Everyman 3,788

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The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3788.

After the last few weeks, this puzzle confirms that the new Everyman has settled into an admirable style, with a crossword that I thought excellent (two particular favourites for me were the crossing 13A FINGER and 7D ON EDGE. Perhaps, like his predecessor, it may take time for many solvers to get used to the style (for example, the interest in film and TV, the particular use of vernacular), and it may seem difficult at first, but on the strength of this offering, I would say that the effort will be worth it.

Across
1 TRAVEL Passage from tango and boléro’s composer (6)
A charade of T (‘tango’, radio alphabet) plus RAVEL (Maurice, ‘Boléro’s composer’).
4 DRAWNOUT Rambling, untoward rambling (5-3)
An anagram (‘rambling’) of ‘untoward’. Now let us have an argument as to which ‘rambling’ is the definition.
9 SOFTIE Frightfully loud neckwear for a sentimental type (6)
A charade of SO (‘frightfully’) plus F (forte, ‘loud’ musically) plus TIE (‘neckwear’).
10 STRIDENT Roaring missiles, second becoming first (8)
TRIDENTS (‘missiles’) with the S (‘second’) moved to the front (‘becoming first’).
12 THE A TEAM Group getting around the law in America? (3,1,4)
An envelope (‘getting around’) of HEAT (‘the law in America’ – i.e. the police) in TEAM (‘group’) with an &lit definition, referring to the television series.
13 FINGER Tell the cops about lunatic fringe (6)
An anagram (‘lunatic’) of ‘fringe’. Simple and effective.
15 BACON AND EGGS Philosopher with urges for fatty food (5,3,4)
A charade of BACON (Francis or Roger, ‘philosopher’) plus AND (‘with’) plus EGGS (‘urges’).
18 GIN AND TONICS Ludicrously citing Nando’s as stereotypical middle-class fare? (3,3,6)
An anagram (‘ludicrously’) of ‘citing Nando’s’. I would not think of the drink as ‘fare’.
21 IF ONLY I tear around centre of Bonn in my dreams (2,4)
An envelope (‘around’) of ON (‘centre of BONn’) in I FLY (‘I tear’).
22 BELGRADE It was Byzantine, garbled, convoluted and ultimately intricate (8)
A charade of BELGRAD, an anagram (‘convoluted’) of ‘garbled’; plus E (‘ultimately intricatE‘). Belgrade did belong the the Byzantine Empire for some of its long history.
24 TALK SHOP Shunned by society, stems endless desire to discuss work (4,4)
A charade of [s]TALKS (‘stems’) minus the S (‘shunned by society’) plus HOP[e] (‘desire’) minus its last letter (‘endless’).
25 ADMIRE Stimulating dream I like very much (6)
An anagram (‘stimulating’?) of ‘dream I’.
26 CHRISTIE Hallowed figure that is the source of many mysteries (8)
A charade of CHRIST (‘hallowed figure’) plus I.E. (id est, ‘that is’), for the writer Agatha.
27 STOCKS Village greens used to have these stores (6)
Double definition. A law was passed in 1405 that each town and village should have a set of stocks. There are still a few around on village greens, but, being largely wooden, they will not be original.
Down
1 TEST TUBE Cricket match underground as part of an experiment (4,4)
A charade of TEST (‘cricket match’) plus TUBE (London ‘Underground’). How about underwater?
2 ALFRESCO Close? Far? Out – that is, not in the house (8)
An anagram (‘out’) of ‘close far’.
3 EXISTENTIALISTS Going over six state lines: it’s Jean-Paul Sartre and friends! (15)
An anagram (‘going over’) of ‘six state lines it’.
5 RATS Oh no: celebrity’s on the rise (4)
A reversal (‘on the rise’ in a down light) of STAR (‘celebrity’).
6 WAITING FOR GODOT Working in restaurant, didn’t remember to open up for party, leading to drama (7,3,5)
An envelope (‘to open up for’) of DO (‘party’) in WAITING (‘working in restaurant’) plus FORGOT (‘didn’t remember’).
7 ON EDGE A dagger’s drawn, oddly: it’s tense (2,4)
A charade of ONE (‘a’) plus DGE (‘DaGgEr’s drawn oddly’). Excellent clue.
8 TUTORS Coaches turn to rust (6)
An anagram (‘turn’) of ‘to rust’.
11 RAIN MAN Tom Cruise film with daredevil navy airman (4,3)
An anagram (‘daredevil’) of N (‘navy’) plus ‘airman’.
14 DEAD SEA What’s ever-so briny? (4,3)
A charade of DEAD (‘ever-so’, slang “she’s dead clever”) plus SEA (‘briny’) with an extended definition.
16 VITAMIN C ITV with manic broadcast about dietary stipulation found in Brussels (7,1)
An anagram (‘broadcast’) of ‘ITV’ plus ‘manic’; the Brussels must be sprouts, which are notably high in the vitamin.
17 AS-LEVELS Tests idiot about uniform (2-6)
An envelope (‘about’) of LEVEL (‘uniform’) in ASS (‘idiot’). In my day, there were just A-levels, after two years in the sixth form; now it appears that the two years have been split, and the first year courses and qualifications designated AS (Advanced Subsidiary).
19 TIC-TAC Manoeuvre’s putting second section before first: sweet! (3,3)
TACTIC (‘manoeuvre’) with the two halves reversed (‘putting second section before first’); for the proprietary mint.
20 BOWLER Sportsman with something more substantial than a cap (6)
Double definition.
23 GOBI One marsh reverts to become a barren tract (4)
A reversal (‘reverts’) of I (‘one’) plus BOG (‘marsh’). I think that David Attenborough might disagree with the definition.
completed grid

17 comments on “Everyman 3,788”

  1. Thanks to both. I agree, these are settling into a reasonable pattern but there are still some rougher edges than desirable. I did not like THE A TEAM at all as it is just too loose. There ended to be another indicator there to suggest the show. If I recall episodes accurately (that is not a given) then many of their escapades were set outside America.

    The rest was a pleasant excursion for a sunny Sunday afternoon. But I also had trouble believing AS LEVELS but I am half a world away so they are unknown here. I thought the setter had got his plurals well crossed but, like my other concern, it was the only answer. I see that today’s has a highly debateable clue too.

  2. My favourites were WAITING FOR GODOT + IF ONLY.
    New for me was AS levels. (As a non-Brit, I have heard of A levels and O levels, but had never heard of AS levels)

    I agree that it takes time to get used to a new Everyman. I am not keen on the religious clues that this setter inserts. This time it was 26a “hallowed figure” = CHRIST. Previously it was something like “what Jesus/God does” = SAVES.

    Also, in general, I am not keen on product placement and advertising, so I did not like TIC TAC in this puzzle.

    Apart from that, I am enjoying the puzzles.

    Thanks Everyman and Pierre.

  3. The enumeration at 12 Across was incorrect. It should have been (3,1-4) to give us THE A-TEAM.

     

     

  4. Last week I was trying to work out what it was, other than the clues themselves, that I found less than satisfactory about the puzzle, and while preparing for today’s, it struck me – half the clues in this puzzle and indeed in today’s are not full words, there’s a preponderance of multi-word answers. It’s purely personal preference, but I’d like fewer multi-word clues. Other than that, I can see a general direction and settling down, which is welcome.

     

    Thanks to Everyman and PeterO.

  5. Thanks for the blog PeterO and for the puzzle Everyman. I thoroughly agree – an admirable style well suited to the Sunday slot with a voice of his/her own and a massive relief after the rogue entries a few weeks back. Looking forward to my Sunday morning coffee once more!

  6. I am less impressed. The clues are often wayward…. second guessing is how I’d describe the process. I agree with Skinny, the overwhelming majority of clues is rather unprepossessing phrases. I’m still having sleepless nights about whoop de do several months ago. I loved Colin’s use of eight or nine letter words, entertainingly challenging.

  8. I agree that this was a very satisfying and enjoyable puzzle. I particularly liked 12a and 21a.

    Thanks to Everyman and PeterO!

  9. Generally in agreement, but not too happy about today’s offering. Perhaps next week’s blog will put me right, as it often does!

  11. Generally fine, failed to parse Talk Shop or the Sartre clue, never heard of AS Levels, there were A, O, AO and for the brainy ones S Levels in my day.

    I know RN is Royal Navy but haven’t come across N on its own. I see it is in Chambers though, so presumably kosher.

    I quite like daredevil as an anagrind, but thought Bowler a bit weak. We’re all different.

  12. Not bad. Some were beyond me though e.g AS Levels. Liked 1 ac, 9 ac. Overall I think it’s getting better.

  13. Lots of Uk grumbles I see I didn’t think most justified. I wondered how the blogger knew to  mention a preference to   underwater  in the cricket test clue when we only saw this happen only two days ago!  spooky  clairvoyance perhaps….or am I showing my ignorance, is the world cup not test cricket,I suppose not.   I thought this week’s was enjoyable and thought the cleverest work in 19d, 1d, 9ac,15ac, & 27ac. I have no problem with the odd product placement as long as it is a well known brand.  I didnt even think of Tactic but thought of a Tac(k) like in a boat. I even had Tim Tam for a pencilled in moment.  I also have never heard of AS levels, and doubt we down here would ever be expected to. Only one I really didn’t like was Shunned  by society in 24ac and don’t really get how it means drop the s.

  14.  

    Overall I thought this was a pretty shabby puzzle, although I got it all out (with the help of wildcard dictionaries).  The clues were either trivial or next to impossible with very little in between.   The one exception that springs to mind is 21 across (“if only”).  I struggled with this and then did the forehead smack when I finally saw it.

    Belgrade as Byzantine (22 across) and “AS levels” (17 down) were far too obscure to be reasonable.

    “Gin and tonics” (18 across) are *not* fare, so this clue was not fair!!! 🙂

    IMHO the new Everyman still has a *long* way to go.

     

  15. I’m fine with the new setter. Quite a few anagrams, so maybe today a few other cryptic tricks went unused, But the surfaces are great and the level spot on for mine. Many thanks Everyman and PeterO for the blog.

  16. Another great crossword though I had to sleep on most of it to reset my brain. 9ac for example I was locked into doing something with scary and scarf. Completely missed the parsing of On Edge or rather I found my own as how a dagger drawn oddly might present. I had stacks for 27ac assuming village green’s were mown and the hay stored. Like Vanessa shunned by society as an indicator to drop the S made parsing 24 ac too much of an ask. Thanks Everyman. The grumbles you are getting now seem on a par with the early weeks of Colin so I would say you’ve hit the mark. Keep it up!

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