Thanks to Paul for today’s puzzle – my favourites were 12ac, 16ac, 13dn and 17dn. Merry Christmas, all.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | ROTAVATOR |
Rust on a tank, if not reversible farm machinery (9)
|
| ROT=”Rust”; plus A VAT = “a tank”; plus OR=”if not”
“reversible” is a separate/additional indicator that ROTAVATOR is a palindrome and reads the same if the order of letters is reversed |
||
| 6 | KEBAB |
Honey and last drop of milk poured over Middle Eastern dish (5)
|
| BABE=term of endearment=”Honey” + last letter of [mil]-K; all reversed/”over” | ||
| 9 | QANON |
Those who’ll believe anything that’s soon beyond question (5)
|
| definition refers to QAnon members as believers of conspiracy theories [wiki]
ANON=”soon” after/”beyond” Q (short for “question”) |
||
| 10 | TOGA PARTY |
Function apparently of Romans to break Bohemian (4,5)
|
| definition: “Function” can mean a party, and those at a TOGA PARTY would look like (hence “apparently”) Romans
TO (from surface) + GAP=interruption, pause=”break” + ARTY=”Bohemian” |
||
| 11 | EMU |
Bird hearing sound of cat on the internet? (3)
|
| sounds like (hearing) ‘e-mew’=”sound of cat on the internet”
‘mew’ for the sound of a cat; and e- as a prefix meaning ‘electronic’ indicating “on the internet” (e.g. e-mail) |
||
| 12 | SHED LIGHT ON |
Explain possible indication of inventor at work? (4,5,2)
|
| an inventor at work in a garden shed/workshop might have their SHED LIGHT ON | ||
| 14 | THEREBY |
Your cups spilling beer then (7)
|
| THY=”Your” around/cupping an anagram/”spilling” of (beer)* | ||
| 15 | ADAMANT |
A builder of nest behind barrier, firm (7)
|
| A (from surface); plus ANT=”builder of nest” behind DAM=”barrier” | ||
| 16 | SOLOIST |
Player mightily confused, one snookered (7)
|
| SO LOST=”mightily confused”; with I=”one” snookered/trapped inside | ||
| 19 | TIERING |
Arrangement of lines where circle meets square (7)
|
| RING=”circle” meeting TIE=to make even/equal=”square” | ||
| 22 | HIPPOPOTAMI |
Could I be on stylish river vessel – to see African natives? (11)
|
| AM I=”Am I…?”=”Could I be…?”; after/on all of: HIP=”stylish” + the river PO + POT=”vessel” | ||
| 23 | EGO |
So, fragile thing ultimately requiring a massage? (3)
|
| definition refers to massaging a fragile ego
wordplay: anagram/”a massage” of (O E G)*, as the last letters (“ultimately”) taken from [s]-O [fragil]-E [thin]-G |
||
| 24 | LANZAROTE |
Tenor learning technique in holiday destination (9)
|
| Mario LANZA the “Tenor” [wiki]; plus ROTE=”learning technique” | ||
| 26 | GLEAM |
Sparkle back in vogue, glittering dresses (5)
|
| GLAM=”glittering” goes around/over (“dresses”) the last letter (“back”) of [vogu]-E | ||
| 27 | ROOMY |
Large Australian bouncer, I say! (5)
|
| ROO=Kangaroo, animal that bounces=”Australian bouncer”; plus MY=exclamation of surprise=”I say!” | ||
| 28 | EYES RIGHT |
Order number checked by fine inspector in the end (4,5)
|
| definition: ‘eyes right’ is an order given during military drills
EIGHT=”number” around all of: YES=I agree=”fine” plus the end of [inspecto]-R |
||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | REQUEST |
Proposal, that offered by Picasso during siesta (7)
|
| QUE=”that” in Spanish i.e. as spoken by Picasso; inside REST=”siesta” | ||
| 2 | TONSURE |
Brother’s style in fashion without a doubt (7)
|
| definition: a hair style associated with monks, and a monk may be known as ‘Brother’
TON (as in ‘bon ton’)=”fashion” + SURE=”without a doubt” |
||
| 3 | VENUS DE MILO |
Damaged piece, world half lost, half lost (5,2,4)
|
| definition: an ancient sculpture missing its arms [wiki]
VENUS=”world”; plus DEMI=”half”; plus LO-[st] i.e. “LOST [with] half lost” |
||
| 4 | TOTTERY |
Unsteady – like a calculator? (7)
|
| a calculator ‘tots’ things up, it might be called a ‘totter’, so ‘totter-y’ could mean ‘like a calculator’ | ||
| 5 | REGALIA |
Tackle skin on rare type of melon (7)
|
| definition: regalia and tackle can both mean something like ‘gear’/’equipment’/’paraphernalia’
the outer letters (“skin”) of R-[ar]-E; plus GALIA=a “type of melon” |
||
| 6 | KIP |
Confinement to bunk, I presume? (3)
|
| hidden/confined in [bun]-K I P-[resume] | ||
| 7 | BIRETTA |
Milliner turned up where cap missing, bishop needing one on top? (7)
|
| definition: a type of cap worn by clergy
[h]-ATTER=”Milliner”, reversed/”turned up” and with the first letter/”cap” missing; with B (Bishop, chess abbreviation) and I=”one” going first (“on top”) |
||
| 8 | BAYONET |
Speculation about article that is kind of fitting? (7)
|
| definition refers to bayonet as a type of fitting for light bulbs
BET=”Speculation”, around both of: A (indefinite “article”) + YON=”that” |
||
| 13 | GRAVEDIGGER |
Musician performing concert tours was dancing wildly – one getting down and dirty? (11)
|
| GIGGER=”Musician performing concert” goes around (“tours”) RAVED=”was dancing wildly” | ||
| 16 | SCHOLAR |
Academic mark cut by half, or less initially (7)
|
| SCAR=”mark”, with the initials of H-[alf] O-[r] L-[ess] cutting inside | ||
| 17 | LEPANTO |
Blanche Neige et Les Sept Nains in battle? (7)
|
| definition refers to the battle of Lepanto [wiki]
“Blanche Neige et Les Sept Nains” is French for Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs a pantomime adaptation of this might be referred to in French as ‘le panto’ (the panto) |
||
| 18 | TWO-TONE |
Music genre wife introduced to child and I (3-4)
|
| definition: a music genre [wiki] associated with the 2 Tone Records record label
W (wife) introduced into/inside: TOT=”child” + ONE=”I” |
||
| 19 | TRAPEZE |
Flier: ruse seen essentially where unknown number posted? (7)
|
| TRAP=”ruse”, with Z (a maths variable, “unknown number”) posted inside central/essential letters of [s]-EE-[n] | ||
| 20 | ICEBERG |
Two at bottom of Pacific, diver, having surfaced, leaves (7)
|
| definition refers to iceberg lettuce leaves
“Two” letters from the end/”bottom” of [Pacif]-IC, plus GREBE=diving waterbird=”diver” reversed upwards (“having surfaced” i.e. having moved upwards) |
||
| 21 | GROMMET |
Small device, inventor’s best friend on audio? (7)
|
| definition: grommets are rings inserted into e.g. curtains [wiki]
sounds like (“on audio”) ‘Gromit’ from Wallace & Gromit [wiki], best friend of the inventor Wallace |
||
| 25 | ANY |
Some tea in caddy, the latest bits (3)
|
| the end letters (“latest bits”) from [te]-A [i]-N [cadd]-Y |
Fabulous festive fun from Paul. QANON a contender for clue of the year 🙂
Cheers P&M
No Christmas spirit from Paul on display today as I found this on the hard side. However, as always with Paul you can slowly tease them out in a joyous rather than laborious way.
Not sure where QANON came from in my brain. It must have entered there during the US election coverage.
Liked HIPPOPOTAMI (although I’d never pluralise it as such) and the silly SHED LIGHT ON.
Couldn’t parse LANZAROTE other than to see it had the letters of tenor in there which turned out to be coincidental.
And a long time in the SE corner thanks to an incorrect EXIT RIGHT.
Thanks Paul and Manehi.
Loved QANON, VENUS DE MILO and of course LEPANTO, which provoked a groan and a grin! Excellent festive fare from Paul, thanks to him and to Manehi.
Second half completed this morning with the SE empty for ages. Agree with manehi’s favourites plus QANON, TOTTERY, LANZAROTE and ICEBERG. Paul’s clues are so unique with synonyms that require very lateral thinking.
Ta Paul & manehi.
The French panto was a jolly good Christmassy clue. I was less impressed by the string of dubious equivalences (proposal=request, ruse=trap, regalia=tackle, trapeze=flier, tie=square), but — heigh-ho — it is a Paul crossword.
Similar sentiments to Staticman1 @2, except the teasing out was laborious rather than joyous.
Fabulous crossword as always from Paul. Agree that Qanon is up there for best clue of the year, but it was Lepanto that made me laugh out loud. A real pleasure. Thank you.
One of those Paul puzzles that, to me, was a fine demonstration of his wit and sense of linguistic fun. I don’t always get on with him, by any means, but this one was lovely, especially LANZAROTE, LEPANTO, SHED LIGHT ON and GROMMET. Thanks to P & m, and merry Xmas to all.
New for me: 5d GALIA melon (= a cross between cantaloupe and honeydew) which was created in Israel in the 1970s; ROTAVATOR; GROMMET = small device; and also Wallace & Gromit TV show.
I could not parse 19ac TIE = square; 8d; 20d.
LEPANTO got a groan from me.
Pp2@5 Will you marry me? A proposal and a request
Chambers has several definitions for trap that would match ruse e.g “trickery”
And a you could square or tie a sports match or series. Unless you’re the England cricket team
Has anyone got any ideas about the Christmas Special by Ludwig which has appeared on line today, but not in print format.
Is there going to be a blogger for this?
Thanks
[Shirley @11
It was in the Saturday Magazine, with the answers on the next page, as I remember.]