Weekend puzzle from the FT of October 11, 2025
Julius outdoes himself with this themed puzzle honouring British Formula One driver, Sir Lewis Hamilton. It is brilliant and fun-filled with references to motor racing and motoring in general in 1a (LEWIS HAMILTON), 4 (AUTO-PART), 10 (MCLAREN), 14 (BRAKE DISC), 18 (SAT NAV), 18d + 23 + 9 (SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT), 19 (ROAD TEST), 20 (THE PITS), 21 (Ayrton Senna), 24a (DODGE) and 24d (Lando Norris). On top of this buried treasure we have knock-out clues at 1a (LEWIS HAMILTON), 13 (CHAMBERS), 26 (BENGALI) and 27 (EXCHANGE RATES). Gold to Julius for a 2 (WORK OF ART)!
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | LEWIS HAMILTON |
A quick one in S London ‘otel? (5,8)
|
| LEWISHAM (S London) + [h]ILTON (‘otel). Lewisham is a borough of southeast London. | ||
| 9 | CIRCUIT |
Critic unhappy about last section of Baku track (7)
|
| [Bac]U in (about) anagram (unhappy) of CRITIC | ||
| 10 | MCLAREN |
Pound to get into Carmen, flipping Carmen! (7)
|
| L (pound) in (to get into) anagram (flipping) of CARMEN | ||
| 11 | NO-ONE |
Nobody has energy after twelve o’clock (2-3)
|
| NOON (twelve o’clock) + E (energy) | ||
| 12 | PORTRAYED |
Painted a picture of weak commerce, as some might say (9)
|
| Homophone (as some might say) of “poor trade” (weak commerce) | ||
| 13 | CHAMBERS |
Watch amber signals covering where I might send you (8)
|
| Hidden word (covering) with the definition referring to Chambers Dictionary | ||
| 15 | STROLL |
Walk in the park, maybe something from Baker Street first (6)
|
| ST (street) + ROLL (something from baker) | ||
| 18 | SAT-NAV |
Start in Calvi, regularly lost without this! (3-3)
|
| S[t]A[r]T [i]N [c]A[l]V[i] | ||
| 19 | ROAD TEST |
Vehicle trial, according to Spooner, giving awful driver break (4,4)
|
| Spoonerism of “towed rest” | ||
| 22 | LISTENING |
Table G9 reviewed, paying attention (9)
|
| LIST (table) + anagram (reviewed) of G NINE | ||
| 24 | DODGE |
Avoid day getting caught up in Musk’s old project (5)
|
| D (day) in (getting caught up in) DOGE (Musk’s old project) | ||
| 25 | EMOTION |
Smiley for one lacks cold passion (7)
|
| EMOTI[c]ON (smiley for one lacks ‘C’) | ||
| 26 | BENGALI |
British English… the greatest language! (7)
|
| B (British) + ENG (English) + ALI (the greatest) | ||
| 27 | EXCHANGE RATES |
Greece has tax reforms, to include new cross-border pricing (8,5)
|
| N (new) in (to include) anagram (reforms) of GREECE HAS TAX | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | LACONIC |
Left area Tory in charge, rather Spartan (7)
|
| L (left) + A (area) + CON (Tory) + IC (in charge) | ||
| 2 | WORK OF ART |
With kart roof damaged, could be an expensive paint job (4,2,3)
|
| W (with) + anagram (damaged) of KART ROOF | ||
| 3 | SAUCE |
Lip or cheek? (5)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 4 | AUTO PART |
Gold, best method for crafting 14? (4,4)
|
| AU (gold) + TOP (best) + ART (method… | ||
| 5 | IMMURE |
Heartless juvenile put in prison (6)
|
| IMM[at]URE (heartless juvenile) | ||
| 6 | TOLERATED |
Poor, dear Lotte suffered (9)
|
| Anagram (poor) of DEAR LOTTE | ||
| 7 | NERVY |
Anxious northern Republican in electric car parked on yard (5)
|
| N (northern) + R (Republican) in (in) EV (electric car) + Y (yard) | ||
| 8 | ANODAL |
Uptight about 16, to do with a terminal (6)
|
| OD (16) in (about) ANAL (uptight) | ||
| 14 | BRAKE DISC |
Fans backed Sir 1A stopping because of this (5,4)
|
| Anagram (fans) of BACKED SIR. Do we like ‘fans’ as an anagrind? | ||
| 16 | OVERDRAFT |
In public, doctor initially admitted falsifying bank credit (9)
|
| DR (doctor) + A[dmitted] F[alsifying] together in (in) OVERT (in public) | ||
| 17 | DOGGY BAG |
Takeaway delivery for one’s best friend? (5,3)
|
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 18 | SILVER |
You exchange one for old metal (6)
|
| SOLVER (you) with ‘I’ (one) replacing ‘O’ (old) | ||
| 20 | THE PITS |
Ghastly place where 15 retires? (3,4)
|
| Double definition….but surely there is a mistake and the second should be “where 1a retires” (i.e. changes tyres in America). Or am I missing something? | ||
| 21 | SIENNA |
Motor racing legend touring Italy’s Anglicised city (6)
|
| I (Italy) in [ayrton] SENNA (motor racing legend) with the name of the city spelled as it always has been in English. (In Italian it is Siena.) | ||
| 23 | STONE |
Rock Hudson finally breaking small part of foot (5)
|
| S (small) + [hudso]N in (breaking) TOE (part of foot) | ||
| 24 | DONOR |
Philanthropist invested in Lando Norris (5)
|
| Hidden word (invested in). Lando Norris being another British racing driver who competes in Formula One for McLaren. |
Thanks Julius and Pete. I agree about 20dn.
19ac: I think the spoonerism is Toad Rest, with a reference to Toad of Toad Hall. I would have preferred it if Julius had put “according to Spooner” at the end of the clue instead of the middle.
Like Pete, I greatly enjoyed the theme of this weekend’s puzzle, especially with Sir Lewis at the top of the grid in pole position, or rather 1 across. Get in there, Lewis!
Theme or no, I thought this was Julius at his inventive best. I loved the way he makes use of Carmen in MCLAREN and of Baker Street for STROLL.
BENGALI had a cheeky surface; if not actually the ‘greatest language’, then certainly one which lends itself to winning wordplay.
The linking of SILVER and STONE to form the 9a which has been a happy hunting ground for Lewis and for Lando this year settled the argument as to whether 18d should be defined by ‘you’ or ‘metal’. And, of course, the McLarens are silver.
It’s another podium finish for Julius, as well as Pete! Thanks both.
Hmm…I think the ‘retire’ reference is intended for STROLL because Lance Stroll is the Canadian F1 driver and though they don’t share all American spellings, I believe they do spell ‘tire’ that way.
‘Retiring in the pits’ could also mean just that, ie a driver’s race is over due to technical issues, for instance, and so must return to the pits. So the clue still makes perfect sense for Lance Stroll – or any other driver.
Knowing Julius, he meant ‘re-tires’ which makes this clue even better!