The usual jaunty fun from Moo
I was not 100% sure whether my explanations for 13A, 25A, and 28A captured all the nuances, but I think I got the gist.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | CANNIBAL |
Might one introduce you unhappily to pot? (8)
|
| Cryptic definition, “pot” here being a cooking pot | ||
| 5 | CALLAS |
Reportedly unfeeling member of Soprano family? (6)
|
| Homophone of (reportedly) CALLOUS (unfeeling), referring to Maria Callas, with a capitalization misdirection and a whimsical definition | ||
| 9 | TURMERIC |
Male recruit possibly becoming cook’s assistant? (8)
|
| Anagram of (possibly) {M (male) + RECRUIT}, with a whimsical definition | ||
| 10 | GORGON |
Formidable woman knocking back no booze (6)
|
| {NO + GROG (booze)} all reversed (knocking back) | ||
| 12 | A DOG’S LIFE |
Biography of a boxer? It’s not much fun (1,4,4)
|
| Cryptic/double definition, with “boxer” referring to a breed of dog | ||
| 13 | OPTIC |
To which landlord may raise glass, a little brandy in it? (5)
|
| I think this is just: Cryptic definition, Optic being “a device attached to an inverted bottle for measuring alcoholic liquid dispensed,” according to Chambers | ||
| 14 | NAME |
Syndicate member held in Latin American (4)
|
| Hidden in (held in) [LATI]N AME[RICA], here specifically referring to “a member of an underwriting syndicate in Lloyds insurance market,” according to Chambers | ||
| 16 | PISSOIR |
Place to go in Paris? (7)
|
| Cryptic definition, “go” here meaning “urinate” | ||
| 19 | EYEBROW |
Feature of Cockney intellectual, one might say (7)
|
| Homophone of (one might say) ‘IGHBROW (Cockney intellectual, i.e., unaspirated “highbrow”) | ||
| 21 | WAYS |
In conversation carefully considers strategies (4)
|
| Homophone of (in conversation) WEIGHS (carefully considers) | ||
| 24 | REEVE |
Turn back European official (5)
|
| VEER (turn) reversed (back) + E (European) | ||
| 25 | OUT AND OUT |
Completely stumped, perhaps more than once (3,3,3)
|
| OUT (stumped, perhaps, as in cricket, I believe), with “more than once” indicating doubling | ||
| 27 | OPENED |
Began wordy book about US prison (6)
|
| OED (“wordy book”) around (about) PEN (US [slang for] prison) | ||
| 28 | PEA GREEN |
Author acquiring suit — of this description? (3,5)
|
| PEN (author) around (acquiring) AGREE (suit). The wordplay is clear enough, but I am not quite sure how the clue leads specifically to this solution. Are authors generally known for wearing green suits? | ||
| 29 | ESTATE |
Accommodated in Budapest, a terrific capital (6)
|
| Hidden in (accommodated in) [BUDAP]EST A TE[RRIFIC] | ||
| 30 | ESTRANGE |
Alienate troublesome sergeant (8)
|
| Anagram of (troublesome) SERGEANT | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | CATNAP |
Rest about to blow on way north (6)
|
| CA (about) + PANT (to blow) inverted (on way north) | ||
| 2 | NARROW |
Strict new head of house expelled from school (6)
|
| N (new) + [H]ARROW (school) minus (expelled from) first letter of (head of) H[OUSE] | ||
| 3 | IDEAS |
More than one notion of almost perfect society (5)
|
| IDEA[L] (perfect) minus last letter (almost) + S (society) | ||
| 4 | ASININE |
Silly American cardinal crossing island the wrong way (7)
|
| {A (American) + NINE (cardinal [number])} around (crossing) IS. (island) inverted (the wrong way) | ||
| 6 | AMOROUSLY |
Treat a surly Moo in loving fashion? (9)
|
| Anagram of (treat) A SURLY MOO | ||
| 7 | LEGATION |
Cheers up, being amongst many diplomatic staff (8)
|
| TA (cheers) inverted (up) inside (being amongst) LEGION (many) | ||
| 8 | SINECURE |
Cushy job, at home in safe surroundings (8)
|
| IN (at home) inside (in . . . surroundings) SECURE (safe) | ||
| 11 | PERP |
A priest’s the one who did it (4)
|
| PER (a) + P (priest) | ||
| 15 | AGREEMENT |
Teenager Mike breaking pact (9)
|
| Anagram of (breaking) {TEENAGER + M (Mike)} | ||
| 17 | FEARSOME |
Fellow auditor a little frightening (8)
|
| F (fellow) + EAR (auditor) + SOME (a little) | ||
| 18 | VEHEMENT |
Somehow even the married can be passionate! (8)
|
| Anagram of (somehow) {EVEN THE + M (married)} | ||
| 20 | WOOF |
Pay court to female, as setter does (4)
|
| WOO (pay court to) + F (female), “setter” referring to a breed of dog | ||
| 21 | WITLESS |
Stupid spectator having change of heart (7)
|
| WIT[N]ESS (spectator) altering the central letter to L (having a change of heart) | ||
| 22 | GOVERN |
Run about in garden on vacation (6)
|
| OVER (about) inside (in) outside letters of (on vacation) G[ARDE]N | ||
| 23 | STANCE |
Way political party initially exploits position (6)
|
| ST (way) + ANC (political party, i.e., African National Congress) + first letter of (initially) E[XPLOITS] | ||
| 26 | NIGER |
Keeling over in German river? (5)
|
| IN inverted (keeling over) + GER. (German) |
Some clever misdirection here such as in CANNIBAL, CATNAP, GOVERN and PERP. Liked OPENED too.
Moo so frequently makes reference to the odd shrew or termagant that I was on the lookout for one and lo, we have GORGON!
Still, it was an enjoyable, moderately teasing puzzle so thanks to Moo and
Cineraria for a great blog. I share your parsings of 13a (pub landlord has to raise the glass as the spirit bottles are usually inverted at a higher level behind the bar) and 25a but like you don’t really see what’s going on with the ‘peagreen’ suit – I can only picture peas in a pod. No doubt someone will give us a fitting explanation.
OUT AND OUT
I think Cineraria’s parsing is correct. There doesn’t seem to be any loose ends.
PEA GREEN
I have the same question. Maybe there’s some backstory to PEA GREEN suits!
OPTIC
The only semblance of WP I see is PT (a little brandy) or PT 1 (one pint, if you stretch it a bit).
Unable to see any WP in OC or OIC (or CO/CIO if raised). Or PT or PTI could be just in it (OPTIC).
A CD with a partial WP. I am not fully convinced about the parsing I am offering. 🙂
Thanks Moo and Cineraria.
An interesting mix of easy and difficult, amusing and perplexing.
I liked NAME, WITLESS, VEHEMENT, FEARSOME, WOOF, and OUT AND OUT
I too did not understand OPTIC or the definition of PEA GREEN.
That aside mostly went quickly until the NW corner, where I struggled. It took ages for me to see CATNAP, held up by a reversal and neither I nor my dictionary knowing it as a single word. I could not solve PERP and another couple of hours staring would not have helped me with this unknown word. There were also a couple of pretty remote cryptic clues. In particular I do not think TURMERIC can fairly be called a cook’s assistant
Thanks Moo and Cineraria