Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of June 18, 2022
A tasty item from Mudd with three multi-word answers, several good double definitions, two clues involving “solvers”, and the clever uses of ‘man’ to clue QUEEN and ‘batter’ to clue LID.
My first-in was 2 (RING A BELL) and last 14a (MAE WEST). I needed help to get 19d (JOGTROT).
My favourite is 5 (SETTEES) and I also especially like 13 (GET UP AND GO) and 14a.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | STRAPLESS |
As dress might be with tassels, pair on the outside embroidered (9)
|
| Anagram (embroidered) of TASSELS P[ai]R | ||
| 6 | TIP UP |
Clue finished, flip! (3,2)
|
| TIP (clue) + UP (finished) | ||
| 9 | LUNGI |
One on organ in Indian garment (5)
|
| LUNG (organ) + I (one) | ||
| 10 | HIT PARADE |
Apartheid off the charts (3,6)
|
| Anagram (off) of APARTHEID | ||
| 11 | DRAMA QUEEN |
Short man clutching head in agony, attention-seeker (5,5)
|
| A[gony] in (clutching) DRAM (short) + QUEEN (man, as in chess) | ||
| 12 | SHOE |
Initially seeming happy on expedition, one going on foot (4)
|
| S[eeming] H[appy] O[n] E[xpedition] | ||
| 14 | MAE WEST |
Old player, stitch in side, running back (3,4)
|
| SEW (stitch) in TEAM (side) all backwards (running back) | ||
| 15 | SLEIGHT |
Dexterity shown getting slipper on foot of giant (7)
|
| SLEIGH (slipper!) + [gian]T | ||
| 17 | JOLLY UP |
Cheer when very happy (5,2)
|
| JOLLY (very) + UP (happy) | ||
| 19 | JOURNEY |
Passage where Ashes trophy secured by young native Australian (7)
|
| URN (Ashes trophy) in (secured by) JOEY (young native Australian) | ||
| 20 | RACE |
Ethnic group in competition (4)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 22 | DOUGLAS FIR |
Fluid or gas dispersed in wood (7,3)
|
| Anagram (dispersed) of FLUID OR GAS | ||
| 25 | UNDERWEAR |
Perhaps boxers unfortunately endured war after gumshield finally sent flying? (9)
|
| Anagram (unfortunately) of ENDURE[d] WAR | ||
| 26 | DWEEB |
Some nerd, wee boy, American idiot (5)
|
| Hidden word (some) | ||
| 27 | THEFT |
They publish me? That’s criminal! (5)
|
| THE FT (they publish me) | ||
| 28 | TIT-FOR-TAT |
Vengeful act ultimately fair, three times leader of opposition beaten (3-3-3)
|
| Anagram (beaten) of [ac]T FAIR TTT (three times) O[pposition] | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | SOLID |
Dependable, like that batter (5)
|
| SO (like that) + LID (batter). How does ‘batter’ clue LID? Think of eyes! | ||
| 2 | RING A BELL |
Trigger memory, as Pavlov did for dog? (4,1,4)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 3 | PRIVATE EYE |
Solver Tommy, character by the sound of it? (7,3)
|
| PRIVATE (Tommy) + EYE (homophone of ‘I’) | ||
| 4 | EXHAUST |
Old plastic thus covering a drain (7)
|
| EX (old) + A (a) in (covering) anagram (plastic) of THUS | ||
| 5 | SETTEES |
Those sat-upon solvers, might you say? (7)
|
| Double definition. If crossword compilers are setters then solvers could be settees. It’s a stretch but a clever one. | ||
| 6 | TEAL |
Seen in silhouette, a little duck (4)
|
| Hidden word (seen in) | ||
| 7 | POACH |
Appropriate cook (5)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 8 | PRESENTLY |
Work to contain protest very soon (9)
|
| RESENT (protest) in (to contain) PLY (work) | ||
| 13 | GET-UP-AND-GO |
Leave zip (3-2-3-2)
|
| GET UP AND GO (leave) with the definition in the sense of enthusiasm | ||
| 14 | MAJOR SUIT |
Powerful members of pack get PM on the case (5,4)
|
| MAJOR (PM) + SUIT (case) | ||
| 16 | GENUFLECT |
Leg etc fun to bend – do just that! (9)
|
| Anagram (to bend) of LET ETC FUN | ||
| 18 | PROJECT |
Plan for plane to carry cargo, primarily (7)
|
| PRO (for) + C[argo] in (to carry) JET (plane) | ||
| 19 | JOGTROT |
Remind someone on the left it’s an easy pace (7)
|
| JOG (remind) + TROT (someone on the left) | ||
| 21 | CADGE |
Bum died in prison (5)
|
| D (died) in (in) CAGE (prison) | ||
| 23 | ROBOT |
Machine beginning to break in essence (5)
|
| B[reak] in (in) ROOT (essence) | ||
| 24 | GRIT |
Little stones in bottle (4)
|
| Double definition |
Same experience as Pete this week – I had the same favourites and even had the same FOI and LOI. I can boast that I solved JOGTROT and, in return, I thank Pete for explaining LID.
I agree that Mudd’s double definitions were splendid and I add POACH and GRIT to Pete’s mentions. There were a few places beyond SETTEE where Mudd stretched the English language, but nothing too outrageous for crossword land.
I guess I could have just written “I agree wholeheartedly with Pete – a tasty item” and left it at that.
Double thanks this week to Pete and to Mudd
Thanks Mudd for the weekend amusement. Looking at my copy of this crossword I ticked MAE WEST, JOURNEY, THEFT, EXHAUST, PROJECT, and GRIT as favourites. (I particularly enjoyed GRIT because I actually remembered that “bottle” could mean courage.) Thanks Pete for the blog.
Thanks for the blog , and it has all been said. I will just add MAJOR SUIT for the nice use of pack.