Financial Times 16,760 by MOO

by

Moo makes another appearance in the FT this morning.

This is the kind of puzzle one expects from Moo – clever and interesting surfaces, with a few misdirections, such as "Policeman" for STING. Some of the definitions are a bit vague ("something to eat" e.g.), but nothing to complain about.

Thanks Moo.

ACROSS
1 BECKER
Boris? He was a smashing chap (6)

Semi-cryptic definition referring to "Boris" BECKER, a tennis player, so therefore one who smashes, "a smashing chap".
4 ASSESSOR
Judge bypasses Sorrento, missing a lot (8)

Hidden in "bypASSES SORrento" [missing a lot]
9 SWELL
Wife visiting auction? That’s great (5)

W (wife) visiting SELL ("auction")
10 CROISSANT
Arsonist caught making something to eat (9)

*(arsonist c) [anag:making] where C = caught (in cricket).
11 BAPTIST
Sectarian bishop first to drink a pint (7)

B (bishop) + 1st ("first") to take A Pt. (pint)
12 KINGPIN
Bigwig’s family at home, welcoming GP (7)

KIN ("family") + IN ("at home") welcoming GP
13 BATH
City in which Archimedes made his discovery? (4)

Double definition, the second referring to Archimedes' Eureka moment.
14 INEXPERT
Amateurish Pinter play about old flame (8)

*(pinter) [anag:play] about EX ("old flame")
17 ABSINTHE
Sailors in the drink (8)

ABs (able-bodied seamen, so "sailors") + IN THE
19 BEAU
Boyfriend from Cockney neighbourhood, you say? (4)

Homophone [you say] of BOW ("Cockney neighbourhood")
22 INSTANT
Second sin St Anthony’s concealed (7)

Concealed in "sIN ST ANThony's"
24 NEUTRON
Convict finally put in cell that’s very small (7)

(convic)T [finally] put in NEURON ("cell")
25 CHILDLIKE
Innocent Chinese doctor I killed (9)

Ch. (Chinese) + *(I killed) [anag:doctor]
26 USHER
Guide Penny away from dealer (5)

P (penny) away from (p)USHER
27 DOGHOUSE
Best friend’s disgraceful accommodation? (8)

Cryptic definition, referring to where a person is sent in disgrace and to a home for a dog (man's "best friend")
28 UNWRAP
Open article from Paris, small amount of weed perhaps (6)

UN ("article from Paris") + WRAP ("small amount of weed, perhaps")
DOWN
1 BUSHBABY
Child born to Dubya, cute little creature (8)

A "child born to Dubya" (George W Bush) could be described as a BUSH BABY
2 CLEOPATRA
Pale actor abysmal as tragic queen (9)

*(pale actor) [anag:abysmal]
3 ECLAIR
Excels occasionally with puff pastry (6)

E(x)C(e)L(s) [occasionally] with AIR ("puff")
5 STOCK EXCHANGE
Make money here, swapping cows for sheep? (5,8)

Cryptic definition
6 ESSENCE
Soul of German city church (7)

ESSEN ("German city") + CE ("Church" of England)
7 STAMP
Impress discontented socialist, a backbencher? (5)

[discontented] S(ocialis)T + A + M.P. ("backbencher?")
8 RATING
Crew member talking rubbish, losing head (6)

(p)RATING ("talking rubbish", losing head)
10 CAT-O’-NINE-TAILS
Actions late in being punished – with this? (3-1-4-5)

*(actions late in) [anag:being punished] and semi &lit.
15 THE ARCHER
Soap opera that never ends – is it a sign? (3,6)

THE ARCHER(s) ("soap opera" that never ends)

Sagittarius (a zodiac sign) is also known as The Archer
16 RUNNER-UP
Smuggler in court? He didn’t win (6-2)

RUNNER ("smuggler") + UP ("in court")
18 SO AND SO
Difficult customer . . . I forget his name (2-3-2)

Double definition
20 MINCED
Walked daintily, like lamb heading for the pot? (6)

Double definition
21 AUTUMN
The fall of Donald Trump (6)

In the US, so to "Donald Trump", AUTUMN is known as "fall"
23 STING
Policeman in fleece (5)

STING was the lead singer of The Police, so could be described as "Policeman"

11 comments on “Financial Times 16,760 by MOO”

  1. Very satisfying and steady solve without recourse to any aids, finishing with 24a.
    I agree with Loonapick’s assessment though 1 and 3 felt familiar.
    Having seen 1a at the end of his career, I can testify to his undiminished smashing power!
    12, 18 and 27 were favourites today.
    Thanks both to Moo and Loonapick.

  2. A welcome relief from some hard ones lately, until I was slowed down at the end in the SE corner, taking a while to cotton on to AUTUMN and not thinking of a ‘small amount of weed’ as a WRAP.

    My picks today were DOGHOUSE – I well know the feeling of being there – and the surface for ABSINTHE.

    Thanks to Moo and loonapick

  3. I am the only one to have an issue with 21d (my LOI)?

    Surely the “The fall ‘of’ Donald Trump” is Fall whereas the fall ‘of’ someone English is Autumn? Petty I know.
    Great puzzle otherwise, thanks moo and loonapick.

  4. I see what you mean, Trev, but I saw it as the possessive: ‘Donald Trump’s fall’ = an English person’s Autumn’

  5. @4 Diane it’s a very small thing in an otherwise very enjoyable puzzle. Probably just irked that it took me so long to twig!

    (Personally I prefer you’re construction there)

  6. Fastest I’ve ever done an FT crossword, and that’s despite briefly shooting myself in the foot with CROSTINAS instead of CROISSANT for 10A

  7. Thanks to Moo and loonapick. Easy but enjoyable, especially after yesterday. I took a while catching on to STING and came here to check on the parsing of UNWRAP with the weed connection.

  8. A pleasant afternoon relaxation after Tees in the Indy this morning. Just two passes needed.
    Favourites were CROISSANT, NEUTRON and the pastry ‘long in shape and short in duration’ according to Chambers.
    Thanks, Moo and loonapick.

  9. Very enjoyable from start to finish. A very relaxing start to the evening.
    Really enjoyed ABSINTHE, BEAU and STING.
    My thanks to Moo and loonapick.

  10. Also my thanks to Moo and loonapick.
    My favoured were 13a, 24a, 21d; also 1a, but I am not as experienced as most of you are!

  11. Thanks Moo and loonapick
    A gentle puzzle for a Thursday which was finished in a single sitting. A new term in WRAP and sort of only vaguely knew of THE ARCHERS as a soap opera.
    A good mix of clue types and some good surfaces with one ex-president who continues to be the centre of setter sarcastic wit.
    Finished in the SE corner with NEUTRON, that THE ARCHER and UNWRAP the last few in.

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