorised as a chateau, it apparently can be so. Short hop from there to my basic French being just enough for an acceptable parse.
I liked the device in 22d NO ONE, but all the letters were there anyway.
My faves: PERSEPHONE, CODPIECE, SHAVE and NO ONE.
Though I got CHATEAU with the help of Google, I thought it was not a fair clue.
Thanks Goliath and Oriel.
I really enjoyed the fun and games involved in solving this. Goliath is always so inventive.
This French speaker had no problem with CHATEAU but it was, perhaps, a tad unfair; I knew a cat ironically called Minou. QUACKS made me laugh, as did STURDIEST, and I really liked PERSEPHONE.
Thanks to Goliath for brightening the day and Oriel for a great blog.
What Diane said, although I had never heard of the minou book nor have I met a real cat with that name.
Gnomad@2, that makes sense. Shoulda read Oriel’s blog more thoroughly.
Yep, being a bit dim I missed parsing own = have, and my français’s not bad but if I’ve ever met Minou the puss I’ve forgotten it. Also, took an age sorting course to get dear old Robinson C … a bit of a worry a about the health of the aging cerebral librarian. Otherwise all good, thanks Goliath and Oriel.
I loved STURDIEST.
Excellent puzzle So many bringing a smile to the face. Loved 6d.
Really enjoyed this one, and particularly liked POTSHOT. Liked CHATEAU too – not only as a French speaker but one who has come across many French cats called Minou. It’s a bit like Puss, or possibly Tiddles. I’m sure they would all have got the clue straight away.
I’m usually the one complaining the loudest about all but the most basic French (and would do the same about Spanish or German, if that ever came up) so you know my thoughts about CHATEAU. I happened to know all but one of the necessary words (minou); that still doesn’t make the clue fair. (Les chats in my house have heard their name in several different languages.)
Otherwise, this was good fun; the duck comments made me chuckle.
Thanks Goliath for a customarily excellent crossword. I missed PARLIAMENT (I got stuck thinking the answer would be an anatomical chamber) but all else fell into place. I couldn’t parse the clever SHAVE and I only guessed CHATEAU when I saw the last letter was U. (My French did not include ‘minou’ but ‘chat’ is familiar). My top picks were QUACKS, FANFARE, REMAINDER, STURDIEST, and POTSHOT. Thanks Oriel for the blog.
Thanks Goliath and Oriel
I think my kick to 6D was mis-remembering the dog in the French versions of Tintin – it’s MILOU there
A very enjoyable puzzle
It sounds as though some of you have actually come across cats called Minou. I was under the impression that all cats in France are called Minou in the same way as all dogs in Britain are called Fido; i.e. supposedly but in reality not at all.
I came a cropper over 2d, putting RECUSAL for “no judge” rather than REFUSAL for “no”, and then not being able to parse it and not being able to get 8a. An enjoyable outing nonetheless.
A lot harder than the last two days but no complaints. Liked persephone, refusal, fireplace, sturdiest, potshot. Merci!
I rarely do FT weekday puzzles but Goliath was very tempting today. And I enjoyed it very much especially CHATEAU and QUACKS. Thank you, Goliath.
Lived in France for a year, bagged the degree, didn’t know minou. So, not fully parsed there. Nor were a couple of others. Good puzzle. It felt tricky but only because I want to go to bed. It wasn’t too hard.
Thanks all.
this was one of the most enjoyable puzzles. I thought the brevity and naturalness of the clue surfaces still leading to supported answers was some of the better I’ve seen. thank you Goliath and Oriel and all.