Guardian 27,122 – Paul

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My third Paul in a row as he marches through the week, and after a couple of slightly sub-par efforts he is back on form here. I particularly liked the two silly homphones, and two &lit(ish) clues. Thanks to Paul.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Across
1. SWARTHY Dark pitch masking blemish (7)
WART (blemish) in SHY (to throw, pitch)
5. STUDENT Two low grades in remarkable performance as undergraduate? (7)
D and E (low grades in an exam) in STUNT
10. KERB One by the side of the road, drinker boozily guzzles (4)
Hidden in drinKER Boozily
11. PARLIAMENT Diet has the expected result, one overcome by expression of sorrow (10)
PAR (expected result, as in golf) + I in LAMENT
12. PLANET Alien after map to find Earth, perhaps? (6)
PLAN + ET (alien)
13. SALINGER Voice encapsulating almost everything as US author (8)
AL[L] in SINGER – J D Salinger, author of The Catcher in the Rye
14. DETRACTOR Conclusion to Father Ted recalled by thespian critic (9)
Reverse of ([Fathe]R TED) + ACTOR
16,3. ROUND ROBIN Message for all to endorse in plump Christmas bird (5,5)
ROUND (plump) + ROBIN (bird associated with Christmas)
17. SPASM Sudden jerk, head on mattress touching springs (5)
SPAS (springs) + M[attress]
19. DENTISTRY Boring, excruciating test in filling? (9)
(TEST IN)* in DRY (boring), &lit
23. BEQUEATH Leave queen to scrub rear, splashing around in the tub (8)
Anagram of QUEE[N] in BATH
26,24. THE FASHION POLICE If cheap clothes on, I suspect, cops primarily sent out? (3,7,6)
(IF CHEAP CLOTHES ON I)* less C[ops], and an &littish definition
27. CLUB One in a suit, clobber for the association (4)
Three definitions
28. APLENTY Penalty shot to spare (7)
PENALTY*
29. STUMPED Out at sea (7)
Double defintion – a way of being out in cricket, and confused
Down
2. WHEELIE Balancing act — sewiously? (7)
Vague homophone of ‘really’ with the R pronounced as W
4. HEPATIC Epic hat designed for livery? (7)
(EPIC HAT)* – livery as in ‘relating to the liver’
6. TWIRLY Going round the twist prematurely, it’s casually suggested? (6)
Another slightly dodgy (indicated by ‘casually’) but amusing homophone, this time of ‘too early’. Reminds me of the Christmas cracker joke: Why is 5am like a pig’s tail?
7. DOMINIONS Authorities swindle underdogs (9)
DO + MINIONS
8. NANKEEN Senior lady cutting fabric (7)
NAN (Grandmother = senior lady) + KEEN (cutting)
9. BRUSH ONE’S HAIR Bars in house however extremely loose: order locks (5,4,4)
Anagram of BARS IN HOUSE H[oweve]R
15. RESHUFFLE Again arrange upset boxes she jumbled up (9)
SHE* in (‘boxed by’) RUFFLE (upset)
18. PIE SHOP Is he about to prick cases in specialist bakery? (3,4)
(IS HE)* in (‘cased by’) POP (to prick a balloon)
20. TOPKNOT Bird underneath cup lifted in style overhead (7)
Reverse of POT + KNOT (bird)
21. RECLUSE Hermit — as regards one of these, solitude initially welcomed? (7)
S[olitude] in RE CLUE
22. BASSET Fishtails in sausage meat for dog (6)
BASS (fish) + last letters (tails) of sausagE meaT
25. LOCUM Knock over pass, I’m not sure for the substitute (5)
Reverse of COL + UM (‘I’m not sure’)

39 comments on “Guardian 27,122 – Paul”

  1. Thanks, Andrew.

    An fun puzzle. I particularly liked TWIRLY, a name applied to us folk with bus passes, who sometimes present them prematurely. There is a bus into town which leaves my stop at 9.30a.m. It’s usually full!

    Thanks to Paul for the laughs.

  3. Thanks for the blog. Great puzzle from my favourite setter. Just finished his book ‘The History of the Crossword’ – highly recommended if you’ve not read it. I didn’t know how he chose his pseudonym – very sad.

  4. Lovely puzzle with plenty of Pauline wit. LOI was DOMINIONS – all I could see for ages was DEMENTORS (influence of Harry Potter, no doubt). Favourites were PARLIAMENT, DENTISTRY, BRUSH ONES HAIR and STUMPED. Didn’t know NANKEEN. Many thanks to Paul and Andrew.

  5. PS. Re yesterday’s puzzle: everyone missed the theme, until Rare Visitor came along in the evening:

    “Am I missing any redness here? LETTER, MULLET, CARPET, GROUSE, ADMIRAL, CABBAGE, HERRING, ROOSTER, GIANT, CEDAR, BRIGADE”.

  6. I’m with you, Andrew. Paul back on form. This was a terrific puzzle and just at the right level of difficulty for my liking.

    The bottom clues took far too long for me to solve. For instance, how could 28a APLENTY, be such a difficult anagram to see from “penalty”? Felt very slow as that was my second last one in, with 29a STUMPED, my LOI – looking too hard for some kind of marine term which left me – well, stumped – for some time. Overthinking, moi?

    Favourites were 17a SPASM, 26a/24a THE FASHION POLICE, and that seeming typo in 2d that led to WHEELIE.

    (The latter reminded me of two neighbours who met at the 10a KERB when putting out the rubbish, with one remarking on the extended absence from home of the other, who had actually been in prison for a stretch. When the guilty party suggested that he had been on holidays, the neighbour, who knew the truth, asked the rhetorical question, “But Mate, where have you wheelie bin?)

    Echoing Eileen, I want to thank Paul for the sense of humour he brings to his setting. These lighter moments give a real boost to those among his solvers who are trying to maintain a positive and grateful mindset when newsfeeds are so distressing.

    So warm thanks to Paul and Andrew, and to the interest and positivity in our shared love of crosswords that this online community provides.

  7. [Thanks drofle@5, just went back to the “Red Reveal” post by Rare Visitor on yesterday’s blog. Added a whole new dimension to the Nutmeg!!!! And every day I learn that there are subtleties to the puzzles that I would never get without the fifteensquared community. Thanks again to all who make it work, whether you be setters, bloggers, commentators or editors.]

  9. Thanks Andrew and Paul.

    Unlike Julie@6 I finished the bottom half first; on my second visit, the top then yielded quite steadily.

    Some very nice clues, but I must agree with NHS@8. I thought 26,24 was very contrived, especially with COPS in the clue.

    [Thanks also to rare visitor, from yesterday. Is this the first time Nutmeg has had a theme?

    This seems to be rare visitor’s only visit to fifteen squared. I wonder….]

  13. Thank you Paul and Andrew.

    Great fun, especially WHEELIE and TWIRLY, thanks Eileen for the OAP bus pass explanation! The “Epic hat” confused me at first and I entered HIGHTOP thinking of doormen. Loved the clue for BEQUEATH.

  14. Thanks to Paul and Andrew. I agree – great fun. I had trouble with the second definition of STUMPED (my usual weakness with cricket terms) and took a while getting HEPATIC, but the homophones were a treat.

  16. Thanks to Paul and Andrew. Great fun with Paul at his wittiest best.

    As someone who has worked in the City of London I particularly liked the appropriateness of 4dn, given the costumes livery companies dress up in and the consumption of alcohol.

    Eileen @ 1, I am never “twirly” as, amazingly, free bus, tube and train travel has no time limits in the Great Wen. Can’t say I am often up and about to take advantage though …

  17. That was more like it, though Nutmeg looking more interesting after drofle’s reveal. Loved this Paul after two duds. Even Homer nods. Can’t agree with others re 26, 24. I thought it was a brilliant clue actually enhanced by the inclusion of cop. What I love about Paul on top form is how the puzzle only gradually gives way, and then grows richer and richer. The anagram at 28 ac was particularly brilliant given that the crossers are all in the more likely seeming anagram of ‘to spare’. It’s that kind of detail that makes Paul the best in my view.

  19. All pleasant enough, can’t find much more to say. APLENTY was last in – I spent too long looking at the wrong fodder before realising that all of the crossers were in both.

    Thanks to Paul and Andrew

  20. Great xword . Initially I had Trifle for 6down , twist as in the grooves of a gun barrell giving “rifle” and prematurely indicating “before time(t)” almost works !!

  21. Just realised as I came to post, having read through the blog, that I’d left 6d unsolved but with TRIFLE? in the doodle space. That’s annoying. I’m not sure that I would have got it – maybe; I’m with Marienkaefer @16, you’re never too early on London buses.

  22. We always enjoy Paul’s puzzles. This wasn’t his most difficult but it was great fun. Loved the homophones. Thanks to everyone.

  24. Andrew, I think you’ve underlined too much in 19. If “boring” and “excruciating test” are part of the wordplay, the def must be simply “filling”.

  25. Sorry, Andrew, I now see you’ve added &lit. Though I still think it’s a bit of a stretch to include “test” as part of the dental patient’s ordeal.

  28. I thought this difficult and not that easy to parse until I came here. I found myself resorting to guesswork rather too often. Given the consensus above, I can only conclude that I’m the one having a bad day!
    Thanks Paul.

  29. I’m very much on Julie in Australia’s wavelength both in terms of appreciation the crossword and all involved, and in looking to keep a positive outlook on life.
    For me this was Paul at his best with plenty of wit and an absence of anagrams requiring abstruse synonyms. I loved the homonyms, the penalty anagram and LOIs 23a and 19a. Why are word shapes so much harder to recall without the first letter?

  30. Thoroughly enjoyed this when I did it first thing this morning, much “6d” for the blog! Some smashing clues, with plenty of much needed laughs on the way – a great start to the day. I’m with Julie & Peter in expressing my appreciation, by the way.

    [6d has to be my favourite. Have had to bite my tongue so many times since I qualified for a bus pass many moons ago – the driver’s time doesn’t always coincide with that on my watch!]

  32. I’ve seen the expression “&lit” often enough to sense what it means, but I’ve never known why, precisely, it’s called that. I’ve asked Mr Google, but he doesn’t seem to know either. Could someone please enlighten me, perhaps comparing and contrasting with “cryptic definition?”?

  35. Thought this was a fabulous puzzle with a sizeable tea-tray moment when I finally saw 6d. Was I the only one trying to find “dogs” as a definition to the first half of 7d?

    Thanks Paul and Andrew

  36. Like many others here, I thought this was a wonderful puzzle, with some neat misdirections and many excellent surfaces, including the &lits.

    Like Julie@6, Xjpotter @17 and beery hiker @19, I had a bit of an ‘experience’ with 28 APLENTY, being too easily misdirected to the wrong anagram fodder. Just like Julie, that was my second last in, and STUMPED my last (when I realised it obviously wasn’t STYMIED).

    Thanks to Paul and Andrew.

  37. Mister John Halpern – How do you do it? Or rather – how do you keep on doing it?! This puzzle was a doosie and great fun to solve.
    (I can’t agree with some others that this was Paul at his best, but certainly getting there).
    Particularly enjoyed APLENTY and HEPATIC and the homophones were outrageous – just how I like ’em!
    Thanks again Paul – and to Andrew for his continued kind dedication to fifteen squared’s output.

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