Azed usually sets a Competition Puzzle on the first Sunday of the month. For August it is a plain puzzle where solvers are asked to set a clue for an entry for which Azed just gives a definition.
I never really understand clues with ellipses where one clue runs into another, but I did follow the 14a and 15a combination where the word ‘Side’ after the ellipsis at the start of 15a played a role in both clues.
I can’t find a definition for BRUIN (12a) as a cuddly toy, but I think you can buy cuddly bears called BRUIN.
I’m not too sure about my parsing of TON-UP at 4 down.
As ever with an Azed puzzle, I learnt a few new words.
| No | Detail |
| Across | |
| 1 |
US financial exchange before taking place in joint (8) SPLIT-OFF (in the United States, a financial exchange of the stock in a subsidiary company with part of the stock in the parent company) TO (before [the hour of]) contained in (taking place in) SPLIFF (a marijuana cigarette, a joint) SPLI (TO) FF |
| 11 |
Small prominences I cull untidily cutting most of abdominal pain (9) COLLICULI (small prominences, as on the surface of the optic lobe of the brain) Anagram of (untidily) contained in (cutting) COLIC (severe spasmodic pain in the abdomen) excluding the final letter C (mostly) COL (LICUL*) I or CO (LLICU*) LI |
| 12 |
Cuddly toy? Baby’s first, what one finds mother’s in front of (5) BRUIN (name for a bear in children’s fables, presumably a name frequently applied to a cuddly bear toy) B (initial letter of [first] BABY) + RUIN (reference Mother’s RUIN [slang term for gin] where Mother is placed in front of RUIN) B RUIN |
| 13 |
When high they show celebrating sport (5) FIVES (ball game similar to squash played with the [gloved] hand [or a bat] in a walled court) FIVES (reference HIGH FIVES [sign of greeting or celebration, especially popular in North America, consisting of the slapping of raised right palms]) double definition FIVES |
| 14 |
Argument to add when dividing … (7) DISPUTE (argument) PUT (to add) contained in (when dividing) an anagram of (falling out) SIDE The clue is really ‘Argument to add when dividing side falling out‘ as the … indicates continuation into the next clue DIS (PUT) E* |
| 15 |
… Side falling out including amateur plans (5) IDEAS (plans) Anagram of (falling out) SIDE containing (including) A (amateur) IDE (A) S* |
| 18 |
Old herons flying landward (7) ON-SHORE (on the land; landward) O (old) + an anagram of (flying) HERONS O N-SHORE* |
| 19 |
Entrance exam to do with Latin I set in afternoon (6) PRELIM (preliminary or entrance examination) (RE [with reference to; to do with)] + L [Latin] + I) contained in (set in) PM (post meridiem; afternoon) P (RE L I) M |
| 20 |
One passionate about tea, tense inside, downbeat-like (6) THETIC (descriptive of a downbeat in a bar or metrical foot; downbeat-like) T (tense) contained in (inside) THEIC (a person who drinks too much tea; one passionate about tea) THE (T) IC |
| 22 |
Search in e.g. Chambers for describing table for distinguishing variables (6) LOOK-UP (search for something, e.g. the definition of a word in Chambers) LOOK-UP (denoting a table giving a set of values for a variable) double definition LOOK-UP |
| 24 |
Rare melody, contralto’s resort (6) CHAUNT (rare term for a melody) C (contralto) + HAUNT (resort) C HAUNT |
| 25 |
Requiring more scratchings, I ordered thrice (7) ITCHIER (needs to be scratched more than something else) I + anagram of (ordered) THRICE I TCHIER* |
| 27 |
Cream cheese: 200 sandwiches a lad cut (5) CABOC (a double cream cheese rolled in oatmeal) CC (Roman numerals for 200) containing (sandwiches) (A + BOY [lad] excluding the final letter Y [cut]) C (A BO) C |
| 29 |
On which track is laid, with clothing round plug? (7) ROADBED (the foundation of a railway track) ROBED (with clothing) containing (around) AD (advertisement; plug) RO (AD) BED |
| 31 |
Lad excited about University viva’s performed thus (5) ALOUD (viva or viva voce is an oral examination, i.e. one performed ALOUD) Anagram of (excited) LAD containing (about) OU (Open University) AL (OU) D* |
| 32 |
Area for filling? Poor neighbourhood contains none (5) SOLUM (piece of ground) SLUM (overcrowded, squalid neighbourhood) containing (contains) O (character representing zero or nothing) S (O) LUM |
| 33 |
Old refrain from Italian city about a snake (9) TURNAGAIN (archaic [old] word for refrain) TURIN (Italian city) containing (about) NAGA (snake) TUR (NAGA) IN |
| 34 |
Greedy infant I’ll see tucking into meat on turnover (8) KILLCROP (greedy, insatiable baby) (I’LL + C [see]) contained in (tucking into) PORK (meat) reversed (on turnover) K (ILL C) ROP< |
| Down | |
| 1 |
Public vehicle overturned on sort of bridge? It’s to do with certain ratios (12) SUBDUPLICATE ([of a ratio] expressed as the ratio of square roots) BUS (public vehicle) reversed (overturned) + DUPLICATE (a form of the card game bridge) SUB< DUPLICATE |
| 2 |
Fried cake, one rupee, for sale after rising (4) PURI (small cake of unleavened Indian bread, deep-fried and served hot) (I [Roman numeral for one] + R [rupee] + UP [forward for sale]) all reversed (after rising; down entry) (PU R I)< |
| 3 |
Declaration of faith, also due when troubled (7, 2 words) LAUS DEO (praise to God; declaration of faith) Anagram of (when troubled) ALSO DUE LAUS DEO* |
| 4 |
Regular speed merchant – or not, one assumes (5) TON-UP (a person who habitually travels at 100 mph; regular speed merchant) I think the wordplay is based on a definition of assumes as ‘takes up’ so we have NOT + UP reversed (assumes; takes up; down entry) TON–UP |
| 5 |
Kitty would do for this traditional gin regaining popularity (6, 2 words) OLD TOM (type of sweetened gin) OLD (traditional) + TOM (cat) together could describe a kitty (a cat) double definition OLD TOM |
| 6 |
Free-flowing viral infection dominating branch of medicine (6) FLUENT (smooth; easy and graceful; free-flowing) FLU (influenza; viral infection) + ENT (ear, nose and throat; branch of medicine) FLU ENT |
| 7 |
Junkie, how one might describe Cressida? (8) ACIDHEAD (person who takes LSD habitually; druggie) A + CID (Criminal Investigation Department) + HEAD (chief) – the reference is to Cressida Dick [born 1960], current Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, therefore in charge of the force’s CID A CID HEAD |
| 8 |
Star of Oliver!, say? I’ll give way to musical’s No. 2 in dance (4) JUVE (theatrical term describing the JUVEnile lead in a production such as Oliver!) JIVE (type of dance) with I replaced by (giving way to) U (second letter [No. 2] in MUSIC) JUVE |
| 9* |
Glade (8) CLEARING (definition only as this is entry for which Azed competitors have to write a clue) |
| 10 |
Geographical puzzle depicts dames in unusual guise (12, 2 words) DISSECTED MAP (MAP on a board cut up so as to form a puzzle) Anagram of (in unusual guise) DEPICTS DAMES DISSECTED MAP* |
| 16 |
Clapper of course interrupting music coming up is thrown out (8) CROTALUM (clapper or castanet used in ancient religious rites) ROTAL (of a ROTA [course; routine]) contained in (interrupting) MUSIC reversed (coming up; down entry) as CISUM and then excluding (thrown out) IS C (ROTAL) UM< |
| 17 |
My cousin’s a husky hulk, one trained with little depth (8) ELKHOUND (breed of dog related to a husky) Anagram of (trained) HULK ONE + D (depth) ELKHOUN* D |
| 21 |
Pigeon, half of it brownish, including end of tail (7) TUMBLER (a pigeon that turns back-somersaults in the air) T (one of two [half] letters in IT) + (UMBER [brownish colour] containing [including] L [last letter of {end of} TAIL]) T UMB (L) ER |
| 23 |
Dumpling, triangular piece turning up in pastry dish (not English) (6) PEROGI (a traditional Polish dish, a semicircular filled dumpling, originally savoury, now also sweet) GORE (a triangular piece let into a garment to widen it) reversed (turning up; down entry) contained in (in) PIE (pastry dish) excluding (not) E (English) P (EROG<) I |
| 24 |
This, on being processed, produces colorant (6) CROTAL (lichen [if various kinds] used for dyeing; colorant) Anagram of (produces) COLORANT excluding (being processed) ON CROTAL* |
| 26 |
Fixture in hob, a silvery tool’s cutting edge (5) BASIL (bezel [sloped cutting edge]) BASIL (hidden word in [fixture in] HOB A SILVERY BASIL |
| 28 |
Vintage table wine, half disposed of (4) BORD (obsolete [vintage] word for table) BORDEAUX (type of wine) excluding the last 4 letters of 8 [half] EAUX BORD |
| 30 |
It’s pouched – in more ways than one (4) EURO (a wallaroo, any of several types of large kangaroo. Animal with a pouch) EURO (currency in many European Union countries. Coins can be kept in a pouch) double definition EURO |
Thanks duncanshiell.
Like you I took BRUIN to be a reference to teddy-bears.
I think TON-UP is just a reverse clue.
Interesting to learn about artisanal gin.
Thanks as ever to Azed.
11 slight typo “Anagram of I CULL”.
For OLD TOM I took the ‘traditional’ to be part of the definition, with the old cat prefering a kitty as a mate.
24 perhaps better expressed as ‘CROTAL ON processed produces COLORANT’
Thanks duncanshiell.
TON-UP is Azed having one of his quirky winks at us; we’re playing charades. And may he do so for years. the subsid indicator is simply the word “not”. Because, in a down clue, what is “not” if it isn’t ton up? Azed has used this “one assumes” before to lead us in the right direction. See PANDERMITE in 2556, for example. When Azed gets these games right, he is brilliant; but he occasionally stretches a bit too far for me.
Thanks for explaining “Cressida”. I’ve mentioned this before but, whether he likes it or not, Azed is playing on an international stage. As a long-term ex-pat, my knowledge of Cressida is what you’d expect it to be. Our own Mr Thomas mentioned only recently the reference to Jacques’ (Jacques’s?) speech in “All’s Well…” In the last year or so we’ve had references to proper names including an Irish rugby player, some golfer, an odd politician or two and now we have a London police officer! This is parochialism. Unbecoming.
I agree with “crotal on” being one of Azed’s composite anagrams, passable this time but not my favourite type of clue.
Stefan
Thanks for the blog, I agree with Gonzo @2 for minor adjustments.
PEROGI spoilt my non Chambers finish. could not get GORE or the word itself without checking first.
A few issues here – is BRUIN in Chambers 14 ? If not then Azed should have told us.
15AC Side does need a capital, it is part of the same sentence as 14AC.
7D Junkie is not the right term to use for an acidhead and Cressida Dick is not a cid head. She is in charge of the Met overall , within the Met someone else will be the head of cid.
Thanks for the usual lexicographal tour Azed.
I think TON-UP is referring to the speed of 100 mph for the fast bit and scoring a 100 in cricket for the “or not” bit as cricket tons can take some time to score.
Thanks for the blog Duncanshiell.
Bruin is in my eChambers:
Bruin /broo’in/
noun
A name for a bear, esp in children’s stories
The name of the bear in the epic Reynard the Fox
ORIGIN: Du, brown
Thank you Nick @6 but Azed specified Chambers 2014 and should indicate if some words are not there, he often does.
No specific mention of cuddly toy either in your definition.
BTW, BRUIN is also in my hardback 12th edition (2011), the same as my eChambers. It can be found between the headwords BRUILZIE and BRUISE.
Even more interesting – I wondered if BRUIN was in the missing words list that Chambers issued after a boo-boo (but I can’t remember what edition that was for) and BRUIN isn’t there, either:
https://chambers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Chambers-Missing-Words-1.pdf
Also, my eChambers (on android made by WordWebSoftware) is the 2014 edition too!
Perhaps it is in the 2014, it is in my 93. I may have misread the blog, the “cuddly toy ” definition is missing, not the definition itself.
I was aware that BRUIN is in Chambers with a references to children’s stories in general and Reynard the Fox in particular. My point in the blog was simply that I cannot find BRUIN defined anywhere as a ‘cuddly toy’. Perhaps the question mark in the clue hints at BRUIN being a cuddly toy.
Thanks for the alternative interpretations of the parsings for TON-UP and OLD TOM, both of which seem better than my suggestions.
Try googling ‘bruin teddy bear’. All the hits are just that. I always remembered a bruin being a teddy – maybe it’s an old thing,?
Just want to join in. Last week is a long time ago and I cannot remember having any quibbles about the puzzle.
Words containing and, not, or, as here, up, etc are often “self-referenced” in Azed’s cluing and TON-UP is one such.
Many thanks to Azed and duncanshiell.
Shall we ever get round to celebrating the long-ago landmark?
Relatively new to Azed, and managed to complete this one bar one letter, with TONUS instead of TON-UP. Couldn’t parse it apart from it contains the letters NOT, but it was the only word I could find that fitted into the grid. Can of the older hands enlighten me: is it normal that a (3-2) clue is indicated as (5) in Azed?
I was also not very clear why SOLUM is an area for filling. Obviously one could do that to a piece of ground, but it wasn’t very obvious from the definition in Chambers that a solum is necessarily an area of ground to be filled. No references to it in the blog or the comments so did I miss something?
Finally, I am finding that I need to make reference to Chambers for anything up to 40% of the solutions. Is this normal? Thanks for any answers!
Nick #9: “…issued after a boo-boo…”
Now that would be a big surprise.
Fiery Jack @ 14: welcome to Azed! You will find that Azed (in common with most setters of advanced cryptics) never indicates hyphens, which is fair enough as their deployment varies from time to time. I think your comment about the definition of SOLUM is perfectly fair, but the wordplay was so clear that it never occurred to me (at any rate) to have any doubts.
And yes; you will need to refer to Chambers for a good proportion of the solutions. Azed does explicitly recommend it, and will usually indicate if a word or spelling is not to be found in it.
Thanks bridgesong @16, all duly noted for future reference. I used to think I had a decent vocabulary, but I am finding my knowledge of Scots dialect and archaisms in particular is a little lacking 🙂
Fiery Jack@14
It’s good to see someone new making a comment.
Your comment about SOLUM spurred me to do a bit more research, as, like bridgesong@15 I just assumed SOLUM was right as the definition in Chambers referred to a piece of ground. However, I have now learnt that in soil science the lower edge of the SOLUM relates to the depth of rooting to be expected for perennial plants. I am guessing therefore that Azed is suggesting that you can fill the SOLUM with plants
Nice to see you here Fiery Jack, I have been trying to get people on the Guardian blogs to try Azed.
As above , Azed ignores hyphens. If there is more than one word , this will be indicated but not the length of each.
Azed will always hint in the clue if the answer is archaic, Scottish, Maori, American etc , see 1AC , 22AC, 33AC ….
You will need Chambers less with practice , I try to complete without Chambers but check everything at the end, PEROGI defeated me here , I had to look up GORE to get it.
I read many years that as a compiler uses a dictionary, then it is perfectly fair a solver can too.
Nice to see you too Roz @19. I did recognise a few from the Guardian blogs. I took up the Azed during lockdown, having always been a bit put off by its reputation before, but I have found that if you are at a level of usually completing the daily crosswords and have the time and willingness to put in the research for the more obscure items then it is far from unachievable. Best wishes for getting more of us to give it a go!
Welcome Fiery Jack.
Do Google andlit if you want join this lovely bunch. The history of the Torquemada-Ximenes-Azed train is a good read.
Fiery Jack @21, the principles are the same as for ordinary cryptics but more obscure words because of the type of grid. It took me two years to learn to do Azed but you do get better with practice. In a strange way it can be easier than normal cryptics if you get a start because you get so many letters that connect with other words.