I’m afraid I’ve had a really exhausting week, so this blog post doesn’t have as much commmentary or hyperlinks as usual – hopefully normal service will return for the next one in four weeks. Anyway, this was a lovely crossword from Paul, with lots of fun clues that made us smile. Difficulty-wise we raced through most of it and then got a bit stuck with some of the less familiar Shakesperean characters. It didn’t take too long to finish off regardless, though.
Across
7. One taking a puckish Laertes? (7)
STEALER
(LAERTES)*
Definition: “One taking”
8. Worker managed to catch cold — bitter in here? (4,3)
BEER CAN
BEE = “Worker” + RAN = “managed” around C = “cold”
Definition: “bitter in here?”
9. God of war, essentially (4)
ARES
Hidden in “[w]AR ES[sentially]”
Definition: “God” / the whole clue
10. Regan struggles to eat syrup (9)
GRENADINE
(REGAN)* + DINE = “to eat”
Definition: “syrup”
12. Warmer girl not entirely laid-back, a beauty (5)
VENUS
SUN = “Warmer” + EV[e] = “girl not entirely” all reversed (“laid-back”)
Definition: “a beauty”
13. Party backing right royal residence (8)
BALMORAL
LAB = “Party” reversed + MORAL = “right”
Definition: “royal residence”
15. One’s up for playing this Shakespearean character, not half! (4)
POLO
POLO[nius] = “Shakesperean character, not half”
Definition: “One’s up for playing this” – I like this definition a lot – “up” suggests being mounted on a horse, while “one” as a personal pronoun could be taken to suggest that it’s a stereotypically posh game to play
16. Stinker heading for sailing vessel (5)
SEWER
S[ailing] = “heading for sailing” + EWER = “vessel”
Definition: “Stinker”
17. Conservative painting revolutionary for muse (4)
CLIO
C = “Conservative” followed by OIL = “painting” reversed
Definition: “muse”
18. Capital city positioned around new Shakespearean character (8)
SANTIAGO
SAT = “positioned” around N = “new” + IAGO = “Shakespearean character”
Definition: “Capital city”
20. Mushroom, extra light starter (5)
MOREL
MORE = “extra” + L[ight] = “light starter”
Definition: “Mushroom”
21. Shockingly nude moobs revealed (9)
UNBOSOMED
(NUDE MOOBS)*
Definition: “revealed”
22. Piece of pie, as yummy as piece of cake (4)
EASY
Hidden in “[pi]E AS Y[ummy]”
Definition: “piece of cake”
24. Despicable circles delay Hamlet (7)
VILLAGE
VILE = “Despicable” around LAG = “delay”
Definition: “Hamlet”
25. Shakespearean character left consumed by perfidious suitor (7)
TROILUS
L = “left” in (SUITOR)*
Definition: “Shakespearean character”
Down
1. Cooler mix (4)
STIR
Double definition: “Cooler” (as in “prison”) and “mix”
2. Voice needing love in a stuck-up Shakespeare character (8)
BASSANIO
BASS = “Voice” followed by O = “love” IN A reversed (“stuck up”)
Definition: “Shakespeare character”
3. Trained singer is king (6)
REIGNS
(SINGER)*
Definition: “is king”
4. Weaving I relate with Olivier’s Bottom, as trader (8)
RETAILER
(I RELATE R)* – the “R” in the anagram fodder is from [Olivie]R = “Olivier’s Bottom”
Definition: “trader”
5. Character who’s Shakespearean or Chinese (6)
ORSINO
OR + SINO = “Chinese”
Definition: “Character who’s Shakespearean”
6. Topless swimmer, Shakespearean character (4)
KATE
[s]KATE
Definition: “Shakespearean character”
11. Play Shakespearean character before Othello turns up (5,4)
ELBOW ROOM
ELBOW = “Shakespearean character” followed by MOOR = “Othello” reversed
Definition: “Play” (as in “give” or “space to move something”)
12. Quite highly-strung Shakespearean character? (5)
VIOLA
Cryptic definition: the viola is a string instrument, so might be “highly-strung”
14. Shakespearean character, Lear I suspect (5)
ARIEL
(LEAR I)*
Definition: “Shakespearean character”
16. Ram or bull, perhaps, features in describing goat, primarily (4,4)
STAR SIGN
STARS IN = “features in” around G[oat] = “goat, primarily”
Definition: “Ram or bull, perhaps” (referring to Aries and Taurus)
17. Shakespearean character was afflicted, big bird upset (8)
CORDELIA
AILED = “was afflicted” + ROC = “big bird” all reversed
Definition: “Shakespearean character”
19. Antagonist ultimately getting turned over by key Shakespearean character (6)
TYBALT
[antagonis]T = “Antagonist ultimately” + BY reversed (“turned over by”) + ALT = “key” (referring to the key on a computer keyboard)
Definition: “Shakespearean character”
20. New day inspiring cardinal after uprising (6)
MODERN
MON = “day” around RED = “cardinal” reversed
Definition: “New”
21. Single person close to you, fool (4)
UNIT
“[yo]U” = “close to you” + NIT = “fool”
Definition: “Single person”
23. Shakespearean character getting Arsenal promoted (4)
SNUG
GUNS = “Arsenal” reversed
Definition: “Shakespearean character”
Thanks mhl and to Paul – all went swimmingly for me too, but my grid had a hole in it where POLO should have gone.
Thanks to Paul and mhl. I sailed through this puzzle because I could quickly spot the various Shakespeare characters, especially when I had a few crossers. I was only slowed down by POLO (which took a bit longer) and my last in, SANTIAGO, where to start with the persona approach failed (a good misdirection). Very enjoyable, and, except for perhaps BALMORAL and UNBOSOMED, no terms to daunt a US solver.
I loved every minute of this solve, although it stretched my knowledge of Shakespearean characters.
Like others I had trouble with 15a POLO, my LOI, but luckily have studied and taught “Hamlet” in depth and got it by revising the entire cast in my head. I did like the misdirection of “one’s up”. Funnily enough the first game that I thought of in the context was not the “posh” one but “Marco Polo”, the tag game usually played in a swimming pool, where the player chosen as “It” is often said to be “up”, as in the phrase “You’re up!”.
Even though 18a SANTIAGO was hard, it was satisfying to finally get it. 13a BALMORAL was not immediately obvious either, as I went through all the Shakespearean castles I could think of before realising it was not linked to the theme (I can’t remember it featuring in one of the plays at all).
Many thanks to Paul and to Mhl for the blog.
Thanks mhl. Needed to check BASSANIO for second last in and earlier guess ELBOW in 11D, but the other characters were simultaneously fair and plain. A happy lunch hour thanks Paul.
Thanks, mhl, for the blog and Paul for a most entertaining puzzle.
POLO was my last one in, too, and so I finished the puzzle with a smile.
‘Measure for measure’ is a play I haven’t seen /studied and so I didn’t know ELBOW as a character. [Googling ‘Elbow, Shakespeare’ provided a link to a Daily Telegraph Shakespeare quiz, ‘Do you know your Bottom from your Elbow?’, which made me laugh.] I particularly liked the way this clue included two characters and the misleading use of ‘play’ – my favourite clue, I think.
Interestingly, here we have SUN = ‘warmer’ and yesterday Paul gave us SUN = ‘shiner’.
Thanks again, Paul – I really enjoyed it.
Well looks like I’m in a minority of one for now.
Was there a theme here? Even if there had been a large flashing neon sign to this effect backed up with a loudhailer screaming “The theme is Shakespearian characters” it still couldn’t have been more obvious!
The fact that the cluing was almost down to the standard of a crossword in the “Beano” made this even more annoying.
There were a couple of unexpected occurrences of slight misdirection but even with these the whole thing was done in 15 minutes. A major disappointment for a weekend puzzle!
Our “alleged” editor should hang his head in shame. (I guess Paul probably intended this for a Monday spot)
A real case of “after the Lord Mayor’s show” for the “Prize” spot!
I quite enjoyed this, and my knowledge of Shakespeare is shaky enough that I had to resort to a list to remember TYBALT, who was last in, and there were a few others that took me a while to see. I get very bored with “too easy for a prize” comments, since it is clearly a deliberate policy that many of the prizes are at the gentler end of the spectrum, and I for one welcome that if it persuades more casual readers to have a go at it. There are plenty of tougher challenges available at the weekend for those who seek them.
Thanks to Paul and mhl
Thank you Paul and mhl. I found this puzzle fun last Saturday. My knowledge of Shakespeare’s plays is minimal, however all of the characters here came to mind, even TYBALT, except for the spelling, but that was was gettable from the clue. The clue for POLO was my favourite.
I haven’t commented recently but someone always manages to raise my hackles. Yes it’s you BNTO with your constant whinging. Aren’t you a clever boy to finish this in 15 minutes ?. Is that what you want to hear ?. Affirmation that you are clever. You have mentioned the Beano previously so I can only assume that you have it delivered regularly. Please try to find something interesting to say.
I really enjoyed this puzzle with POLO being my second last and finally TYBALT. Many thanks to Paul and mhl.
I’m sorry to let myself be hooked into negativity, but I feel affronted by BNTO’s comments here.
There is an arrogance and disdain in this response that seems out of place in the midst of the healthy debate and acceptance of differing perspectives that usually characterises this online community.
These comments suggest that my efforts and opinions (and those of others) are naive and intellectually inferior.
The suggestion that the editor is somehow at fault in allowing the publication of puzzles that from BNTO’s perspective are intellectually insulting is a criticism I find particularly offensive.
Sorry if these comments might suggest that own ego is getting in the way.
“Getting a rise” out of other solvers may be just what the intention is.
I enjoyed this thoroughly, as with some others, ‘POLO’ was my LoI, but my favourite clue was actually 24A – VILLAGE with the nice trompe de l’oeil of capitalising hamlet.
Also does 21A UNBOSOMED count as a &lit, since MOOBS apparently are ‘man boobs’ – who knew !
Thanks Paul and mhl
Eoin @11
Interesting that you picked VILLAGE as your favourite. I think that it’s slightly less fair to capitalise a letter that should be uncapitalised than the reverse (uncapitalise a letter that should be in caps). What do others think?
Of course an elegant way round this is to construct the clue so that the contentious word comes first. “Hamlet despicable circles delay” doesn’t make much sense, though!
Re BNTO, don’t fall into the hedgehoggy trap, people.
I enjoyed this. Not one of Paul’s most challenging but it certainly took me longer than fifteen minutes- and I suspect BNTO’s claim is rather exaggerated. But enough of that. I did need to check on BASSANIO and ELBOW, and POLO(LOI) took a little thought, but this was certainly not a doddle.
Thanks Paul.
Agree Neil@13. Should have just ignored the provocation.
Glad it is Saturday so that fewer members of our community will see my little rant.
Despite having both seen and read Measure for Measure (admittedly, once each, and admittedly almost a decade ago), I was among those who did not remember the name Elbow.
For those who don’t know it, Measure for Measure is….an interesting play. It has an oddly modern feel to it, and for that reason is becoming more commonly performed than it once was. It’s in the category of the “problem plays,” which in the First Folio were fit uncomfortably with the label of comedies only because no one dies in them. (The Merchant of Venice and All’s Well that Ends Well also are in that box.) The happy ending in Measure feels particularly jarring, like it was tacked on by someone else.
Oh, you wanted my comments about the puzzle? Last one in was SANTIAGO, embarrassingly. Favorite clue was ELBOW ROOM. And I don’t especially remember this being an easy puzzle—many entries went in quickly, but some definitely didn’t—so I’m baffled by that remark.
I too found this fun, but then I’m not at BNTO’s elevated intellectual level.
VILLAGE was one of my favourites, partly because it wasn’t that Hamlet. The capital doesn’t bother me as I take capitals as best ignored, just like punctuation marks. Polo, my LOI, was another favourite. I also particularly liked BEER CAN, ELBOW ROOM and TYBALT. ELBOW seemed familiar as a Shakespearean character, but for some reason I thought he was one of the “rude mechanicals”, so it was a surprise when I googled and found he was in Measure for Measure.
Thanks, Paul and mhl.
I really enjoyed this. Some great surfaces & excellent clues.
I don’t usually like themed puzzles much, but in this case the theme didn’t take over so there was plenty for all. It was a subject about which I do know a little (unlike some recent ones!), but, that said, I didn’t find some of the thematic answers too much of a write-in; like Eileen I’d forgotten that Elbow is a character in “Measure for Measure” for instance.
Many thanks to Paul for the entertainment and challenge. Thanks too to mhl for the blog.
Muffin @12, not sure what you say is what you mean but, if you say what you mean, that is different from ‘the convention’.
There’s is no objection at all to capitalising something that, in real life, should be in lower case. Like Hamlet, here.
False decapitalisation is less accepted, most setters are reluctant to use it.
However, a minority of setters (including e.g. Boatman) cannot be bothered too much and find it acceptable either way.
Thanks mhl and Paul.
I did need to Brush up my Shakespeare for TYBALT, BASSANIO and SNUG but not so taxing as to dampen my enjoyment of what was a nicely constructed and executed puzzle.
Fun and creative throughout for us lesser mortals than the infinitely clever BNTO – or should we call him Marvin?
Thanks Paul and mhl
Picked this one up today and was able to complete it in two shortish sessions – still somewhat longer than some here !! The Shakespearean theme did hit one between the eyes but I think it neither helped nor hindered in the solving experience – it certainly added another dimension of fun to it though !
I must confess to having a list of the characters open which I needed to check a character that I had derived or in the case of my last one in – sifted through to find POLOnius (had originally entered SOLO – based on if ‘one’ was playing it – then they would be playing a solo piece). The search started looking for a SOLO—- character which didn’t exist and luckily I started to skim backwards through the list and found the Hamlet character !!
Certainly in the easier half of the Paul difficulty spectrum, still a lot of fun !!