It’s Phi-day again!
This was an unexpectedly straightforward Phi puzzle today. We’ve hunted for a theme, but, unsurprisingly, can’t find one. We can’t help thinking that something must be going on by the inclusion of the Ecuadorean city at 20d, which we have never heard of. We did wonder whether Phi was trying to fill the grid with words with at least one ‘t’ in them – but there are four answers (including 20d) without a ‘t’ – so that’s a non-starter. Any thoughts out there?
PIN (security code) POINT (give directions)
T E (first and last letters or ‘start and end’ of time) in INN (pub) T (time)
An anagram (‘wavering’) of HESITANT US
A S (southern) + a reversal (‘recalled’) of IT (Italian)
STILE (‘steps’) round or ‘restraining’ F (France)
FLEE (get away) TIN (money) G (grand -$1000)
T (last letter or ‘term’ of student) HORNY (wanting sex)
AS (when) in A TEE (casual shirt)
An anagram (‘cocktail’) of GIN + RAINS (quantities of water)
I N (note) + a reversal (‘revolution’) of LATS (muscles)
TALLy (count) missing the last letter or ‘falling short’
ALL (everything) + dEVIATES (takes a new direction) missing or ‘ditching’ the first letter
SETTER (Phi) with the first three letters reversed or ‘half backed’
TERN (seabird) round RAP (strike) I (one)
T (tense) after NN (news) in LIE (story)
First letters or ‘starts’ of Occupy Pacific After Hurricane
ST (street – ‘way’) in or ‘blocking’ EIN EIN (articles in German – Schrödinger’s language)
R (river) in STAFFS (Staffordshire)
Fancifully, if you were to TIP TO E (east) you would ’tilt to from west’ Thanks Hovis
An anagram (‘reconstructing’) of PAST MASTER
N (number) in dISTANCE (mileage) missing or ‘ignoring’ the first or ‘initial’ letter
FLOOR (baffle) CLOTH (clergy)
TINT (shade) A GEL (hair application)
THE (article) round I (one) VERY (actual)
An anagram (‘fancy’) of TO SEAL I
I BAR (prevent) RA (artist) – we had to check this one!
A reversal (‘upset’) of CIA (spies) round or ‘snatching’ TEC (private eye)
AW (expression of sympathy) A Y (year)
Look at the ends and beginnings of the across answers…
So, is it International Repetition of Three Letters Day?
🙂
Thanks Andrew. We thought there must be something going on.
Spotted the repetitions. I assumed the ‘Formerly’ in 4d meant it’s an obsolete spelling of ‘strafe’ but Chambers just gives it as an alternative spelling.
B&J. You’ve put ‘tilt to west’ in 5d, the opposite of what is meant.
Phi is always a delight to attempt, even though I often have to reveal the last few. Loved TIPTOE and the great repetition device (not spotted of course – I hurried here to find out how to parse some of them), Thanks Phi and B&J