Independent on Sunday 1493/Poins

by

Another fine puzzle from Poins in the usual IoS style. Just one solution I am struggling to explain.

 

 

 

Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
cad clue as definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed

definitions are underlined

 

Across

1 Of modest dimensions when cut down to size (6)
HUMBLE
A dd. ‘I was sitting in my humble abode and was humbled by Poins’ crossword.’

4 Stiff found in church on street near the centre of Kilmarnock (6)
STARCH
A charade of ST, AR for the middle letters of ‘Kilmarnock’ and CH. The clue doesn’t quite work for me, because I can’t find an equivalent of ‘stiff’ and STARCH. My dictionaries give ‘stiff manner’, but not just ‘stiff’. Anyone got a better explanation?

8 Hold back when about to help (7)
RESERVE
A charade of RE and SERVE.

9 Lacking interest in nude man cavorting (7)
MUNDANE
(NUDE MAN)*

11 The same as having to flog endless rubbish to get on (10)
TANTAMOUNT
A charade of TAN, TA[T] and MOUNT.

12 Unerring Latin for ‘small decoy‘ (4)
LURE
Poins is asking you to replace the S in SURE with L.

13 Shoot right away – Go on! (5)
SPOUT
SP[R]OUT. ‘Pierre was spouting as usual.’

14 Ringing to find information kept in factory (8)
PLANGENT
An insertion of GEN in PLANT.

16 Photo showing ball after game (8)
SNAPSHOT
A charade of SNAP and SHOT. The second equivalence is in the ‘cannonball’ sense, I fancy.

18 A couple of acolytes discovered in revolutionary’s hiding place (5)
CACHE
An insertion of the first two letters of ‘acolytes’ in CHE.

20 Level of River Bann’s first to drop (4)
TIER
TI[B]ER

21 Get subordinate to adopt a resolute attitude (10)
UNDERSTAND
A charade of UNDER and STAND.

23 Bitterly regret carrying money on European train (7)
RETINUE
An insertion of E and TIN, a slang word for ‘money’, in RUE.

24 Jeer when Obama embraces Republican (7)
BARRACK
An insertion of R in BARACK.

25 Go and consider leaving Henry out against the French (6)
TINKLE
A charade of T[H]INK and LE for one of the words for ‘the’ in French. ‘Go’ and TINKLE are both informal British English words for ‘urinate’.

26 Exist essentially in loveless heroine surprisingly (6)
INHERE
(HER[O]INE)* It is a verb, but most folk would be more familiar with it in its adjectival form, INHERENT.

Down

1 One’s possibly spotted with French marshal back in Hawaii (5)
HYENA
An insertion of General LEY NEY reversed in HA, the abbreviation for the US State. Not all hyenas are spotted. I checked.

2 Wrong to smear eminent conductor (7)
MAESTRO
(TO SMEAR)*

3 Nothing to compare with what Edward and Wallis made (4,5)
LOVE MATCH
A simple charade of LOVE and MATCH. Good surface.

5 Care for Faith (5)
TRUST
A dd. ‘I have trust in the child placed in my trust.’

6 Signal to stop flushed German fellow climbing (3,4)
RED FLAG
A charade of RED and G ALF reversed (‘climbing’, since it’s a down clue).

7 Extremely cooperative after animal managed to cause an obstruction (9)
HINDRANCE
A charade of HIND, RAN and CE for the outside letters of ‘cooperative’.

10 Depraved behaviour exhibited by queen getting tied up roughly after stud strips off (9)
TURPITUDE
A charade of TU for the inner letters of ‘stud’, R for ‘queen’ and (TIED UP)*

13 Maiden stopping conscious of general opinion (9)
SENTIMENT
An insertion of M in SENTIENT.

15 Verify sectarian slaughter (9)
ASCERTAIN
(SECTARIAN)*

17 Part of Poins penned by playwright after a drop of porter (7)
PORTION
A charade of P for the first letter of ‘porter’ and I for Poins our setter in [Joe] ORTON, the 1960s’ playwright.

19 Set books leading to anger rising in church (7)
COTERIE
An insertion of OT for Old Testament or ‘books’ and IRE reversed in CE.

21 American puma regularly seen near the middle of Wimbledon Common (5)
USUAL
Not sure the residents of SW19 would approve, but it’s a charade of US, UA for the even letters of ‘puma’ and L for the middle letter of ‘Wimbledon’.

22 Section of organic herbs aimed at a specialised market (5)
NICHE
Hidden in orgaNIC HErbs.

Many thanks to the Shakespearean one for the Sunday morning entertainment.

8 comments on “Independent on Sunday 1493/Poins”

  2. 1 down was my LOI, and then I only got it from the crossing letters. The explanation should refer to General NEY (not LEY), who is a bit obscure for a Sunday I think. As for HA = Hawai’i, in what context? The official abbreviation as far as I can find is HI.

    Apart from that, I enjoyed this. Most of it went in very quickly, but the NW slowed me down.

    Thanks Poins and Pierre.

  3. Now I see why I couldn’t parse HOMELY for 1a. Drat!

    Wondered about ‘shot’ for ‘ball’ in 16a. Seems there could be several explanations. One of the definitions of ‘ball’ in Chambers is a bullet just to give another possibility.

    I was another who didn’t know ‘starch’ could be an adjective. Chambers also gives ‘stuff, rigid, formal’ for starch.

    Thanks to Poins and Pierre.

  5. I am with Swatty here. I entered Hyena once tantamount was in but as far as I can see from research I can only find HI as the abbreviation for Hawaii.

    I liked 7,10 and 11.
    Thanks to Poins and Pierre

  6. Re: HA for Hawaii. I did look online and found that HA is the USCG (United States Coast Guard) abbreviation for Hawaii.

  7. We got HYENA straight away – “French marshal” immediately suggested Ney to us with nothing obscure about him, but we confess we didn’t bother to check the abbreviation for Hawaii.

    Lots to like today.  Our favourite was PORTION for the misdirection (at least for those who know Poins as a character in Shakespeare).

    Thanks, Poins and Pierre

Comments are closed.