More brilliance from Dac. As good a set of clues as I’ve seen in a long while, although he’s stumped me on 15D!
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SEPTET – PT. in SEE + T(enor) | |
| 4 | TENON SAW – (ONE WANTS)* | |
| 9 | PANICKING – PA + NICKING | |
| 11 | IDAHO – Hidden in florIDA HOlidaymakers | |
| 12 | LISZT – Z (uknown) in LIST | |
| 13 | CONGER EEL – (GONE)* in CREEL | |
| 14 | BENEDICTINE – EDICT in BENIN by E | |
| 18 | PHONETICIAN – (OPEN CHIANTI)* | |
| 21 | CANTONESE – ANT ONES in C (of) E | |
| 23 | IRISH – Hidden in kashmIRI SHepherds | |
| 24 | AWARD – [-presente]D after A WAR | |
| 25 | AMSTERDAM – (TRAMS MADE)* | |
| 26 | SALARIED – ALAS rev. + 1 in RED | |
| 27 | STINGY – STING + [bankruptc]Y | |
| Down | ||
| 1 | SUPPLY – SUP + PLY | |
| 2 | PUNISH – N.I in PUSH | |
| 3 | EXCITABLE – EX + CITABLE | |
| 5 | ENGINE DRIVERS – (VIRGIN SNEERED)* | |
| 6 | ON ICE – [-t]ONIC + [-fridg]E | |
| 7 | SHALE OIL – HALE in SOIL | |
| 8 | WOOLLIES – “Woolies” | |
| 10 | INCONSIDERATE – IRATE about CON SIDE | |
| 15 | CONTINENT – Not sure on the wordplay here – “Europe maybe wants troops out of Gulf” | |
| 16 | SPECIALS – (SPICES)* + AL[-l] | |
| 17 | CORNWALL – COR + LAWN rev. + [apri]L | |
| 19 | BIDDEN – D(emocrat) in BIDEN | |
| 20 | SHIMMY – I’M + M in SHY | |
| 22 | ODDER – RED DO rev. | |
Hi Ali
15dn is CONTIN[g]ENT
I must have been on Dac’s wavelength today as I finished this within the pint.
I took 15D to be CONTIN[g]ENT i.e. G for Gulf out of Contingent for Troops, but it’s one of those clues where the wordplay seems to be in (photographic) negative.
I too found it very enjoyable and very much on the easy side.
Thanks for blogging, Ali. Yes, this seemed to go in relatively easily, so it must have been pretty gentle – but some good surfaces, which I always enjoy with Dac, and a good puzzle for encouraging less experienced solvers like me.
Two questions if anyone can oblige? Like beermagnet, I’m struggling to understand 15dn – if you take G out of CONTINGENT you get the answer, but the clue seems to suggest it’s the other way round.
And if someone could explain how 1ac works in words of one syllabub, thank you.
My interpretation would be “Troops out of gulf” is troops having run of out i.e. missing gulf, which in the phonetic alphabet is G.
Septet is as described in the blog. Notice = (see) has taken tenor, which can be abbreviated to t, gives you seet. You put that around part (pt). A septet is a like a duet but for seven performers.
And obviously troops = contingent.
And “run of out” should be “run out of”.
Good explanation Neal, and a very good puzzle from Dac. I must admit I too thought the clue at 15dn back to front, but you are very convncing.
NealH
Golf is the phonetic representation for G. In this instance G is simply the abbreviation for Gulf (confirmed in Collins but not in Chambers or COED).
My interpretation of ‘out of’ is ‘without’ as in “I’m out of/without luck today”
Thanks, Neal, I can see both now. Didn’t know T for tenor. I think it’s golf in the phonetic alphabet, but I’ve seen G for Gulf before in crossword language, so that makes sense.
Sorry, Gaufrid, you obviously type faster than I do …
I think either of your interpretations of ‘out of’ would work for me.
I think you could read “troops out of Gulf” like “a shop out of sugar”.
Just looked in Collins and see they give this as an example!
I’d add to the above (#12) that the surface reading, which is excellent, is, I guess, meant to mislead.
Must have been easy,I finished it! Came back after walking dogs at 2 .Finished before 3.(Great for me!)
15d. Contingent minus the G