Phi ends the working week as usual.
I solved this fairly steadily with a little delay in the South East corner before I completed it.
The grid looks message and theme free, but ….
The very first clue, for PRINCIPAL, is the type I like with a container and contents device within another similar device.
I also liked the clue for ORIGAMI with its multiple creases.
You don’t get many words beginning PT, but I solved PTOMAINE fairly quickly
LAPUTAN was my last one in
| Across | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Clue | Wordplay | Entry |
|
1
|
Sum of money incorporated into rent in China (9)
|
(INC [incorporated] contained in [into] RIP [rent]) all contained in [in] PAL (friend; china) P (R (INC) IP) AL |
PRINCIPAL (sum of money)
|
|
6
|
Son’s taken to room in show of temper (5)
|
S (son) + TO + RM (room) S TO RM |
STORM (show of temper)
|
|
9
|
Multiple reports showing little volume in endless artistic gathering (5)
|
V (abbreviation for [little] volume) contained in SALON (social gathering of distinguished people at the house of a lady of fashion, literary hostess, etc, possible a gathering of artists also) excluding the final letter (endless) N SAL (V) O |
SALVO (simultaneous discharge of artillery in salute or otherwise; multiple reports [of gunfire])
|
|
10
|
Acknowledge service in a hurry in odd game (3-3-3)
|
TIP (gift of money in acknowledgement of good service) + AND RUN (in a hurry) TIP–AND–RUN |
TIP-AND-RUN (informal kind of cricket in which the batsmen must run if they hit the ball) I’m not sure what the word ‘odd’ is doing in the clue
|
|
11
|
I’m a good remover of creases, mostly reversing source of creases (7)
|
(I’M + A + G +IRON [remover of creases] excluding the final letter N [mostly]) all reversed (reversing) (ORI G A MI)< |
ORIGAMI (Japanese art of folding [creasing] paper so as to make figures shaped like animals, birds)
|
|
12
|
Republican in major city backing imposing ruler (7)
|
(REP (representative] contained in [in] ROME [example of a major city]) all reversed (backing) (EM (PER) OR)< |
EMPEROR (high rank of sovereignty; an imposing ruler)
|
|
14
|
Mountains article cuts down, nothing less (4)
|
A (indefinite article) + LOPS (cuts the top off) excluding (less) O (zero) A LPS |
ALPS (range of mountains)
|
|
15
|
Cat, one stuck in tree in compound (8)
|
(TOM [male cat] + A [one]) contained in PINE (example of a tree) P (TOM A) INE |
PTOMAINE (loosely used name for amino-compounds, some poisonous, formed from putrefying animal tissues, eg putrescine, cadaverine, neurine and choline)
|
|
19
|
Boy embracing charmer to become responsive (6,2)
|
SON (boy) containing (embracing) WITCH (charmer) S (WITCH) ON |
SWITCH ON (make responsive)
|
|
20
|
Instrument tuned too high, though not at first (4)
|
SHARP (too high in pitch; tuned too high) excluding the first letter ([though] not at first) S HARP |
HARP (musical instrument)
|
|
23
|
Angry words about reversing support can be illuminating (7)
|
RANT (angry tirade) containing (about) AID (support) reversed (reversing) RA (DIA<) NT |
RADIANT (glowing; illuminating)
|
|
25
|
Article placed in computer network of flying people (7)
|
(A [indefinite article] + PUT [placed]) contained in (in) LAN (local area network) L (A PUT) AN |
LAPUTAN (descriptive an inhabitant of LAPUTA, a flying island in Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels)
|
|
26
|
Very loud, needing a forte reassessed (9)
|
Anagram of (reassessed) NEEDING A and F (forte) DEAFENING* |
DEAFENING (very loud)
|
|
28
|
I try fishing around river without much activity (5)
|
(I + NET [item used to try fishing]) containing (around) R (river) I NE (R) T |
INERT (without inherent power of moving; without much activity)
|
|
29
|
Quintet not unknown in audition? (5)
|
TRY OUT (test performance; audition for) excluding (not) Y (a letter frequently used to symbolise an unknown in mathematical equations) TR OUT |
TROUT (reference the TROUT, the popular name for the Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667, by Franz Schubert)
|
|
30
|
Man taking action inflamed Stravinsky, say, about a ballet’s finale (9)
|
LIT (aflame; inflamed) + (IGOR [reference IGOR Stravinsky {1882 – 1971}, Russian born composer] containing [about] [A + T {last letter of (finale) BALLET}]) LIT IG (A T) OR |
LITIGATOR (one who takes action in a court of law)
|
|
Down |
|||
|
1
|
Exam no longer held in the country (8)
|
PAST (no longer held) + ORAL (example of an examination) PAST |
PASTORAL (relating to, depicting or evoking rural life, the countryside)
|
|
2
|
Awkward slip with dildoes makes you uncooperative (3-8)
|
Anagram of (awkward) SLIP and DILDOES ILL-DISPOSED* |
ILL-DISPOSED (unsympathetic; uncooperative)
|
|
3
|
Difficult work almost completely curtailed for singers (8)
|
CHORE (unpleasant or tedious task; difficult work) excluding the final letter (almost) E + ALL (completely) excluding the final letter (curtailed) L CHOR AL |
CHORAL (for singers)
|
| 4 | Three supporting past movement in favour of homeland (9) |
PA (past) + TRIO (three) + TIC (involuntary movement) PA TRIO TIC |
PATRIOTIC (devoted to one’s country) |
|
5
|
Error: circuit not fully primed (5)
|
LAP (circuit) + SET (primed) excluding the final letter (not fully) T LAP SE |
LAPSE (error)
|
|
6
|
Summary statement: one’s horse turned up aboard ship (8)
|
(I [Roman numeral for one] + ‘S + PONY [horse]) all reversed (turned up; down clue) contained in (aboard) SS (steamship) S (YNOP S I)< S |
SYNOPSIS (summary or outline)
|
|
7
|
Row on air regularly blacked out (3)
|
OAR (letters remaining in ON AIR after letters 2, and 4 [regularly] N and I are removed [blacked out])) OAR |
OAR (as a verb, row)
|
|
8
|
Soldier’s brought in weapon, taking up chant (6)
|
ANT (reference a soldier ANT) contained in (brought in) ARM (weapon) reversed (taking up; down clue) M (ANT) RA< |
MANTRA (chant)
|
|
13
|
Further performance meant recent changes (2-9)
|
Anagram of (changes) MEANT RECENT RE-ENACTMENT |
RE-ENACTMENT (reconstruction of; further performance of)
|
|
16
|
Spooner’s view of fool’s power – that might be illuminating (9)
|
MOONLIGHT (a Spoonerism of LOON [fool] + MIGHT [power]) MOON LIGHT |
MOONLIGHT (the LIGHT of the MOON, sunlight reflected from the moon’s surface; sometimes enough to illuminate) |
|
17
|
The Wire: appropriate to include US city blokes (8)
|
FIT (appropriate) containing (to include) (LA [Los Angeles, US city] + MEN [blokes]) FI (LA MEN) T |
FILAMENT (slender or threadlike object; a fibre; wire)
|
|
18
|
Legs concealed by mostly severe woman not in formal relationship (8)
|
PINS (legs) contained in (concealed by) STERN (severe) excluding the final letter (mostly) N S (PINS) TER |
SPINSTER (unmarried lady; woman not in a formal relationship)
|
|
21
|
Believe King, historically presides over elevated season (6)
|
CR (Charles Rex, reference English Kings named Charles of olden days, King Charles II died in 1685; king historically) + TIDE (season) reversed (elevated; down clue) CR EDIT< |
CREDIT (believe)
|
|
22
|
Not killing, allowing one to escape sudden attack (6)
|
SPARING (not killing) excluding (allowing … to escape) A (one) SPRING |
SPRING (launch a sudden attack)
|
|
24
|
Sound from bird poorly situated below top half of tree (5)
|
TR (first two letters of [top half of] TREE) + ILL (poorly) TR ILL |
TRILL (word used to describe the sound made by birds)
|
|
27
|
Theatrical villain losing head in the past (3) |
IAGO (villain in Shakespeare’s play Othello) excluding the first letter (losing head) I AGO |
AGO (in the past)
|
Beethoven 4 Schubert 1
Thanks for parsing of LAPUTAN
Thanks, Duncan
I think this is vanilla too, but nonetheless (or, dare I say it, even more) enjoyable for all that.
I couldn’t get PTOMAINE, but hey-ho. I too liked ORIGAMI, and PASTORAL also hit the spot. ‘Odd’ game for TIP-AND-RUN? Dunno, really – it’s not that odd.
Thanks to Phi as well and good weekend to all.
Okay, slightly flavoured vanilla then. Thank you copmus.
Ah well – I’ve proved to be a philistine again! I didn’t spot the Beethoven connections, although I listen to Classic FM as background music frequently. Give me scientists any day.
There is a Trout on You tube with J Du Pré and her hubby AND Zubin Mehta on bass. Priceless.
A couple got from wordplay only: PTOMAINE, LAPUTAN – which I think was my last in too – and TROUT. But no awkward slips and an enjoyable solve with some nice touches.
I didn’t hear the music, but then I don’t try very hard to spot Phi themes!
Thanks to Phi and Duncan.
A red letter day as I finally spotted a Phi theme although I wonder if there’s a bit more to it than just the references to the named Beethoven and Schubert pieces.
I liked PTOMAINE (a very Agatha Christie word to me) and learnt about Laputa which I don’t remember having come across before despite having read the book many years ago.
Thanks to Phi and to Duncan.
Beethoven 7 Schubert 1, surely…
Phi@8-put me out of my misery. Is DEAFENING a Ludwig clue.
Or am I think of Basil? Thats Brahm!. Brahms Third Racket!
Please let it be the Origami Concerto.
STORM, EMPEROR, HARP, PASTORAL, CHORAL, MOONLIGHT, SPRING. STORM (and to some extent SPRING) may be a little unfair given that many composers claim one or other of them.
We can see Vivaldi and Schumann trying to get their 7 in – not to mention Stravinsky creeping into the last across clue.
An enjoyable solve. Thanks, Phi and Duncan.
Well, I spotted the theme for a change, but I am a classical music fan. (Just got back from a performance of Bernstein’s Mass.) There are a couple of near misses for other composers, too, Strauss’s Alpine symphony and Stockhausen’s Mantras.
15ac defeated me. I knew the word but didn’t know it meant a group of compounds. I only know it from Allan Sherman’s Hello Mudder, Hello Faddah:
I went hiking with Joe Spivey
He developed poison ivy
You remember Leonard Skinner
He got Ptomaine poisoning last night after dinner
I’d always assumed PTOMAINE was a type of plant.