Nimrod provides our Boxing Day challenge.
I use the word “challenge” deliberately, because I found this pretty hard – though it’s a Friday and a Bank Holiday, which is often an excuse for something a bit more taxing than standard weekday fare. Our setter has used some tortuous definitions (such as 17a), and pushed the boundaries of clue construction in places, notably in 20a and 33a where the definition is buried in the middle of the wordplay. There were some fairly straightforward ones like 6a and 30d to get started, but I have to admit I needed some help for the last few.
As I worked through the puzzle I started to see hints of a theme: it’s Boxing Day so Nimrod has given us a theme of boxing, or rather names and nicknames of boxers. It’s not a sport I enjoy so most of these weren’t familiar; I spent some time picking out likely words in the grid and using Google or Wikipedia to check whether they were thematic, and I’ve found the following:
- The Italian DRAGON – Joe Calzaghe
- The BONE CRUSHER – James Smith
- Smokin’ JOE – Joe Frazier
- SUGAR – either Sugar Ray Robinson or Sugar Ray Leonard
- IRON MIKE – Mike Tyson
- ROCKY – Rocky Marciano, or the fictional Rocky Balboa from the film and its sequels
- The GREATEST – Muhammad Ali
- The HITMAN – Ricky Hatton
- GENTLEMAN JIM – James J Corbett
- The MANASSA MAULER – Jack Dempsey
- The DESTROYER – Conor Benn
There may be more, but that’s quite enough. It’s possible to solve most of the puzzle without any knowledge of the theme, except perhaps for 20a (explicitly called out as a thematic entry) and 10a (how many solvers have heard of the place without reference to the boxer born there?).
I think my favourite clues are non-thematic ones: I laughed when I finally saw the misleading first definition in 3d, and I liked the image of encouraging Bellamy’s team. Yes, I enjoy football a lot more than boxing (and I was born in Wales). And the short version of a poem about a sailor is neat too. Thanks Nimrod for the workout.
Definitions are underlined; BOLD UPPERCASE indicates letters used in the wordplay; square brackets [ ] indicate omitted letters.
| ACROSS | ||
| 6 | DRAG ON |
Tediously continue playing pantomime dame? (4,2)
|
| Double definition. As in “the speech seemed to drag on for hours”; or a performer playing a pantomime dame would have DRAG (women’s clothing worn by a man) ON. | ||
| 8 | HEROISM |
Quality of the Lions timelessly remains in the memory (7)
|
| IS (remains, as a verb) in [t]HE without the T (abbreviation for time, hence “timelessly” + ROM (abbreviation for read-only memory in electronic devices). | ||
| 11 | A RAINY DAY |
When you might need New Year diary for resolution? Separate answers in it (1,5,3)
|
| Anagram (for resolution) of NY (abbreviation for New Year) + DIARY, with two A (abbreviation for answer) inserted separately.
As in “save it for a rainy day” = to store something in case you need it in future. |
||
| 12 | TOMSK |
A city of Russia to one of Belarus, in deserts (5)
|
| TO (from clue text) + M[in]SK (capital city of Belarus) with the IN removed (deserting it). | ||
| 13 | ACELLULAR |
Superb, quiet retreats are almost devoid of basics for living (9)
|
| ACE (slang for superb), then LULL (quiet, as a verb = to persuade someone to calm down) reversed (. . . retreats), then AR[e] without the last letter (almost).
Not made up of biological cells. |
||
| 16 | DONE |
Worked through “U”? (4)
|
| Triple definition, though the first two are related meanings. As in working (doing) a stitching pattern in sewing or knitting; as in “I’m through with it” = done = finished; or as in “the done thing” = acceptable behaviour, for example the perceived class distinction between “U” and “non-U” usage. | ||
| 17 | BONE |
Here in board meeting a knight starts to stiffen (4)
|
| In chess (a meeting of two players at a board), one of the knights starts in square B1 = B ONE in algebraic chess notation.
Bone, as a verb = to stiffen a garment (typically a corset or bodice) with long thin strips, originally made of whalebone but now usually metal or plastic. |
||
| 19 | SHTUM |
Thumbs up, Badenoch predominantly struck dumb (5)
|
| Anagram (up) of THUM[b]S without the first letter (predominantly?) of B[adenoch].
Shtum (or variant spellings) = slang for not saying anything. |
||
| 20 | JOE |
Were he thematic, this GI would be Smokin’ (3)
|
| A reference to the boxer Joe Frazier, known as “Smokin’ Joe”, who could be part of today’s theme of boxing nicknames.
GI or Joe, or indeed “GI Joe”, can all be slang for a US soldier. |
||
| 21 | SUGAR |
My sweet pasta sauce is on the counter (5)
|
| RAGU’S (a meat-based pasta sauce is), reversed (on the counter).
Sugar = my sweet = terms of endearment. |
||
| 23 | ACID |
Keen customer might need this to access her online bank details? (4)
|
| AC (abbreviation for account, in banking) + ID (abbreviation for identification) = account identifier = what you might need for access to an online bank.
I’m not sure about the definition here. Both words mean “sharp”, but in different senses. You could talk about “acid wit” or “keen wit”, but (to me at least) the former implies a degree of sarcasm or nastiness that the latter doesn’t. |
||
| 24 | IRON |
On retirement, right to join top club (4)
|
| R (abbreviation for right) inserted into NO I (No. 1 = top), all reversed (on retirement). I’m not sure “to join” is quite right as an insertion indicator.
Iron = a type of golf club. |
||
| 26 | MEMBRANES |
Films refuse to spread viral phenomena (9)
|
| BRAN (waste material from processing grain = refuse, as a noun), inserted into (to spread) MEMES (viral phenomena in online communications).
Film = membrane = a thin layer. |
||
| 29 | ROCKY |
Rough, with the shakes (5)
|
| Double definition. Rough ground = rocky ground = uneven ground with stones in the surface; or rocky = with the shakes = not steady. | ||
| 31 | DRURY LANE |
Theatre actor in the end eschewing training under Larry (5,4)
|
| Anagram (training = rearranging) of UNDE[r] LARRY, without one R which is the end letter of [acto]R. The cryptic grammar seems a little awkward: to me it looks like “UNDER LARRY” is eschewing (refusing) an R, rather than the R eschewing the rest of the anagram fodder.
Short name for the “Theatre Royal, Drury Lane” in London. |
||
| 32 | EMPEROR |
Western capital in which you’ll find an appropriate leader (7)
|
| ROME (a capital city) reversed (Western = running East to West = left to right), with PER (as in “once per hour” = “once an hour”) inserted.
Extended definition: historically the Emperor was based in Rome. |
||
| 33 | EARNER |
Pounds sterling this job will make student! (6)
|
| Reverse wordplay: L (usually written £ = abbreviation for Latin libra = a pound, hence the currency symbol for British pounds sterling) in front of EARNER makes LEARNER (student).
As in “a nice little earner” = a job that pays well. |
||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | GREATEST |
Maximum gettable for beginners on an exam (8)
|
| First letter (for beginners) of G[ettable] + RE (on = on the subject of) + A TEST (an exam). | ||
| 2 | ANODAL |
The Lady of Seville is taking off from a certain terminal (6)
|
| LA DOÑA (Spanish for “the lady”, as in the Spanish city of Seville), reversed (taking off = rising = upwards in a down clue).
Relating to the anode = the positive terminal of an electrical cell. |
||
| 3 | SHAY |
Given the No. 1 carriage? (4)
|
| Double definition. The former football goalkeeper (No.1, from the shirt number traditionally worn by goalkeepers) Shay Given; or a variant of “chaise” = a two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage. | ||
| 4 | BRIT |
Possibly writing small piece about one of us? (4)
|
| R (possibly writing = one of the “three Rs” of basic education, “reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic”), with BIT (small piece) around it.
Our crossword setter appears to be assuming that most of his readers (like him) are British. |
||
| 5 | HITMAN |
Suspiciously letting one off ain’t him (6)
|
| Anagram (suspiciously) of AIN’T H[i]M, removing (letting off) an I (one in Roman numerals).
Clue-as-definition: a hitman doesn’t generally let his victims get away. Or perhaps we have to imagine him “letting off” a shot from a firearm, but in a way that doesn’t raise suspicion about him. |
||
| 7 | GENTLEMAN |
Low-down type initiated contacts with former mistress? Nob (9)
|
| GEN (low-down = slang for information) + first letter (. . . initiated) of T[ype] + LEMAN (a lover, but with “former” to indicate that it’s an archaic word).
Nob = slang for upper-class person (gentleman) as perceived by someone of a lower class. |
||
| 9 | MIKE |
Compère will need this guy before November (4)
|
| I think this is a triple definition, though the second and third may be intended in combination. Short for microphone, typically used by a compère hosting an event; a man’s name (guy = slang for man); or the code-word for the letter M in the radio alphabet, so immediately before November which represents N. | ||
| 10 | MANASSA |
A high-quality tea Mark’s passed up in Coloradan town (7)
|
| AN ASSAM (tea from the Assam region of India: I suppose “high-quality” in that it’s a single-origin tea rather than a blend?), with the M (abbreviation for mark, as in the former German currency Deutsche Mark or DM) moved to the start (passed up, in a down clue).
Well, it’s a town in Colorado, but I hadn’t heard of it. |
||
| 14 | ABODE |
Tolerated a shorter version of the Ancient Mariner? (5)
|
| The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is a long poem (you might call it an ode) about a seafarer; AB = abbreviation for able-bodied seafarer. So in short the poem could be called an AB ODE.
Past tense of the verb “abide”, as in “I can’t abide it” = tolerate. |
||
| 15 | ROE |
Deer series being talked about (3)
|
| Sound-alike (being talked about) of ROW (series = things arranged in a line).
A species of deer. |
||
| 16 | DESTROYER |
Tale with a twist in does perhaps factor in ruin? (9)
|
| STORY (tale) with the O and R swapped (with a twist), inserted into DEER (perhaps does = female deer). | ||
| 18 | CRUSHER |
Supporting vineyards, woman who’s operating the presses? (7)
|
| HER (pronoun indicating a specific woman) after (below, in a down clue = supporting) CRUS (plural of cru = French-derived word for a vineyard or group of vineyards). | ||
| 20 | JIM |
Caught working out the little fella (3)
|
| Sound-alike (caught = heard) of GYM (working out = doing physical exercise).
Short version of the man’s name James = little fella. |
||
| 22 | GUNWALES |
Top sides rev Bellamy’s team up? (8)
|
| GUN (as a verb = rev up = slang for run an engine very fast) + WALES (Bellamy’s team: Craig Bellamy is a former player with the Wales football team and now their head coach).
Gunwale = the top edge of the side of a boat, as in “full to the gunwales” = full to the brim. |
||
| 25 | RECIPE |
Meat Loaf’s formula? Uplifting record taking chap to top (6)
|
| EP (abbreviation for extended-play record) + ICER (one who ices cakes = one who puts toppings on them = chap to top), all reversed (uplifting = upwards in a down clue).
Definition by example: recipe = list of ingredients and instructions (formula) for making a specific food (for example a meat loaf). |
||
| 27 | MAULER |
Hand 7 addressed boxes a year from Christmas (6)
|
| MR (form of address used to a 7d GENTLEMAN), containing (boxing) A (from clue text) + [y]ULE (Christmas) without the Y (abbreviation for year).
Slang for a hand, though Chambers (or at least the edition I have) only recognises the word in the plural. |
||
| 28 | TRUE |
He’s out of the way in Paris flat (4)
|
| T[he] (from clue text) with HE taken out, then RUE (French for street, so “way in Paris”).
True = flat = straight and not warped, as in a plank of wood or a snooker table. |
||
| 30 | YARD |
Three-foot garden (4)
|
| Double definition. Three feet in imperial measures; or an open area outside a house. | ||
| 31 | DARK |
Brought up Talk Radio’s secret (4)
|
| Hidden answer (‘s = indicator of possession), reversed (brought up, in a down clue) in [tal]K RAD[io].
As in “the dark web” or “the dark arts”. |
Thanks Nimrod for an excellent puzzle.
We have three Nimrod/Io?enigmatist GIFT puzzles on the same day.
Quite a work out, but I am not complaining. Very enjoyable in the
end (which looked quite far at times).
Superb blog. Detailed and neat. Thanks Quirister.
Well, there was no escaping a mauling today. Failed to finish any of the GIFT puzzles this morning. FT produced my most miserable performance (did not get out of single figures) and Guardian my best with the Indy in the middle (almost made it to a dozen). I did work out it was probably boxing-related and, like our blogger, it’s not a sport I follow. Fair enough, the average punter has probably heard of the GREATEST, of one of the SUGARS at least, of MIKE Tyson and of ROCKY if only due to the Stallone movies. But the others were unknown to me so the theme did not help populate the grid at all. This is one of those days when I am SO thankful to the blogger.
After a very (and I mean very) long time, I ended up about 5-6 short. Thanks to the hint given in 20a, I worked out the theme, but it didn’t help me solve too many. Of the ones I couldn’t get, the one that sticks out is MANASSA – a ‘Coloradan town’ with (according to Wikipedia and admittedly back in 2000) a population of 947. Really?
As mentioned by KVa and PostMark, today we have a Nimrod in the Indy, an Io in the FT, an Enigmatist in the Guardian and also an Elgar as the Telegraph Toughie. Phew – our setter has been a very busy boy!
A huge thanks to Quirister for working this all out, including following up on the thematic references and for the clear explanations and a tip of a very humble hat to Nimrod.
Also a boxing theme at 31ac (in the clue) Larry Holmes was a heavyweight fighter.
Felt like the expected mauling with a suitable boxing theme, thanks Q and I think Nimrod.
Congratulations, Quirister – there were many I couldn’t parse – and the theme was totally beyond me. I’ve always avoided fighting of any kind. But I’m relieved to have finished even without that esoteric knowledge …
Blimey. With lots of guessing we got there but didn’t understand about half the clues. Realised there was a boxing theme but no use as I’d never heard of most of them. Thanks for the explanations though I didn’t like several clues even when I saw the explanation. I guess this one was just beyond my pay grade.
We’ll, I’m glad the verdict was that this was tough; I could barely get started. After about an hour, I had two answer I was sure of, and another two where I had possible answers (which turned out to be correct).
There was an article in New Scientist recently that said if you get stuck on a problem, giving up is better for your well being, so I did.
This was tough.. took several bouts of activity to complete, but LOIs TRUE, ROCKY, DONE, proved most elusive. I didn’t attach any importance to the numerous boxing references, nor the date, so I played with DICKY for the shaky word, which made it all very circular… took way longer than any actual boxing match..
Thanks to Nimrod and Quiristers much needed blog…
Tough. Had to reveal several along the way and not really my cup of tea, which was a pity because I came to it after abandoning the Guardian puzzle as a hopeless task already, only to find similar fare.
Little correction to the blog: Conor Benn’s dad Nigel was not only a more famous boxer but was known as the DARK DESTROYER. I suspect that’s what Nimrod was referring to.