Monday Prize Crossword / Feb 6, 2017
Dante, i.e. familiar territory.
Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | GAMBIA | Note by a doctor to one going to a foreign country (6) |
| G (note) + A + MB (doctor) + I (one) + A | ||
| 4 | PILCHARD | Fish and chip dish cooked with lard (8) |
| ((CHIP)* + LARD)** [* = dish][**= cooked] The parsing with two anagram indicators may seem a bit over the top. Yet, I think that’s how it is, otherwise I don’t know what to do with ‘dish’. |
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| 9 | IN TOWN | Out of the country? (2,4) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 10 | ISOLATED | Cause unruly ladies to be separated (8) |
| (LADIES TO)* [*= unruly] I find the word ‘Cause’ a bit floating in the air. It’s probably just there for the surface. |
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| 12 | GAPE | One effect of gravity on a monkey is to yawn (4) |
| G (‘one effect of gravity’, referring to g (the gravitational constant), I guess) + APE (monkey) | ||
| 13 | SCORE | Musical number (5) |
| (Overlapping) Double definition A ‘score’ can be 20, so a ‘number’, and also the written form of a musical composition. |
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| 14 | DISC | Record that may slip (4) |
| Kind of double definition The second one referring to a ‘slipped disc’ that may be of concern in one’s spine. |
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| 17 | FRONT-BENCHER | Member of the first form at Westminster? (5-7) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 20 | WATERING HOLE | Local place for refreshing game (8,4) |
| Double definition ‘Local’ and ‘game’ meaning respectively pub and animals here. |
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| 23 | RUIN | Game at home results in defeat (4) |
| RU (game, Rugby Union [no animals here!]) + IN (at home) | ||
| 24 | TAINT | Light shade contains a blemish (5) |
| TINT (light shade) around A | ||
| 25 | GNAT | Returning flavour has bite (4) |
| Reversal [returning] of TANG (flavour) The definition is one of those creatures that might bite (‘has bite’). |
||
| 28 | SCENARIO | Film plot thus includes a rewrite of Racine (8) |
| SO (thus) around (RACINE)* [* = a rewrite of] | ||
| 29 | POLICE | Control river pests (6) |
| PO (river, in the north of Italy) + LICE (pests) | ||
| 30 | SHOPPING | Giving away recently purchased goods (8) |
| Double definition | ||
| 31 | CLOSET | Shut tin-opener in cupboard (6) |
| CLOSE (shut) + T[in] | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | GOING OFF | Leaving as a result of being fired (5,3) |
| Double definition For example, “The Moment Before the Gun Went Off” (an essay by Nadine Gordimer). |
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| 2 | METAPHOR | A figure of speech satisfied a figure in speech (8) |
| MET (satisfied) + a homophone [in speech] of FOUR (a figure) Nice clue, playful! |
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| 3 | IOWA | Antonio wandered around this state (4) |
| Hidden solution [around]: Antonio wandered I am never keen on ‘around’ (or ‘about’) as hidden word indicator. In my opinion, ‘Antonio wandered’ does not go around Iowa. That said, if setters like Arachne or Dante (here) do it, who am I to disagree? |
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| 5 | INSTRUCTIONS | Orders for this month’s disturbances? (12) |
| INST (this month) + RUCTIONS (disturbances) | ||
| 6 | CALF | A little lower – down the leg (4) |
| Double definition, slightly intertwined Vintage Dante (/Rufus). |
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| 7 | ALTAIR | A lieutenant bearing one star (6) |
| A + LT (lieutenant) + AIR (bearing) Perhaps, we should take ‘one’ as part of the definition. However, Altair is a double star, the brightest one in the Aquila constellation. |
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| 8 | DEDUCE | Conclude it’s a nasty deed, admitted copper, being upset (6) |
| (DEED)* around a reversal [upset] of CU (copper) [* = nasty] | ||
| 11 | ACCELERATION | Rate increase (12) |
| (Not so) Cryptic definition | ||
| 15 | STRAP | It holds the pieces up (5) |
| Reversal [up] of PARTS (pieces) This may qualify for an &lit, I think. The clue as a whole being the definition. |
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| 16 | WEDGE | Get tight in a club (5) |
| Double definition | ||
| 18 | MOUNTIES | A doctor lets loose with cops in Canada (8) |
| MO (doctor) + UNTIES (lets loose) | ||
| 19 | SEAT BELT | Table set out for those who sit tight (4,4) |
| (TABLE SET)* [*= out] | ||
| 21 | CRISIS | Course at Oxford is after credit when in trouble (6) |
| CR (credit) + ISIS (‘course’ at Oxford, the river Thames flowing through that city) | ||
| 22 | CICERO | In company Eric gets upset by famous orator (6) |
| (ERIC)* inside CO (company) [* = gets upset] | ||
| 26 | CARP | Car parking for swimmers (4) |
| CAR + P (parking) | ||
| 27 | COWL | Monkshood, a cure for smoking? (4) |
| Double / Cryptic definition The cryptic one refers to a chimney pot letting out smoke. |
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*anagram
Thanks Dante and Sil
Back to normal straightforward level of puzzle here with a couple of nice touches in METAPHOR and CALF.
The freakiest thing was your comment with regard to Nadine Gordimer at 1d. Last night, I literally just started reading the last novel that she wrote – “No Time Like the Present” !!!
Finished with the quirky STRAP.
Thanks to setter & blogger.
I agree that 11 down looks like a straight definition if you are a physicist, but to most people a rate increase would suggest higher council tax.
Yep and that’s why it can be called a cryptic definition.
Albeit one that’s rather obvious.
I didn’t say that it was just a straight definition.
I did and do see the two sides to this clue.
So actually, psmith, I fully agree with you.