Guardian Cryptic 27,945 by Brendan

by

A themed offering from Brendan this morning.

Brendan has done well to get 10 (or 11 if you include the two-part answer highlighted in blue) themed answers into the puzzle as well to referring to the theme in some of the clues,

Most of the clues work well, although a couple of them are not cryptic (5d and 17ac for example).  In my opinion, 17ac is also wrong as my understanding of the word “predecessor” which I checked in Chambers, does not agree with the setter’s definition.  I didn’t like 12 ac.  There are a few superfluous words here and there, most notably in 4dn.

However, I did give a double tick to 16dn, which was my favourite clue.

Thanks, Brendan.

completed grid
Across
1 JETSAM America’s first couple on aircraft discarded material (6)
AM[erica’s first couple] on JETS (“aircraft”)
4 ROLL-TOP Kind of desk disreputable female just needs time to shift (4-3)
ROLL(T)OP – TROLLOP (“disreputable female”) with its T (time) shifted
9 HELPED OUT Provided with assistance, having shaped up the dole (6,3)
*(up the dole)
10, 26 WHITE HOUSE  It parallels Number Ten — as its occupants do in today’s solutions (5,5)
Some of its (previous) occupants are running parallel to “Number 10” (ie 10 across), ie. HOOVER (15ac) and WILSON (17dn)m although most of the predientsin the puzzle run down rather than across.
11 SURER More confident as litigant, suppressing resistance (5)
SUER (“litigant”) suppressing R (resistance)
12 RHAPSODIC Like some music or, perhaps after initial cuts, like some poetry (9)
(pe)RHAPS (“after initial cuts) + ODIC (“like some poetry”)

I don’t like this as “after Initial cuts” is too vague and could be telling us to remove any number of letters from “perhaps”
13 NEPTUNE Write backing melody for final movement of suite (7)
<=PEN (“write” back) + TUNE (“melody”)

Neptune, the Mystic, is the last movement of Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite, The Planets.
15 HOOVER Clean house again (6)
HO (“house”) + OVER (“again”)
17 WILSON Predecessor of 1 down on both sides of the pond (6)
Refers to Woodrow WILSON (who was a president of the US before Lyndon B Johnson) and Harold Wilson (who was a PM before Boris Jonhnson), however “predeecessor” normally means the person immediately preceding the incumbent, so the predecessor to Boris Jonson is Theresa May, and the predecessor of Lyndon B Johnson was John F Kennedy.
19 CENTRAL Like position of moderate, as shown in recent rally (7)
Hidden [as shown] in “reCENT RALly”
22 RETRACTOR Muscle 19 down turned to right (9)
<=CARTER (“19dn”, turned) + TO R (“right”)
24 PAGAN Some propagandist not operating in good faith? (5)
Hidden in [some] “proPAGANdist”
26   See 10
27 AMERICANO Article Cameron edited, con­suming one kind of coffee (9)
A (“article”) + *(cameron) consuming I (“one”)
28 RESTATE Phrase otherwise concerning Washington, for example (7)
RE (“concerning”) + STATE (“Washington, perhaps”)
29 NEWTON Not conversant with name for a mathematician and physicist (6)
NEW TO (“not conversant with”) + N (name)
Down
1 JOHNSON Playwright, for audience, author of meaningful work? (7)
Homophone [for audience] of (Ben) JONSON, who was an English playwright and poet.

Samuel Johnson wrote a dictionary of the English language, so a work “full of meanings”.
2 TYLER Thatcher’s rival, so-called? Leading rebel (5)
Homophone [so-called] of TILER (“thatcher’s rival”)

Wat Tyler was one of the leaders of the Peasants’ Revolt in England in 1381.
3 AGE GROUPS GOP argues falsely they break people down (3,6)
*(gop argues)
4 RETEACH After briefly not working, a head is in school again (7)
after RET(ired) (briefly “not working”), EACH (“a head”)
5 LEWIS First or last name, or character of Oxford writer (5)
Refers to Lewis Carroll (“first name”), CS Lewis (“last name”) and Robbie Lewis (“character” from Morse, set in Oxford, who also had his own-spin off TV show) 
6 THIRD GEAR Driver may change into this kind of party clothing (5,4)
THIRD (“kind of party”) + GEAR (“clothing”)
7 PIERCE Knight, say, capturing rook to make a breakthrough (6)
PIECE (“knight. say”) capturing R (rook)
8 MONROE Astronomer has star confused with this star, oddly (6)
*(star MONROE) is an anagram of ASTRONOMER.
14 PRINTOUTS Sets about Republican involved with hard copies (9)
PUTS (“sets”) about R (republican) + INTO (“involved with”)
16 OENOPHILE Reds fan, perhaps, I help when distressed after 1-0 upset (9)
*(i help) after <=ONE-O (1-0, upset)
18 NUTCASE No Trump action about WMD material? He’s crazy (7)
NT (no trump, in cards) + CASE (“action”) about U (uaranium, so “WND material”)
19 CARTER Driver of one vehicle or another over short period (6)
CAR (“another” vehicle) over [short] TER(m) (“period”)
20 LINCOLN Line in column on Northern or Eastern city (7)
L (line) + IN COL (column) on N (Northern)
21 ARTHUR Top man in legendary dining circle (6)
ARTHUR led the Knights of the Round Table.

I assume the “dining circle” relates to the Round Table association, but I’m not sure that it could be accurately described as a “dining circle”?
23 ARENA Bring up a time and a place for spectacle (5)
[bring up) <=AN ERA (“a time”)
25 GRANT Allow wild speech supporting head of government (5)
RANT (“wild speech”) supporting [head of] G(overnment)

*anagram

63 comments on “Guardian Cryptic 27,945 by Brendan”

  2. And is Brendan being slightly mischievous including Trump in a clue the solution to which is NUTCASE…?

  3. Sharen @1 It’s worse than that! The lexicographer (author of a work full of meanings) was Samuel JOHNSON, not Johnston, whose name is a homophone for Ben JONSON.

  4. Good fun – a bit more challenging than usual Monday fare. Favourites were MONROE (LOI), ARTHUR and ROLL-TOP (great clue). Many thanks to Brendan and loonapick.

  6. I loved seeing Brendan on a Monday-no problems for  me.

    In Clinton’s day there was a then and now

    ExAmples

    Then    Playing house….now paying off house

    Then   smoking grass….now mowing the grass

    Then-president Johnson….now  the president’s Johnson….Aythangee!

  7. Fun to have a theme on a Monday, albeit one we had recently. “Third Gear” was poor – “first party” is a valid term (e.g. in a contract) just as “third party” is so you need crossers to know which was intended. Likewise “Arthur” as “dining” is a bit of a red herring, and “white house” because “parallel” has nothing to do with the clue really. “Wilson” might just squeak by as “Wilson” was the predecessor of “Johnson” in the sense of being the previous name held jointly by a US president and a UK Prime Minister. Indeed, the only such instance until Mr Johnson appeared in post.

    I liked “roll-top” – very clever – and “neptune” for the surface which was neatly conceived. Thank you Brendan, and loonapick for the blog.

  8. Nice to have a Brendan, a chewier Monday, however I muffed it by bunging in Archer at 21d with a ? and a shrug, went shopping and forgot about it until coming here. Hey ho. And I’ve got ‘slow’ next to Monroe and nutcase, neat clues both, as was rhaps odic, pace Loonapick, to whom thanks. The loose use of predecessor, too, was forgiveable, I thought. And thanks Brendan.

  9. Thanks Brendan and loonapick

    Even though I saw the theme for once, I found this difficult and had question marks against several, all already mentioned.

    I did like ROLL-TOP and LOI HOOVER.

  11. I think loonapick might be overanalysing ARTHUR.  I don’t think the Association needs to come into it.  Surely ‘legendary dining circle’ refers to the Round Table alone – either the item of furniture or the knights that sat at it – rather than to the organisation.  (Which Wikipedia tells me is nothing to do with King Arthur anyway!)

    I always enjoy Brendan but, somehow, this offering didn’t quite do it for me.  A little bit clunky as if some answers were being forced – which is always the risk with a theme.  That said, quite liked HOOVER.  And TROLLOP brought a smile.

    Thanks to Brendan and to loonapick for the blog

  13. Mark, you may be right, but the “dining” may be a uperfluous in either case, as the Knights met at the Round Table; I don’t know if it was used for dining. I thought it was more their “boardroom table”.

  15. Could the opening part of 10/26 “parallels No.10” refer to the White House being the US equivalent of 10 Downing Street?
    like loonapick, I particularly liked 16 dn.

  16. This was touch and go for me. I started off fast, then slowed down halfway through. I was unable to parsa 12a & 19d and I failed to solve MONROE which is a very clever clue now that I see the solution.

    My favourites were ROLL-TOP, TILER, PAGAN, OENOPHILE, THIRD GEAR.

    Thanks Brendan and loonapick

  18. BIGJACK@15. I certainly read the first part of the clue as this. My comment @10 was in reference to the second part.

  20. badaos@19. The way I parsed the clue was: “has star confused” referring to the initial ASTR and then “oddly” referring to the anagram of ONOMER with “star” as the definition (unusually not at the start or end).

  21. Thank you Brendan and loonapick.

    Most enjoyable, especially 1a – under Maritime Law JETSAM is the debris deliberately thrown overboard by the crew of a ship in distress to lighten its load…

  22. Thanks Brendan – loved this puzzle and its theme of AMERICANO Presidents. Can see that the criticisms are quite valid, but I still enjoyed the experience overall.

    Yes, loonapick and BIGJACK, 16d OENOPHILE was also my fave.

    I saw the parallels between No 10 Downing St and the White House in the same way as BIGJACK@15 and Hovis@18, and agree with Hovis’ reading of the clue @10 (making it a good clue, I thought).

    I was thinking Marilyn at 8d, badaos@19.

    Grateful for the interesting contributions to my Monday from Brendan and loonapick

     

  25. Following on from  a suggestion a few days ago about recognising setters identity from completing their crossword, I managed to fold the paper today without seeing the setter’s name. It didn’t take long to be fairly sure it was Brendan – lack of CDs ruled out most of the Monday suspects; and the archetypical 10 ac clue, particularly in the phrase “in today’s solutions” was strongly suggestive.

     

    Thanks to Brendan and loonapick

  26. JinA @22 , yes, I had 8d as a “reverse clue” – it could be rephrased (or “28 acrossed”) as “ASTRONOMER is an anagram (confused) of [Marilyn] MONROE (a star) and the letters od STAR”

    Anyway, I rather enjoyed this, a little more difficult than usual for a Monday, but that’s not always a bad thing.

    Thanks as usual to Brendan and loonapick

  29. badaos @27 my take is that it needs two anagrinds because if you make an anagram of monroe you cannot add “star” to it and make “astronomer”, you need to add “astr” which is an anagram (“oddly”) of “star”. A very clever clue and one that addresses the problem others have complained of about adding or removing letters which are not in the order given. e.g. one might accept “Lacking will, failing exam is natural (5)” for INATE (INTESTATE minus TEST) but “Lacking will, tineless, say (5)” (INTESTATE minus TINE leaving STATE) would be unfair.

  31. Not much to add here, I agree more difficult the pans the average Monday fare, but very enjoyable. I am another whose last was Monroe, and my favourites have all been mentioned. Thanks to both Brendan and loonapick.

  32. I did 8d like Hovis, a, what would you call it, subtractive-plus inverse double anagram? An anagram of star plus an anagram of the solution, Monroe, gives the original grist, astronomer.

  34. Otoh, I’m on VDS’s side re Carter: def is driver of a vehicle, comprising another vehicle, cart, over ‘er’, short era.

  35. Small point but I think the definition of MONROE is ‘this star’ with oddly the second anagrind as explained by TheZed @29.

    Enjoyable start to the week; thanks Brendan and loonapick.

  37. Robi @35. Yes I am inclined to think the two anagrinds work better that way around rather than what I suggested @20. muffin @36, yes my point exactly.

  41. As others have said, I liked this in spite of a few weaknesses. Didn’t quite finish, as I took “1-0 upset” in 16d to indicate OI and misspelled the answer.

    I recall a puzzle earlier this year (I think) with UK prime ministers as its theme, which I had to keep wikipedia up on a parallel screen to get through. I wonder whether some UK solvers might have had the same experience today, although you folks are generally more knowledgeable about our history than we are about yours.

    Thanks to Brendan and loonapick.

  42. Well, you take RHAPSODIC, with “initial cuts” you lose RHA, “or perhaps” is RO, stick it in and you get PROSODIC.

    Then you take the astronomer patrick MOORE, jumble (“oddly”) with the north star (N) and you get MONROE.

    Coincidence?

  43. Always a pleasure to see Brendan, and this one was pitched pretty well for the Monday slot. AMERICANO is the first solution with 5 Guardian appearances in 2019 – what is more surprising is that there was only one in the whole archive before 2019. E COLI is the only other with four..

    Thanks to Brendan and loonapick

  44. Loonapick @5 I posted this morning in a hurry and my comment reads as hyper-critical in a way which I didn’t intend. Sorry.

    When did a bog-standard black coffee become an Americano, by the way? Rather like the Americans under Bush wanting to refer to Freedom Fries, with Trump in the 10, 26, I would like to be able to order a Europeano.

  45. [Neil H @44

    It’s even stranger than that. The barista makes a perfectly normal espresso, then adds hot water to it!]

  46. Muffin @45 I thought that was the point? American coffee was always perc or filter drip so a long cup of coffee. An espresso machine won’t manage to pump out 200+ml without losing a heck of a lot of pressure and the boiler running dry, or the thermoblock cooling, so the easiest way to approximate it was to pull an espresso and then add hot water. So to satisfy a foreigner who doesn’t understand how coffee is meant to be drunk (ie with a shot of grappa and two nazionale cigarettes), the Americano was invented.

  47. Indeed,TheZed, but is a black filter coffee or percolator one ever known as an “Americano”? (Genuine question – I don’t know the answer! I’ve only come across the espresso/hot water version called that)

  48. Mrs ginf liked a large mug of strong but extra-milky flat white which, when ordered from baristas in Florence, they dubbed a cappuccio.

  49. Ok,perhaps this wasn’t as good as Brendan can be but I still enjoyed it rather more than recent Monday offerings. I didn’t suss the theme until relatively late in the proceedings but once I did everything fell into place. I didn’t manage to parse RETEACH and, until reading the blog, thought it a very weak clue. MONROE gave me trouble too. Good fun.
    Thanks Brendan.

  50. I parsed WHITE HOUSE as being equivalent (ie parallel) to no 10 Downing Street. Never even thought of relative posts on grid.
    Apart from that thanks to both for a fun crossword and a useful blog.

  51. Did this early this morning and enjoyed the challenge – just what I expect from a cryptic puzzle.  Liked 1 and 14d in particular; their quirky “meaningful work” and “legendary dining circle” really appealed to me.

    Many thanks Brendan and loonapick.

  52. Grantinfo at 48: in Massa Maritima I lazily asked for a latte, in response to which I received an old fashioned look and, eventually, a mug of steaming milk. Requested caffe latte the following day – and all smiles.

  53. [Job @52

    Is that the same as Marina di Massa? We know that – we have stayed in the mountains above Massa many times.]

  54. … in Grosetto, Job, not a province we’ve been to, but whose offshore waters include the famed islands of Elba (Able was I ere I saw Elba, as Bonaparte supposedly said…was it the coffee?), and Monte Cristo.

  55. If I order an Americano for Mrs Panza when in the UK I am invariably asked if I want them to put milk in it.  Here in Spain I genuinely believe a Cortado is the nearest thing to a perfect coffee one can get.  Nowadays, one UK chain do sell a Cortado and it is not at all bad, other poorer attempts are called a flat white.  In Spain an Americano is always black.  I’m not sure if Jack Reacher would prefer a double expresso or an Americano, when in Europe.  OK I will get my coat!!!!

  57. The “oddly” in 8 dn seems superfluous given that “confused” is already there.  It certainly threw me off…

  58. MrsW spotted the theme with 3 left to do – including WILSON and MONROE – and that made them much easier to get. Loonapick’s intro said it for me and as many contributors have said it was good to have a different puzzle on a Monday. And coffee is just coffee to me and I’m baffled that it’s been turned into a multi-billion dollar business that people get exercised about. Too much choice – grump grump. Thanks to Brendan and Loonapick.

  59. Thanks to both. I always thought AMERICANO referred to the cup size rather than the contents. Here a long black is more like a real cup of coffee.

  60. This was another Brendan that we really enjoyed.

    And that despite clues like 1d, 5d, 17d and also 10,26 (which was slightly imperfect as pointed out above), clues that were bordering on GK and/or hardly cryptic.

    Clear favourite was MONROE (11d) with HOOVER (15ac), TYLER (2d) and OENOPHILE (16d) not far behind.

    As to the latter, I don’t think Liverpool fans very often distressed nowadays.

    Many thanks to loonapick & Brendan.

    ps, I do not fully understand what is superfluous in 4d.  The words “is” and/or “in”? These are perfectly justifiable link words that cannot be deleted from the surface.  Well, that’s my opinion.

  63. On the coffee front, in German and French, an americano is “lengthened” ie diluted (verlängertes/allongé). My visits to American ski resorts have disappointed me in the coffee department

Comments are closed.