A stiff challenge from XELA this Friday.
FF: 8 DD: 9
I have at least one parsing that I need help with, which I am sure will get the required illumination from the aficionados here.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | HARD CHEESE |
Tough pecorino, for example (4,6)
|
| cryptic def | ||
| 6 | SCAB |
Crust primarily should complement any bread (4)
|
| starting letters of “..Should Complete Any Bread” | ||
| 9 | GIVE NOTICE |
Get invoice sorted and signal one’s intention to leave (4,6)
|
| [ GET INVOICE ]* | ||
| 10 | UNIT |
It’s the standard measurement of alcohol, you fool (4)
|
| U ( you ) NIT ( fool ) | ||
| 12 | BOUT |
Save boxing ring for boxing event (4)
|
| BUT ( save ) containing O ( ring ) | ||
| 13 | NONPAREIL |
A lack of fancy praline for confectionery (9)
|
| NO ( ~lack of ) [ PRALINE ]* | ||
| 15 | EXIT POLL |
Type of in-person survey that’s on the way out? (4,4)
|
| cryptic def; EXIT ( way out ) POLL ( survey ) | ||
| 16 | FASTED |
Reckless newspaper boss took nothing in (6)
|
| FAST ( reckless ) ED ( newspaper boss ) | ||
| 18 | CHASTE |
Restrained pursuit takes time (6)
|
| CHASE ( pursuit ) containing T ( time ) | ||
| 20 | ENDANGER |
Threaten to destroy red state? (8)
|
| END ( destroy ) ANGER ( red state ) | ||
| 23 | ELABORATE |
Complex had to be led by European and US workers (9)
|
| E ( european ) LABOR ( us spelling for workforce ) ATE ( had ) | ||
| 24 | AUNT |
Relative from Australia — the bit at the top (4)
|
| A ( australia ) UNT ( ?? ) | ||
| 26 | LIKE |
Similar learning impacts knowledge economies at first (4)
|
| starting letters of “..Like Impacts Knowledge Economies..” | ||
| 27 | BONE MARROW |
Cart containing single, minute tissue (4,6)
|
| BARROW ( cart ) containing [ ONE ( single ) M ( minute ) ] | ||
| 28 | SANE |
Sensible part of subpoena stupidly rebuff ed (4)
|
| hidden reversed in “..subpoENA Stupidly..” | ||
| 29 | FREELANCER |
Contractor in country with charter, finally, to import fish (10)
|
| EEL ( fish ) in [ FRANCE ( country ) R ( charteR, finally ) ] | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | HUGO |
Warm welcome to introduce old writer (4)
|
| HUG ( warm welcome ) O ( old ) | ||
| 2 | RAVIOLI |
Right pungent sauce covering very filled pasta (7)
|
| R ( right ) [ AIOLI ( pungent sauce ) containing V ( very ) ] | ||
| 3 | CONSTIPATION |
Pot inactions, possibly? (12)
|
| &lit; [ POT INACTIONS ]*; slick surface | ||
| 4 | ENTANGLE |
Snare ten fresh fish (8)
|
| [ TEN ]* ANGLE ( fish ) | ||
| 5 | SECOND |
Back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail (6)
|
| double def; the second one is an idiom meaning quickly which i learnt today ( the solve itself is an allusion to this rather than a direct meaning ) | ||
| 7 | CONTENT |
Happy pics, vids, etc. produced by an influencer? (7)
|
| double def | ||
| 8 | BATTLEDORE |
Old beater thrashed around the middle of clothes? (10)
|
| &lit; [ OLD BEATER ]* containing T ( cloThes, middle letter of ) | ||
| 11 | TARAMASALATA |
Ace spice mix in quiche and first-rate fish dish (12)
|
| [ A ( ace ) MASALA ( spice mix ) ] in [ TART ( quiche ) A ( first-rate ) ]; i had to look up the solve for this as i didnt have a clue about the clue. | ||
| 14 | SEYCHELLES |
Picked up e.g. beach souvenirs somewhere in East Africa (10)
|
| sounds like SEA SHELLS ( beach souvenirs ) | ||
| 17 | ANTECEDE |
Go in front of soldier, perhaps, and maybe ultimately surrender (8)
|
| ANT ( soldier, perhaps ) E ( maybE, last letter ) CEDE ( surrender ) | ||
| 19 | ALASKAN |
American network accommodating demand from its biggest state (7)
|
| [ A ( american ) LAN ( network ) ] containing ASK ( demand ) | ||
| 21 | GENERIC |
Common thing children inherit, mostly with loads of cash (7)
|
| GENE ( thing children inherit ) RICh ( loads of cash, mostly i.e. without last letter ) | ||
| 22 | LABOUR |
Place running tests on our work (6)
|
| LAB ( place running tests ) OUR | ||
| 25 | EWER |
Pitcher threw erratically, somewhat (4)
|
| hidden in “..thrEW ERratically ..” |
Ha! Have been eagerly awaiting the blog to understand the parse for AUNT 🤣 It went in as a bung; TARAMASALATA did not. Faced with all those crossing A’s, my mind could not come up with a word and I didn’t get the parse until after revealing the solution. A tough puzzle but very enjoyable. CONSTIPATION, my COTD, closely followed by the unknown but very neat BATTLEDORE. And I learned a totally new meaning for NONPAREIL.
Thanks both
Thanks, Turbolegs. For 24a, I had AU (Australia) plus NT (Northern Territory).
BATTLEDORE was new to me. This was all quite enjoyable. CONSTIPATION was my favourite. [I was going to write CONSTIPATION brought a smile, but thought it may have been misinterpreted.]
jvh’s explanation for AUNT I think is correct.
Nice. I had a giggle when I finally got 3d. My brain took me on a journey of meanings for pot, from cannabis, through snooker, to cooking, all subjects that involve action and inaction.
Liked ENDANGER, BONE MARROW, CONSTIPATION, BATTLEDORE and ANTECEDE.
AUNT
Had the same parsing as jvh@2
Thanks Xela and Turbolegs.
I found the NE corner hard, until UNIT came to mind, and as PostMark NONPAREIL. as a sweet was new.
Thanks for the puzzle Xela and Turbolegs for the post
I found the NE corner hard, until UNIT came to mind, and as PostMark NONPAREIL. as a sweet was new.
Thanks for the puzzle Xela and Turbolegs for the post.
I agree with jvh@2 and KVa on the parsing of AUNT. NONPAREIL and BATTLEDORE were new to me. Good fun !
Surely 14d is sounds like SAY (e.g.) SHELLS or have I been mispronouncing this all along?
Tough in places and we needed some help.
We’re with Hovis @9 on the parsing of 14dn (our LOI after using a wordfinder).
Thanks Xela and Turbolegs.
I did like ‘constipation’, and thanks for clarifying ‘battledore’.
My first 6-8 clues were write-ins, and I thought this puzzle would soon be over. Then I hit a difficult clue, then another and another…… BATTLEDORE and NONPAREIL were new to me too as was UNIT of alcohol, and I am glad I am not the only one that says SAY SHELLS.
I too liked CONSTIPATION, and also ticked BOUT, CONTENT and BONE MARROW. Did not parse ENDANGER.
Thanks Xela and Turbolegs
Hovis@9
You are quite right.
Enjoyed this, I’d say dd<9. Very enjoyable. NHO battledore. Liked constipation, which is not something I’ve ever said before. Retched when I saw it described as a slick surface. Thanks both, sort of.
Enjoyable puzzle – my experience is much the same as others, in finding this a nice mix of straightforward clues with a few chewier ones, all tractable and fair.
I don’t think I’d call 8d &lit, since ‘middle of clothes’ contributes nothing meaningful to the definition. Had me confused for a bit since I thought battledore was the name of the game, but apparently it’s also the name of the paddle/racquet used to play it, so fair enough.
Widdersbel @15. A battledore is also of a paddle for beating clothes hung up on a clothes line. Ah, the good ol’ days. Maybe some people still use them?
Ah! Thanks, Hovis, all becomes clear – wasn’t familiar with that definition, my bad