The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3768.
It is difficult to come up with any criticism of Everyman’s puzzles; this one gave me the impression of perhaps too many envelopes – a basic clue type, certainly, and expected to be well represented, but a touch limited here in variety of presentation. However, this is just to say that I can think of no substantial shortcoming.
| Across | ||
| 1 | POLES APART | Very different energy in field within harbour (5,5) |
| A double envelope (‘in’ and ‘within’) of SAP (‘energy’ -for once not giving E) in LEA (‘field’) in PORT (‘harbour’). | ||
| 6 | CLIP | Prune in cold sauce (4) |
| A charade of C (‘cold’) plus LIP (disrespect, ‘sauce’). | ||
| 9 | OUT OF SORTS | Not well away from classes (3,2,5) |
| Definition and literal interpretation. | ||
| 10 | RUNG | Called for step (4) |
| Double definition. | ||
| 11 | LYRIC | Section of unusually rich poem (5) |
| A hidden answer (‘section of’) in ‘unusualLY RICh’. | ||
| 12 | SCARPERED | Frightened, interrupted by agent, turned and ran away (9) |
| An envelope (‘interrupted by’) of PER, a reversal (‘turned’) of REP (‘agent’) in SCARED (‘frightened’). | ||
| 14 | INCONVENIENT | Awkward name that is kept by popular religious community (12) |
| An envelope (‘kept by’) of N (‘name’) plus IE (‘that is’) in IN (‘popular’) plus CONVENT (‘religious community’). | ||
| 18 | RUN-OF-THE-MILL | Everyday work, frequently rough, guarding border (3-2-3-4) |
| An envelope (‘guarding’) of HEM (‘border’) in RUN (‘work’) plus OFT (‘frequently’) plus ILL (‘rough’). | ||
| 21 | HEARTFELT | Try and quit going around with delinquent, finally sincere (9) |
| A charade of HEAR (‘try’) plus TFEL, a reversal (‘going round’) of LEFT (‘quit’) plus T (‘delinquenT finally’). | ||
| 23 | OPTIC | Visual trick’s first seen in old film (5) |
| An envelope (‘seen in’) of T (‘Trick’s first’) in O (‘old’) plus PIC (‘film’). | ||
| 24 | RELY | Count simply excluding me (4) |
| [me]RELY (‘simply’) minus the ME (‘excluding me’). | ||
| 25 | FACILITATE | Brave, keeping one settled and at ease (10) |
| An envelope (‘keeping’) of I (‘one’) plus LIT (‘settled’) plus ‘at’ in FACE (‘brave’). Excellent clue. | ||
| 26 | YAWN | Boring event? New approach must come about (4) |
| A reversal (‘must come about’) of N (‘new’) plus WAY (‘approach’). | ||
| 27 | CENTIMETRE | Short distance from stretch in middle (10) |
| An envelope (‘in’) of TIME (‘stretch’ eg. a prison sentence) in CENTRE (‘middle’). | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | PROCLAIM | Herald in place receiving expression of surprise, rising with purpose (8) |
| A charade of PROCL, an envelope (‘receiving’) of ROC, a reversal (‘rising’ in a down light) of COR (rather antique ‘expression of surprise’) in PL (‘place’); plus AIM (‘purpose’). | ||
| 2 | LITERACY | French article full of appeal with ribald writer’s skill (8) |
| A charade of LITE, an envelope (‘full of’) of IT (sex ‘appeal’) in LE (‘French article’); plus RACY (‘ribald’). | ||
| 3 | SAFE-CONDUCT | Pass note picked up in moment for all to see in front of court (4-7) |
| An envelope (‘in’) of AF, a reversal (‘picked up’ in a down light) of FA (‘note’ of the solfa) in SECOND (‘moment’) plus U (‘for all to see’, film rating) plus CT (‘court’). | ||
| 4 | PLOTS | Schemes ending in scrap heaps (5) |
| A charade of P (‘ending in scraP‘) plus LOTS (‘heaps’). | ||
| 5 | RITUALIST | Devotee of ceremony is ultra excited about it (9) |
| An envelope (‘about’) of ‘it’ in RUALIST, an anagram (‘excited’) of ‘is ultra’. | ||
| 7 | LOUVRE | Gallery and university very involved in learning (6) |
| An envelope (‘involved in’) of U (‘university’) plus V (‘very’) in LORE (‘learning’). | ||
| 8 | PAGODA | Trouble opening up temple (6) |
| A reversal (‘up’ in a down light) of ADO (‘trouble’) plus GAP (‘opening’). | ||
| 13 | PANDEMONIUM | Criticise protest, one surrounded by endless senseless uproar (11) |
| A charade of PAN (‘criticise’) plus DEMO (‘protest’) plus NIUM, an envelope (‘surrounded by’) of I (‘one’) in NUM[b] (‘senseless’) minus its last letter (‘endless’). | ||
| 15 | EXONERATE | Clear sign of error one found in English class (9) |
| An envelope (‘found in’) of X (‘sign of error’) plus ‘one’ i E (‘English’) plus RATE (‘class’, verb). | ||
| 16 | DISTRACT | Divert inspector with singular pamphlet (8) |
| A charade of DI (detective ‘inspector’) plus S (‘singular’) plus TRACT (‘pamphlet’). | ||
| 17 | BLACK EYE | Servant in bed mostly as a result of being punched? (5,3) |
| An envelope (‘in’) of LACKEY (‘servant’) in ‘be[d]’ minus it last letter (‘mostly’). | ||
| 19 | SHERRY | Bashful about blunder offering drink (6) |
| An envelope (‘about’) of ERR (‘blunder’) in SHY (‘bashful’). | ||
| 20 | WALLOW | Roll in act up and down (6) |
| A charade of WAL, a reversal (‘up’ in a down light) of LAW (‘act’) plus LOW (‘down’). | ||
| 22 | TAINT | Contamination in data in transit (5) |
| A hidden answer in ‘daTA IN Transit’. | ||
Thank you Peter and Everyman.
I thought of LEA but could not parse 1a.
Failed to solve 25a.
Thank you Everyman for an enjoyable puzzle and PeterO for a helpful blog.
Like michelle, I failed to solve 25a, so it must be a good clue and it is now my favourite!
No-one else has commented so far but I found this puzzle a lot more difficult to finish than usual. I had no problem with 25a but got stuck in the north west with the last five clues which I solved in this order : LITERACY, INCONVENIENT, SAFE CONDUCT, POLES APART and finally PROCLAIM. I thought that some clues were quite convoluted. I don’t whether Colin is upping his game before his premature retirement. You did not say Pierre whether you found this relatively easy or relatively difficult, I’d be interested to know.
Anyway, an entertaining puzzle as ever so many thanks to Everyman and Pierre.
Davy @3
I certainly have the feeling that Everyman has recently ratcheted the level of his puzzles up a notch, but I do not recall finding this one particularly hard.
PeterO, I apologise for calling you Pierre.
Challenging but most enjoyable. I could not parse 25 ac nor 1 d. However managed to solve them all. My favourites were 14 ac, 3 d and 17 d.
PeterO why do you need to criticise at all? Great puzzle. Throughly enjoyable.
Now for the cricket. Hope the Black Caps can do better this time.
I had a few queries on this and made the following notes:
can anyone explain why lit = settled? and I always had taken ‘sap’ to mean deplete energy rather than supply energy. Or is it sap from a tree?
I did get 25ac but wasn’t really sure why and had to read all the explanations to understand the answer. It was a bit convoluted for me. Similarly, 1ac I got the answer but took ages to see why the clue all contributed to the answer
I had scampered for scarpered and knew it was wrong by perhaps one letter but scarpered never occurred. I also had Roll for Rely and knew that was wrong also… that was my LOI and couldn’t come up with an alternative. Loved 20d, 17d. Safe Conduct was a totally new term for me.. nice way to spend a hot arvo in the shade tho
Audrey Ansell @6
Indeed you are right that the now retired Everyman rarely merits adverse criticism; it is just that there is a space at the top of a blog in which the blogger is expected to say something, and in his case it is difficult to come up with anything that has not been said many times before.
vanessa @7
Lit is the past tense and participle of light, one meaning of which is to settle or come to rest on. Sap is one of those words which can be used with opposite meanings; think tree sap, but used metaphorically for any source of energy.
I found this one tough and made it harder than it needed to be by initially putting out to lunch for 9ac. Lit had me stumped too as did pan. Must file those away for later use. Also not sure about safe conduct for pass. Can someone explain?
Thanks Everyman & PerterO
Failed to finish. Defeated. First time in a long time.
Like many I too didn’t get 25a. Same question as Vanessa re lit for settled and sap for energy. Great minds think alike?! 😉
Black Caps tanked badly but this Indian team is a very good one. Hopefully we can win on Monday and keep the series alive.
Re 3a. Don’t think I’ve ever seen U as a film rating. In nz we have G for general audience.
Paul, Titirangi @9
Chammbers: safe-conduct n a permit to pass or travel through an area with guarantee of freedom from interference or arrest.
Rats @12
Since film certification was introduced to the UK in 1912, U has been used to indicate suitable for all, corresponding to a G rating in much of the rest of the world.
We got it all out – eventually – with some electronic help. We liked 20d; we’d assumed that “… up and down” meant it was a palindrome – until we worked out that the answer.was wallow.
Looks like we have three of Colin’s to go. 3772 is the first by the new setter.
It’s dreadful. Strange punctuation, anagrams not indicated, homonyms which don’t work, and downright daft definitions.
@ Barrie, many felt the same way about the outgoing Everyman but we grew to like his style. Let’s be patient with the new guy/gal.