I do not have the time to do all the puzzles I would like to do.
We have such an overwhelming choice of new puzzles each day, plus hundreds, thousands, from earlier days that I have come to pick and choose which to attempt when I get the chance.
I tend to pick my favourite setters, or when I hear of a puzzle that is getting a lot of plaudits, and even then certainly don’t cover all I would like.
This means I often miss new setters when they appear, and there have been a number of new setters in recent months.
I should remember there is a reason why the crossword editor has given a chance to a new setter – there is often something fresh about their style, and let’s face it – new setters really give their early puzzles all the input they can. I hereby resolve to try puzzles from setters I have not seen before more in the future – first day of the year is a convenient place to start even if I hadn’t been doing it due to the blog rota.
As you might guess Raider is new to me and looking back in the website I found there had been only one previous puzzle a few weeks ago, Independent 10943 with a Led Zeppelin IV theme.
What would they serve for Jan 1st?
It turned out to be a puzzle themed on a year. So very suitable for the first day of one.
I clocked the clue for 14D with its massive list of cross references as soon as I started but purposely ignored it until I had a few answers in place. It didn’t take too long to get a handful of answers which included a few of those listed in 14D: 8A, 2D, 12A, 10A and 9D. And before I could start worrying I spotted the link – 3-letter abbreviations for Months and Clue 14 had them listed in order.
Armed with this knowledge many of the remaining clues were solved with surprising ease – even answers like 7D NOVATE came quickly from the expected three letters plus wordplay, although I had never heard of the word and needed to look it up. Soon I had 11 of the 12 “month” answers (I had trouble getting 26A “SEP” ) and thought it was worth tackling 14D itself – no joy. It took getting 21D PERIOD to understand the wordplay leading to THE YEAR DOT.
It certainly wasn’t over then – there were about half dozen remaining gaps that needed filling and some of these proved very tough indeed.
26a HOSEPIPE appeared after getting a couple of crossing letters and becomes my favourite clue (I’m a sucker for a bit of crude humour in the surface reading).
24D JEEZ caught me with its minimal definition.
13A SHIFT KEY had me puzzling the longest – the crossing letters got me. I obsessed upon S_I_T giving SAINT somebody who might be patron of some capital city or “generation” in its broadest sense.
Finally, 19D just had to be FIXATED with its TAXI reversing northwards – but what’s this – a clash of crossing letters with 25A which I had written in as ENTIRETY (poorly parsed).
25A became the last clue solved, corrected to ALTERITY which I had also never heard of.
So ends a puzzle worthy of a New Year Saturday.
I will definitely be attempting Raider puzzles in the future.
Also – it’s a Pangram!
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8 | MARNIE | Schwarzenegger chasing the lead in major Hitchcock film (6) MAR M[ajor] ARNIE (Schwarzenegger). First one in. Is Marnie also a major film, or are all Hitchcock films major films? |
| 9 | CAUGHT ON | Took off coat and hung out (6,2) AUG (COAT HUNG)* AInd: out. Definition in the sense of becoming a success |
| 10 | LIFEBOAT | Rescue craft, if able to anyway (8) FEB (IF ABLE TO)* AInd: anyway. |
| 11 | DISMAY | Shake up trash can (6) MAY DIS (trash, disrespect) MAY (can) |
| 12 | JULIET | Project entertaining porky playgirl? (6) JUL LIE (porky, pork pie / lie CRS) in JUT (project) Definition has “?” because Juliet is a girl within a play |
| 13 | SHIFT KEY | It helps you to generate capital (5,3) Whole clue is a cryptic definition referring to keyboard action. You must press the shift key to type a capital letter. This clue really fooled me – even more so after getting some crossing letters |
| 15 | LEGIBLE | Some feel big election setback is understandable (7) Hidden reversed in feEL BIG ELection. Hidden Indicator: some. Reverse Indicator: setback |
| 17 | BASENJI | Breeder’s top setter bites jeans – naughty dog! (7) B[reeders] (JEANS)* AInd: naughty, + I (setter) |
| 20 | APRES-SKI | Half kiss a crush before evening of fun (5-3) APR A PRESS (a crush) KI[ss] |
| 22 | OCEANS | Masses from the Deep South (6) OCEAN (the deep) S[outh] Why do I feel short-changed by this clue? |
| 23 | TROJAN | Surprisingly, disheartened janitor is hard worker (6) JAN (JAN[i]TOR)* AInd: surprisingly. |
| 25 | ALTERITY | State of otherness that’s found close to 13, become weary about unknown (8) ALT (close to 13, 2nd half of 13A KEY: Ref. “Alt” key), then TIRE< (become weary, about), then Y (unknown) Last one in. Another keyboard reference. I did not know this word (answer is a link to Wiki) |
| 26 | HOSEPIPE | Bed wetter pees uncontrollably over character behind house (8) SEP HO[use] (PEES)* AInd: uncontrollably, around (over) PI (character) The beds involved will be flower beds. Hilarious surface reading |
| 27 | VOODOO | The clap shared between two old couples is a magical thing (6) VD (the clap, Venereal Disease) mixed in with two pairs of OO (two old couples) |
| Down | ||
| 1 | LATITUDE | Student making love with undies regularly spread (8) L (student) AT IT (making love) U[n]D[i]E[s] I wonder about the definition here but suspect both spread and latitude are probably covered by “area of influence” |
| 2 | INDECISIVE | Dives in ice after slipping on the fence (10) DEC (DIVES IN ICE)* AInd: slipping. |
| 3 | RESORT | Rearrange spa visit (6) Double definition: RE-SORT (rearrange) and RESORT (spa visit) |
| 4 | ECSTASY | E-cigarette’s case stays in need of repair (7) (C[igarett]E + STAYS)* AInd: in need of repair. Def. in just the first “E” |
| 5 | QUADRIGA | Contract muscle to fix a four-horse chariot (8) QUAD[riceps] (muscle, contracted) RIG (fix) Looks like the clue could use an “a” before the definition. Edit: There was an “a” in the clue all along – I must’ve lost it while cut’n’pasting |
| 6 | WHYS | Read out sensible explanations (4) Homophone “wise” (sensible) Homophone Indicator: read out. Definition as in “Whys and wherefores” |
| 7 | NOVATE | Tax-free scheme’s ending to replace agreement (6) NOV NO VAT (tax-free) [schem]E Another word I had to look up: A Novated Lease has been transferred by agreement of all concerned, normally covered by tripartite contract. |
| 14 | THE YEAR DOT | Beginning parts of 23A, 10A, 8A, 20A, 11A, 18D, 12A, 9A, 26A, 22D, 7D, 2D and 21D (3,4,3) The first 3 letters of each month can be found in those 12 answers thus comprising THE YEAR, and finally 21A is PERIOD thus DOT |
| 16 | LOSING IT | After this, Verity is very close to snapping (6,2) Read the answer as an instruction: Remove IT from VERITY to give VERY |
| 18 | JUNCTION | Raj’s bottom cream is a turn-off (8) JUN [ra]J UNCTION (cream) |
| 19 | FIXATED | Hell-bent agent commandeers cab travelling north (7) FED (agent) around TAXI< (cab, travelling north) |
| 21 | PERIOD | Stretch and point across the pond (6) Double Definition Stretch can be a period of time, a point or full stop symbol is called a period in US |
| 22 | OCTAVE | One covered in scales swimming at cove (6) OCT (AT COVE)* AInd: swimming. Excellent definition |
| 24 | JEEZ | My Zoom employee evaluation: “Jolly at first, then all upset” (4) Z[oom] E[mployee] E[valuation] J[olly] all reversed (upset) Definition is just “My!” is an exclamation |
A wonderful tour de force to start the year. A somewhat different solve for me compared to our blogger. I saw SHIFT KEY immediately and guessed THE YEAR DOT quite quickly which gave me PERIOD and soon the month theme became evident helping the solve substantially. Still took a while though and I ended up cheating to get RESORT (wasn’t sure what ‘visit’ was doing).
ALTERITY & QUADRIGA were both new to me but easy to guess.
After completion, I thought surely this can’t be a pangram as well and sure enough it was.
Should add that ‘Beginning’ should be underlined in 14d.
My second puzzle of the year, having completed the Guardian Prize earlier. (Hovis – if you have time, give it a go). What a strange experience.
Splendidly incorporated theme – very cleverly done and I missed it until the very end and, even then, it didn’t help me get THE YEAR DOT so that’s 1:1 between setters and I so far in 2022. I’d agree OCEANS is the only weakly clued entry here but, over and above the theme and pangram, it is more than made up for with the glorious definition of HOSEPIPE. It’s so good, I have to wonder whether it’s ever occurred to another setter but I’m not going to look and will happily let Raider take the credit. It’s been a good move across from MyCrossword.com.
Thanks Raider and the time-starved beermagnet
A great crossword to start the year – I spotted both the theme and the pangram –
Thanks to Raider (whoever you are!) and beermagnet
Happy New Year to All
PostMark @3. Have already had a go at Brendan although I’m still missing a couple. All parsed bar two, as you might say.
[Ha, Ha. As you well know, I once did! Talking of which, what a very disappointing ATWIED the BBC have managed to produce. I gave the first couple of episodes a go but it’s very weak, despite some decent actors]
Great puzzle, very clever idea plus a few chuckles. Had similar problems to beermagnet with thinking about SHIFT KEY. Thanks to both and happy new year everybody
I got the ALT part of 25a from the crossers and thought nothing more about it until I came to my LOI, 13a.
Luckily there was no tea tray handy.
I’d already completed Brendan in the Guardian, so the theme became apparent long before I tackled 14d. However, it did help with a few of the twelve I hadn’t yet looked at.
Learnt, but will no doubt soon forget, a couple of new words
Super puzzle, loved 26a, thanks Raider.
I loved this. One of two excellent puzzles today with a similar idea, and both equally well put together.
Cheers to Raider and Beermagnet
I printed it off, and the printed version has the complained of “a” in the clue.
Thick person here – didn’t spot the theme, bunged in THE YEAR DOT just because it fitted and rather lost my way in the NE corner. Now sitting in the dunce’s corner hanging my head in shame.
Top two for me were LOSING IT (very appropriate!) & SHIFT KEY.
Thanks to Raider and to Beermagnet – a very happy New Year to both.
I really liked this-didnt spot the theme but IU did in another puzzle (same theme)
Thanks and HNY to you all
The “a” was there all along in the 5D clue – I must’ve lost it in the blog edit.
“Beginning”, the def. in the 14D clue also fixed, underlined – thanks for pointing that out.
NNI @ Comment 8: I don’t understand your reference to a “tea tray” ?
Challenging but lovely, we loved the penny-drop moment, which helped us fill in some of the missing clues. We spotted the pangram early which helped with ‘fixated’ (we knew there had to be an x). Octave and hosepipe were favourites, German Labradoodle was very proud of guessing the cryptic definition! Scottish Labradoodle was the one to get the theme though 😉 We didn’t know Basenji, Alterity or Novate and weren’t keen on oceans, but overall a spelndid crossword for the first day of 2022.
Happy new year and thanks to Raider and beermagnet!
I took 3d to be a triple definition: RE-SORT (rearrange), RESORT, noun (spa), and RESORT, verb (visit). For the last Chambers gives “to go habitually”.
Respectfully, can posters reflect upon the possibility that some solvers visit blogs of certain puzzles before they have completed others?
Failed on 7D, couldn’t see it at all. Everything else slotted nicely into place, even got ‘The Year Dot’ without knowing why, like others because it fitted. And missed the theme, naturally. Very clever and enjoyable, so thanks Raider and Beermagnet.
This was a challenge, but a very enjoyable one. I started rather well in the NW corner, and wondered if we’d be having a Hitchcock theme after 8A was my FOI.
14D went in after I had 9 of its component clues already, although it very much helped me finish off the grid. Like others, ALTERITY and QUADRIGA (LOI) were new to me. Lovely stuff. Missed the pangram altogether, as usual.
For those making a similar pledge to try new setters in 2022, Raider is also the brains behind the beautiful http://www.mycrossword.co.uk, which allows new setters a place to publish their work (and existing setters, I suppose, to try out new things). They’re self-published, so allow a degree of forbearance, but the ones I have tried have been remarkably error-free. I’d particularly recommend the following:
https://www.mycrossword.co.uk/cryptic/128 (by Raider)
https://www.mycrossword.co.uk/cryptic/201 (by Angel, another Independent setter)
https://www.mycrossword.co.uk/cryptic/265 (a hybrid with 32 clues by 32 different – nearly entirely amateur, as far as I can see – setters)
Thanks Raider and Beermagnet, and happy new year all.
Tom @15. Thanks. That clears up my difficulty with RESORT and I have now learnt a new meaning for the word.
Clever theme, which compensated for some obscure words. In the end, I couldn’t see 4dn, even after a word search. Just couldn’t see what the definition was.
My experience was very much like beer magnet’s, a slow. slow quick quick slow kind of puzzle and a satisfying one to solve (finally) [Although I pay little attention to my score on the App, another glitsch seems to be that I get 100% even when I have had to RESORT to the check button.]
Great puzzle.
Thanks Raider and Beermagnet. This was a great fun solve, some really inventive, clever and downright funny clueing – aside from the bed-wetter, Raj’s bottom cream also raised a schoolboyish smirk. I got 14d from the crossing letters and definition, but couldn’t fathom the relationship to the cross-referenced clues – but that’s because I didn’t get beyond looking at their initial letters… kicking myself now. I did spot the pangram though.
Re 3d, is it not meant to be a triple definition? Rearrange (re-sort)/spa (resort, noun)/visit (resort, verb)
One small gripe, to echo baerchen @16 – can people please not post spoilers to other live puzzles! I’ve only made a brief start on today’s Brendan and hadn’t got as far as sussing any themes. Chiz!
Jim @18 – I heartily endorse your recommendation for Raider’s excellent mycrossword.co.uk site – especially for anyone who fancies trying their hand at setting themselves, as it’s a very friendly and supportive community.
(I’m far too modest to recommend my own contributions to the site, of course! 😉 )
I have been nudged that there was a “live solve” of this puzzle on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1250031259 starting about 1:21
Didn’t she do well
Remember: Brucey was never ironic
Hard work, but an excellent start to the Indy New Year. A theme, a few new words, humorous surfaces and more than a bit of head scratching along the way – everything a cryptic should be.
Thanks to Raider for no. 2 and to beermagnet