Independent 10914 / Hoskins

by

Hoskins fills the Tuesday slot this week,

 

 

 

Tuesdays’ Independent puzzles often have a hidden message of some kind, but I can’t see one today.  What I can see though is Hoskins’ usual mix of ribaldry, suggestiveness, criminal activity (including drugs, weapons and vandalism), briefs and budgie-smugglers.

I am not sure what purpose the word ‘down’ is serving in the clue at 24 across. 

No Detail
Across  
1

Streamlined dairy came on post-restructure (11) 

AERODYNAMIC (streamlined for efficient movement through the air)

Anagram of (post-restructure) DAIRY CAME ON

AERODYNAMIC*
7

Couple of grams American snorted … crack? (3) 

GAG (joke; crack)

(G [gram] + G [gram] giving a couple of grams) containing (snorted) A (American)

G (A) G
9

English soldier gets millions in fiddle (5) 

TOMMY (private [soldier] in the British army)

TOY (play with in an idle way; fiddle) containing (gets) (M [million] + M [million] giving millions)

TO (M M) Y
10

Times numbers around average? Not at all! (2,2,5) 

BY NO MEANS (certainly not; not at all)

BY (times, as in 4 BY 5 = 20) + (NOS [numbers] containing [around] MEAN [average])

BY NO (MEAN) S
11

Master criminal aiming a carbine at head (8) 

MAGICIAN (maestro; master)

Anagram of (criminal) AIMING A and C (first letter of [at head] CARBINE)

MAGICIAN*
12

Take too much flipping dope, ecstasy and port (6) 

ODESSA (port city in Ukraine)

OD (overdose) + (ASS [fool; dope] + E [ecstasy drug]) reversed (flipping)

OD (E SSA)<
14

The thing I just said‘s rubbish, husband admitted (4) 

THAT (the thing I just said)

H (husband) contained in (admitted) TAT (rubbish)

T (H) AT
15

People like me cause inns to be smashed up (9) 

NUISANCES (‘The setter ‘Harry’ Hoskins obviously considers himself to be a NUISANCE possibly based on the verb ‘to harry’ [pester; torment])

Anagram of (to be smashed up) CAUSE INNS

NUISANCES
18

Weapons for some in a rut said costly instruments (9) 

DEERHORNS (weapons used by stags when fighting for supremacy over a group of female DEER during the rutting season)

DEER (sounds like [said] DEAR [expensive]) + HORNS (musical instruments)

DEER HORNS
19

Fancy I must open large barrel, wanting gallon (4) 

LIKE (fancy)

I contained in (must open) (L [large] + KEG [barrel] excluding [wanting] G [gallons])

L (I) KE
22

Courage and what one might find it in? (6) 

BOTTLE (courage)

BOTTLE (somewhere you might find Italian vermouth [It])  double definition

BOTTLE
24

Some ‘disc roll errors’ in down browser? (8) 

SCROLLER (one who moves up and down a graphic image on a screen, such as an Internet user)

SCROLLER (hidden word in [some] DISC ROLL ERRORS)  I am not sure what purpose the word ‘down’ has in the clue

SCROLLER
26

Harry Hoskins’ left a Parisian to get drug (9) 

IMPORTUNE (press or urge with repeated requests [to get drugs perhaps])

I’M (I am [said Harry Hoskins, setter]) + PORT (left side of a ship going forward) + UNE (a French form of an [one])

IM PORT UNE
27

Writer grabbing hold of engineers in Pride (5) 

PREEN (to pride [oneself])

PEN (writer) containing (grabbing hold of) RE (Royal Engineers)

P (RE) EN
28

Fine Happy Mondays dancer out of his head in city abroad (3) 

FEZ (city in Morocco)

F (fine) + BEZ (dancer in the Happy Mondays group) excluding (out of) B (first letter [head])

F EZ
29

Try gin and it mixed by tenor: extremely tasty substance? (5-6) 

NITTY GRITTY (basic or essential details; substance)

Anagram of (mixed) TRY GIN and IT + T (tenor) + TY (outer letters of [extremely] TASTY)

NITTY GRI* T TY
Down  
1

A locum tucking into teetotal shot (7) 

ATTEMPT (a try; a shot)

A + (TEMP [locum] contained in [tucking into] TT [teetotal])

A T (TEMP) T
2

Note Russian fighter is on speed in Settle again (9) 

REMIGRATE (change habitat and settle again)

RE (note of the tonic sol-fa) + MIG (Russian jet fighter plane) + RATE (speed)

RE MIG RATE
3

Smoke methamphetamine under Dutch railway (3,3) 

DRY ICE (solid carbon dioxide, which changes directly into vapour at -78.5 degrees Celsius, and is exploited in the theatre, the dense, swirling, floor-level white cloud or smoke it produces on evaporation creating a spectacular stage-effect)

D (Dutch) + RY (railway) + ICE (an illicit drug, a highly synthesized form of methamphetamine)

D RY ICE
4

Mindless decisions of nob in rear hurt SAS at front (2-8) 

NO-BRAINERS (decisions requiring no mental effort; mindless decisions)

NOB + an anagram of (hurt) IN REAR + S (first letter of [at front] SAS

NO B RAINER* S
5

Dude getting rude ultimately causes shock (4) 

MANE (shock of hair)

MAN (dude) + E (last letter of [ultimately] RUDE

MAN E
6

Wag seen with lag all over the papers and TV? (8) 

COMEDIAN (wag)

CON (prisoner; lag) containing (all over) MEDIA (papers, TV etc)

CO (MEDIA) N
7

Good girl in The Mirror? (5) 

GLASS (mirror)

G (good) + LASS (girl)

G LASS
8

Flatulence kills folk unable to shut traps! (7) 

GASBAGS (people who talk a lot; people unable to shut traps [mouths])

GAS (flatulence) + BAGS (kills [a animal being hunted usually])

GAS BAGS
13

Main Cameron policy "by egoistic fools" (3,7) 

BIG SOCIETY (name of an important government initiative when David Cameron was Prime Minister)

Anagram of  (fools) BY EGOISTIC

BIG SOCIETY*
14

Cold in the extreme? Cold and peaky in the extreme! (9) 

CHILLIEST (coldest; cold in the extreme)

C (cold) + HILLIEST (have the most peaks; peaky in the extreme)

C HILLIEST
17

Issue rebuked soldiers brought about Latin navy (8) 

CHILDREN (issue)

([CHID {rebuked} + RE {Royal Engineers; soldiers}] containing [brought about] L [Latin]) + N (navy)

CHI (L) D RE N
18

Take away budgie smugglers or pump for answers? (7)

DEBRIEF (gather information, especially from soldiers, spies, etc, at the end of a mission or activity; pump for answers)

DE– (take away) + BRIEF (mens’ close fitting swimming trunks known in Australia in particular as budgie-smugglers.  BRIEFs are usually referred to with an s, but in the case of taking off clothing in this wordplay, the singular BRIEF is appropriate)

DE BRIEF
20

Royal suggestive about knight’s tendency to sin? (7) 

ERRANCY (tendency to make mistakes; tendency to sin)

ER (Elizabeth Regina; queen; royal) + (RACY [indecent; suggestive] containing [about] N [knight in chess notation])

ER RA (N) CY
21

One making barrels of cash primarily loves a … (6) 

COOPER (person who makes barrels)

C (first letter of [primarily] CASH + OO (two characters representing zero or nothing [love score in tennis] giving loves) + PER (each;a)

C OO PER
23

… gem tense old man smuggled into Australia (5) 

TOPAZ (precious stone; gem)

T (tense) + (PA [father; old man] contained in [smuggled into] OZ [Australia])

T O (PA) Z
25

Stand out around statesmen at summit as moral (4) 

JUST (moral)

JUT (protrude; stand out) containing (around) S (first letter of [at top; at summit] of STATESMEN)

JU (S) T

28 comments on “Independent 10914 / Hoskins”

  4. A couple of points on parsings:-

    We had “Harry” as the definition in 26a, with UN for “a Parisian” and E for “drug”.

    Also, in 22a, we thought of Courage beer as being the thing found in bottles, though “It” works at least as well, of course.

    Thanks to Hoskins for the entertainment (we’ve just rewatched 7dn, 22ac, 22ac, 7dn) and Duncan for blogging.

  6. Hoskins has almost outdone himself today with references to the dark underbelly of (the BIG) SOCIETY. DRY ICE in particular. I loved the anagram for AERODYNAMIC. Not sure why Hoskins thinks he’s a NUISANCE. Although, on the downside, I’m not a fan of DEERHORNS – have never heard them called anything other than antlers but there you go. I was vaguely aware of a dancer with a band (in my day it was Stacia!) but FEZ was the only possible answer, given the theme.

    Thanks for the laughs Hoskins and Duncan for the blog. (I shall now press Post and see if the penny has dropped)

  7. More just like that please Hoskins!

    I’m especially pleased to have spotted a theme as I rarely do.

    Thanks for the blog Duncan

  8. Great theme. TOMMY COOPER, JUST LIKE THAT, FEZ, GAG, COMEDIAN, MAGICIAN, BOTTLE & GLASS. Did I miss any?

    According to QI, he wore a tarboosh, not a fez, but Chambers defines “tarboosh” as “a fez”, so I’m happy either way.

  10. On parsings, I thought of Courage beer, but decided it was more likely to be a reference to dutch courage.

    For 26 ‘to get drug’ is actually unnecessary, but I assumed Hoskins couldn’t pass up the opportunity for another drug reference.

  11. I recall a TV interview with Tommy Cooper when he reminisced on a visit to Morocco where he was delighted to discover several Fez sellers whose only command of English was the phrase “just like that”. Together with the hand gestures, apparently.

  12. PM I remember a similar anecdote on QI about Cooper trying on a fez or tarboosh which Hovis reminded me of.

    You can find it here

  13. It’s rare to be considered to be too young these days, but thanks for that! Regrettably, I can’t claim to be too young to have never heard of Tommy Cooper. It’s just that my mother didn’t approve of ITV when it first appeared and I think Cooper was seen mainly on ITV channels.. That’s my excuse anyway….

    Thanks also for the different parsing suggestions. They are all better than my suggestions even though mine do work in most cases.

  14. What’s going on with the apostrophe in 26a? Doesn’t Hoskins’ give my, not I’m? Or can Hoskins’ stand for Hoskins is as well as of Hoskins?
    Thanks S&B

  16. Is this Hoskins’ 100th puzzle? We’ve got IOO in the tenth column. Great stuff anyway!

    Thanks Hoskins and Duncan

  17. Blah @12: apologies for the tardiness of my acknowledgment of the clip. Well done for finding that. It might be anecdotal, I guess. Sounds like the same story with different embellishments but lovely nonetheless.

  18. Enjoyed the puzzle immensely & completed without too much bother. Ought to have twigged the theme but was utterly oblivious throughout which is inexcusable really after FEZ. Great fun.
    Thanks all.

  20. Missed the theme as usual but probably enjoyed the solve more as a result, never did find that particular comedian remotely funny!

    Thanks to Hoskins for his usual ‘naughty but nice’ compilation and to Duncan for the review.

  21. No need for apologies PM, it is a lovely story I agree, the sort that should be true, whether or not it is.

    James @14 I think it’s an apostrophe for contraction such as he’s or it’s, so here it should be read as Hoskins is therefore I am or I’m in the first person. There are various rules (and conflicting style guides) regarding use of apostrophes with sibilants for possessives and proper nouns and although I just did a search I can’t find an authoritative source for the same with contractions. I’m is certainly is the correct parsing of the clue, whether it’s correct grammar-wise I’m not 100% certain.

  22. Bizarrely, the first two I got were COOPER and FEZ and I immediately thought of the theme, but then I put the puzzle to one side for several hours and had totally forgotten it when I restarted and it was only when I about to look here that I remembered it.

  23. Blah @14, thanks. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a contracted is given just as an apostrophe without the s following, but it’s typical of my scanty grammar that I don’t know if it’s possible. Many posters here display encyclopedic knowledge of all these intricacies but maybe this a general lacuna.

  24. James, me neither, which is why I tried (unsuccessfully) to find out. Another possibility is that the clue was written as “Hoskins’s” for “Hoskins is”, and was either auto-corrupted or edited with the mistaken assumption that it was a possessive where the additional s does appear to be merely a style choice. I did find sources that say both Hoskins’ and Hoskins’s are valid for the possessive as long as Hoskins is singular. I must admit I would like to know which! Sad eh?

  25. Hoskins’ may be just as valid as Hoskins’s but only as a possessive.
    Hoskins’s can cryptically be interpreted as this possessive, ‘Hoskins is’ or ‘Hoskins has’.
    Hoskins’, however, can not.
    I am totally with James.

  26. Many thanks to Dunc for the blog and to all who solved and commented.

    I had Errancy and Attempt as a couple of looser themed thematic entries and David O has my intended parsings @4. For the ‘down’ in ‘down browder’ I didn’t think browser on its own was enough to lead to ‘scroller’, but ‘a down broswer’ someone who is browsing downwards on/in a browser’ would be using a scroll function. With regard the apostrophe as contraction of ‘is’, I wrote it as I always would write it and didn’t check as who does when they have always done it that way, but if Sil says it is wrong I believe him because Sil is a man wot knows his stuff (and has a sexy pair of thighs to boot – especially when wearing boots that go up to his thighs).

    I think it was asked somewhere above why I thought myself a nuisance in 15a. The answer is that I am a nuisance to all the hooter-cutting Tristrams wot wiv my popping up all over crossworld instead of the anodyne that suits their palates better. After all, it is such a nuisance not to be able to solve the Indy or the Sunday Times or The i or the TLS or The FT when I am in it … of course, I wonder if the poor lambs ever solve and enjoy me when they know not it is me? Now that is the question that should really boggle their puritan noggles and one that I get a great big giggly on just thinking about!

    Anyhoo, for those who like me I’ll be back to take over Phi’s spot on Friday October 22nd with an easyish puzzle so I hope to see ya then. But until, er, then, it be chin chin and cheers from me. 🙂

  28. Hey Simon – nope, not going for two reasons.

    The first is although I am double jabbed and always test myself for Covid prior to going to out, I figured the winter and all the train travelling I would have to do to get there would mean I couldn’t be sure (even though all going know and accept the risk) that I wouldn’t pick it up and bring it in to the meet somehow. I plan to resume meets in the Spring of next year when I hope – variants permitting – that vaccinations and boosters are super high, Covid treatment has come on more, cases will be low due to Spring, and most of the non-vaccinated have already had it and so have some level of immunity themselves without the vaccine.

    The second and more important reason is that it is what would have been my late dad’s 80th birthday over that period so I am going to stay with my silver-haired mum and raise a glass or two to the old man.

    With that said – roll on spring! 🙂

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