A fun solve with clever surfaces and tricky parsings. My favourites were 16ac, 19ac, 6dn, and 15dn. Thanks to Tramp for the puzzle
| ACROSS | ||
| 9 | EVAPORATE |
Turn to gas with Virginia: Prince to speak after Epstein’s introduction (9)
|
| VA (abbr. for US state Virginia) + P (Prince) + ORATE=”speak”; all after E-[pstein] | ||
| 10 | ADAPT |
Tailor stripped lads before fitting (5)
|
| definition: “Tailor” as a verb
[L]-AD-[S] stripped of its outer letters, plus APT=”fitting” |
||
| 11 | RANSACK |
Go through torture to acquire answer (7)
|
| RACK=to “torture”; around ANS (answer) | ||
| 12 | INKLING |
Suggestion of line in tattooist’s work? (7)
|
| L (line) in INKING=”tattoist’s work” | ||
| 13 | DOLCE |
Back to table after ordering cold sweet (5)
|
| definition: DOLCE can mean “sweet” when describing music
the last letter (back) of [tabl]-E, after anagram/ordering of (cold)* |
||
| 14 | PAINTBALL |
Where one might get shot with beer hosting a party (9)
|
| definition: PAINTBALL meaning a paintball activity or event, where one might get shot
PINT=”beer” hosting A (from surface); plus BALL=”party” |
||
| 16 | STATUE OF LIBERTY |
Fix eyes or a butt-lift for American woman’s figure (6,2,7)
|
| anagram/”Fix” of (eyes or a butt-lift)* | ||
| 19 | ENDORPHIN |
Painkiller, heroin, injected in butt or leg (9)
|
| definition: endorphins are pain relieving chemicals produced by the brain
H (heroin) inside: END=”butt” + OR (from surface) + PIN=”leg” |
||
| 21 | SENNA |
It might make you go brown when leaving Italy (5)
|
| definition: a natural laxative
S-[I]-ENNA=a shade of “brown”, minus I (Italy) |
||
| 22 | WROUGHT |
Beaten with hard truncheon at the start (7)
|
| W (with) + ROUGH=”hard” + T-[runcheon] | ||
| 23 | SPORTED |
Did wear pants, initially, problem solved for clothing (7)
|
| P-[ants], clothed inside SORTED=expression meaning “problem solved” (similar to e.g. ‘that’s all sorted now’) | ||
| 24 | ERECT |
Pitch in sports ground confined in extra time (5)
|
| definition as in pitching/erecting a tent
REC (recreation ground, “sports ground”); inside ET (extra time) |
||
| 25 | SANMARINO |
Country manor in a state, primarily needing repair (3,6)
|
| anagram/”needing repair” of (manor in a s-[tate])* | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | RECRUDESCE |
Break out again? Screw ignoring guards secured criminal (10)
|
| definition: the reappearance of an undesirable condition i.e. a break out, again
anagram/”criminal” of (cre secured)*; with cre from [s]-cre-[w] ignoring its guards (outer letters) |
||
| 2 | MAGNOLIA |
Bark on this dog without lead: animal is shaken (8)
|
| definition: there is bark on a MAGNOLIA tree
anagram/”shaken” of ([d]-og animal)* |
||
| 3 | FORAGE |
Search in order to get date (6)
|
| FOR=”in order to get” + AGE=”date” (perhaps in the sense of ‘to become older / old-fashioned’) | ||
| 4 | BANK |
Tip Kay behind bar (4)
|
| definition: “Tip” and BANK can mean ’tilt’
K (letter called Kay), after BAN=prohibit=”bar” |
||
| 5 | PENICILLIN |
One captivated by unfinished drawing: it was discovered in mould? (10)
|
| definition refers to PENICILLIN being discovered in penicillium mould
I=”One” inside PENCILLIN-[g]=”unfinished drawing” |
||
| 6 | BACKSTAB |
Supports Bill in act of betrayal (8)
|
| BACKS=”Supports” + TAB=amount to be paid=”Bill” | ||
| 7 | PATINA |
Film on copper from Pennsylvania: American stealing money (6)
|
| definition: a patina is a layer that forms on the surface of copper metal
PA (Pennsylvania, US state) + A (American); around TIN=slang for “money” |
||
| 8 | STAG |
Horny male to droop after drinking time (4)
|
| definition: a male deer, with horns
SAG=”droop” around T (time) |
||
| 14 | PROPHETESS |
She sees parking spots here when manoeuvring (10)
|
| P (parking) + anagram/”manoeuvring” of (spots here)* | ||
| 15 | LAY HANDS ON |
Find position practical (3,5,2)
|
| definition: to acquire something
LAY=”position” + HANDS-ON=”practical” |
||
| 17 | UPRIGHTS |
Delivery firm adopting suitable standards (8)
|
| definition: a standard can be an upright post or pillar
UPS (United Parcel Service, “Delivery firm”), around RIGHT=”suitable” |
||
| 18 | RINGTAIL |
Collar on dog for other animal (8)
|
| definition: a mammal of the raccoon family
RING=”Collar” + TAIL=follow=”dog” |
||
| 20 | DOOFER |
Make love: female on vacation with Romeo – it could be remote? (6)
|
| definition: slang for a remote control
DO=”Make” + O=”love” (zero score in tennis) + F-[emal]-E vacated of inner letters + R (Romeo, NATO alphabet) |
||
| 21 | SLOGAN |
Struggle connecting a neutral line in plug (6)
|
| definition: a SLOGAN can be a line in a plug/advertisement
SLOG=”Struggle” + A (from surface) + N (neutral) |
||
| 22 | WEED |
Flower on top of wall on climbing plant (4)
|
| DEE=the river Dee=a ‘flow-er’ plus the top letter of W-[all]; all reversed/”climbing” up | ||
| 23 | SAND |
Beach with sun: big deal? (4)
|
| S (short for sun), plus AND
‘…and?’ can be used as a response in conversation meaning ‘so what?’ or ‘big deal’ |
Can I be first to comment?
Thanks Tramp and manehi
I had WOOFER at first for 20d – makes just as much sense as DOOFER (which, possibly influenced by Dilbert, I have always thought of as DOOFUS).
At 8d, stags don’t have horns, they have antlers – significantly different.
Favourite PATINA.
oh, that’s unfair, now I can’t be first :-).
Lovely puzzle though had never heard of doofer in general, or as a remote control in particular … . Sounds like something of of Adams’ The Meaning of Lif.
Gradually slowed until I came to a halt with four remaining: 11a RANSACK (I was looking for the definition at the other end of the clue), 2d MAGNOLIA (should have got this one), 3d FORAGE, 21d SLOGAN (both tricky)
A good workout from Tramp, with consistently smooth and meaningful surfaces!
Lots of favourites. Maybe single out 10a ADAPT (great surface with a story), 16a STATUE OF LIBERTY (what an anagram!), 21a SENNA (what an odd surface image!), 1d RECRUDESCE (for a delightful clue that gave me a Jorum), 14a PROPHETESS (for a great misdirecting surface), 15d LAY HANDS ON (for conciseness)
A huge thank you to Admin for getting the site up and running again, appropriately at No.1 today!
Male deers have antlers not horns. Perhaps this stag is of the human variety?
Thanks Tramp for the challenge. Portions of this were rough sledding for me with a bit of guessing & checking needed to reach the finish line. It was worth the effort due to clues like ADAPT, RANSACK, STATUE OF LIBERTY, ENDORPHIN, WROUGHT, BACKSTAB, and STAG. Thanks manehi (& Admin) for the blog.
Another great puzzle from Tramp with some super clues, all, as ever, with consistently smooth and meaningful surfaces, as Mig @4 says.
Pick of the bunch has to be 16ac STATUE OF LIBERTY. Other favourites were 9ac EVAPORATE, 1ac ADAPT, 19ac ENDORPHIN, 25ac SAN MARINO, 2dn MAGNOLIA, 5dn PENICILLIN, 14dn PROPHETESS and 20dn DOOFER, which goes way back to my childhood – I was amused to see that AI Overview gives TV remote control as the primary meaning.
Many thanks to Tramp for the treat and manehi for the blog.
Nice puzzle. EVAPORATE was my favourite because of the surface. I did enjoy STAG but I can’t argue with the quibble…
Thanks both
Great to see the site back up – much missed. We are very lucky. Anyone know what Tramp’s ‘bonus’ clue was – I’m intrigued. (…and thanks to all)
I was so committed to 19A being ANALGESIC rather than ENDORPHIN that completing the rest of the crossword proved to be rather, well, painful. I had – N – – – – – I – and couldn’t work out if the L that I thought should be there was part of ANAL (from the “butt” in the clue) or LGE (potential anagram including “leg” from the clue).
Thanks for the blog. I’m a long-time reader but first-time commenter. Great site!
Thanks manehi and Tramp. Great stuff. Re 8d, I think “horny” could be taken in the sense of “sexy” or “rampant”, which for my money puts the setter in the clear.
A mostly enjoyable puzzle with some clever clues. However the surface of 9a left a bad taste in the mouth. If jokey references to this affair were ever entertaining or appropriate, I don’t think they are any more.
Endwether@9 here you go
Jay@13. Thanks! But I’m struggling to see what the problem is with it. It’s quite brilliant.
The splendidly succinct SAND was the cream of the crop for me. Great to see the site back up and running again. Many thanks to Admin for the hard work. I know from personal experience what a faff this kind of thing can be to get sorted.
Cheers M&T
Lord Jim @12, have to say I agree, especially given her suicide. Perhaps Tramp wrote the clue a long time ago, but I think the editor should have asked for a rewrite.
Endwether@14, it’s a clever anagram and maybe the Guardian crossword editor would have been fine with it as well, but can you not see a problem with making entertainment out of the subject of the sexual exploitation of underage females and the possible offence it could cause? How seriously would you take any moral standpoint in the Guardian’s reporting and comments on the subject if they were to have a clue like that in the paper? I don’t think having ‘Alarming’ in the clue is a get-out.
For anyone who may come to this blog at some time in the future and is surprised at how few posts there are. …
This puzzle received some excellent comments on the Guardian site, but at the usual time people would be posting here our wonderful Admin/KenMac was beavering away fixing problems with 15sq and comments were temporarily unavailable. By the time they came back up again Tramp had already posted on the Guardian blog, including the mention of an unpublished “bonus” clue.
I’m never one to upbraid setters for questionable content but I do agree with others who thought the first clue singularly inappropriate. I also assumed that Tramp wrote it before the poor woman committed suicide
This is a shame, since I perhaps didn’t enjoy as much as I should
Well done, admin/kenmac for sorting the site problems. It must have been a painful day at times – you are appreciated!
So we’re online again. Thanks Admin!
I’m another who put WOOFER at first – I’d like to think of it as a name for a dog, but that’s not what it means! Eventually remembered hearing DOOFER somewhere, though I had to check its meaning.
Everything else went in fine. Liked STATUE OF LIBERTY (something a certain Mr T should be heeding!), INKLING, SPORTED, RANSACK, EVAPORATE (love the surface! – sadly the Virginia in question is no more…); PAINTBALL; ENDORPHIN; WEED … too many to list all!
Thanks to Tramp and Manehi.
I wrote this puzzle last year. When I used to write puzzles, I used to see how many clues I could write using the same idea and then scatter the clues amongst my puzzles to see if anyone noticed. I can’t remember them all now, but, I remember writing clues with Tesco and Aldi in them. I also wrote several clues with Prince and Virginia in them. This was one of them. I don’t really do that anymore. Sorry for any offence.
WOO doesn’t mean make love, so I don’t see how WOOFER works.
Neil
Thanks for clarifying Tramp
Doesn’t WOO mean “make love” in the old sense of the term, as seen in, say, 19th C novels?
Condolences re Rick Davies, Neil.
Thanks all for a good puzzle and blog.
I liked the clue at 9a. If clues about Epstein’s disgusting criminal behaviour are inappropriate, then so are the thousands of clues we’ve seen about the Orangeman’s disgusting criminal behaviour.
More generally, if clues or solutions that could offend some people are unacceptable, then no clues referencing the Lone Ranger’s horse should be allowed. “Tv cowboy’s ride is a cause of great upset (7)”
Cellomaniac@23 – I’m afraid you’ve mixed up your TV cowboys. The Lone Ranger rode Silver. (“Hi-Yo Silver, away!”) The horse you reference was ridden by Roy Rogers.
Tramp @20
WOO is certainly “make love” (although not in the physical sense).
Rough and hard are not synonyms. Sandpaper is one but not the other.
Muffin@25
Ah. I see now. I apologise. I would say that’s more “try to make love”. I might use that one day.
Neil
Just working on one of Tramp’s in the archive, Guardian 28,001, and found this:
12a Make love with fellow: let me see thing (6), for DOOFER
In the comments, grantinfreo@9 also had “woofer”, and RJS@47
https://www.fifteensquared.net/2019/12/11/guardian-28001-tramp/