It’s ages since I blogged a Picaroon puzzle, so I was particularly pleased to land this one.
I found it rather easier than usual – there are several straightforward charades, for instance – but there are delightfully misdirecting story-telling surfaces throughout, together with some witty definitions [10ac, 1, 5 and 8dn] and topical references, so several chortles along the way.
Once again, there are too many good clues to list favourites – I’ll leave that to you.
Many thanks to Picaroon.
Definitions are underlined in the clues.
Across
1 As printed, this could make propane (2,5)
ON PAPER
Anagram [this could make] of PROPANE
9, 18 Corbyn’s defeated after nothing succeeded in funny drama (5,7,4)
LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST
LABOUR’S LOST [Corbyn’s defeated] after LOVE [nothing] S [succeeded]
10 Broadcast US comic’s takeoffs from here (9)
AIRFIELDS
AIR [broadcast] + [W.C.] FIELDS [US comic]
11 Brexit not a disaster? It’s very costly (10)
EXORBITANT
Anagram [disaster] of BREXIT NOT A
12 Viva the foreign king, over from the east! (4)
ORAL
A reversal [from the east] of LA [the foreign] R [king] O [over]
14 Both parents in lounge at home, or one helping kids outside (8,3)
LOLLIPOP MAN
POP and MA [both parents] in LOLL [lounge] IN [at home]
21 Love writer accessible to everyone (4)
OPEN
O [love] + PEN [writer]
22 Vote Conservative? Crikey! Make sure that’s right (5-5)
CROSS-CHECK
CROSS [vote] + C [Conservative] + HECK [Crikey]
25 Moment to change clothes for bit of pilot’s kit (9)
ALTIMETER
ALTER [change] round [clothes] TIME [moment]
26 Field team from Spain in the first half (5)
REALM
The first half of REAL M[adrid] [team from Spain]
27 River birds: they provide songs (7)
DEEJAYS
DEE [river] + JAYS [birds]
28 Leftist who’s gently run media empire (7)
TROTSKY
TROT [gently run] SKY [media empire]
Down
1 Boring entrepreneurs taking time away from industry workers (6)
OILMEN
[t]OIL [industry minus t – time] + MEN [workers]
2 Ballerina shaking bottom, one who induced drooling (6)
PAVLOV
PAVLOV[a] [ballerina minus her final letter – shaking bottom] for this inducer of drooling
3 Model receiving complaint to consider retiring after hostilities ended (4-6)
POST-BELLUM
POSE [model] round TB [complaint] + a reversal [retiring] of MULL [consider]
4 Use oven or pan (5)
ROAST
Double definition
5 US shooter backing renegade, rogue nation (9)
TARANTINO
A reversal [backing] of RAT [renegade] + an anagram [rogue] of NATION
6 Constituent‘s texting: “You idiot!” (4)
UNIT
U [you, texting] + NIT [idiot]
7 Daughter getting on alcohol’s in depressed state (8)
DOLDRUMS
D [daughter] + OLD [getting on] + RUMS [alcohol’s]
8 Game to defraud, pocketing pounds in crooked stocktaking (8)
RUSTLING
RU [Rugby Union – game] + STING [defraud] round L [pounds]
13 Day to clear out town for the better (5,5)
MONTE CARLO
MON[day] + an anagram [out] of TO CLEAR
15 Girl catching banal ceremony before the end (4,5)
LAST RITES
LASS [girl] round TRITE [banal]
16, 5 across The Donald bound to spoil rule with violent actions (5,3,7)
BLOOD AND THUNDER
Anagram [to spoil] of THE DONALD BOUND R[ule – I queried this but Chambers has it as ‘law‘]
17 Person missing shot nets during a competition (8)
ABSENTEE
Anagram [shot] of NETS in A BEE [a competition – e.g. spelling bee]
19 Lists including motorway as place to race (2,4)
LE MANS
LEANS [lists] round M [motorway]
20 Snoop around a Kardashian exhibiting flesh (6)
SKIMPY
SPY [snoop] round KIM [a Kardashian]
23 Maybe Rod Stewart’s tips to get groove (5)
STRUT
S[tewar]T + RUT [groove]
24 Turned up a shortened Madame Bovary? (4)
EMMA
A reversal [turned up] of A MME [a shortened Madame] for the less often seen literary EMMA
I enjoyed this too, but I was not too happy with R for rule (I see you have clarified this, Eileen, but Romeo could probably have been introduced successfully into the clue), or S for succeeded.
Apart from that, ticks for LAST RITES, STRUT, MONTE CARLO, and ROAST. Thanks Picaroon – always a pleasure – and Eileen.
I had airstrips in for a while at 10 Across…
Thanks both. Pretty easy for Picaroon, but delayed by putting AIRSTRIPS for 10a (like ronald @2)
‘Morning all.
I loved this puzzle. Beautiful surfaces throughout, and as you said, Eileen, some very nifty definitions (I would add 2, 13 & 15d to your list.)
I got temporarily stuck in the NE corner, having first entered ‘AIRSTRIPS’ at 10a (thinking of US comic strips, eg Peanuts) but the unsurprising difficulty to find words to fit 6 & 7 down soon made me think again.
Eileen, I’m not sure what you were querying in 16,5. Would you elaborate, please?
Thanks muchly Picaroon for the fun, and Eileen for the blog.
ronald@2 and Shirl@3. You beat me to it (I’m a slow typist)
Glad I’m not alone in making that mistake.
Greensward @4 – it was the R abbreviation for ‘rule’ but, as I said, Chambers answered it.
Thank you.
Easiest Picaroon ever but very enjoyable. I have no particular issue with the R abbreviation, but obscure unindicated single letter abbreviations are my candidate for most annoying crossword device.
I thought 7 was brilliant and the whole thing really enjoyable. Thanks Picaroon and Eileen.
Like Shirl, Ronald and Greensward I put in AIRSTRIPS for 10a . . . But a lovely puzzle. Favourites were EXORBITANT, TROTSKY, RUSTLING and STRUT. Many thanks to Picaroon and Eileen.
Thanks, Eileen, enjoyable crossword if, as you say somewhat nearer the easy end of The Pirate’s spectrum.
I’m intrigued to know how you satisfied yourself on R = Rule. I’ve checked my Chambers and can’t find it.
Another AIRSTRIPS here but quickly corrected by DOLDRUMS.
Ticks all over the place but EMMA and TROTSKY take pride of place for me.
Many thanks, Picaroon, nice week, all.
Very enjoyable. As usual, Eileen has said it all before I could get here
Thanks to Picaroon and Lucky Eileen too
Good fun. I liked the defs others have mentioned plus that for 14a and thought the surface for 2d was a real gem.
The 7-lettered ‘dirty digger’ for 28a? Maybe not, but I found this 2013 Guardian article interesting.
Thanks to Picaroon and Eileen
Thanks Picaroon and Eileen
Every time s = succeeded comes up (as it did a few days ago), someone queries/criticises it.
Far from being an unindicated single letter abbreviation, it’s a standard abbreviation regularly used in genealogy, and is the 6th definition given in Chambers.
William @ 11
Lower case r = rule is the 4th definition in Chambers.
I really liked this puzzle – found it pleasantly challenging and not as easy as some others have indicated. It brought a smile to my lips in several places.
Of course, being gullible, I found I was “sucked in” for a while by those clever misdirections: “Boring” at 1d for OILMEN, “shooter” at 5d for the film-maker TARANTINO, “getting on” at 7d for OLD in DOLDRUMS, “stocktaking” at 8d for RUSTLING, and “for the better” at 13d for MONTE CARLO.
My major disappointment was the blanks I still had outstanding at 3d, having never heard of POST-BELLUM.
My favourites (already mentioned by others) were 2d PAVLOV and 7d DOLDRUMS.
Picaroon is a great setter and always stretches my brain in the most delightful way, so thanks to him, and to Eileen for an excellent blog.
WordPlodder @13 Good lord, that is a surprise. Thanks for that.
SimonS @15 That’s interesting. Must be an edition thing. Mine’s 1993 and the 4 entries under lower case r are; radius, recipe, right, & run(s).
Thank you to Picaroon and Eileen
Like others I found this at the easier end of the Picaroon spectrum – I got 1ac straight away, and that always seems to help.
I thought 11ac was brilliant, and really enjoyed the misdirections, especially 1dn and 8dn. And good to see a proper understanding of what the proper Pavlovian reaction was.
Thanks to Eileen and Picaroon. I did find this remarkably easy–done in 20 minutes!–though none the worse for that. Perfect example of how a puzzle doesn’t have to be hard to be good.
I know the lollipop man from an earlier puzzle, where it was a lollipop lady. Here, s/he’s a crossing guard. Americans have no imagination.
Also, I was surprised to see that Kim Kardashian made an appearance. If you import our culture, why are you importing the most inane bits? How embarrassing.
Not sure if your note makes this clear, Eileen, but EMMA is Madame Bovary’s first name. Nothing to do with Jane Austen, for once!
I stumbled at DOLDRUMS though it clicked in the end! At first I had DOLOROUS, but, seeing 14 and spurning a 3-letter word beginning with U, I tried DOLOROSO or DOLOROSA. No joy. Got there just in time to avoid cheating!
Did cheat a little, however, in the SE corner. I was trying to fit a 3-letter word in S—T, why did I assume that ‘get’ has to be a container-indicator? But after putting in a tentative T and checking, it clicked – again!
Apart from these hiccups, most enjoyable – and easier than some Thursday offerings. Thanks Pic and Eileen.
A lovely puzzle, if a little easier than Picaroon normally is.
Thanks to Picaroon and Eileen, and congratulations to Picaroon on reaching 100 Guardian puzzles so quickly.
Incidentally POST-BELLUM was last in by some distance. If only somebody had taught me Latin!
William @ 18
It must be.
Mine’s an (approx) 2014 eChambers, in which upper-case “R = Run(s) (cricket)” is definition 11.
A very enjoyable puzzle for a cold-ish, rainy Thursday here where I am. Many excellent clues, clever constructions, misdirections, and great and humorous surfaces, as others have noted, My favorite today was PAVLOV. We are cycling through The Most Important etc. etc. at quite a clip, with one of the Big Three popping up about every second or third day. Within the past 1 to 2 weeks we had Exe, then Dee, then Po (with another Po in the same clue for good measure), then Exe again on Monday, and here comes Dee again! Many thanks to Picaroon for the great puzzle, to Eileen for the great blog, and to the other commenters. (Mrpenney @21: Hahaha!)
Thanks to Picaroon and Eileen. Like others I found this puzzle a bit easier than expected. I paused over the phrase BLOOD AND THUNDER but otherwise got through quickly and much enjoyed the process.
It seems to me that there are inklings of a mini-theme going on in this one: AIRFIELDS, LOLLIPOP MAN, doors OPEN and CROSS-CHECK, ALTIMETER and STRUT all seem to be related to aviation. Any takers?
POST BELLUM was one clue I got on the first pass- one of the few actually-and I expect I dredged it up from my long ago study of American politics. Anyway, this wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be and it yielded in a seat manner. I was a little delayed by 16,5ac because I assumed the answer would include the word TRUMP. I didn’t parse EMMA, annoyingly enough, but it had to be right.
Thanks Picaroon.
On R for rule. It is an abbreviation that back in my lawyering days, I saw and used on a near-daily basis. But it was invariably capitalized, because it invariably was used as shorthand for the name of a specific rule. Thus, Federal Rule of Evidence 702 is F. R. Evid. 702 the first time you talk about it in a brief, but can be R. 702 if discussed extensively thereafter.
[R. 702 is the one about expert witnesses.]
Hi FirmlyDirac @22
“Not sure if your note makes this clear, Eileen, but EMMA is Madame Bovary’s first name. Nothing to do with Jane Austen, for once!” – sorry if it wasn’t clear but that’s exactly what I meant by “the less often seen literary EMMA”. 😉
Mrpenney @30
OK, that pretty much nails it! Time for me to get a newer Chambers, methinks.
Eileen: To be pedantic, I suggest that 16,5 should more accurately be parsed as “Anagram [to spoil] of THE DONALD BOUND + R(ule).
Quite right, of course, jeceris @33: that’s how I parsed it when solving – the + sign was lost in translation.
Simon @28
I like your idea, but OPEN (for “doors open” … but maybe “open cockpit” could work — more on this below) might be a bit of a stretch as a term related to aviation, and I think LOLLIPOP MAN refers only to a crossing guard and not to the ground crew who use orange batons or hand signals to help airline pilots taxi their planes on the ground safely to and from the gates. I believe those workers are called (at least here in the U.S.) “marshallers” or simply “ground crew”. [But then again, what do I know about the acceptable usage of the term lollipop man/woman/person? As Mrpenney @20 rightly points out, this term is not part of the U.S. lexicon at all.]
But I agree that the other four terms you mention are aviation-related, and that may pass muster as a “mini-theme”.
I was looking for themes too, and came up with (weakly?) a mini-theme of Formula One, with MONTE CARLO, LE MANS, OPEN (for open-cockpit, open-wheeled race car design), and STRUT.
I was also looking at PAVLOV, TROTSKY and The Donald, the mini-theme being people with obvious ties to Russia.
Thanks Picaroon and Eileen
Not much to add. Very enjoyable but easier than usual. I did wonder about a car racing theme with MONTE CARLO and LE MANS, but I can’t see any others.
Nice to see you around, mrpenney – been a while I think?
Dave McC @ 35
I think “Cabin crew, doors open and cross-check please” is an instruction that comes over the tannoy from the cockpit, but I may be mixing it up with something else. There’s certainly a phrase something like that in regular use.
Well and truly picarooned! Not much here for the average solver. Inaccessible clues. I realise the usual contributors to this site eulogise this setter, but the Guardian needs to attract a wider audience and Picaroon fails to make his puzzles accessible.
William @32 – I used my trusty and battered 1972 Chambers for many years, but realised that to have any hope of solving Azed I needed the most recent edition. The two now sit side by side. The 2014 edition has lost some of the magic of the old, such as the definition of Welsh Rabbit: ‘sometimes written “Welsh rarebit” by wiseacres’.
Me @35
I meant to say “Simon S @28”. Especially pertinent since I see that “Simon” (no added “S”) is also commenting on this blog.
Switching subjects: Like ACD @27, I was unfamiliar with the phrase BLOOD AND THUNDER (although it was very gettable from the wordplay and crossers), which prompted me to Google its meaning and origins. I found it humorous that the website I found discussing this phrase mentioned that it has long been noted as great fodder for a Spoonerism: THUD AND BLUNDER. I was wondering how Picaroon resisted the temptation to clue the phrase from that angle. Or, perhaps that particular Spoonerism is an old chestnut that has made (too) many appearances in cryptic crosswords over the years, and Picaroon was judiciously avoiding that approach to clueing this phrase, for just that reason. (I should mention that I enjoyed 16d, 5a very much, exactly as clued by Picaroon — no complaints!)
As postscript to my earlier comment I am grateful to Eileen for all the explanations, but I’m sorry I cannot record any thanks to the setter. I can only hope the Guardian’s relaunch in January as a tabloid will address this issue of accessibility.
Simon: the Guardian publishes a wide range of crosswords of differing degrees of difficulty. I would consider myself no more than an average solver but the cryptic is just right for me from the relatively easier Monday Rufus through to the somewhat tougher Vlad and Enigmatist and then the Prize on Saturday. Perhaps rather than trying to spoil my enjoyment YOU should look for another crossword to tackle each day; the quicky or the quiptic in the Guardian or perhaps the Mail or Sun. Your approach with all due respect is akin to suggesting that because you don’t like classical music the BBC Proms should be changed to a pop music festival.
What S Panza said!
PS. I thoroughly enjoyed this along with most here, so thanks to Picaroon and Eileen. Perhaps tomorrow we will have a Paul or Brummie which will complete a memorable week of puzzles, all those who agree should shout YES.
Excellent puzzle. I’m very impressed with the number of clever and smooth clues.
I had read on twitter, i think, that this is picaroon’s 100th guardian puzzle. Is that right? If so what an amazing achievement, and heartiest congratulations! I still don’t know how you fit all this into your busy schedule.
Clues I liked – where to start?
foi was close to my heart with a brexit theme: EXORBITANT, LOVES LABOUR LOST, I loved DEEJAYS and MONTE CARLO, ABSENTEE, TARANTINO – and plenty more
Many thanks piracy and eileen
argh, I already changed one piracy. apologies
Hi dutch @45
Many thanks for pointing up Picaroon’s milestone: how time flies when you’re enjoying yourself – and so much enjoyment!
I’m even more chuffed about getting today’s blog, because I very well remember blogging Picaroon’s first Guardian Cryptic [I’ve just looked it up and found it’s five and a half years ago – blimey!].
I do hope I’m still around for the next hundred. 😉
Simon @41
The Guardian publishes a puzzle (called Quiptic) every Monday, aimed at starting solvers and ones in a hurry. Sometimes the aim isn’t achieved, but this week’s was a cracker – see:
https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/quiptic/938
S. Panza @44
YES
Simon @41
Stop being such a b***** “snowflake”.
It took me 30 years of hard graft to learn how to solve cryptics so why should The Guardian make its crosswords easy just so you can solve them.
This puzzle was a piece of p***. A 30 minute stroll at best.
. . . although they are not the only two setters who could complete a memorable week of puzzles!
muffin@48
yes, an excellent debut. She sets as Vigo for the Indy. A wonderful setter and a charming person.
not again – I hate it when I get the captcha wrong
Thank you for this, Muffin. I will check it out. I prefer to buy the printed edition, rather than complete puzzles online and I get satisfaction from my efforts with other Guardian cryptic setters,so dare I say, may be it is Picaroon who should be websited and not inflicted on those who spend £2 for the newspaper.
Clearly, lurkio, I can see thirty years of graft at cryptic crosswords has made you a fine human being.
I buy the Guardian and would never buy the other so called newspapers you suggest. This week I’ve enjoyed Rufus, Arachne, even Imogen. Not completing any I’m afraid, but making progress and deriving enjoyment. I’m sorry to say today’s puzzle was totally inaccessible. My point is about the viability of The Guardian. It needs to attract readers who buy it.
Surely the viability or not of the Guardian would not be reliant solely on its Crossword. Content, point of view and advertising sales are likely to be the determining factors. It seems from what you say that you get satisfaction from doing the crosswords you can. Believe me once you get on Picaroon’s wavelength you will be pleased to open the crossword page and see his name there!
Simon
I’m a subscriber to the Guardian, but I usually do the crosswords on printouts so that other members of the family aren’t deprived of the paper – this works for the Quiptic too.
I agree with S. Panza about the need to get on a setter’s wavelength. I’ve always liked Picaroon’s puzzles (and just about everyone else’s), but for example tend to find Pasquale’s a bit tricky. I don’t think Picaroon is any more difficult than Qaos or Vlad, for example.
I had 12ac as EXAM being a foreign king Max (various Maximilians in Bavaria, Holy Roman Empire) backwards after E for east. Corrected once I realised an X in 7dn was unlikely!
But otherwise a very smooth and enjoyable solve. Thanks.
Simon, you have upset the elitists again. You have this strange idea that because you pay £2 for the newspaper each day you can have some expectation that the crossword that comes as part of it will be approachable. Once again you get the patronising pat on the head and the assurance that if you keep practising you may one day join the group of aficionados for whom the Guardian crossword is really intended.
Personally I found this crossword most pleasant, but defend Simon’s right to express a contrary view.
I have a friend at the Guardian who assures me the relaunch as a tabloid is prioritising the simplification of the cryptic crossword, which will appear alongside The Gambols.
Nila Palin @61: if true this is sad news.
Hope it doesn’t get in the way of the horoscopes
… or Polly Toynbee’s tips on how to be the perfect housewife
Picaroon – Congratulations on your 100th. Thank you for all the enjoyment.
Eileen – I certainly hope you’re around for the next 100 (or several!).
S Panza – Well said, sir!
Great puzzle, great blog.
Meant to add that I thought EXORBITANT was a real doozie – all ways round!
Thank you, William F P. 😉
hi Simon,
As S.Panza says, Picaroon is name to lift the spirits once you’re into his style. I’d say he is on the orthodox side rather than libertarian, so when you’re up to speed you’ll be able to work out unfamiliar words rather than try and second-guess his thinking. He also introduces touches of Italian, French, other languages which extend you but equally reward you with etymological delight. I don’t think too many of the current crop deliver such erudite, satisfying and just plain enjoyable puzzles, but Picaroon is one who does.
Starting out isn’t easy, but persevere, and quite soon you won’t be urging the editors to tone down the puzzles.
Every earlier puzzle this week has been like pulling teeth for me, so I feel for the guy who hit a brick wall. Oddly this one the answers just came to me like nothing has in a long time. Clearly difficulty is multi dimensional. The areas of knowledge used are part of it for me; I don’t know geography or sports or older politicians.
The online version is great to break out for the harder ones as you can check your answers.
Simon
Your petulance is no more inspiring.
Some crosswords are tougher than others, some days we are all sharper than others. Maybe you should have tried harder, for longer, before coming here (for the solution, or just to whine?).
No one will read this I know but when considering 27a I wondered what emotions led people to write songs and realised that “regrets” were certainly one reason. Anyone else ?