Puzzle from the Weekend FT of April 11, 2026
If this puzzle had been published without naming the compiler, I would have guessed it to be the work of Ms Klebb. My first-in was 12 (OKAY) and last was 24 (BEARDIE), a word I do not recall coming across before — even though I happen to be one. My favourite clue has to be 15 (ABATEMENT) and I also applaud 7 (TESTAMENT) and 14 (BRASSIER). Thank you Rosa.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | INTACT |
International law is inviolate (6)
|
| INT (international) + ACT (law) | ||
| 4 | MAP OUT |
Sketch old lady with petulant expression (3,3)
|
| MA (old lady) + POUT (petulant expression) | ||
| 8 | CLOSETS |
Idiot briefly sinks down and shuts up (7)
|
| CLO[t] (idiot briefly) + SETS (sinks down) | ||
| 9 | JUJITSU |
Italian’s fetish clothes for martial art (7)
|
| ITS (Italian’s) in (clothes) JUJU (fetish) | ||
| 11 | GREAT-NIECE |
Female relative and I enter cage fights (5-5)
|
| Anagram (fights) of I ENTER CAGE | ||
| 12 | OKAY |
Fine old ox from the east (4)
|
| O (old) + YAK (ox) backwards (from the east) | ||
| 13 | PIECE |
Article announcing end of war (5)
|
| Homophone (announcing) of “peace” (end of war) | ||
| 14 | BRASSIER |
Backless underwear is more saucy (8)
|
| BRASSIER[e] (backless underwear) | ||
| 16 | REBUTTAL |
Brute changed bulk of story in counter-statement (8)
|
| Anagram (changed) of BRUTE + TAL[e] (bulk of story) | ||
| 18 | ARGOT |
Element of retired photographers’ slang (5)
|
| Reverse (retired) hidden word (element of) | ||
| 20 | LOUT |
Dolt left unconscious (4)
|
| L (left) + OUT (unconscious) | ||
| 21 | ABSTEMIOUS |
Current dons mess about, unhappily ascetic (10)
|
| I (current) in (dons) anagram (unhappily) of MESS ABOUT | ||
| 23 | LEG-PULL |
Practical joke still entertaining English doctor (3-4)
|
| E (English + GP (doctor) together (entertaining) LULL (still) | ||
| 24 | BEARDIE |
Man with whiskers and hump regularly ignored advice (7)
|
| BEAR (hump) + [a]D[v]I[c]E | ||
| 25 | ARRANT |
Absolute guarantee, without limits (6)
|
| [w]ARRANT[y] (guarantee without limits) | ||
| 26 | STUDLY |
Virile boss, extremely lusty (6)
|
| STUD (boss) + L[ust]Y | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | IDLER |
Doctor riled layabout (5)
|
| Anagram (doctor) of RILED | ||
| 2 | TO SPARE |
Extra rent includes leisure facility (2,5)
|
| SPA (leisure facility in (includes) TORE (rent) | ||
| 3 | COTANGENT |
Thrash chap after company function (9)
|
| CO (company) + TAN (thrash) + GENT (char) | ||
| 5 | ACUTE |
Canny copper polished off sandwiches (5)
|
| CU (copper) in (sandwhiches) ATE (polished off) | ||
| 6 | OMINOUS |
In my opinion, inverted common sense is sinister (7)
|
| IMO (in my opinion) backwards (inverted) + NOUS (common sense) | ||
| 7 | TESTAMENT |
Will start to tax energy, fertiliser and tea, we hear (9)
|
| T[ax] E[nergy] + STAMEN (fertiliser!) + T (tea, we hear) | ||
| 10 | VERBALISE |
Batty Basil, ever articulate (9)
|
| Anagram (BATTY) of BASIL EVER | ||
| 13 | PHENOMENA |
Amid catastrophe, no men anticipate miracles (9)
|
| Hidden word (amid) | ||
| 15 | ABATEMENT |
Weakening, sailor resorted to cannibalism over time (9)
|
| AB (sailor) + ATE MEN (resorted to cannibalism) + T (time) | ||
| 17 | UP TO PAR |
Intelligence-wise, are mostly satisfactory (2,2,3)
|
| UP TOP (intelligence-wise, meaning mind) + AR[e] | ||
| 19 | GOITRED |
Hormonally challenged, show embarrassment about sex (7)
|
| IT (sex) in (about) GO RED (show embarrassment) | ||
| 21 | ALL IN |
Ready to drop everything at home (3,2)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 22 | UNITY |
The number one seat of learning, tragically depleted (5)
|
| UNI (seat of learning) + T[ragicall]Y |
I thought PHENOMENA was wonderful, and marvelled at how a setter can spot ARGOT backwards in the middle of photographer (and nice surface too). I loved the ABATEMENT surface and also liked LOUT, ALL IN and MAP OUT
I could not parse TESTAMENT or JUJTSU. And would someone please tell me what does a GOITRE have to do with hormones and their challenges?
Thank RK and PM