Fire is the setter of this themed Spectator puzzle.
The theme words came quite quickly in the puzzle, even though there were no clues apart from the “Friends and Relations” puzzle title. The characters of WInnie The Pooh are well known, probably even to those who have not read the books or watched the movies or TV shows. The clues were mostly brief, but all were fair and easy to parse.
Thanks Fire
| ACROSS | ||
| 4 | CHRISTOPHER |
Theme word
|
| with 41ac, CHRISTOPHER ROBIN, the boy in the WInnie The Pooh stories. | ||
| 11 | MALLEABLE |
Most excellent expert admitting: ‘Everyone can be beaten!’ (9)
|
| ME (Most Excellent) + ABLE (“expert”) admitting ALL (“everyone”) | ||
| 12 | PORTO |
Left centre of Kyoto for coastal city (5)
|
| PORT (“left”) + [centre of] (ky)O(to) | ||
| 13 | TABLETENNIS |
Game playing isn’t tenable (5,6)
|
| *(isnt tenable) [anag:playing] | ||
| 14 | EGAD |
My elderly grandma always danced the leads (4)
|
| [the leads] of E(lderly) G(randma) A(lways) D(anced) | ||
| 15 | OWL |
Theme word
|
| Owl is the eldest of the main characters in the Winnie the Pooh stories. | ||
| 18 | RAMEKIN |
Dish of noodles King and I tucked into (7)
|
| K (King, in chess noatation) and I tucked into RAMEN (“noodles”) | ||
| 19 | ENAMOUR |
Recalled old letter about a minute charm (7)
|
| [recalled] <=RUNE (“old letter”) about A + MO (“minute”) | ||
| 22 | PIGLET |
Theme word
|
| Piglet is a character from the Winnie the Pooh stories who is often overcome by irrational fear. | ||
| 23 | OARING |
Rowing over a piece of jewellery (6)
|
| O (over) + A + RING (“piece of jewellery”) | ||
| 24 | CHURR |
Dramatic hurricane masks sound of birds (5)
|
| Hidden in [masks] “dranatiC HURRicane” | ||
| 27 | CAMEO |
Turned up old brooch (5)
|
| CAME (“turned up”) + O (old) | ||
| 29 | BRONTE |
Famous sisters of Eleanor, possibly having lots of tea? (6)
|
| (Eleanor) BRON having [lots of] TE(a)
Eleanor Bron is a comedy actress who appeared in several British movies, and TV shows most notably in the 1960s and 70s. |
||
| 31 | ARCHLY |
In a sly manner, crook left yard (6)
|
| ARCH (“crook”) + L (left) + Y (yard) | ||
| 34 | TEATIME |
Occasion to eat, eat! (7)
|
| TIME (“occasion”) to eat EAT and &lit. | ||
| 35 | DIADEMS |
I’d made ornate small crowns (7)
|
| *(id made) [anag:ornate] + S (small) | ||
| 38 | AYE |
I said yes! (3)
|
| Homophone [said] of I | ||
| 39 | REIN |
Essentially free and in control (4)
|
| [essentially] (f)RE(e) and IN | ||
| 40 | SCAREMONGER |
Alarmist anger comes in chaos before resistance (11)
|
| *(anger comes) [anag:in chaos] before R (resistance) | ||
| 41 | ROBIN |
Theme word
|
| see 4ac | ||
| 42 | GREENNESS |
Environmental credentials of inexperienced Head (9)
|
| GREEN (“inexperienced”) + NESS (“head”) | ||
| 43 | SWEETHEARTS |
Lovers’ special little means of expression (11)
|
| S (special) + WEE (“little”) + THE ARTS (“means of expression”) | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | IMPERSONATE |
Pretend to be pirate with some nausea initially at sea (11)
|
| *(pirate some n) [anag:at sea] where N is N(ausea) [initially] | ||
| 2 | KANGA |
Theme word
|
| Kanga is a female kangaroo in the Winnie the pooh stories. | ||
| 3 | ALL-AMERICAN |
Aluminium foil in caramel apple-pie (3-8)
|
| Al (chemical symbol for “aluminium”) + (in camarel)* [anag:foil] | ||
| 5 | HEARKEN |
Mark is heartbroken having lost leads in two boat races outright (7)
|
| HEAR(tbro)KEN having lost [leads in] T(wo) B(oat) R(aces) O(utright) | ||
| 6 | RABBIT |
Theme word
|
| Rabbit is a character in the WInnie the Pooh stories. He is obsessed with rules and order. | ||
| 7 | SLEWED |
You and I in sleigh, veered off course (6)
|
| WE (“you and I”) in SLED (“sleigh”) | ||
| 8 | OPEN-AIR |
Outside broadcast of piano recital – parts 1 and 2 (4-3)
|
| *(piano re) [anag:broadcast] where RE is [parts 1 and 2] of RE(cital) | ||
| 9 | PONY |
1/4 ton horse (4)
|
| Double definition, the first relying to £25. | ||
| 10 | ETIQUETTE |
Alien coming down then returning, having adopted quite bad manners (9)
|
| ET (“alien coming down”) then <=TE (alien “returning”), having adopted *(quite) [anag:bad] | ||
| 15 | ON ICE |
Held up in eco resort (2,3)
|
| *(in eco) [anag:resort] | ||
| 16 | VOLUNTEERED |
Worked for nothing restoring unloved tree (11)
|
| *(unloved tree) [anag:restoring] | ||
| 17 | ARTLESSNESS |
Simplicity in painting without directions (11)
|
| ART (“painting”) + LESS (“without”) + NESS (North, East and South twice, so “directions”) | ||
| 20 | SACRED COW |
Animal treated with sincere respect was accorded boundless movement (6,3)
|
| *(was ccorde) [anag:movement] where CCORDE is [bountless] (a)CCORDE(d) | ||
| 21 | SIC |
So ill, reportedly (3)
|
| Homophone [reportedly] of SICK (“ill”) | ||
| 25 | HORDE |
Many people abhor deceitful content (5)
|
| Hidden in [content] “abHOR DEceitful” | ||
| 26 | ROO |
Theme word
|
| Kanga’s son in the Winnie the Pooh stories | ||
| 28 | ALIMENT |
Food? In general, I’m enthusiastic (7)
|
| Hidden [in] “generAL I’M ENThusiast” | ||
| 30 | REAGENT |
Interim ruler getting taste of authority causes a reaction (7)
|
| REGENT (“interim ruler”) getting [taste of] A(uthority) | ||
| 32 | EEYORE |
Theme word
|
| A pessimistic donkey in the Winnie the Pooh stories. | ||
| 33 | TIGGER |
Theme word
|
| An energetic tiger in the Winnie the Pooh stories. | ||
| 36 | MIDST |
Poorly lit back street in the centre (5)
|
| <=DIM (“poorly lit”, back) + St. (street) | ||
| 37 | BRIE |
Cheese, salt, water: no end to provision (4)
|
| BRI(n)E (“salt water”) with no [end of] (provisio)N |