Bertandjoyce are unavailable to blog today so you have to put up with me for a second time this week.
This was a typical Phi puzzle with a good mix of clue types, some with three component parts.
As is often the case when I blog a Phi crossword, I don’t see a theme, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one.
There were two answers, MARK TIME and WEAR AWAY that were split before entry into the grid in symmetrical positions, but I can’t see any link between the entries. 12 of the 26 clue answers began with a D but I think that’s just coincidence. [obviously not! – see Phi’s comment at 5 below) There isn’t a pangram as we are missing J, Q and X.
I liked the clue for DIAMETER at 11 across with it’s definition of ‘from 12 to 6’ I was also taken with the ‘singular conclusions’ device in the clue at 26 across for FISCAL DRAG.
| No | Detail |
| Across | |
| 7 |
Remove restriction from European pistol back in time (10) DEREGULATE (free from controls or restrictions) (E [European] + [LUGER {type of pistol} reversed]) contained in (in) DATE (point in time) D (E REGUL<) ATE |
| 9 /25 |
Make no progress when the results come out? (4,4) MARK TIME (merely keep things going without progressing) MARK TIME (the point [TIME] at which the results [MARKs]) are announced) double definition MARK [TIME] |
| 10 |
About to pierce gem setting, cutting end – an easy matter (6) BREEZE (something delightfully easy) RE (with reference to; about) contained in (to pierce) BEZEL (the part of the setting of a precious stone which encloses it) excluding the final letter (cutting end) L B (RE) EZE |
| 11 |
Servant returned to English terrace from 12 to 6? (8) DIAMETER (straight line passing through the centre of a circle, such as the line through 12 and 6 on a circular clock face) MAID (servant) reversed (returned) + E (English) + TER (terrace) DIAM< E TER |
| 12 |
Relaxation of strained relations not completely covering slip – justification for armaments? (9) DETERRENT (anything that hinders or prevents the use of; specifically nuclear armaments) DETENTE (relaxation of strained relations, especially between countries) excluding the final letter (not completely) E containing (covering) ERR (mistake; slip) DET (ERR) ENT |
| 14 |
Son remains in band (4) SASH (band or scarf worn round the waist or over the shoulder) S (son) + ASH (remains) S ASH |
| 15 |
Hollywood film produced in America in two versions (7) AMADEUS (1984 American [Hollywood]period biographical but fictionalised drama film about the life of Mozart, directed by Miloš Forman and adapted by Peter Shaffer from his 1979 stage play of the same name) MADE (produced) contained in (in) (A [America] + US [United States; America] giving two versions of America) A (<MADE) US |
| 16 |
Impassive cathedral dignitary detaining Dutch father (7) DEADPAN (impassive) DEAN (cathedral dignitary) containing (detaining) (D [Dutch] + PA [father]) DEA (D PA) N |
| 19 |
Rogue hiding piano in trick (4) SCAM (swindle; trick) SCAMP (rogue) excluding (hiding) P (piano) SCAM |
| 21 |
First of Tories brought in to try and secure important region (9) HEARTLAND (area of a country that is centrally situated and/or vitally important) T (initial letter of [first of] TORIES) contained in (brought in to) (HEAR [try, in a court of law] + LAND [obtain; secure]) HEAR (T) LAND |
| 22 |
Child beginning to dismiss response to joke, having missed opening (8) DAUGHTER (child) D (first letter of [beginning to] DISMISS) + LAUGHTER ([hoped for] response to a joke) excluding the initial letter [missed opening] L) D AUGHTER |
| 23 |
Composer heads for dreary violinist over scraping? Not half (6) DVORAK (reference Anton DVORAK [1840 – 1904], Czech composer) DV (first letters of [heads for] each of DREARY and VIOLINIST) + O (over) + RAKING (scraping) excluding the second 3 [of 6; half] letters ING DV O RAK |
| 25 |
See 9 [MARK] TIME |
| 26 |
Singular conclusions in Cardiff glass works – benefit for the Treasury? (6,4) FISCAL DRAG (the means by which the Treasury automatically benefits from any increase in earned income without any actual increase in taxation rates) Anagram of (works) CARDIFF GLASS with each word excluding one of the pair of double letters F and S at the end leaving just one occurrence of the letter (singular conclusions) FISCAL DRAG* |
| Down | |
| 1 / 24 |
Erode article seen in river path (4,4) WEAR AWAY (erode) WEAR (reference River WEAR in North East England) + A WAY (a path) WEAR [A WAY[ |
| 2 |
Merited getting time for violence initially? Ran off (8) DESERTED (abandoned; ran off) DESERVED (merited) with T (time) replacing (for) V (first letter of [initially] VIOLENCE) DESER T ED |
| 3 |
Nobleman appointed to receive King (4) DUKE (nobleman) DUE (arranged; set; appointed [time]) containing (to receive) K (king) DU (K) E |
| 4 |
Unit expert heading off, maintaining skill leading soldiers (10) DEPARTMENT (section; unit) ADEPT (expert) excluding the first letter [heading off] A containing (maintaining) (ART [skill] + MEN [soldiers]) DEP (ART MEN) T |
| 5 |
French city name offered amongst friends in Paris (6) AMIENS (city in Northern France) N (name) contained in (amongst) AMIES (French [Paris] for [female] friends) AMIE (N) S |
| 6 |
Rapacity keeps Australian state area reduced by 50%: grassy area? (10) GREENSWARD (land covered with grass) GREED (rapacity) containing (keeps) (NSW [New South Wales] + AR (2 of 4 [50% reduced letters of AREA]) GREE (NSW AR) D |
| 8 |
Given burden, not small, not well organised (6) ADDLED (confused; muddled; not well organised) SADDLED (burdened) excluding (not) S (small) ADDLED |
| 12 |
Cut joke about revolutionary sex after protest supported by the people (10) DEMOCRATIC (relating to government vested in the people; supported by the people) DEMO (demonstration; protest) + (CRACK [quip; joke] excluding the final letter [cut] K + IT (sex) reversed [revolutionary]) DEMO CRA (TI<) C |
| 13 |
Sought vaguely to interrupt bird violence (5,5) ROUGH STUFF (violent behaviour) Anagram of (vaguely) SOUGHT contained in (to interrupt) RUFF (bird, kind of sandpiper) R (OUGH ST*) UFF |
| 17 |
Particular kind of suit required for ice? (8) DIAMONDS (suit in a pack of cards) DIAMONDS (ice is a term for diamonds or other precious stones) double definition DIAMONDS |
| 18 |
Moustache regulation upheld: plan to get trimmed (6) WALRUS (type of moustache) LAW (regulation) reversed (upheld; down entry) + RUSE (stratagem; plan) excluding the final letter (to get trimmed) E WAL< RUS |
| 20 |
Attractive item in painting finally captured by French painter (6) MAGNET (a piece of metal that attracts items containing iron) G (last letter of [finally] PAINTING) contained in (captured by) MANET (reference Edouard MANET [1832 – 1883], French modernist artist) MA (G) NET |
| 23 |
Diehard missing regular items is no longer active (4) DEAD (no longer active) DIEHARD excluding (missing) letters 2, 4 and 6 (regular items) IHR DEAD |
| 24 |
See 1 [WEAR] AWAY |
Note that the second A in WEAR AWAY comes from ‘article’.
A good challenge, this. Thanks for explaining how the “singular conclusions” worked. A nice device I don’t remember seeing before.
A splendid experience this morning. I solve in numerical order for my first pass through the grid and had to pinch myself when the first 11 clues all went in as fully parsed solves before I had to skip one for later study – and, indeed, 12d did hold out for quite a while. But a very satisfactory and smooth solving experience overall. DAUGHTER = child is fair enough though there are a fair few daughters around who will be too old for that definition.
Thanks Phi and duncan
Why should we get fed up with you Duncan-excellent blog and very fine puzzle.
I’m sure he put DAUGHTER in to see if anyone would bite!
According to Chambers, child = ‘a son or daughter’ – seems fair enough to me.
This was the 500th grid I’ve designed since the Independent allowed setters to do so. There’s a fair few words that can be abbreviated D or d in there.
Brilliant Phi! I don’t like puzzling themes etc. to be revealed too quickly but I wouldn’t have spotted that in 500 months of Sunday. Very clever.
Oh well done. 500 is one heckuva milestone. Chapeau.
Reading Phi’s comment reminded me of the famous lexicographic error that led to Dord being a word in some dictionary or other meaning ‘density’. It was based on a note saying ‘D or d’. I think it was a while before it was noticed.
Congratulations Phi! All very smooth except 26A which I couldn’t see. Obviously it had to be fiscal something, but I’d never heard of ‘fiscal drag’ and put unparsed ‘fiscal deal’, which I found online as a thing in Switzerland! Thanks Phi and Duncan.
Spotted the Ds, and that there was at least one in every row and column of answers. Didn’t spot the D-abbreviated words though. Thanks Duncan, and congrats Phi. Favourite: AMADEUS.
An enjoyable and fairly quick solve. The grid with perimeter unches suggested there might be a nina but it soon became obvious that there wasn’t one, and as Phi’s themes are often difficult to spot we didn’t look too hard for one – and wouldn’t have guessed the 500 connection anyway. Congratulations on the achievement.
Our CoD has to be 26ac for the ‘singular conclusions’ device; similar to ‘half-hearted’, really, but we’d not come across it before. We worked out FISCAL DRAG from the wordplay but had to confirm it in Chambers.
Thanls, Phi and Duncan.
Thanks both. Did not know FISCAL DRAG and still feel uncomfortable with ‘works’ as the anagrind given its position, where ‘worked’ seems right but would fail the wordplay. The discussion around DAUGHTER interests me – I occasionally refer to our two twenty-somethings as offspring, which seems clumsy, therefore given parentage is a contract for life, child seems entirely fair
Thanks to Duncan for standing in for us. We are currently on Shetland.
We guessed FISCAL DRAG once we had all of the crossing letters – not a phrase that sprung to mind but Bert had heard of it.
We looked for a theme but couldn’t spot one. Thanks and congratulations to Phi, a well hidden theme.
Only managed to get round to this late the day but had to chip in to say how much I enjoyed it. Lovely puzzle, Phi, and congrats on the milestone.
And thanks, duncanshiell, for the blog, of course.
Congratulations Phi. I spotted a lot of D’s but didn’t see a pattern so I dismissed its significance. I enjoyed all the clues particularly those where a single letter made the difference like ADDLED and DESERTED. Thanks Duncan for the blog.