A meaty puzzle from IO.
There’s a lovely ‘Wind in the Willows’ thread woven through some of the clues and solutions. As expected from IO, this is a tricky puzzle, but as ever, enjoyable and satisfying. Many thanks to the setter.
IN CAN (a wrap)
In filmmaking, the phrases ‘it’s a wrap’ or ‘it’s in the can’ both signify the end of a scene or production
(ABOVE GROUND AS MR)* (*not usually)
ER’S (the late monarch’s, Elizabeth Regina) parting EVINCE (show)
MASSE[s] (jacks, cut short)
‘Jack’ is a historic generic term for a common person, i.e. ‘the masses’
Massé is a shot in billiards
IN STY (the pig muckers here) + L[eav]E (for vacation)
W (with) + ILL (afflicted) + OWS (responses to prods and pokes)
Cryptic definition
The thematic novel, The Wind in the Willows
Note the ellipses join this clue to the previous one
Double definition
UN[i]ON< (federation, <turning) + P[i]LE (a fortune); Is lost, i.e. drop both instances of i
Double definition
Humphrey ‘Humph’ Lyttleton is the jazz trumpeter
(RAF GET)* (*acrobatic) + LOW (close to the ground)
[w]INNER (champion, short of W, west/a point)
LIKE A BEAR (perhaps black or brown) + (WAD (stuff); IT HAS ORE (mineral) + HE (explosive, helium) inside)
(IN CAR KEEPS FOOTWAY)* (*free)
S[hoplifter] (first) + ARNIE (first person promising to return)
Referring to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s famous and much quoted line in The Terminator: ‘I’ll be back’
C (clubs) + [h]OME / AWAY, (both legs of tie, to knock out H (hearts))
(MA + MA (Masters, like the degree) live M[cIlroy] (first)); ALI (triple world champ) to crack
‘Us’ as in you and I
I’m not sure what to make of ‘live’?
REST (break) during OP< (work, from 27 down, <in escalator)
“ICY” (freezing weather, “report of”)
W (with) + A + N (note) to meet IO (FT contributor)
Cryptic /double definition
Sean Connery famously lisped the ‘s’ sound, so his SELF (being) would be SHELF
To put something ‘on the shelf’ means to delegate something as unimportant/has-been
HIRES (details, cycled) to transport A + PP (very soft)
I can’t get this to work with ‘detailed cycles’ so have done the best I can do with ‘details cycled’ – any other thoughts?
(SARNIE (from 4 down) + CO (company))* (*redevelopment of)
[L]OVER (enthisiast, completely dropped his head) + AND (afterwards)
Lover’s ‘head’ is its first letter, and to ‘drop it completely’, we move it right to the back of the word
PUT (set) + THE SCREWS (gaolers) + ON (to work, from 27 down)
W.I. GEAR (ladies’ jam-making kit, rotating)
The Women’s Institute is associated with crafts and food, although of course they are primarily social campaigners
SAPPHIRED
Could ‘detailed’ be HI RES (high resolution)?
SHELF
The support (a) has-been needs?
I think the blogger says the same thing.
WINDS
one of these ‘turns’=A WIND …&the rest linking to the previous clue?
MAMMALIA
Live? No idea.
AFTERGLOW
I think the def should include ‘left’
‘brilliant impression left behind’
MAMMALIA
Could it be…
Masters=MA
live=AM
M+AM+ALI in MA ?
I also had HE as High Explosive in LIKE A BEAR WITH A SORE HEAD – not that I totally disentangled it. He, helium, is inert, so not explosive.
6D. Masters live: Mcllroy’s first triple world champ to crack US (8)
I couldn’t disentangle MAMMALIA – but I think KVa has got it, but not written it down correctly:
AM for live means you could be looking at M AM M ALI A – which would work – so one masters (MA) around everything – AM (live) + M (McIlroy’s first) + ALI (triple world champ) (cracks) inside MA (masters).
I needed the blog to parse MASSE and NONUPLE
Thank you to Oriel and Io.
I am afraid this was a case of “IO, IO, so it’s off to 15squared I go! ”
My worst-ever performance, I think, only half of it completed, and that was a struggle.
Grateful thanks to Oriel, and KVa.
I am dwarfed by your skills.
Comment #6
Thanks for the blog , IO on the beach and spring sunshine . Pretty tough going but the long entries helped a lot , one of these for each main character . AVOGADROS NUMBER is very neat .
The theme was neatly woven throughout but I was held up by the “bear with a sore head” because there was no indication as to how to order the solutions. For a while I had “Like a ?ore …” without seeing that the “1 4” pattern could appear elsewhere. I don’t know if that’s an intentional additional problem but Io is tricky enough to begin with!
As a scientist I am glad to say that Avogadro’s Number went in very quickly and also pleased to be reminded of Humph and ISIHAC – still probably the wittiest show on the radio.
Many thanks for the puzzle and the parsings Io, Oriel and contributers.
Glad to have got about three quarters of this done before throwing in the towel although I was out on my feet at that point.
This must be the only setter I spend as much time reading the blog for the answers I did get as I do for those I didn’t.
I did enjoy LIKE A BEAR etc although had to go to the PDF version to see the ordering of the clue. Hopefully they sort that out soon.
Thanks Oriel and Io
Lost on me, as usual for this setter. Might be more suited to the weekend edition as it requires more time than most commutes I suspect! Still at least it’s out of the way for another couple of weeks. Thanks both.
I agree with Roz about AVOGADRO’S NUMBER, and JOFT about the lack of indication of the order of the parts of LIKE A BEAR….Although I needed a bit of help to complete, I found this to be the most enjoyable puzzle by this setter that I have done.
I did not see any issue for – LIKE A BEAR …..- was it an online thing ? It is a phrase I use a lot .
James@10 , it is always IO Wednesday , usually once a month . Do not complain or the FT will end up like the Guardian .
Thanks for the explanations of MASSE and NONUPLE.
Difficult but not too time-consuming for me with the longer values in helpful locations. My biggest problem was having ‘Jesse’ (James, gunslinger!) at 12 until MAMMALIA popped into my head.
This took me a long time to complete, and I finished with several unparsed. More than a few NHOs for me as well
Liked EVER SINCE, SAY, and PRESTO.
Thanks Neo and Oriel
Ditto JOFT re fond memories of Humph and ISIHAC (esp his occasional asides, like Who wrote this rubbish!).
As for Like a bear, true if solving online that enumeration alone doesn’t nail placement, but the crossers, eventually, do.
Thx Oriel, not an easy job, tough solve as usual from Enigio.
I managed 8 down, and that’s it. Spotted it had something to with The Wind in the Willows but It’s about 60 years since I read that. My ability to impershonate Sean Connery did not help either.