A straightforward puzzle from Slormgorm is this morning’s FT offering.
I would need to check back, but I don’t think I’ve come across Slormgorm before.
I found this quite a straightforward puzzle, which would have taken me a little less time to solve had I not confidently slotted in FLIGHT RECORDS instead of DENTAL RECORDS down the middle, thus giving me wrong crossing letters for three of the other clues.
Some PC solvers may balk at ESKIMO in 8dn, and I also think the setter is inconsistent in the use of question marks (one required at 1dn, but not at 4ac, 27ac or 23dn, in my opinion), but other than that, a clean puzzle with a sense of humour.
Thanks, Slormgorm.
| Across | ||
| 1 | ARREST | Take a break around middle of April (6) |
| A REST (“break”) around [middle of] (ap)R(il) | ||
| 4 | ADORABLE | A party fit to welcome Republican darling? (8) |
| A DO (“party”) + ABLE (“fit”) to welcome R (Republican) | ||
| 9 | DRAMA | Tot close to hyena could create this! (5) |
| DRAM (“tot”) + [close to] (hyen)A | ||
| 10 | DRUMSTICK | Part of animal that strikes a snare? (9) |
| A drumstick could be used to strike a snare (drum) | ||
| 11 | CHICKEN | Yellow bird (7) |
| Double definition | ||
| 12 | LUMP SUM | A whole chunk of bread? (4,3) |
| Cryptic defnition | ||
| 13 | EATS | After sending off No. 1, linesman scoffs (4) |
| [after sending off No 1 (ie initial letter)] (k)EATS (“linesman” ie one who writes in lines, a poet) | ||
| 14 | SANCERRE | Wine ruined careers, head of news admitted (8) |
| *(careers) [anag:ruined] with [head of] N(ews) admitted | ||
| 17 | CAMEROON | New romance found around old country (8) |
| *(romance) [anag:new] found around O (old) | ||
| 19 | GURU | Teacher in toupee rejected by university (4) |
| <=RUG (“wig”, rejected) by U (university) | ||
| 22 | ORGANIC | Agency in charge of plants and animals (7) |
| ORGAN (“agency”) + IC (in charge) | ||
| 24 | SERVANT | Old boy won’t be seen with hawk-eyed man (7) |
| (ob)SERVANT (“hawk-eyed” with OB (old boy) not seen) | ||
| 25 | CHATTERER | One might be very cold and also a gossip (9) |
| Double definition | ||
| 26 | MAINE | State of shock enveloping infantry at front (5) |
| MANE (“shock” of hair) enveloping I(nfantry) [at front] | ||
| 27 | RUN A RISK | A Ruskin novel about inventor’s final venture? (3,1,4) |
| *(a ruskin) [anag:novel] about (invento)R [‘s final] | ||
| 28 | TRUNKS | Cases of swimming costumes (6) |
| Double definition | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | ADDICTED | Being thus, one is unable to get off horse (8) |
| Cryptic definition, although I think it needs a question mark at the end, as “horse” is not the only thong one could be addicted to. | ||
| 2 | REALISTIC | It is clear criminal is hard- headed (9) |
| *(it is clear) [anag:realistic] | ||
| 3 | SLACKS | Shorts-wearing leader has no trousers (6) |
| S(horts-wearing) [leader] + LACKS (“has no”) | ||
| 5 | DOUBLE-CROSSER | Perhaps one voting for two parties is a traitor (6-7) |
| If you put two crosses on your voting paper, you may be considered to be voting for two parties (although in some elections, that would actually mean you were voting for none, as it would count as a spoiled paper). | ||
| 6 | RESUMER | One returning to work needs CV with flair ultimately (7) |
| RESUME (“CV”) with (flai)R [ultimately] | ||
| 7 | BAILS | Bishop with troubles escapes from predicament (5) |
| B (bishop) with AILS (“troubles”) | ||
| 8 | ESKIMO | Some helpdesk I’m operating for a foreigner (6) |
| Hidden in [some] “helpdESK IM Operating”
|
||
| 10 | DENTAL RECORDS | Chopper logs? (6,7) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 15 | EDUCATION | What might be ridiculous to a dunce and I? (9) |
| *(to a dunce i) [anag:ridiculous] and &lit. | ||
| 16 | RUSTLERS | People who make a living as stock-takers? (8) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 18 | MONITOR | Keep an eye on idiot visiting heathland (7) |
| NIT (“idiot”) visiting MOOR (“heathland”) | ||
| 20 | CONCUR | Agree with critical description of Tory! (6) |
| If you called a Tory (CON) a CUR, that would be considered a critical comment (or a truthful one, depending on your political leanings?) | ||
| 21 | PRIMER | Margin used in a preparatory textbook (6) |
| RIM (“margin”) used in PER (“a”) | ||
| 23 | GRAIN | Scrap ending in rioting cats and dogs? (5) |
| [ending in] (riotin)G + RAIN (“cats and dogs”) | ||
*anagram
Thanks loona! no wonder I couldn’t solve 15d (education) since i had BRIEFS at 28a which seemed perfectly reasonable!
I think Slormgorm’s become quite a regular, and deservedly so. But how does 23dn GRAIN equate to ‘scrap’? Thanks, Slormgorn and loonapick. A nice way to start Thursday.
Anyone with a grain of common sense could see that. Sorry couldn’t resist?
I have checked and have never blogged a Slormgorm, and I only solve FT puzzles on blog days, so I was right.
Slormgorm often turns up on a Tuesday – my blog day – and he’s always pretty solid. Thanks to him and to loonapick. And I agree about 1d.
Loonapick and Grant @5, I’m not sure that a question mark is needed in 1d. In the context of the clue “one” is already on heroin (“being thus”). The clue isn’t really saying if you’re addicted the only thing you’ll have trouble getting off is heroin. I suppose “one might be unable” would solve any confusion though.
As for the question mark in GRAIN, I think it should be there because “cats and dogs” isn’t a synonym of rain.
EDUCATION might be cleverer than it looks at first if the grammatical error is deliberate.
13’s linesman could also be Yeats.
Thanks Slormgorm and loonapick.
In the Indy, Slormgorm appears as Hoskins.
There was a lot to like here — DRAMA, MAINE, and esp. EDUCATION. Thanks Loonapick for showing how “scrap” means GRAIN. I had a quibble about “hard-headed” being REALISTIC— if anything, realistic folks are usually the opposite of that. I also thought that “man” being SERVANT was a stretch but I realize that this is a puzzle and not a dictionary. Thanks Slormgorm for a fun run.
ADDICTED & EDUCATION were my best clues. Thanks setter for enjoyment and loonapick.
Thanks Slormgorm and loonapick
Late to get to this one after having some printer problems to get a copy of it. Solid and entertaining puzzle with some special penny-dropping moments, particularly with 10d which raised a grin on realisation. Liked CHATTERER and ADDICTED as well.
There did seem to be a few animals or parts of animals scattered throughout, but more than likely from happenstance than any sort of mini theme.
Finished with the crossers in the middle – that DENTAL RECORDS and SANCERRE (which I hadn’t heard of, couldn’t unravel and had to use a word finder to get).