Financial Times 17,372 by ARTEXLEN

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Today's FT puzzle was set by Artexlen.

This was what I call a "two pass" puzzle. My first pass of the clues gave me enough crossing letters to work out the remaining answers on my second pass. My favourite clue was the &lit. GOLFER, but there was a lot to like in the puzzle. However, the surface for CLOVE was pure nonsense.

Thanks, Artexlen.

ACROSS
1 BANISHED
Exiled bishop disappeared scratching head (8)

B (bishop) + (v)ANISHED ("disappeared", losing head)
6 SAVAGE
Wild herb carpets outside of villa (6)

SAGE ("herb") carpets [outside of] V(ill)A
9 GOLFER
One has shot with iron between hands (6)

GO ("shot") with Fe (chemical symbol for "iron") between L +R (left and right "hands") and &lit.
10 SECRETED
Hid case of some diamonds on island (8)

[case of] S(om)E + D (diamonds) on CRETE ("island")
11 VEIN
Pronounced conceited streak (4)

Homophone [pronounced] of VAIN ("conceited")
12 HARNESSING
Controlling hens with grains scattered around (10)

*(hens grains) [anag:scattered around]
14 OPERATIC
Choose to accept period in charge of musical show (8)

OPT ("choose") to accept ERA ("period") + IC (in charge)
16 OKAY
Fine book many regularly ignored (4)

(b)O(o)K (m)A(n)Y [regularly ignored]
18 FROM
Out of shape needing runs to be brought forward (4)

FO(r)M ("shape") with R (runs) [brought forward] becomes F(R)OM
19 MINSTREL
Entertainer in street not alien in 1050 (8)

IN STRE(et) [not ET (alien)] in ML (1050 in Roman numerals)
21 PHENOMENAL
Great pub I recalled in mind, bar close to heart (10)

PH (public house, so "pub") + <=ONE ("I", recalled) + MEN(t)AL ("in mind", bar [close to] (hear)T)
22 ORCA
River crossed by unclothed local swimmer (4)

R (river) crossed by [unclothed] (l)OCA(l)
24 LEAPFROG
Nobbled gaoler receiving pressure; fellow’s opening vault (8)

*(gaoler) [anag:nobbled] receiving P (pressure) + F(ellow) ['s opening]
26 SUITOR
Maybe diamonds and gold interested chap (6)

SUIT ("maybe diamonds") + OR ("gold" in heraldry)
27 ATHENA
Olympian great, he naturally boxes (6)

Hidden in [boxes] "greAT HE NAturally"
28 RESIGNED
Was monarch bearing son passive? (8)

REIGNED ("was monarch") bearing S (son)
DOWN
2 AROSE
A sprinkler came into activity (5)

A + ROSE ("sprinkler")
3 INFANTRYMAN
Youngster army trained, new soldier (11)

INFANT ("youngster") + *(army) [anag:trained] + N (new)
4 HARD HATS
Protective covers shielding road in excavation with stone coming up (4,4)

Rd. (road) in HAHA (low ditch, so "excavation") with <=St. (stone, coming up)
5 DISTRICT MANAGER
Regional boss of detective, comparatively tough, catching guy with silver (8,7)

DI (detective (inspector)) + STRICTER ("comparatively tough") catching MAN ("guy") with Ag (chemical symbol for "silver")
6 SICKER
Label with time passing becomes weaker (6)

S(t)ICKER ("label") with T (time) [passing]
7 VEE
Endlessly wind angled object (3)

[endlessly] VEE(r) ("wind")
8 GREENGAGE
Fruit not mature? Check, we’re told (9)

GREEN ("not mature") + homophone [we're told] of GUAGE ("check")
13 SHORTCOMING
Failing torch in smog faulty (11)

*(torch in smog) [anag:faulty]
15 PARCHMENT
Manuscript pieces found under church in passage (9)

MEN (chess "pieces") found under Ch. (church) in PART ("passage")
17 ANALYSIS
Review disrupted Malaysians after mother leaves (8)

*(laysians) [anag:disrupted] where LAYSIANS is (ma)LAYSIANS (MA ("mother") having left)
20 UMBRIA
I’m uncertain on second-class express to north Italian region (6)

UM ("I'm uncertain") on B (second-class, as in B-movie) + <=AIR ("express", to north, i.e. upwards)
23 CLOVE
Inlet encloses tip of lugged bulb section (5)

COVE ("inlet") encloses [tip of] L(ugged)
25 PIE
Pierre’s wrong to skip meal (3)

PI(err)E to skip ERR ("wrong")

19 comments on “Financial Times 17,372 by ARTEXLEN”

  1. Thanks, loonapick, but may I disagree with your comment re 23D? A clove of garlic is a section of the bulb so I see nothing wrong with the clue at all.

    I do take issue with 25D: is a “pie” really a “meal” or just more of a snack?

    The relation between “vein” and “streak” in 11A was unknown to me before today.

  2. I found this sufficiently tricky. I didn’t see how HA HA was ‘excavation’, but I suppose it is when you think about it and VEE for ‘angled object’ went in with a shrug. I also had trouble with PART for ‘passage’ at 15d but it works in the sense of an “excerpt”.

    Should have been the simplest clue today but those letter deletion clues often cause me grief and I spent an unreasonably long time on PIE.

    Thanks to Artexlen and loonapick

  3. Peter @1 – U understood the clue and it does work. My comment relates to the surface – in what way does an inlet have anything to do with a lugged bulb?

  5. Abandoned ship with Tramp’s in the Guardian and had a much nicer time with this one. I couldn’t parse HARD HATS as I had no idea a ha-ha — it’s hyphenated in Collins — is a ditch. Couldn’t work out 2d and entered AWOKE, as I couldn’t think of anything else. Why is sprinkler rose? Are we talking about the garden fitting?

    These were my only issues; everything else went in without a hitch and with plenty of smiles. Good not to be stuck on any obscurities or unknown Britishisms. Thanks Artexlen & Loonapick.

  6. The last puzzle from this setter was a nightmare for me but this one went straight in. Just held up by GOLFER and AROSE where I failed to spot the @lit (!) and had forgotten that sense of “rose”.

    Tx to ARTEXLEN and to loonapick for the usual crisp and helpful blog.

  9. Another one who loved GOLFER.

    Geoff down under @5 the rose on a watering can is the sprinkler fitting.

    Thank you to Artexlen and loonapick.

  10. For me &lit clues tend to be either superb or very iffy with little in between. The clue for GOLFER falls into the ‘superb’ camp.

  15. FrankieG@7 How many crossword enthusiasts does it take to change a light bulb? One but it has to be bright blu and they need to change hands.

  17. Thanks Artexlen. This was gentler than the last offering by this setter and I only missed AROSE, bunging in an unparsed “awoke.” I liked many clues such as SUITOR, ATHENA, RESIGNED, GREENGAGE, and PIE. (Peter @ 1: A Shepherd’s pie is certainly a meal!) Thanks loonapick for the blog.

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