Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of June 24, 2017
Mudd manages four uses of ‘game’ in this puzzle — almost a theme! My clue of the week is 20d (THANK YOU) and I also especially like 13a (ERA), 25a (RISOTTO), 3d (FLYCATCHER) and 16d (WHOREHOUSE).
ACROSS
9 Furnish front of public house in Irish province (9)
UPHOLSTER – P[ublic] + HO (house) together in ULSTER
10 Liberal second to Conservatives, fringes out the window (5)
ORIEL – [t]ORIE[s] (Conservatives, fringes out) + L (liberal). An oriel is a projecting bay window.
11 Working class symbol, even better (4,3)
FLAT CAP – FLAT (even) + CAP (better)
12 County doctor in papal court (7)
CUMBRIA – MB (doctor) in CURIA (papal court)
13 Time the Wagner opera ends! (3)
ERA – [th]E [wagne]R [oper]A
14 Moments following tight game (11)
TIDDLYWINKS – TIDDLY (tight) + WINKS (moments)
17 Fit for game (5)
MATCH – double definition
18 Bank won’t open, see! (3)
ELY – [r]ELY (bank won’t open)
19 Heading off rat, aquatic mammal (5)
OTTER – [r]OTTER (heading off rat)
21 A communist back in America desperately seeking friendship (11)
CAMARADERIE – A and RED (a communist) backwards in anagram (desperately) of AMERICA
23 Map almost flipped over, showing mountain (3)
ALP – PLA[n] (map almost) backwards (flipped over)
25 Ultimately, kartoffelpuffer is a German dish (7)
RISOTTO – [kartoffelpuffe]R + IS (is) + OTTO (a German)
27 Horror writer penning nostalgic introduction – that’s a good thing (7)
STONKER – N[ostalgic] in [Bram] STOKER (horror writer)
28 Duck in the rain sheltering head of little baby bird (5)
OWLET – O (duck) + L[ittle] in WET (the rain)
29 Kent sore about getting first of batsmen caught, bit of an edge by the way (9)
KERBSTONES – B[atsmen] in anagram (about) of KENT SORE
DOWN
1 Cross over fluffy fabric initially to deaden sound (6)
MUFFLE – F[luffy] F[abric] in MULE (cross)
2 Lout’s gripping conclusion to rough game (8)
PHEASANT – [roug]H in PEASANT (lout)
3 Bird that’s clever given the slip, perhaps? (10)
FLYCATCHER – FLY (clever) + CATCHER (slip, perhaps). I was not familiar with this meaning of ‘fly’.
4 Stage in Faust, epic (4)
STEP – hidden word
5 Hen after good egg, one building a strong nest? (10)
BRICKLAYER – BRICK (good egg) + LAYER (hen)
6 Report an upsurge in the economy (4)
BOOM – double definition
7 Fruit, friend endlessly eating it (6)
CITRON – IT (it) in CRON[y] (friend endlessly)
8 Securing nut so easily for starters, plain washer (8)
CLEANSER – N[ut] S[o] E[asily] in CLEAR (plain)
15 Closed dark twists, ropy style (10)
DREADLOCKS – anagram (twists) of CLOSED DARK
16 How hero’s fallen, having to exploit brothel (10)
WHOREHOUSE – anagram (fallen) of HOW HERO + USE (exploit)
17 A camel’s head found in desert – that’s sweet (8)
MACAROON – A (a) C[amel] in MAROON (desert)
20 I appreciate that solicitor’s contracted to hide something up his sleeve? (5,3)
THANK YOU – HANKY (something up his sleeve?) in TOU[t] (solicitor’s contracted)
22 Something shelled, say, showing strength (6)
MUSCLE – homophone of “mussel” (something shelled)
24 Pig scoffing last of dinner in game (6)
PORKER – [dinne]R in POKER (game)
26 Carry one of ten digits to divide by last of eight (4)
TOTE – [eigh]T in TOE (one of ten digits)
27 Small boat for small island (4)
SARK – S (small) + ARK (boat)
Hey, Pete, I think your explanation for 21 should be A + DER (communist back) in CAMARIE (anagram of America). The I belongs in the anagram. Otherwise, thanks for this and for blogging these puzzles every week!
Bob
Hi Bob, yes indeed. I have fixed the text. Thanks for letting me know.
I think it is actually ‘how hero’ without the ‘s’ for 16D.
Great explanations. Thank you.
Thanks Mudd and Pete
I think that this was one of the quickest Mudd solves that I have experienced with no hold ups whatever. Off to a flying start with SARK as a write in at 27d and progressing through till FLAT CAP (which I had to look up) as the last one in.
THANK YOU was my favourite as well.
HR, thank you for bringing that to my attention. It is now fixed.