Gemelo gives a special puzzle this week.
We were presented with a set of clues that looked like this;
It took me a while to get into this puzzle, as I didn’t see a preamble on the Observer website when I first logged in to download the clues and grid. It was only when I got the newspaper a little later that I saw there was a preamble.
The preamble told us that the puzzle was entitled ‘Two Faces’ and Gemelo went on to say that: Ambiguity in clues is a fascination of mine. In this puzzle, each clue gives an answer to its own entry, but also to a later entry of the same length. Someone once said this kind of puzzle is like the optical illusion of two faces and a vase – change how you look at each clue, and something completely different appears.
I was a bit lucky at the start of solving in that I got an answer for 1 across, GOLFER, which was the right one for the entry at 1 across. If I had entered the other answer to the clue, PEROGI, which actually fitted at 33 across, I would have struggled for a while.
I built up the top left-hand corner slowly, but gradually the grid began to fall into place over the course of the day.
Gemelo set himself a difficult task composing eighteen clues that would each lead to two possible answers. Inevitably, the clues were very wordy, as, in most clues, the definition of one answer had to be part of the wordplay for the other answer. This wasn’t always the case, as the IGNEOUS / LIATRIS pair and the REVISIT / BUDGE UP pair shared similar definitions.
The wordiness of the clues is highlighted by the fact that Gemelo’s eighteen clues this week averaged 11.9 words per clue, while last week his thirty-six clues averaged 5.9 words.
Some of the definitions required a bit of lateral thinking to understand. Examples include ‘One that’s successfully run through the firm skin of toro’ for ESPADA and ‘What’s shortly getting loose garments on plump’ for ATKINS DIET.
I found the wordplay quite difficult to follow and am not sure I have got the parsing right for each of REVERSOS and OTTER. I know I haven’t got it correct for THREE, LIPA, and IGNEOUS, where I can’t deliver the answer completely. I look forward to accurate interpretations of those clues.
The puzzle followed the preamble perfectly in that every originally unclued answer was later in the puzzle than the given clue from which it was derived. The last two entries, 27d (written clue] and 28 down (no clue] were based on the same clue, leading to PROM and FARO.
I wonder how long Gemelo took to construct a grid and create the clues for this puzzle? It must have been an added difficulty that the two answers to each clue had to be the same length. It would be interesting to hear from him.
Congratulations to all solvers who parsed all the clues correctly.
The two grid positions for each clue are shown below
| Clue 1 | Clue 2 | Entry 1 | Entry 2 |
| 1a | 33a | GOLFER | PEROGI |
| 6a | 22a | ESPADA | COMPOT |
| 11a | 3d | ARIA | LIPA |
| 12a | 30a | REVERSOS | SPEAK OUT |
| 13a | 15d | IN PRIVATE | MATCHLESS |
| 17a | 26a | OBI | LOO |
| 18a | 24a | ATKINS DIET | ROUND ROBIN |
| 19a | 8d | THREE | ASCOT |
| 21a | 32a | BASSET | SHOLOM |
| 23a | 25d | TSUBA | OTTER |
| 29a | 10d | HARESTAIL | ASSISTANT |
| 31a | 6d | ERNE | EVAN |
| 2d | 9d | ORNITHOMORPH | DOUBLE-BITING |
| 4d | 24d | FARSI | ROMEO |
| 5d | 21d | REVISIT | BUDGE UP |
| 7d | 20d | PRECESS | EPOCHAL |
| 14d | 16d | IGNEOUS | LIATRIS |
| 27d | 28d | PROM | FARO |
| No | Detail |
| Across | |
| 1 | Change or e.g. flip half-removed feature of Adrian Meronk’s course? (6)
GOLFER (Adrian Meronk [born 1993] is a Polish GOLFER, so there will be many other Polish GOLFERs on his home course in Poland) Anagram of (change) OR E.G. and FL (letters remaining in FLip when the remaining two of four [half] letters IP are removed) GOLFER* |
| 6 | One that’s successfully run through firm skin of toro after running around, and apples, each cored and stewed? (6)
ESPADA (a word from Spanish for a sword or a matador, either of which could be defined as ‘one that’s successfully run through firm skin of a toro [Spanish word for bull]) Anagram of (stewed) PE (physical education; running around) and AD (letters remaining in AnD after the central letter N is removed [cored]) and AS (letters remaining in AppleS after the central letters PPLE are removed [cored]) ESPADA* |
| 11 | Split money from girl of musical vocal work (4)
ARIA (a vocal work) mARIA (reference the character Maria in either of the musicals West Side Story or The Sound of Music) excluding (split… from) M (money as in M0, M1 etc, money supply indices) ARIA |
| 12 | Left-hand sides of some printed editions, and king with means of escape, perhaps to get on record? (8)
REVERSOS (alternative word for VERSOS [the left-hand page of an open book [printed edition]) I’m not too sure of the parsing for this – perhaps it’s R (Rex; king) + (EVER [always] + SOS [call for rescue] – implying there’s always a means of escape by calling for help) – I’m not convinced though and feel sure that there is a better interpretation. R EVER SOS |
| 13 | Not publicly playing at Lords, say, being far from general? (9, 2 words)
IN PRIVATE (not in public; not publicly) IN (a batter at Lords is said to be IN when he/she is at the crease) + PRIVATE (a rank far removed from that of General) IN PRIVATE |
| 17 | Something wrapped around incomplete office where person’s gone? (3)
OBI (a broad sash worn with a Japanese kimono; something wrapped round) OBIt (a religious office for a dead person; office where person’s gone) excludng the final letter T (incomplete) OBI |
| 18 | What’s shortly getting loose garments on plump? Article randomly inked, it’s concealing initiator of trouble (10, 2 words)
ATKINS DIET (A high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet intended to cause rapid weight loss; a diet that should lead to looser garments on a previously plump person) (A [indefinite article] + [an anagram of {randomly} INKED ITS] containing (about) T (first letter of [initiator of) [Trouble]) A (T) KINS DIET* |
| 19 | Tie where one goes for horses, only using odds for a few? (5)
THREE (a few) TiE excluding (where .. goes) I (Roman numeral for one) + HRE (letters 1, 3 and 5 [odds] of HoRsEs) …. this gives TEHRE, but we need an anagram of these letters and I don’t see an anagram indicator THREE |
| 21 | Hound at first boring alone SIS spymaster, opening and ending in Eilat? (6)
BASSET (a breed of hound) BASS (initial letters of [at first] each of Boring, Alone, Sis and Spymaster) + ET (first and last letters of [opening and ending in] EilaT) BASS ET |
| 22 | 6 across -One that’s successfully run through firm skin of toro after running around, and apples, each cored and stewed? (6)
COMPOT (a dessert of stewed fruit;) MP (a Member of Parliament; one who has successfully run an election and been elected) contained in (through) ( CO [company [firm] + TO [outer letters of {skin of} TorO] reversed [running around]) CO (MP) OT< |
| 23 | Perhaps very ornate, eastern, tip of sword-holder, it’s much appreciated when tackling underwater threat (5)
TSUBA (a metal plate at the top of [tip] a Japanese [Eastern] scabbard [sword-holder], serving as a sword guard, often highly ornamental [ornate]) TA (thanks; it’s much appreciated) containing (when tackling) SUB (SUBmarine, an underwater threat) T (SUB) A |
| 24 |
18 across – What’s shortly getting loose garments on plump? Article randomly inked, it’s concealing initiator of trouble (10, 2 words) I’m struggling a bit with the definition here, but suggest: ROUND ROBIN (any letter, petition, etc signed by many people [article randomly inked {?}] which often leads to controversy or trouble [?]) ROUND (plump) + ROBINg (getting loose garments on) excluding the final letter G (shortly) ROUND ROBIN |
| 26 | 17 across – Something wrapped around incomplete office where person’s gone? (3)
LOO (toilet; ‘office’ where person’s gone to urinate or defecate) LOOp (something wrapped round) excluding the final letter P (incomplete) LOO |
| 29 | Some grass is tan, topped-and-tailed second – ’til trained to follow career? (9)
HARE’S-TAIL (grass with silky flower-heads) HARE (race; rush; career) + (an anagram of (trained) A [letter remaining in tAn when the outer letters T and N are removed {topped and tailed} and S (second) and ‘TIL) HARE‘S–TAIL* |
| 30 | 12 across – (Left-hand sides of some printed editions, and king with means of escape, perhaps to get on record? (8, 2 words)
SPEAK OUT (an attempt to get on the record) SPEAK (initial letters of [left-hand sides of each of Some, Printed, Editions, And and King) + OUT (a means of escape) S P E A K OUT |
| 31 | What’s lost and has gone from Dear Hansen – one striking on wing? (4)
ERNE (an eagle, especially the sea-eagle; something striking on the wing) Anagram of (what’s lost) of dEaR haNsEn excluding (lost) the letters of AND HAS ERNE* |
| 32 | 21 across – Hound at first boring alone SIS spymaster, opening and ending in Eilat? (6)
SHOLOM (Hebrew [Eilat is a city in Israe where Henrew is spoken) word for a greeting or valediction [ending]) H (first letter of [at first] Hound) contained in (boring) SOLO) + M (letter referring to a spymaster [Head of MI5]) S (H) OLO M |
| 33 | 1 across – Change or e.g. flip half-removed feature of Adrian Meronk’s course? (6)
PEROGI (traditional Polish dish, a semicircular filled dumpling, originally savoury, now also sweet, boiled and then briefly sautéed and served with melted butter. As mentioned above at 1 across, Adrian Meronk is Polish) Anagram of (change) OR E.G. and IP (letters remaining in flIP when the first two or four [half] letters FL are removed) PEROGI* |
| Down | |
| 2 | Cutting either side, God and I, North, breaking animated blob and e.g. tui? (12)
ORNITHOMORPH (a figure or design in the form of a bird. A tui is a bird, a New Zealand honey guide) O (letter remaining in gOd when the outer letters [either side] G and D are removed [cutting]) + an anagram of (breaking) I NORTH + MORPH (an animated blob. MORPH is a British series of clay stop-motion comedy animation) O RNITHO* MORPH |
| 3 | 11 across – Split money from girl of musical vocal work (4)
LIPA (a former Croation monetary unit. Split is a town in Croatia) LIPA – I am defeated by the wordplay here, but it may be something to do with the singer Dua Lipa LIPA |
| 4 | What’s spoken by Persian, briefly following before (from old language) returning, is R (5)
FARSI (language spoken by natives of Western Persia [part of modern-day Iran]) F (abbreviation for [briefly] following) + A (before, from Latin [old language]) + (IS R) reversed (returning) F A (R SI)< |
| 5 | Go over itemised spending, ignoring time primarily under pastor? (7)
REVISIT (come back to consider again; go over) REV (REVerend [pastor]) + ISIT (initial letters [primarily] of each of Itemised, Spending, Ignoring and Time) REV I S I T |
| 6 | 31 across – What’s lost and has gone from Dear Hansen – one striking on wing? (4)
EVAN (reference the musical Dear EVAN Hansen – Dear Hansen alone is omitting [has gone] EVAN) onE excluding (striking) ON + VAN (an archaic or poetic word for wing) E VAN |
| 7 | Wobble leader of America, Pole around church from time of Reformation (7)
PRECESS (to wobble) (PRES [PRESident; leader of America] + S [reference the South {S} pole]) containing (around) CE (Church of England, formally established in 1534 as part of The Reformation) PRE (CE) S S |
| 8 | 19 across – Tie where one goes for horses, only using odds for a few? (5)
ASCOT (a type of necktie with broad ends that are tied to lie one across the other) ASCOT (a place where one goes to view horse racing) double definition ASCOT |
| 9 | 2 down – Cutting either side, God and I, North, breaking animated blob and e.g. tui? (12)
DOUBLE-BITING (cutting on either side) D (Deus; Latin for God) + ([I + N [North] contained in [breaking] an anagram of [animated] BLOB and E.G. TUI D OUBLE-BIT (I N) G* |
| 10 | 29 across – Some grass is tan, topped-and-tailed second – ’til trained to follow career? (9)
ASSISTANT (someone being trained to follow a career) ASSISTANT (hidden word in [some] grASS IS TAN Topped-and-tailed) ASSISTANT |
| 14 | Perhaps blazing star one at left and right stops, with sensei’s clothing lifted (7)
IGNEOUS (of or like fire; blazing) Another answer where I can’t see the wordlay I have ([OE {left and right letters of OnE} contained in {stops} SUN {star}] + SI [outer letters of {clothing} SenseI]) all reversed( lifting), but that gives me ISNEOUS (IS N (E O) US)<, not IGNEOUS. Where does the G come from and how do I lose the unwanted S? IGNEOUS |
| 15 | 13 across – Not publicly playing at Lords, say, being far from general? (9, 2 words)
MATCHLESS (superior to all; far from being of general quality) If Lords Cricket Ground is without a match, MATCHLESS , there is no-one playing there for public spectators MATCHLESS |
| 16 | 14 down – Perhaps blazing star one at left and right stops, with sensei’s clothing lifted (7)
LIATRIS (a plant of the genus Liatris, including the blazing star) (I [Roman numeral for one] + AT) contained in (stops) (L [left] + R [right]) + SI (outer letters of [clothing] SenseI) reversed (lifted) L (I AT) R IS< |
| 20 | 7 down – Wobble leader of America, Pole around church from time of Reformation (7)
EPOCHAL (descriptive of a point of time fixed or made remarkable by some great event from which dates are reckoned – from the time of the Reformation, for example) (Anagram of [wobble] A [first letter of {leader of]} America] and POLE) containing (around) CH (church) EPO (CH) AL* |
| 21 | 5 down – Go over itemised spending, ignoring time primarily under pastor? (7, 2 words)
BUDGE UP (move over,; go over) BUDGEt (itemised spending plans) excluding (ignoring) T (time) + UP (first letters of [primarily] each of Under and Pastor) BUDGE U P |
| 24 | 4 down – What’s spoken by Persian, briefly following before (from old language) returning, is R (5)
ROMEO (R, ROMEO is the international radio communication codeword for the letter R) OR (before, from Early Norse [from old language]) reversed (returning) + MEOw (alternative word for MIAOW [the cry {what’s spoken by] of a Persian cat}] excluding the final letter W [briefly]) RO< MEO |
| 25 | 23 across – Perhaps very ornate, eastern, tip of sword-holder, it’s much appreciated when tackling underwater threat (5)
OTTER (aquatic carnivore; underwater threat) Another wordplay where I’m clutching at straws a bit. OTT (over the top; an ornate [elaborately decorated] way of saying ‘very’) + E (Eastern) + R (last letter of [tip of] sword-holdeR) OTT E R |
| 27 | Portugal capital short of extreme point of Algarve for American dance (4)
PROM (an American school or college dance) P (International Vehicle Registration for Portugal) + ROMe (capital [city of Italy]) excluding (short of) E (last letter of [extreme point of] algarvE, P ROM |
| 28 | 27 down – Portugal capital short of extreme point of Algarve for American dance (4)
FARO (regional capital of Algarve. FARO is also the southernmost (extreme point) of Algarve) Anagram of (dance) FOR and A (American) FARO* |
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