Phi has given a crossword with a sort of structural theme
When I say structural theme, I am talking about the form of many of the entries which are constructed from a single letter, a hyphen and a word to form another longer word. I looked to see if the leading single letters spelled out a message but they don’t
I made quicker progress in the NW and SE corners than I did in the other two but the whole puzzle fell fairly steadily.
My last one in was the hidden word STOLEN at 5 Down. I eventually got this from the old adage ‘if all else fails, the clue type must be a hidden word’. It’s an adage that seems to apply to my solving experience fairly frequently.
| Across | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Clue | Wordplay | Entry |
|
9
|
Music last to be disseminated in shared programming (9)
|
Anagram of (to be disseminated) MUSIC LAST SIMULCAST* |
SIMULCAST (a programme broadcast simultaneously on radio and television, or on two or more radio wavebands or television channel; shared programming)
|
|
10
|
Recalled bar closing early to finish bit of plumbing (1-4)
|
(BUT [except; bar] excluding the last letter [closing early] T reversed [recalled]) + END [finish] U-B< END |
U-BEND (air-trap in the form of a U-shaped BEND in a pipe)
|
|
11
|
Champion losing first place – just outside the bull (5)
|
WINNER (champion) excluding (losing) the first letter (first place) W INNER |
INNER (the part of a target next to the bull’s eye)
|
|
12
|
I’d album redone to contain it, having not planned ahead (2,7)
|
Anagram of (redone) I’D ALBUM containing (to contain) IT AD LIB (IT) UM* |
AD LIBITUM (extempore; impromptu; not planned ahead)
|
|
13
|
Just gutted, backing party dumping leader – choice of direction here (1-8)
|
JT (letters remaining in JUST when the central letters US are removed [gutted]) reversed (backing) + FUNCTION (party) excluding (dumping) the first letter (leader) F T-J< UNCTION |
T-JUNCTION (a road JUNCTION in the shape of a T where you have a choice of direction to proceed)
|
|
15
|
Hurried with cut, capturing traces of human origin in feature of violin … (1-4)
|
FLED (hurried [away]) excluding the final letter (with cut) D containing (capturing) (HO [first letters of {traces of} each of HUMAN and ORIGIN) F– (HO) LE |
F-HOLE (either of a pair of holes in the belly of a violin)
|
|
16
|
… or different approach to strings (my other playing) (1-6)
|
Anagram of (playing) MY OTHER M–THEORY* |
M-THEORY (in particle physics, a THEORY that involves an eleven-dimensional universe in which the weak and strong forces and gravity are unified and to which all the string theories belong)
|
|
18
|
Elevate no prow of boat in middle of Henley (7)
|
(NO + B [first letter of {prow of} BOAT]) contained in (in) ENLE (the central letters [middle] of HENLEY) EN (NO B) LE |
ENNOBLE (elevate to the peerage)
|
|
19
|
Minor argument about river fish (5)
|
SPAT (minor argument) containing (about) R (river) SP (R) AT |
SPRAT (fish like the herring, but much smaller)
|
|
20
|
Mark in hairstyle’s a dreadful spot, a real shock (9)
|
(M [mark,former German currency] contained in (in) BOB‘s [a BOB is a short haircut for ladies; hairstyle’s]) + HELL (place of vice or misery; dreadful spot) BO (M) BS HELL |
BOMBSHELL (sudden and surprising piece of news; a real shock)
|
|
23
|
A burst of loud music, not initially very sharp (9)
|
A + an anagram of (burst of) LOUD and MUSIC excluding the first letter [not initially] M A CIDULOUS* |
ACIDULOUS (caustic or sharp)
|
|
24
|
I engaged in poor-quality regressive communication (1-4)
|
I contained in (engaged in) LAME (imperfect; poor quality) reversed (regressive) E-MA (I) L< |
E-MAIL (form of communication)
|
|
26
|
Skiers’ aids, the foremost amongst the best Alpine resort services (1-4)
|
T-BARS (first letters of [foremost among] each of THE BEST ALPINE RESORT SERVICES) T-BARS |
T-BARS (form of handles used in some ski-lifts; skiers’ aids)
|
|
27
|
I’m almost home – seriously (2,7)
|
I + NEAR (close; almost) + NEST (home) IN EARNEST |
IN EARNEST (seriously)
|
| Down | |||
| 1 | Top desire is to see son promoted (1-5) |
THIRST (desire) with S (son) moved upwards (promoted) in this down entry to form T–SHIRT T–SHIRT |
T-SHIRT (a item of clothing worn above the waist; top) |
|
2
|
Information about male agents (1-3)
|
GEN (information) containing (about) M (male) G– (M) EN |
G-MEN (agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation)
|
|
3
|
One leader of Christians following line in Church, right? (6)
|
(L [line] contained in [in] CE [Church {of England}] ) + R (right) + I (Roman numeral for one) + C (first letter of [leader of] CHRISTIANS) C (L) E R I C |
CLERIC (the whole clue is descriptive of a CLERIC)
|
|
4
|
Embattled mission cut short in town leading to tragedy (8)
|
(ALAMO [reference the siege of the ALAMO [The ALAMO Mission in San Antonio, commonly called The ALAMO and originally known as Misión San Antonio de Valero, is part of the San Antonio Missions) excluding the last letter (cut short) O contained in (in) CITY (large town) C (ALAM) ITY |
CALAMITY (tragedy)
|
|
5
|
Some obstacles to leniency, like articles for fencing (6)
|
STOLEN (hidden word in [some] OBSTACLES TO LENIENCY) STOLEN |
STOLEN (STOLEN goods are often received and distributed by a FENCE; like articles for fencing)
|
|
6
|
For a nut, flying must involve British aero-engine (8)
|
Anagram of (flying FOR A NUT) containing (must involve) B (British) TUR (B) OFAN* |
TURBOFAN (gas-turbine aero-engine in which part of the power developed is used to drive a fan which blows air out with the exhaust and so increases thrust)
|
|
7
|
Grass repeatedly folded over (4,6)
|
BENT (type of stiff or wiry grass) + DOUBLE (twice over; repeatedly) BENT DOUBLE |
BENT DOUBLE (folded over)
|
|
8
|
A woman claiming conjugal rights in classic novel (4,4)
|
A + (DAME [woman] containing [claiming] BED [conjugal union]) A DAM (BED) E |
ADAM BEDE (reference the classic novel of the same name by George Eliot first published in 1859)
|
|
14
|
Urinal echo reverberating, not exactly impressive (10)
|
Anagram of (reverberating) URINAL ECHO UNHEROICAL* |
UNHEROICAL (not befitting a HERO; not particularly impressive)
|
|
16
|
Chooses wrong people to show fashion in female surroundings (8) |
CAST (mould or shape; fashion) contained in (in … surroundings) MISS (form of address for a female) MIS (CAST) S |
MISCASTS (chooses the wrong people for a play [show])
|
|
17
|
Expression of feeling but misplaced in our street (8)
|
Anagram of (misplaced) BUT contained in (in) (OUR + ST [street]) OU (TBU*) R ST |
OUTBURST (sudden violent expression of feeling)
|
|
18
|
Caught English men drifting to garden workshop? (8)
|
E (English) + an anagram of (drifting) MEN + SHED (garden workshop) E NME* SHED |
ENMESHED (caught)
|
|
20
|
Second feature showing millions invested in US guy before contest (1-5)
|
M (millions) contained in (invested in) BO (informal American term for a man [guy]) + VIE (contest) B– (M) O VIE |
B-MOVIE (feature film getting secondary billing; second feature)
|
|
21
|
Mistake tucking into short alcoholic drink (6)
|
ERR (mistake [to ERR in opinion]) contained in (tucking into) SHY (short) SH (ERR) Y |
SHERRY (alcoholic drink)
|
|
22
|
Mark of trainee: tardy after endless work piled up (1-5)
|
PLY (work) excluding the last letter (endless) Y reversed (piled up; down clue) + LATE (tardy) L-P< LATE |
L-PLATE (mark of a learner driver [trainee])
|
|
25
|
Top primate seen with cross (4)
|
APE (primate) + X (cross) APEX |
APEX (summit; top)
|
A fun theme with many good surfaces. The meanings of BENT and BO were new to me and I only half-parsed 22 down.
Thanks Phi and Duncan for the explanations.
Enjoyable stuff at the easier end (helped by enumerations) of the Phi spectrum. Liked the idea behind the answer word structure, wonder if owt else is going on too? 27a & 21d my fave clues today so thanks to Phi for a nice puzz and to DS for the always informative blog.
As swatty says, a fun theme, which I liked. An interesting excursion into the ability of the English language to form words like these (I’m sure there’s a technical term for it, but I’ve no idea what).
I got STOLEN straightaway (my solving deficiencies are different to Duncan’s, and also more extensive). But I needed his help to see how BENT DOUBLE worked. It is of course also a term for a brace of goals from the ex-Sunderland striker, beloved of sports sub-editors when writing headlines. Sunderland getting relegated from the Prem this year? Naah.
Fine puzzle – thanks to S&B and good weekend to all.
Another enjoyable offering from Phi, although there was minimal linkage between the left and right halves of the grid. I found the former slower going than the latter; 1dn was my LOI as I thought ‘top desire’ might be something with an initial A. Biffed BOMBSHELL without trying to parse it properly – I wondered if there was a hairstyle called a ‘bombe’ that came into it somewhere. And I had to dredge up from the depths of memory that ‘shy’ can mean ‘short’.
A toss-up between CALAMITY and TURBOFAN for CoD.
Thanks, Phi and Duncan
I started out with the idea that the single pre-hyphen letters should spell something, but once I’d listed a few options, there didn’t seem to be anything of import in the words I could make. In the end I decided to make them all different – and failed in that as well!