Thanks to Maskarade for the puzzle, with nice clues and a very helpful grid. Happy New Year, all.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | ROOM TEMPERATURE |
Paddy in sensible jumper at first gets a degree of comfort (4,11)
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in the definition, "degree" can refer to a unit of temperature (e.g. degrees Celsius) TEMPER="Paddy" (a fit of anger/temper), inside MATURE="sensible"; with ROO (kangaroo, jumping animal, "jumper") going first |
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| 9 | CREATE AN OPENING |
Make a break-through and exploit an opportunity (6,2,7)
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"Make a break-through" and "exploit an opportunity" could mean CREATE AN OPENING as in establishing or taking an opportunity; or "Make a break-through" could also mean creating a physical hole/opening e.g. in a wall |
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| 10 | EMAIL ATTACHMENT |
Online extra involving ten mathematical characters (5,10)
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anagram/["involving" the "characters"/letters] of (ten mathematical)* |
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| 13 | SWIMMING COSTUME |
Attire for the Lido with roughly two GCSEs, minimum (8,7)
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anagram/"roughly" of (two GCSEs minimum)* |
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| 16 | HIGH-PROTEIN DIET |
Drunk professional taking note at popular conference for body-building regime (4-7,4)
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HIGH="Drunk" + PRO (professional) + TE (musical "note" in the sol-fa scale) + IN="popular" + DIET=a legislative assembly="conference" |
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| 17 | FLAMENCO DANCING |
Former girl-friend with soldier taking steps in Spanish art form (8,7)
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FLAME (as in an old flame)="Former girl-friend" + NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer, "soldier") + DANCING="taking steps" |
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| 20 | E CLASS SUBMARINE |
WW1 vessel made from scale bus remains (1,5,9)
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definition: a British submarine used in WW1 anagram of/"made from": (scale bus remains)* |
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| 23 | DISPLACED PERSON |
Dined out with Applecross refugee (9,6)
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anagram/"out" of (Dined Applecross)* |
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| DOWN | ||
| 1 | RACHEL SCHOFIELD |
Former BBC newsreader who is Jeremy Vine’s wife disturbed old Cheshire calf (6,9)
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anagram/"disturbed" of (old Cheshire calf)* |
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| 2 | OPERATING TABLES |
Surgical surfaces somehow obliterate pangs (9,6)
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anagram/"somehow" of (obliterate pangs)* |
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| 3 | TOTAL |
Complete ruin of tenor and alto transcription (5)
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to TOTAL is to damage something beyond repair, to complete its ruin / to completely ruin it T (for Tenor) plus anagram/"transcription" of (alto)* |
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| 4 | MOA |
Originally massive old avian NZ resident once (3)
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definition: extinct large birds from New Zealand first letters (Originally) of M-[assive] O-[ld] A-[vian] |
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| 5 | EVORA |
A wander up to historic Portuguese city (5)
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definition: a Portuguese city that is a World Heritage Site with many historical buildings and monuments A ROVE="A wander", reversed/"up" |
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| 6 | ACE |
It’s a winner during matches regularly (3)
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definition: an ACE is a winning serve in a tennis match ACE appears "regularly" as alternate letters from [m]-A-[t]-C-[h]-E-[s] |
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| 7 | UNITED UTILITIES |
Club name on pick-up trucks for water board in northern England (6,9)
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UNITED (e.g. Manchester United football club)="Club name"; plus UTILITIES="pick-up trucks" |
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| 8 | EIGHTEENTH GREEN |
Conclusion – of course! (10,5)
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cryptic definition: "of course!" could be read as 'certainly!', and can instead be read as '[the conclusion / last green] …of a golf course' |
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| 11 | TANGO |
Brown and green phonetic letter (5)
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definition: TANGO indicates the letter T in the NATO phonetic alphabet TAN="Brown" + GO="green" (as in a 'green light' meaning go) |
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| 12 | HAS ON |
Takes in poor Shona wears (3,2)
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anagram/"poor" of (Shona)* |
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| 14 | MAPLE |
Tree that’s found on satnav on borders of Lancashire (5)
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MAP="that's found on satnav"; plus outer letters/"borders" of L-[ancashir]-E |
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| 15 | CREED |
Belief for which a Native American died (5)
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CREE="Native American" + D (died) |
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| 18 | COSEC |
Function at company – just a very short time (5)
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definition: a mathematical function in trigonometry CO (Company) + SEC (second, "a very short time") |
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| 19 | NUAGE |
Inhuman geek regularly at The Cloud over the channel (5)
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definition: French [as spoken 'over the Channel'] for 'cloud' regular letters taken from [i]-N-[h]-U-[m]-A-[n] G-[e]-E-[k] |
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| 21 | SOL |
The sun should even things out (3)
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the letters from S-[h]-O-[u]-L-[d], with the "even" letters taken "out" |
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| 22 | BED |
Hospital space available in the garden (3)
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double definition, referring to hospital beds or to garden beds |
Obviously struck by the strange grid but this turned out to be very straightforward with lots of fun clues like ROOM TEMPERATURE, EMAIL ATTACHMENT, FLAMENCO DANCING and EIGHTEENTH GREEN. I knew RACHEL SCHOFIELD’s husband so that was a write-in, although it seemed more like a quiz question than a cryptic clue, despite the anagram. UNITED UTILITIES was a guess from the helpful crossers. I had takes in as part of the solution in HAS ON. A quick solve but more time to get on with preparing the day’s festivities. HNY everyone and thanks for all the fun throughout the year.
Ta Maskarade & manehi.
‘Takes in’ as in having someone on, i.e. tricking them, therefore a double definition with ‘wears’.
Thanks Maskarade and manehi
I saw 3D as a double definition with wordplay: Complete as in total, then ruin as in total, followed by T + ALTO*.
A lot of generous long clues made for an easier if still enjoyable solve. Only Mr Vine’s wife (who I did not know) caused me any trouble.
Liked the long clues in this
Thanks Manehi and Maskarade.
Happy new year to all as well
New for me: RACHEL SCHOFIELD (found after googlng Jeremy Vine – never heard of these people); EVORA; E-CLASS SUBMARINE; COSEC; UNITED UTILITIES.
Thanks Maskarade and manehi
FOI was 1d, and I almost threw it away at that point – what a very odd clue; far too much information! I hadn’t heard of her, but the anagram was obvious, and Googling Jeremy Vine confirmed it. Several other pretty obvious answers too.
I thought something else – “light”, for example – was needed to make “green” GO.
At first I was a bit frightened by all the fifteen-letter clues, but I needn’t have been. Even the two UK-specific clues were achievable with online help. The abundance of anagrams made it quite easy, and I even learnt a new French word, which is bound to come in useful next time I visit France.
I suppose if they’d published this tomorrow we’d have had to wait a year to see if it was the easiest cryptic of the year 🙂
Last time PADDY was used to clue anger there were quite a few complaints that it was offensive but none as yet on the Guardian site so maybe everyone’s too full of festive spirit?
Cheers & HNY to one and all
Another nho RACHEL SCHOFIELD (being qualified by her husband is a bit non-Guardian?) but pretty simple as a credible name just from the crossers and checking the fodder.
Held up by putting in ‘bay’ for BED.
Today, seeing the setter’s name, and remembering the mauling I took from him last innings, I walked to the crease in trepidation and fearing the worst. But the 12 long entries went swiftly to the boundary, and shortly after, I realised it was all over.
This must be the most benign grid possible! Many thanks both, and a happy New Year to all!
I object to the use of paddy. Racially abusive terms are not welcome in a crossword.
I found the grid intimidating at first, but there were so many straighforward definitions – particularly 1d – that it all went into place without too much trouble. Thanks, Maskerade and manehi.
Alastair@11
What on earth are you talking about?
A paddy is a fit of temper, a pet, a wobbler. No racial connotations whatever.
Fairly straightforward, though I’ve never heard of the newsreader and am only vaguely aware of her husband.
1a left a bad taste in the mouth. I find that meaning of ‘paddy’ offensive. When it came up a few years ago I wrote to the Editor and he undertook to avoid it in future crosswords. Time for a reminder perhaps.
I enjoyed the crossword. Nice and straightforward.
Speaking as an occasional setter from elsewhere, I thought the most impressive thing of all was getting 12 full line lights to work in the grid. It’s tough getting any more than 2 acrosses and 2 downs to fit.
Thanks to M and M.
Agree with Alastair and poc, I was often called it when I first came to London in 1982, although those people were given short shrift. It is thought to have originated from English people claiming that Irish people were prone to fits of bad temper (I wonder why).
Not much new to bring to the party. Like others I found the grid a bit intimidating to begin with – I don’t really enjoy the grids with four 15 letter solutions around the outside and this had many more. That said I thought the cluing was fair although I had to double check when my general knowledge let me down with newsreaders, ships, water companies and Portuguese cities. 1a needed the editor’s intervention. Favourites were probably EIGHTEENTH GREEN and TANGO for the elegant simplicity of both.
Thank you to Maskerade and Manehi and I hope everyone has a Happy New Year.
Évora is home to a chapel of bones, a must-see for anyone with a prediliction for the macabre.
Predilection
Personally I always try to avoid racial stereotyping, but I’ve always understood that Paddy was a derivative of Patrick and was used informally and affectionately for Irishmen.
It never occurred to me that it was an offensive or racist term. Should rice fields now no longer be called paddy fields, I wonder, just in case…
“Paddy” is a recognised abbreviation for Patrick. Granted, referring to an Irishman as “a Paddy” is likely to give offence, but objecting to 1a here does feel a bit precious. Would you object to “Taffy” or “Jock” appearing in a clue?
According to a piece in the Indy:
“If you want a nickname for Ireland’s patron saint, the 5th-century British missionary who bought Christianity to Ireland and (supposedly) booted out the snakes, then use Paddy.
This originates from from the Irish Pádraig, and is an acceptable nickname for any Patricks in your life“.
I’ve done quite a bit of moaning about unfriendly Grauniad grids, so I think I should acknowledge this solver-friendly one. It takes quite a bit of skill to fill a grid with twelve 15-letter answers, but then Maskarade is, for my money, probably the most technically accomplished of all the Grauniad setters.
Neatly clued; quite a quick but enjoyable solve. Thanks, both.
There’s no need to take umbrage at ‘Paddy’ – it’s a common affectionate nickname for people christened Patrick, preferred by at least two Patricks of my acquaintance.
Yes, I was wondering whether being able to fit and fill a dozen 15-letter crossword clues into one 15 by 15 grid was some kind of record. EVORA the last one in, had to look that one up eventually.
A slip of the fingers yesterday meant that I posted a second time with a slightly incorrect username. Adding a bit of extra colour, but at least I learnt something new – the precise meaning of roan…
[I didn’t know the derivation of paddy for tantrum, but I’ve looked it up online, and it is racially derogatory. Apparently it started with Irish navvies, who were reckoned to get drunk and lose their temper too readily. I think there is a good argument for banning it.]
As already stated, there are people on here commenting that they find it offensive, surely that is enough. My name is not Patrick! I’m actually taken aback by commenters trying to justify it, that is not being precious.
I think some people are justifying “Paddy” as an affectionate term for someone called Patrick, and missing the point that in this instance it is being used in the “tantrum” sense, which is surely not acceptable, given its derivation.
GDU @18. Having lived in both Lisbon and Prague and having visited both EVORA and the Kutna Hora ossuary in the Czech Republic, I think the latter is by some distance the more impressive in a ghastly sort of way. Evora is an extremely attractive destination for many other reasons, though.
I seem to be out of step with most of the earlier comments, because I found this one didn’t really light my fire. Once (most of) the largely fairly easy short down clues were in, most of the long across clues were pretty much write-ins from the definitions and word-counts, without much need to engage with the wordplay except for checking (and seeing what letter was left over to determine the class of the submarine!). Once those were in, the long downs fell into place in much the same way. Even for the NHO RACHEL SCHOFIELD: that was about the only surname that would fit those crossers, and the remaining letters in the anagram then made the first name up. LOI was EVORA, which I’d never heard of; the wordplay here was a clear pointer, but a check was needed to be sure. Possibly it is twinned with Shepton Mallet?
NUAGE raised a smile with its evocation of “Asterix in Britain”: the ancient Brits drinking hot water with “un petit nuage” of milk, as tea had not yet been discovered.
Re “Paddy”: It’s not being a short form for Patrick that’s the issue, but its being used as meaning (loss of) temper being stereotypically Irish. I’m not quite sure where I stand on that, as the meaning has by now drifted away from its origin, but I can see why some might find it problematic. (edit: I see others have got in on that while I was typing!)
A technical tour de force, to be sure: “chapeau” to Maskerade for that! Despite my grumblings, it accompanied nicely a glass or two of Jura’s finest last night. Thank you. Thanks also to manehi for a good blog, as always.
vicktim@20: Paddy field, with reference to rice growing, has an etymology derived from a Malay word and so has nothing at all to do with vile racial stereotyping of all of the inhabitants of a country as (a) sharing a single name and (b) being foul-tempered/lazy/fit only for simple manual labour for various meanings of “paddy” as derived from the diminutive of “Patrick”. I think we are probably big enough to move on from such things along with “watermelon smiles” and women “looking like letterboxes” (to cite recent examples from a recent ex-PM).
A nice grid-fill from Maskerade but, along with others, I found that the clearly signalled anagrams and definitions made the answers come too easily for it to require much sideways thought. Thanks to Maskerade and to manehi for the blog.
Sadly a dnf for me, as my answer for 10a was missing (though I could almost swear I had written something there).
Thanks for the puzzle and blog.