Monday Prize Crossword / Apr 24, 2017
Fairly typical Dante with indeed a lot of cryptic and double definitions this time,
something that is not always the case (despite what many solvers think).
Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | TALENT | Skill in writing story books (6) |
| TALE (story) + NT (books) | ||
| 4 | ELDORADO | Adore old novel featuring a fabulous city (8) |
| (ADORE OLD)* [* = novel] | ||
| 9 | RACING | Telephone about an account – for betting? (6) |
| RING (telephone) around AC ((an) account) Bit of a loose definition, in my opinion. |
||
| 10 | ACCIDENT | Bill takes detectives to hospital department after crash (8) |
| AC (bill, one more account) + CID (detectives) + ENT (hospital department) | ||
| 11 | EQUIPS | Provides some point to jokes (6) |
| E (some point, East) + QUIPS (jokes) | ||
| 12 | BLANKETS | Let banks arrange covers for retirement (8) |
| (LET BANKS)* [* = arrange] | ||
| 13 | GAS | Used for lighting and heating in Madagascar (3) |
| Hidden solution [in]: Madagascar | ||
| 14 | EXEUNT | It’s all off! (6) |
| Cryptic definition I could only find this after having all the crossers. Of actors, to go and leave the stage. |
||
| 17 | SACHETS | Bags wild she-cats (7) |
| (SHE CATS)* [* = wild] | ||
| 21 | ECZEMA | Spots city maze complex (6) |
| EC (City, London postcode) + (MAZE)* [* = complex] The false decapitalisation of ‘city’ is not my cup of tea but I know some setters do it. |
||
| 25 | CUE | Potting aid (3) |
| Cryptic definition Think snooker. |
||
| 26 | DOORKNOB | It may have to be turned before making an entry (8) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 27 | UNDONE | Ruined, but not executed (6) |
| Double definition | ||
| 28 | THEORIES | Conjectures will appear if he is accepted by the Conservatives (8) |
| HE inside TORIES ((the) Conservatives) | ||
| 29 | SPARTA | City may be seen as part of Ancient Greece (6) |
| (AS PART)* [* = may be seen] Good surface but a bit of a messy clue as if Dante wanted too much too soon I don’t think the anagram indicator is fully correct where it is now. |
||
| 30 | DISASTER | Diana’s bloomer will result in catastrophe (8) |
| DI’S (Diana’s) + ASTER (bloomer, a flower) | ||
| 31 | AS WELL | Also a V.I.P. (2,4) |
| A + SWELL (V.I.P.) | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | TARGETED | Ted was after Greta, perhaps, identified as a victim (8) |
| (GRETA)* + TED [* = perhaps] | ||
| 2 | LECTURER | Instructor is oddly curt, intercepting a sexy look (8) |
| (CURT)* inside LEER (a sexy look) [* = oddly] | ||
| 3 | NINEPINS | They get knocked down in alleys (8) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 5 | LOCALS | People living around pubs (6) |
| Double definition | ||
| 6 | ONIONS | Experts know them to be edible bulbs (6) |
| Double definition, the first one referring to the expression ‘to know one’s onions’ | ||
| 7 | A LEVEL | Cram everything in the night before? On the contrary for this exam (1,5) |
| EVE (the night before) inside ALL (everything), instead of the other way round Years ago, in this very newspaper, IO clued the solution using ‘All About Eve’ – just brilliant! |
||
| 8 | OBTUSE | More than right, but stupid (6) |
| Double definition For non-mathematicians: an ‘obtuse’ angle is one between 90 and 180 degrees. A ‘right’ angle is exactly 90 degrees, so there you are. |
||
| 12 | BATHTUB | Home fixture for City, but needs to be arranged (7) |
| BATH (city) + (BUT)* [* = (needs to be) arranged] I think this was my Clue of the Day (with its splendid definition). |
||
| 15 | TAR | Salt found in the mustard (3) |
| Hidden solution [found in]: mustard ‘Salt’ being a sailor. A simple but very neat clue. |
||
| 16 | ATE | Was no faster? (3) |
| Cryptic definition It took a while to get this but it was eventually well-appreciated. |
||
| 18 | SCHNAPPS | Extra comment following school game shows spirit (8) |
| SCH (school) + NAP (game), followed by PS (extra comment, post scriptum) | ||
| 19 | RECOURSE | Seeking help concerning a series of lectures (8) |
| RE (concerning) + COURSE (a series of lectures) | ||
| 20 | BASEBALL | Mean sailor upset students’ game (8) |
| BASE (mean) + a reversal [upset] of AB (sailor) + L,L (students) | ||
| 22 | EDITED | Revised a programme, giving Edward a new diet (6) |
| ED (Edward) + (DIET)* [* = new] | ||
| 23 | JOKERS | Cards that make one laugh (6) |
| Double definition | ||
| 24 | SKIRTS | Goes around in women’s clothes (6) |
| Double definition | ||
| 25 | COHERE | Join a small company in this place (6) |
| CO (company, abbreviated) + HERE (in this place) | ||
*anagram
Thanks Dante & Sil.
I rather liked 29 across as a clue that does not conform to the usual convention of the definition being at one end or the other. I took the definition to be “City of Ancient Greece”, with the anagram being an aside. So the clue could be read as “City (may be seen as part) of Ancient Greece”. It is often said that punctuation may be ignored in a crossword clue; sometimes, I think, it may be added!
Thanks Dante and Sil
Pretty straightforward as per normal from this setter although I did struggle (in a nice way) through both BATHTUB and SPARTA en route. I’d also toyed with the hidden AGA initially at 13a when there were no crossing letters.
Finished in the NW corner with TARGETED (and don’t know why in retrospect that it would have taken as long as it did to see), EQUIPS (a chestnut – but again not seen until late this time) and EXEUNT ( a cryptic definition that did need all of the crossers to get).