Today was my first opportunity to solve and blog a puzzle by Hoskins, on a day when I was expecting to meet Dac’s latest offering.
I very much enjoyed this puzzle, which I found quite tough to finish. I made fairly steady progress through three quarters of the puzzle before grinding to a halt in the top-left corner. Eventually, I solved 1D and that triggered a flurry of answers that allowed me to complete the puzzle.
Having completed the puzzle, I found myself looking at the entries and feeling that a few of them were a tad obscure, e.g. 2 and 11. I also suspected that there was something that I wasn’t grasping in 25. After a little hunting around on the internet, I realised that we were in the presence of a ghost theme: Sunderland A.F.C., which is managed by “Big Sam” Allardyce, which used to play at Roker Park and which was Charlie Hurley’s club. Perhaps there are other references to the football club that I haven’t spotted?
My favourite clues today were 3, for its & lit. –ish quality, and 5D, for its clever “it” definition. I am not convinced that I have properly parsed 29. Thanks to fellow solvers for the input on 29 – the blog has been amended accordingly.
*(…) indicates an anagram; definitions are italicised; // separates definitions in multiple-definition clues
| Across | ||
| 01 | HARDTOP | Car firm and corporation from the East …
HARD (=firm, as adjective) + TOP (POT(-belly)=corporation; “from the East” indicates reversal) |
| 05 | PERUSED | … studied safe reversing in training day
ERUS (SURE=safe; “reversing” indicates reversal) in [P.E. (=training, i.e. physical exercise) + D (=day)] |
| 09 | TAKE TURNS | Follow one another around in Turkestan
*(TURKESTAN); “around” is anagram indicator |
| 10 | BLACK | Line adopted by champion chess player
L (=line) in BACK (=champion, as verb) |
| 11 | HURLEY | Game Chuck Yeager’s first to neck drug
E (=drug, i.e. ecstasy) in [HURL (=chuck, throw) + Y<eager> (“first” means first letter only)]; hurley is a game of Irish origin, similar to hockey |
| 12 | ACCIDENT | Stress over independent daughter’s mishap
[I (=independent) + D (=daughter)] in ACCENT (=stress, as noun) |
| 14 | DANCE MUSIC | Is Camden University happy about disco?
*(IS CAMDEN + U (=University)) + C (=about, i.e. circa); “happy” is anagram indicator |
| 16 | CATS | Caught when stashing last of eight ounces?
C (=caught, i.e. on cricket scorecard) + [<eigh>T (“last of” means last letter only) in AS (=when)] |
| 18 | CLUB | Union // card
Double definition: a club is an association, union AND a card of one of the four suits in a pack |
| 19 | IDEALISTIC | Romantic aid elicits barking
*(AID ELICITS); “barking (=mad)” is anagram indicator |
| 22 | APERTURE | Opening time in a country bar came at last
[T (=time) in A + PERU (=country)] + <ba>R <cam>E (“at last” means last letters only) |
| 23 | MINERS | Those digging the Young Ones on radio?
Homophone (“on radio”) of “minors” (=young ones) |
| 26 | LATIN | Can following learner lead to awful language?
L (=learner) + A<wful> (“lead to” means first letter only) + CAN (=tin, i.e. metal receptacle) |
| 27 | ABOUT-TURN | A fit type performing brief role reversal
A + BOUT (=fit, e.g. of coughing) + TURN (=type performing brief role) |
| 28 | ENDURED | Before onset of unconsciousness, butt ruddy bore
END (=butt, e.g. of cigarette) + U<nconsciousness> (“onset of” means first letter only) + RED (=ruddy) |
| 29 | STRIPES | Some kits will carry these at the sides
<thes>E (“at the sides” seems to suggest a first and/or last letter) in STRIPS (=some kits, for footballers); & lit. |
| Down | ||
| 01 | HITCHED | Horse that’s longed to get married
H (=horse) + ITCHED (=longed, yearned for) |
| 02 | ROKER | Swimmer making agent lose head
<b>ROKER (=agent); “making (…) lose head” means first letter dropped; a roker is any ray other than skate, hence “swimmer” |
| 03 | TOTTERED | Did this in empty tube after shot and wine?
T<ub>E (“empty” means all but first and last letters are dropped) + TOT (=shot, of liquor) + RED (=wine); semi-& lit. |
| 04 | PARK | Green space vessel with bit of pink on top
P<ink> (“bit of” means first letter only) + ARK (=vessel) |
| 05 | POSTCOITAL | Broadcast loop with static coming after it?
*(LOOP + STATIC); “broadcast” is anagram indicator; the “it” of the definition is “sex”, as in to do it |
| 06 | RABBIT | Royal and bishop engulfed by a little gas
R (=royal, as in RSPB) + [B (=bishop, in chess) in A BIT (=a little)] |
| 07 | SPARE PART | Arts paper blasted “mechanical understudy”
*(ARTS PAPER); “blasted” is anagram indicator |
| 08 | DAKOTAS | Met to green-light advert about old planes
SAT (=met, gathered, convened) + OK (=green-light) + AD (=advert); “about” indicates reversal |
| 13 | SUNDERLAND | City star embarrassed travelling up to Settle
SUN (=star) + DER (RED=embarrassed; “travelling up” indicates vertical reversal) + LAND (=settle, alight, as verb) |
| 15 | NAUSEATED | Trouble due at sea after head of navy revolted
N<avy> (“head of” means first letter only) + *(DUE AT SEA); “trouble” is anagram indicator |
| 17 | SINISTER | Evil woman of the cloth ringing home
IN (=home) in SISTER (=woman of the cloth, nun) |
| 18 | CHARLIE | Drug story sat on by daily
CHAR (=daily, cleaner) + LIE (=story, falsehood); Charlie is a slang word for cocaine |
| 20 | CASINGS | Covers accountant delivers in a melodic way?
CA (=accountant, i.e. Chartered Accountant) + SINGS (=delivers in a melodic way) |
| 21 | STONER | Revolutionary lets out inspiring old druggie
O (=old) in RENTS (=lets out, e.g. a property); “revolutionary” indicates reversal |
| 24 | EQUIP | Supply joke from the internet?
Cryptically, an e-quip could be described as a joke from the internet, cf. e-mail, e-commerce |
| 25 | BOSS | What Big Sam is to those under him? // A stud
Double definition: “Big Sam” Allardyce is the “boss”, i.e. manager, of Sunderland A.F.C., while a stud is a projecting boss, knob or pin |
Thanks RatkojaRiku
My parsing for 29ac was STRIPS (some {football} kits) around (will carry) [thes]E (these at the side) with the whole clue as the definition.
We need not fear for the future of our pastime if we are going to get puzzles like this from nobbut a lad. Fresh from the triumph of his (admittedly controversial) ST puzzle, here we have one which positively sparkles with wit, ingenuity and well contrived misdirection. Thanks to Harry indeed. And to RatkojaRiku .
Arachne in another place today. My cup runneth over. I am not worthy.
BTW if there are any other references to 13, we know who will supply them don’t we?
Despite (of course) missing the theme completely, I still found this enjoyable and a good challenge. I thought we might be looking at an old aircraft theme instead with DAKOTAS and SUNDERLAND but didn’t get any further. I parsed STRIPES in the same way as Gaufrid @1. One mistake with ‘horsey’ for HURLEY which was a new word to me. My favourite was 5d as well, with CATS not far behind.
Thank you to Hoskins and RatkojaRiku.
I can’t add anything useful to Conrad’s comment, except to commend Julius in the FT – we are thrice fortunate today.
Many thanks to RR and Bravo again, Hoskins – I’m looking forward to the next one already.
Nice one Harry – missed the theme – missed the Nina in the ST one referred to above – always do. Can’t see why any fuss re that latter one – although it was certainly not in the normal groove of that series.
Never a doddle and always plenty of smiles but I never struggle too much with Hoskinses – must’ve cracked the wavelength – or be on the same one. I hope there’s an antidote.
Thanks all
Yes, this was good fun from someone who is, I guess, a kindred spirit. Other items were BLACK CATS (nickname of club) and, I guess STRIPES with perhaps the RED before it from the previous answer ENDURED being part of it.
Very good puzzle.
Many thanks to RR for a lovely blog.
There was one straggler with ‘miners’ (unofficial club nickname) eluding theme-spotters. Gaufrid has my intended parsing of ‘stripes’.
As for my being a Sunderland fan: well, apart from a forced dalliance with Ipswich Town – a relation installed an ITFC lampshade over my three-year old self’s bed in an effort to ensure recruitment – and watching England, er, “play”, I don’t watch footie.
This puzzle was written for everyone so I’m glad it went down well, but the ghost theme was for Sunderland supporters everywhere and, more specifically, an Indy solver who knows all about Charlie Hurley from football annuals he perused back in nineteen-hundred-and-frozen-to-death …
Cheers muchly to all who tried the puzzle and those who took time out to comment with such kind words – always appreciated here in sunny Norwich.
Now, where’s that drinks trolley?
Good stuff with some lovely clues. Loved the druggie misdirection in CATS
Thanks for clarification, Hoskins, and pretty good for a non-football fan to get all that in – in a puzzle solvable by all. So if you don’t watch it, I can mention, without fear of being provocative, that the crucial result towards the end of last season, was a 3-0 win at Norwich which ultimately kept us up (i.e. in the Premier League) while sending Norwich down. The inclusion of (Charlie) Hurley is of special interest to me as known by that (for that reason) in another area of crosswordland.
Also many thanks RR for the blog. I unfortunately omitted to mention this in my earlier comment.
Aha! I hadn’t realised you were the Hurley of the Times quicks, Raich – apologies for my ignorance.
So the theme becomes a bonus for Sunderland fans, an Indy setter, and the (hopefully happy) Indy solver who sparked the idea for this puzzle in my tiny mind in the first place … any other theme-related folks out there, I wonder?
No worries about SFC sending NFC down, even though I live in Norwich that ITFC lampshade did its intended job and I never mind a little bit of suffering for the canary-coloured faithful (though don’t tell anyone in Norwich I said that, of course).
Nice puzzle Harry, but what are you gonna do without Big Sam?!
Cheers, L – for Sunderland fans the answer might be better; for England fans, worse. Having said that, I only really know three things about football …
A: England seem to like to play the ball toward their own goal (but I don’t think this is the aim of the game)
2: Germany always win on penalties (apart from when a nina requires them to)
iii: If you turn the sound down whilst watching an England match and play the theme tune to Steptoe and Son you’ll either have a wondrous art installation* or an accurate soundtrack
… so I can’t really comment with any authority.
*coming soon to a Tate near you
@Hoskins, I’d removed that theme tune from my consciousness. Not convinced by your Germany stat, but it’s late, humid and I need sleep
Conscience 🙁
Yup, I can see that retirement to Bedfordshire is the order of the day there, L. However, you never know who might drop by … so I’m a-going to brave the heat and the tiredness and suffer a few more trips to the cold beer department yet.
Bollocks. I’m behind this week with my Indy solves (bloody children keep coming home), so am only coming to this the day after, when I should have been at the front of the queue to comment yesterday and congratulate Hoskins on a fine puzzle and an immaculate theme.
The puzzle was witty, which I like, and of course:
Hoskins’ puzzle, Hoskins’ puzzle today
is by far the greatest theme the world has ever seen
Big Sam. Legend. David Moyes won’t do half as well.
There’s far too much footy in the Indy.
Apologies, in the excitement I forgot my manners. Thank you to RR for blogging.
As guest of honour, I’m very glad you managed to get round to this one KD. You’ve also thoroughly tickled me gladness glands in your liking both puzzle and the theme: success all round, I’d say!
Too early for the celebratory drinks trolley, especially after last night, so …
… where’s that aspirin?