Surprise, surprise: it is Tuesday today and yet we have Phi’s latest puzzle to contend with.
I haven’t spotted any theme in this puzzle at all, let alone one that would suggest its publication on this very day, so perhaps Friday’s puzzle will mark a particular occasion.
I found this to be towards the easier end of the Phi scale, with just the NE quadrant holding me up at the end. I think that I have now parsed everything to my satisfaction, although I wrongly parsed 9 at first.
My favourite clues today were 5 for tightness of construction; and 14 and 20, for smoothness of surface. 11 was new to me but could be worked out satisfactorily from the wordplay.
*(…) indicates an anagram; definitions are italicised; // separates definitions in multiple-definition clues
| Across | ||
| 01 | RELIC | Something from saint regarding life in church primarily
RE (=regarding) + L<ife> I<n> C<hurch> (“primarily” means first letter of each word only) |
| 04 | DELICIOUS | Wandering, taking colt for run – very nice
DELIRIOUS (=wandering, confused, of mind); “taking colt (=C, of gun) for run (=R, on cricket scorecard)” means letter “r” is replaced by “c” |
| 09 | YEAR-END | Books prepared now? Certainly make an opening for that
YEA (=certainly) + REND (=make an opening, tear) |
| 10 | GENETIC | Information to quote back describing family links
GEN (=information) + ETIC (=quote; “back” indicates reversal) |
| 11 | HANG A LEFT | Afghan let rebels move to the right? On the contrary
*(AFGHAN LET), “rebels” is anagram indicator; colloquially, “to hang a left” is to turn left, especially when driving |
| 12 | COATI | Pelt one carnivore
COAT (=pelt, fur) + I (=one) |
| 13 | ESSENE | Religious follower: inner nature’s not Catholic
ESSEN<c>E (=inner nature); “not Catholic (=C, from RC)” means letter “c” is dropped; an Essene is a member of an ascetic Jewish fraternity |
| 15 | GOLDEN | Excellent Government of previous years
G (=government) + OLDEN (=of previous years) |
| 17 | ROD | Staff travelled endlessly
ROD<e> (=travelled); “endlessly” means last letter is dropped |
| 19 | LEGEND | Cricket side to terminate famous player?
LEG (=cricket side) + END (=to terminate) |
| 20 | ASSAYS | Tests for one importing dope? On the contrary
SAY (=for one, for example) in ASS (=dope, fool) |
| 23 | GIRLS | Young ladies from both sides embraced by US soldiers
R L (=both sides, i.e. right and left) in GIs (=US soldiers) |
| 25 | MOTORBIKE | Transport I broke up after test of roadworthiness
MOT (=test of roadworthiness) + *(I BROKE); “up” is anagram indicator |
| 27 | TROUSER | Pocket, or most of possible container thereof
TROUSER<s> (=possible container of pocket); “most of” means last letter only; colloquially, to “trouser” is to pocket, appropriate e.g. money |
| 28 | LOCATED | Found officer retreating at the last, having lost heart
LOC (COL=officer, i.e. colonel; “retreating” indicates reversal) + AT + E<n>D (=the last; “lost heart” means middle letter is dropped) |
| 29 | RETRIEVER | Dog further tested, mostly excessively, having tail docked
RETRIE<d> (=further tested; “mostly” means last letter is dropped) + VER<y> (=excessively; “having tail docked” means last letter is dropped) |
| 30 | SYRUP | Sweet stuff in second year concluded
S (=second) + YR (=year) + UP (=concluded) |
| Down | ||
| 01 | RHYTHM | Extremes of raffish yet humdrum beat
R<affis>H Y<e>T H<umdru>M; “extremes of” means first and last letter of each word is used |
| 02 | LEARN | Lake to merit study
L (=lake, on map) + EARN (=to merit, deserve) |
| 03 | CAESAREAN | French city embracing southern region covered by emperor
[S (=southern) + AREA (=region)] in CAEN (=French city) |
| 04 | DODDERER | What’s less common in the German geriatric?
ODDER (=less common, more unusual) in DER (=the German, i.e. a German word for the) |
| 05 | LEGATO | Smoothly set up a big tent without power
LEG (GEL=set, of jelly; “up” indicates vertical reversal) + A + TO<p> (=big tent, at circus; “without power (=P” means letter “p” is dropped) |
| 06 | CONIC | Making point on being imprisoned by military leader
ON in CIC (=military leader, i.e. Commander-in-Chief) |
| 07 | OUTWARDLY | Part of hospital engaged in determinedly removing stones to all appearances
WARD (=part of hospital) in <st>OUTLY (=determinedly; “stones (=ST)” means letters “st” are dropped) |
| 08 | SECTION | Element in southern building Queen fails to open
S (=southern) + <er>ECTION (=building; “Queen (=ER) fails to open” means letters “er” are dropped from start of word) |
| 14 | SUGAR-COAT | Give a better view of dreadful court saga
*(COURT SAGA); “dreadful” is anagram indicator |
| 16 | OBSTRUCTS | Blocks former schoolfellow taking pompous moves about college
OB (=former schoolfellow, i.e. old boy) + [C (=college) in STRUTS (=makes pompous moves)] |
| 18 | DACTYLAR | Mad cat lady’s right regarding feet
*(CAT LADY) + R (=right); “mad” indicates indicator; the “feet” of the definition refer to metrical feet in poetry |
| 19 | LIGHTER | Vessel relieved of some cargo?
A vessel is “lighter”, less heavy, if it is “relieved of some cargo” |
| 21 | IMPROV | Better cut the off-the-cuff humour
IMPROV<e> (=(make) better; “cut” means last letter is dropped); colloquially, “improv” is improvisation |
| 22 | SEND UP | Make fun of aspiration when in drink
END (=aspiration, goal) in SUP (=drink) |
| 24 | SUSHI | Greeting given to South America and Asian food
S (=South) + US (=America) + HI (=greeting) |
| 26 | INTER | Set deep in main terminal
Hidden (“in”) in “maIN TERminal” |
Thanks RatkojaRiku
It’s Tuesday, it’s the Indy, there will be a theme. There is. One grid entry can precede at least seven other grid entries.
I normally enjoy Phi’s puzzles a lot but I didn’t like this one as much as I usually do (in spite of its golden tinge). I’m not impressed with 11a which is a very ugly phrase from across the pond and 21d is a ghastly abbreviation. Technically 12a is an omnivore not a carnivore and I’m not 100% convinced by the definition for 6d.
In terms of difficulty, the LHS went in OK but the RHS, particularly the SE corner, proved very challenging. I always forget “up” as an anagram indicator, and 13a & 18d were new words for me. 14d was my favourite with 4a coming close.
Many thanks to Phi and to RR.
Yes, disorienting to have Phi on a Tuesday. The theme was a bit more accessible than the usual Phi Friday theme anyway.
I enjoyed the “crossword words” ESSENE and COATI and it’s always good to have a few new words (LEGATO & DACTYLAR) to add to the list.
Guilty as charged for using the ‘very ugly phrase’ at 11a. For no good reason, I thought it was Antipodean, but no, it does come from N. America. I must be getting it mixed up with ‘Chuck a uey’, which I believe is an Aust/NZ term.
Favourites were TROUSER, DELICIOUS and the tricky def. for my last in YEAR-END.
Thank you to Phi and RR
The unusual day is because this is a special anniversary for Phi.
Note that the Golden Section is represented by the greek lettter phi.
Completely agree with the first paragraph from RD@2 and came across the same two new words.
Favourite here was 1d.
Thanks to Phi – enjoy your pancakes! Thanks also to RR for the blog.
Thanks to the Gs @1 and @4 for pointing out the theme. Congrats to Phi.
HANG A LEFT is in Chambers without any US attribution and is more commonly used over here as well, I think. Oxford does give it as North American, though.
Entertaining solve; I particularly liked OBSTRUCTS, LOCATED and OUTWARDLY.
Thanks Phi and RR, especially for the parsing of YEAR-END, which I missed.
Ah, pancakes with golden syrup. Going against the trend, I enjoyed this more than the usual Phiday puzzles but agree that Rabbit Dave has some valid criticisms.
Thanks to Phi and RatkojaRiku.
Blog for 16 down should have STRUTS, not TRUTS.
Thanks to RatkojaRiku and Phi
Just spent some time trying to make total theme words/major theme/minor theme resolve at the appropriate ratio but no luck so far. Going for a lie down now.
We enjoyed this and completed with no major difficulties. HANG A LEFT was new to us; we wondered at first if the term came from boxing referring to ‘hanging’ a left (hook) on one’s opponent and were surprised to find Chambers says it’s to turn left, particularly in driving. And we actually spotted the theme – after finishing. Favourites were RHYTHM and CAESAREAN.
Thanks, Phi and RatkojaRiku.
Thanks Phi and RR
In 4, I suspect C = COLT comes from equestrianism rather than the firearms world.
Thanks, Geoff Wilkins@8 – 16D has been duly corrected.
To Simon@11: I never stopped to think it might refer to horses. Can anyone confirm this?
RR @ 12
My wife, who is an equestrienne, is now back and has confirmed C = COLT, especially in a racing context.
Thanks Phi, RatkojaRiku
Congrats to Phi (& other half if I’ve got the right end of the stick? sorry if not)
Looking forward to see what turns up on Friday now.
I wonder if simple dislikes of particular words/phrases are ‘valid criticisms’.
HANG A LEFT needed to be constructed from wordplay, but it sounded like, as they say, a thing. ESSENE, my last in, took a bit more dredging up.
Compared to the average Phi (if one can average a Phi)? Well, I’m with the happier-than-usual campers today. And that’s before spotting the theme, which I’d meant to go in search of but had forgotten to do until prompted by comments … so I can let myself believe that I would have found it! Right up my street – and all in a solver-friendly grid too. Lovely.
Thanks Phi and RR.
Congratulations to Phi.
Thanks for the blog RR. Thanks for sorting out the theme Gaufrid. We thought there must be one and we spotted the link between Golden and Rod but not the others. DOH!
Hang on (or hang a left, perhaps, which is alive and well here in NZ) – this was merely a golden section theme, with no special anniversary in mind. (It is the other half’s birthday on Saturday, though.)
If you wish to infer that something is coming up on Friday, then I couldn’t possibly comment.