Thanks to Paul for the puzzle…
…with a theme around 22dn MONKEY. While blogging 22dn I searched for a link to share about the Guardian crossword setter Araucaria [wiki] and saw that today is the 12 year anniversary of his death.
| ACROSS | ||
| 7 | BATH SOAP |
English city’s oldie, slippery customer? (4,4)
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BATH'S="English city's" (as in the city of Bath); OAP (Old Age Pensioner, "oldie") |
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| 9 | ADORED |
Trouble burning in our hearts (6)
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ADO="Trouble" + RED="burning" (perhaps as in flushed with emotion) |
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| 10, 24 | FACE CARD |
Vogue having captured leader in corset, shoot backfiring for Queen, say? (4,4)
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definition: a face card is a playing card that is a Queen, King, or Jack FAD="Vogue" around: the leading letter of C-[orset] + RACE=move quickly="shoot" reversed/"backfiring" |
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| 11 | LOCOMOTIVE |
Cuckoo with reason for travelling (10)
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definition: locomotive as in relating to travel/locomotion LOCO=crazy="Cuckoo" + MOTIVE="reason" |
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| 12 | LANGUR |
22 down’s drowsiness when starved of oxygen (6)
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definition: a type of MONKEY LANGU-[O]-R="drowsiness" without O (symbol for oxygen) |
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| 14 | INSULATE |
Protect where roofer might work around you (8)
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IN SLATE="where roofer might work" as in slate roofing, around U=letter pronounced as "you" |
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| 15 | IN TOTO |
Completely new draught with moon in orbit? (2,4)
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N (new) + TOT="draught" of a drink; with IO="moon" of Jupiter going around i.e. "in orbit" |
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| 17 | ATRIUM |
Hall in university toured by a groom (6)
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U="university", with A (from surface) + TRIM as a verb="groom" touring around |
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| 20 | BECHAMEL |
Get the hump, perhaps, about hot sauce (8)
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BE CAMEL=have a hump like a camel="Get the hump, perhaps"; around H (hot) |
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| 22 | MANANA |
A parting gift in the near future (6)
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definition: soon, some time in the future A (from surface) inside ("parting" the letters of) MANNA="gift" as in 'manna from heaven' |
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| 23 | FOR CERTAIN |
Clearly, power shower blocked by dirt in the end (3,7)
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FORCE="power" + RAIN="shower" with "end" of [dir]-T inside |
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| 24 | FACE CARD |
See 10
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| 25 | BABOON |
22 down taking bait in silence (6)
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definition: a type of MONKEY BOO="bait"=to harass; in BAN="silence" (e.g to ban or silence discussion/dissent etc) |
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| 26 | THESSALY |
That community welcomes girl back in Greek region (8)
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THEY="That community" around LASS="girl" reversed/"back" |
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| DOWN | ||
| 1 | NAGASAKI |
Badger and a 22 down somewhere in the Far East (8)
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NAG="Badger" as in to pester; plus A (from surface) + SAKI=type of MONKEY (22 down) |
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| 2 | SHOE |
Trainer for example putting weed under stress, ultimately (4)
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definition as in a pair of trainers HOE=to "weed" a garden; after ultimate/last letter of [stres]-S |
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| 3 | HOWLER |
22 down dropped brick? (6)
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double definition: a type of MONKEY; and to drop a brick means to make an embarrassing mistake, a HOWLER |
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| 4 | MARMOSET |
Rodent pinching skin of some 22 down (8)
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definition: a type of MONKEY MARMOT=type of "Rodent"; around the outer letters/"skin" of S-[om]-E |
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| 5 | POSTILLION |
Horse rider spoilt excited animal (10)
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definition: someone riding a posthorse or riding a horse drawing a carriage anagram/"excited" of (spoilt)*; plus LION="animal" |
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| 6 | VERVET |
22 down with spirit taking lid off tequila (6)
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definition: a type of MONKEY VERVE="spirit" with the top letter/"lid" of T-[equila] |
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| 8 | PECTIN |
Egg and mushroom served up for setter (6)
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definition: a powder used as a gelling or setting NIT=a louse "Egg"; plus CEP=type of "mushroom"; all reversed/"served up" |
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| 13 | GET THE CHOP |
Go and visit butcher? (3,3,4)
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definition: to be let go from a job the phrase could also be read as getting a chop (slice of meat) from a butcher |
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| 16 | TAMARIND |
22 down on top of deciduous tree (8)
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a TAMARIN is a type of MONKEY (22 down), plus the top/first letter of D-[eciduous] |
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| 18 | MANDRILL |
22 down with couple of primates (8)
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definition: a type of MONKEY two primates: MAN=a "primate" + DRILL=another type of monkey, a primate |
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| 19 | PLIANT |
Elastic works, one held (6)
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PLANT="works" (e.g. a steel plant / a steelworks), around/holding I="one" |
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| 21 | ECOTAX |
Exact forms filled by Oxford’s principal, environmental duty (6)
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definition: duty as in a type of tax anagram/"forms" of (Exact)*, around the first/principal letter of O-[xford] |
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| 22 | MONKEY |
Mischief maker in Araucaria with puzzle? (6)
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MONKEY combined "with puzzle" gives monkey-puzzle, a name for the Araucaria tree |
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| 24 | CASH |
Silver 2 down paired with this for nut, reportedly? (4)
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answer to 2 down is SHOE CASH paired with SHOE sounds like (reportedly) 'cashew'="nut" |
I love Paul’s crosswords but I do miss Araucaria.
Thanks Paul and Manehi
Top picks: FACE CARD, HOWLER, MONKEY and CASH.
Thanks Paul and manehi.
I must say I thought this a better ‘monkey puzzle’ in tribute to Araucaria than the one that Enigmatist and Soup devised for the centenary of his birth back in February 2021, although I know the latter had its admirers..
BE CAMEL – brilliant
Thanks manehi and Paul
Good fun – and who remembers Toto (from 15 across) https://share.google/3seozYZnHQmQtBPZG
Thanks Paul and Manehi.
Multiple MONKEY JORUMs for me. NAGASAKI FOI so the keystone clue fell almost immediately which was a big help. Top of the troop; BECHAMEL, MANANA and MARMOSET for the Umbongo memories
Cheers M&P
Very much helped by the theme although there were quite a few new words for me including SAKI = a tropical American monkey (for 1d); TAMARIN monkey (for 16d); DRILL = type of baboon (for 18d); MANDRILL, VERVET.