Phi kicks off the bank holiday weekend with his latest puzzle.
I found this to be towards the easier end of the Phi spectrum in the Indy in terms of difficulty. I think that I have solved and parsed everything to my satisfaction, but please do not hesitate to point out errors if it tuns out that I am mistaken.
I haven’t spotted any kind of theme here, so, once again, let us all know if you have!
My favourite clues today are 4D, for its misleading nautical definition; 14, for its definition; 18D and 19, both for smoothness of surface; and the semi- & lit. at 23.
*(…) indicates an anagram; definitions are italicised; a break in underlining separates definitions in multiple-definition clues
| ACROSS
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||
| 1 | ROBES |
Investigates frontless dresses (5)
|
| <p>ROBES (=investigates, looks into); “frontless” means first letter is dropped | ||
| 4 | SOFT |
Quiet introduction of scale of temperature (4)
|
| S<cale> (“introduction of” means first letter only is used) + OF + T (=temperature); e.g. soft music is quiet | ||
| 6 | OPUS |
Mapmakers interrupted by recall of finished work (4)
|
| PU (UP=finished, over; “recall of” indicates reversal) in OS (=mapmakers, i.e. Ordnance Survey) | ||
| 10 | STAMP MILL |
Quantity of current beginning to matter in motionless crushing machine (5,4)
|
| [AMP (=quantity of current, in electricity) + M<atter> (“beginning to” means first letter only)] in STILL (=motionless); a stamp mill is a machine for crushing ores | ||
| 11 | NOOSE |
Executioner’s tool? Never sit to have head cut off! (5)
|
| NO (=never, as exclamation) + <p>OSE (=sit, for artist; “to have head cut off” means first letter is dropped) | ||
| 12 | HIKER |
One putting up alfresco holidaymaker? (5)
|
| Cryptically, a hiker could be “one (=a person) putting up” prices, say | ||
| 13 | STEVEDORE |
Dock worker to deserve being at sea? (9)
|
| *(TO DESERVE); “being at sea” is anagram indicator | ||
| 14 | POSTCARD |
Conveyor of brief message after vehicle died (8)
|
| POST (=after, as in post-natal) + CAR (=vehicle) + D (=died) | ||
| 16 | VILIFY |
Criticise volume one? Biography cut short before end of story (6)
|
| V (=volume) + I (=one) + LIF<e> (=biography; “cut short” means last letter is dropped) + <stor>Y (“end of” means last letter only) | ||
| 18 | NAPKIN |
Short time out to get family item for table (6)
|
| NAP (=short time out, i.e. asleep) + KIN (=family) | ||
| 19 | ARCHIVAL |
One runs from greatest opponent on record (8)
|
| ARCH-<r>IVAL (=greatest enemy); “one runs (=R, on cricket scorecard) from” means one letter “r” is dropped; archival means to do with archives, records, hence “on record” | ||
| 22 | STRATAGEM |
Plan – an excellent idea? – to get behind beds (9)
|
| STRATA (=beds, layers) + GEM (=an excellent idea?, i.e. something regarded as admirable or flawless) | ||
| 23 | REHAB |
What going into pub set back? (5)
|
| EH (=what?, as exclamation) in RAB (BAR=pub; “set back” indicates reversal); semi- & lit., since going into a pub would set back an alcoholic’s rehab! | ||
| 25 | FRODO |
Ring-bearer? Father the same, bearing ring (5)
|
| O (=ring, i.e. pictorially) in [FR (=father) + DO (=the same, i.e. ditto)]; the reference is to Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings, by J R R Tolkien | ||
| 26 | CELEBRANT |
Serviceperson’s angry speech with VIP (9)
|
| CELEB (=VIP, star) +RANT (=angry speech, tirade); a celebrant is someone who conducts e.g. a funeral service, hence “serviceperson” | ||
| 27 | LILY |
Flower idly avoiding a zone (4)
|
| L<az>ILY (=idly); “avoiding “a zone (=Z)” ” means that letters “az” are dropped | ||
| 28 | SPUD |
Wanting content soup used veg (4)
|
| S<ou>P U<se>D; “wanting content” means that all but first and last letters are dropped | ||
| 29 | ENTER |
Go into American heartland, heading away (5)
|
| <c>ENTER (=American heartland, i.e. US spelling of centre); “heading away” means that first letter is dropped | ||
| DOWN
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||
| 1 | ROSEHIP |
Item of fruit came up hard? One gets soft (7)
|
| ROSE (=came up) + H (=hard, as in HB) + I (=one) + P (=soft, i.e. piano in music) | ||
| 2 | BLACK |
Defender holding line in NZ colours? (5)
|
| L (=line) in BACK (=defender, in sport); the All Blacks are the NZ rugby union team, for example | ||
| 3 | SUPERSCRIPTION |
Unusual prison pictures revealing elevated characters (14)
|
| *(PRISON PICTURES); “unusual” is anagram indicator; superscription is the writing of letters (=characters) at the top (=elevated) of something | ||
| 4 | SCISSORS |
Science, kind curtailed aboard ship (cutter) (8)
|
| SCI (=science) + [SOR<t> (=kind, type; “curtailed” means last letter dropped) in SS (=ship, i.e. steamship)] | ||
| 5 | FOLDED |
Closed down in the past, beset by US lawman (6)
|
| OLD (=in the past) in FED (=US lawman, i.e. a Federal agent); a business has closed down if it has folded | ||
| 7 | PROKOFIEV |
Composer favouring including acceptable arrangement for five (9)
|
| PRO (=favouring) + [OK (=acceptable) in *(FIVE)]; “arrangement for” is anagram indicator; the reference is to Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) | ||
| 8 | SCENERY |
Flickering screen with unknown landscape (7)
|
| *(SCREEN) + Y (=unknown, in algebra); “flickering” is anagram indicator | ||
| 9 | INDECIPHERABLE |
Lined beach and pier up? Impossible to work out (14)
|
| *(LINED BEACH + PIER); “up” is anagram indicator | ||
| 15 | SUPER BOWL |
Excellent and wise person producing big American event (5,4)
|
| SUPERB (=excellent) + OWL (=wise person); the Super Bowl is the final game of the US NFL season | ||
| 17 | TRAMPLED |
American begged to follow vehicle on rails, getting run down (8)
|
| TRAM (=vehicle on rails) + PLED (=American begged, i.e. the US form of pleaded) | ||
| 18 | NESTFUL |
A lot of birds felt sun shimmering (7)
|
| *(FELT SUN); “shimmering” is anagram indicator | ||
| 20 | LOBSTER |
Send up a lot of tough seafood (7)
|
| LOB (=send up, e.g. a ball in tennis) + STER<n> (=tough, severe; “a lot of” means last letter is dropped) | ||
| 21 | EGGCUP |
Urge competition – something seen with soldiers? (6)
|
| EGG (=urge, incite) + CUP (=competition, in sport, say); toast soldiers often accompany a child’s boiled egg in its cup | ||
| 24 | HEART |
Spirit? Try a touch of tequila (5)
|
| HEAR (=try, i.e. a case in court) + T<equila> (“a touch of” means first letter only); here “spirit” refers not to an alcoholic drink but to courage, mettle |
A particularly good Phi, today. Lots of variety in the cluing and some cracking surfaces amongst which FRODO is a highlight. Others I enjoyed inc INDECIPHERABLE, SCENERY, LILY, STRATAGEM, ARCHIVAL, STEVEDORE and NOOSE.
Thanks both
Faultless compiling, a gem of a puzzle.
A couple of things that always irk me ( and yes, I know that they are both legit)….
PUB = BAR , 23(ac). URGE = EGG 21(d).
The latter is archaic, though it is the original verb; and “egg on” sits better with me.
STAMP MILL and SUPERSCRIPTION were off my radar, but very doable.
NESTFUL is a lovely word and image, but it does seem to crop up a lot.
Super scripting by setter and blogger, thumbs up, both Phi & Riku