The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/29086.
I seem to get more than my fair share of Qaos to blog, but I am definitely not complaining. As always, there is a theme, which I identify as centred on 16D 26A TRAFALGAR SQUARE. The thematic material seemed a little thin on the ground, until I spotted the FOURTH PLINTH. SHIP might also be included, but it is tangential to the others.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | MONUMENT |
Memorial day, you intended to say (8)
|
| A charade of MON (‘day’) plus U MENT, sounding like (‘to say’) ‘you’ MEANT (‘intended’). | ||
| 6 | SHELLS |
Attacks oil company gaining the last in profits (6)
|
| A charade of SHELL (‘oil company’) plus S (‘the last in profitS‘). | ||
| 9 | SEVENS |
Just during the weekend game of rugby (6)
|
| An envelope (‘during’) of EVEN (‘just’) in SS (Saturday and Sunday, ‘the weekend’). | ||
| 10 | EMISSION |
Issue action on the internet? (8)
|
| The usual E- prefix for ‘on the internet’. | ||
| 11 | BLUDGEONS |
Britain’s unfortunately long used to strikes (9)
|
| A charade of B (‘Britain’) plus LUDGEONS, an anagram (‘unfortunately’) of ‘long used’. | ||
| 13 | OTHER |
Different? Or what two relations have in common (5)
|
| The ‘two relations’ would be mOTHER and brOTHER. | ||
| 15 | BOTTLE |
Courage felt to be shown in recession (6)
|
| A hidden reversed (‘shown in recession’) answer in ‘fELT TO Be’ | ||
| 17 | FOURTH |
United breaking out of position (6)
|
| An envelope (‘breaking’) of U (‘united’) in FORTH (‘out of’). The fourth position is a ballet term. | ||
| 18 | REALLY |
Certainly join forces again? (6)
|
| RE-ALLY. | ||
| 19 | NELSON |
Hold new Lemsip at first to stop runny nose (6)
|
| A charade of N (‘new’) plus ELSON, an envelope (‘to stop’) of L (‘Lemsip at first’) in ESON, an anagram (‘runny’) of ‘nose’; for the wrestling hold. | ||
| 21 | SAGAS |
Stories from Johannesburg’s exciting event? (5)
|
| A charade of SA (South Africa, ‘Johannesburg’) plus GAS (‘exciting event’). | ||
| 22 | ALLERGIES |
Everyone’s powers drop 25% with abnormal reactions (9)
|
| ALL [en]ERGIES (‘everyone’s powers’) dropping EN, 25% of the second word (and with perhaps an extended definition). | ||
| 25 | KING JOHN |
Ruler once capturing Major without volunteers (4,4)
|
| A charade of [ta]KING (‘capturing’) minus TA (‘without volunteers’ – as usual, crosswords overlook that the Territorial Army is no longer so called in the UK, but it is still a force in India) plus JOHN (‘Major’ onetime PM). | ||
| 26 | SQUARE |
Settle2 (6)
|
| Solving this was not made any the easier by the version I use rendering the 2 as shown, rather than as a superscript (which is needed, and which appears as such on the Guardian site); an ingenious double definition. | ||
| 28 | SNARED |
Answer back communist to get caught (6)
|
| A charade of SNA, a reversal (‘back’) of ANS (‘answer’) plus RED (‘communist’). | ||
| 29 | HANDSOME |
Large cab carrying 500 east (8)
|
| A charade of HANDSOM, an envelope (‘carrying’) of D (Roman numeral again, ‘500’) in HANSOM (‘cab’); plus E (‘east’). | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 2 | ONE |
Rising opera company produces single (3)
|
| A reversal (‘rising’ in a down light) of ENO (English National ‘opera company’) | ||
| 3 | UPEND |
Writer dipping into funds occasionally for turnover? (5)
|
| An envelope (‘dipping into’) of PEN (‘writer’) in UD (‘fUnDs occasionally’). The definition needs to be read as two words, hence the question mark. | ||
| 4 | EASTER LILY |
Flower in field regularly surrounded by wind (6,4)
|
| An envelope (‘surrounded by’) of IL (‘fIeLd regularly’) in EASTERLY (‘wind’). | ||
| 5 | THE END |
Final song by Jim Morrison’s group? (3,3)
|
| Double definition, the second being the track by The Doors. | ||
| 6 | SHIP |
Send head of security in (4)
|
| A charade of S (‘head of Security’) plus HIP (‘in’). | ||
| 7 | EASY TERMS |
Festival buys Glastonbury ultimately with master’s payment plan (4,5)
|
| A charade of EASYTER, an envelope (‘buys’) of Y (‘GlastonburY ultimately’) in EASTER (‘festival’); plus M’S (‘master’s’). | ||
| 8 | LOOSE CHANGE |
Flying solo over Spain to transfer money (5,6)
|
| A charade of LOOS, an anagram (‘flying’) of ‘solo’ plus E (‘Spain’) plus CHANGE (‘transfer’). | ||
| 12 | LIBERTARIAN |
A believer in free will is an irritable fool! (11)
|
| An anagram (‘fool’) of ‘an irritable’. | ||
| 14 | FOREPERSON |
Supervisor‘s requirement to play bridge, say? (10)
|
| Bridge is a FOUR-PERSON (‘say’) game. | ||
| 16 | TRAFALGAR |
Rising artist’s skill covering wrong flag in battle (9)
|
| An envelope (‘covering’) of FALG, an anagram (‘wrong’) of ‘flag’ in TRAAR, a reversal (‘rising’ in a down light) of RA (‘artist’) plus ART (‘skill’). | ||
| 20 | PLINTH |
Top six in Premier League, including Newcastle, thank home support (6)
|
| First letters (‘top six’) of ‘Premier League Including Newcastle Thank Home’ | ||
| 23 | GLUES |
Sticks with muscles, not bone (5)
|
| GLU[t]ES (‘muscles’) minus the T (‘not bone’ – “T-bone steak”). | ||
| 24 | GOOD |
£100000500 ain’t bad! (4)
|
| A charade of G (‘£1000′) plus OO (’00’) plus D (Roman numeral ‘500’). | ||
| 27 | RUM |
Peculiar drink (3)
|
| Double definition. |
Thanks, Qaos and PeterO!
Liked FOURTH, REALLY, KING JOHN and SQUARE (quite innovative).
Thanks Qaos and PeterO, I thought this was on the simpler side for a Qaos puzzle. Some clues like ONE and RUM really were write ins, I even saw the theme when I remembered to look for it afterwards. I also liked SQUARED also EASTER LILYS and SAGAS.
Thanks Qaos. My top picks were MONUMENT, the well hidden BOTTLE, THE END, SHIP, and FOREPERSON. When I saw EASTER LILY and Easter in EASY TERMS I thought that an Easter theme might be in the works but this is June after all and TRAFALGAR SQUARE set me straight. Thanks PeterO for the blog.
Nice puzzle, ta both. Thought there might be some lions and a column, but at least there was a plinth. [13ac reminds me of CS Peirce saying that any 2 entities a and b must have at least one thing in common (something like their non-ab-lessness, but I’m ad libbing) …]
I think the theme is the various artworks that have graced the FOURTH PLINTH.
MONUMENT by Rachel Whiteread
ONE & OTHER
NELSON’S SHIP IN A BOTTLE
THE END
Maybe more?
Also REALLY GOOD.
A really good puzzle, thank Q & P
Also REALLY GOOD
Beaten to it. Should have checked before posting.
Agree with NICBACH @2.
Ta Qaos & PeterO.
Hmm, thanks eb, dnk rhe fourth plinth story.
Thanks for the elucidation eb. Also unaware of the 4th plinth.
Thanks to Qaos and PeterO.
Enjoyed this, but I don’t know why. Given some of the tricks used, it should have irritated me, like the Paul the other day, but instead they made me smile. Maybe my thumping headache this morning has mellowed me.
Thanks Qaos and PeterO
I found this the easiest puzzle for some time, though I forgot to look for a theme.
I suppose you either know the Doors track or you don’t – I did, but I expect the clue will be a bit puzzling for anyone who doesn’t.
It just grated slightly to have EASTER in 4d, then “easter” in the wordplay for 7d – I even doubted I had the latter right. Perhaps he could have made an explicit link between the clues instead?
Apart from that, a high standard of clueing. No particular favourite.
I was wondering whether SNARE DRUM was one (well, two) of the themesters, but only found a pretty tenuous connection here.
If asked about a track titled THE END, I would direct you to Abbey Road.
Thanks PeterO, particularly for explaining “Settle2. I could only think it referenced 2d – ONE – which (coincidentally?) is a square.
There were several I struggled to parse, but all fair enough when I got there or read the explanation here, and a couple of definitions I didn’t know, like fourth.
14 felt a bit clumsy to me. Four people is the requirement, surely? But the intention was clear.
I had untied originally for 17 with the definition “out of position” which kind of works; it’s clumsy but no worse than 14 in my opinion.
I got to 4 by the wrong route – with a few letters in I had aster for flower, I put il in the second word and was trying to put something meaning wind round it all before the answer jumped out at me. Another unknown definition.
I didn’t think FOURTH needed to refer to ballet; it’s just a position.
“How did you do?”
“I came fourth”
The world is becoming a less predictable place, isn’t it? Since when was Friday the day for the easiest puzzle of the week? Much more straightforward than this setter’s usual offerings too, I thought. The first half-dozen across clues were pretty much write-ins, which given the friendliness of the grid made for a quick solve.
I was clueless about the theme, I’m afraid, but I usually forget to look for one anyway.
Thanks to Qaos and PeterO.
I also agree with NICBACH @2. Two EASTERS (although one was – ly) and two 500s seemed a bit much, but there were plenty of different constructions to compensate.
Favourites were BOTTLE (very well hidden), PLINTH (unusually good initial letters clue), LIBERTARIAN (surface!) and SHIP and GLUES were imaginative clues for short words.
Isn’t FOREPERSON a ridiculous word!
I spotted a link between NELSON and TRAFALGAR as I was passing through, but forgot to look any further, as usual.
Thanks to S&B
For a long time I wondered whether Contractor might fit the bill for the bridge supervisor at 14d, which held things up considerably. I never usually twig the theme, but lo and behold, with NELSON and then SQUARE and then PLINTH slipping into place I was off searching for TRAFALGAR. Thanks Qaos and PeterO this morning…
Good fun and many of the same ticks as others have mentioned. I quite like clues that echo each other so didn’t mind the EASTERs etc.
I wasn’t wholly convinced by FOREPERSON – I thought the “say” was a homophone indicator but the requirement to play would be FOUR PERSONS ? If “say?” is a DBE then what’s the requirement to play doing? I did try and cure the common cold with Aperol Spritz last night so I may need more caffeine
Cheers P&Q
I enjoyed this without correctly identifying the theme – with SHIP and RUM in there I just assumed it was a general NELSON thing. Well done to essexboy @5 for spotting the full extent of it.
I liked REALLY and SHIP, both very neat and simple (in a good way). On the other hand, I’m not sure if I’m missing something in SQUARE – does the surface actually mean anything? And doesn’t the superscript 2 mean “squared” rather than “square”, as in 15² for the name of this site?
Thanks Qaos and PeterO.
Thought that was fun.
Favourites included: EASTER LILY, GLUES, GOOD, HANDSOME, NELSON SQUARE
Thanks Qaos and PeterO
… foreperoffspring … 😉
LJ @23, I had the same thought re SQUARE, but then thought (six foot square) = (6 ft)² = 36 ft².
And of course 6 m² is six square metres.
I think 26 is fine, Lord Jim@23. Verb not adjective. If you raise something to the power of 2 you square it.
[ginf @25, I always say fo’p’s’n]
Favourites: GOOD, KING JOHN, BLUDGEONS, SHIP, SQUARE, FOREPERSON (loi).
New for me: rugby SEVENS.
Thanks, both.
Saw the makings of a theme when I had finished the puzzle – Trafalgar Square, Nelson, monument, plinth. Thanks for the extra info from essexboy@5
At least Qaos managed to clue KING JOHN without reference to chesspersons.
Didn’t spot the theme (forgot to look) but now I have I can see it’s ingenious. Liked KING JOHN best. Thanks to both.
Thanks for the blog and MrEssexboy@5 for all the extras on the theme, I thought it was going to be Monopoly. ( If you want to see a really esoteric, intellectual theme look at the FT Monk blog from Wednesday ).
Some nice ideas in the clues, I did like FOREPERSON , card games are categorised and it is usually 4-player, but I have seen references to 4-person card games.
Thanks essexboy and MikeB @26 and 27. Still not sure about the surface though…
[eb @28: 🙂 . I remember a Round the Horne sketch when the Kenneth Horne character has been drugged and shanghaied, and he wakes up and asks where he is, and is told, “You’re in the evil-smelling fo’c’sle of Captain Ahab’s ship, and these evil-smelling folks’ll be your shipmates”.]
Thanks Peter and Q.
The theme was a mystery to me as usual.
Much to like though more straightforward than usual for a Friday.
The FOURTH position is also a term for us classical guitarists, I did not know the ballet term.
The grandkids are in the pool, the beer cold and the sun is shining, so all good on holiday in Menorca.
Well done essexboy@5&6 for spotting the theme. I’d connected SHIP and BOTTLE, but nothing else, apart from the obvious.
Rachel Whiteread’s House was on the road I grew up on.
Liked 24d GOOD – “”£100000500” – a grand, oo, and a monkey ain’t bad! – ‘andsome.
SEVEN[ sea]S and [sea]SHELLS continue a marine subtheme.
Re 17 across – For less cultured types like me fourth is also where Liverpool F.C. failed to finish this season,
Lord Jim@33 🙂
Your mention of Round the Horne brought back to mind Julian (Hugh Paddick) and Sandy (Kenneth Williams) travelling the world by ship,
Sandy reveals Julian was swept overboard in a storm:
Horne: “But did you manage to drag yourself up on deck?”
Julian: “Ooh, no, we dressed quite casual….”
I started very slowly, but got there in the end all except the parsing of 25A. Thank you Qaos and PeterO
Most enjoyable. Especially as there haven’t yet been complaints about such dated references as Trafalgar and John Major ?
Re comment 39:
The question mark was meant to be a wink emoji but it didn’t quite turn out as intended.
Another good themed crossword from Qaos; thanks to eb@5 for revealing all.
I liked the memorial day in MONUMENT, the surface for BLUDGEONS, the large cab in HANDSOME, and the good anagram to make LIBERTARIAN.
[I’ve only just learnt of the death of Big Dave; if you wish to leave a comment or just read the tributes, they can be seen here.]
Thanks Qaos and PeterO.
Nice end to the week. I Liked PeterO’s theme of five linked clues, but I think essexboy@5 and @6 alternate theme gets the prize.
Thanks to Qaos and PeterO
Foreperson is no more a ridiculous word than foreman. Language lives and evolves alongside changes in society. Altering attitudes to whole sections of global dictionaries that had been based on the most privileged gender will continue. Some words may initially appear somewhat ‘clumsier’, based purely on the number of letters in the word “man” in the English language, but that doesn’t make them absurd or stupid (or any other synonym of ridiculous you want to choose). On the contrary, I would confidently argue that phrases such as madam chairman are ridiculous!
Thanks to Qaos for a lovely puzzle with the added achievement of two possible themes around a common feature. I actually saw PeterO’s version of the theme whilst solving the puzzle, which helped with a couple; I didn’t see essexboy’s version until after completion, but, in agreement with ShropshireLass @42, his is the more comprehensive. Thanks to PeterO as ever for the blog.
[ I omitted to congratulate essexboy for his thematic perception @5. Thanks also to Lord Jim and FrankieG for their bona comments, but nanti plus please]
Off subject but thanks to those who explained how ‘study’ would give ‘con’, yesterday.
There seems to be a confusion of parts of speech in FORE-PERSON/four-person. The requirement would be four persons, no?
Never heard of the FOURTH PLINTH. If the theme includes the travelling artworks on it, that seems truly specialized.
Pleasant puzzle, I enjoyed it, so thanks to Qaos and PeterO.
Wasn’t expecting to finish this after grinding to quite the halt with rather a lot left to get, but eventually it all fell into place, with FOREPERSON and SAGAS my LOIs. Agree with others who say the *requirement* for bridge is ‘four persons’ or ‘four people’. SHIP, OTHER, and ALLERGIES made my podium.
Thanks Qaos and PeterO.
Grand entertainment; thanks both.
The early appearance of NELSON and EASTER LILY (the symbol of those responsible for this columnar extirpation) had me worried that Qaos might be sailing for murky waters, but it all worked out in the end – I even spotted the theme!
Everything I look for and enjoy in a Qaos puzzle. Thanks, Q and PeterO. And essexboy for the additional theme spots – I suspected there would be names of particular things that have appeared on the fourth plinth (would have been a bit light for a Qaos theme otherwise) but it’s not my area of expertise. The only ones I can remember are Alison Lapper Pregnant and my friend Gerald who appeared on the plinth as Godzilla.
Valentine @47 – see Roz @32. It works adjectivally.
[Widdersbel @50 – thanks for the link to Gerald. Wild? Clearly he was livid.]
[eb @51 – I get the reference!]
Wb@50 – Thank you so much for that link. Glorious and joyful. Like a fool I forgot to look for a theme and am annoyed with myself as it would have been one in my area of ken, though Gerald’s creation and fabulous effort were unknown to me…until now – that link being sent to various people who will smile and enjoy.
Big bag of thanks, of course, to Qaos and PeterO for another Friday pleasure.
It seems everyone but me found this easy. The number 4 was my downfall, at 17a and 14d. I thought FOURTH was too loose (Lautrec?) a definition for position. For string players, any number from 1/2 to 12 can be a position. For competitors in this year’s Boston Marathon, any number from 1st to 30,000th would be correct. (Incidentally, I agree with Roz@32 re 4-person as an adjective describing card games such as bridge.)
Nevertheless I thought this puzzle was REALLY GOOD. 15a BOTTLE was a very well-hidden reversal, 24a GOOD was up to Qaos’ high standard for numerical clues, 25a KING JOHN satisfied this old fogey for its ancient references, and I especially liked “during the weekend” in 9a SEVENS.
Thanks Qaos for the fun and PeterO for the necessary help.
I was so certain 24 was MILD [million + D]
1a – I have never come across MON meaning “day”.
I managed to get SHELLS, SQUARE and PLINTH.
Massive failures on every other clue.
7d – how do you get to EASYTER?
Mon, Tue, Wed, etc
Steffen, EASTER is the festival, and PeterO explains how you get the Y (from Glastonbury ultimately) inserted into it.
Thank you guys. Stevie Wonder can see these things better than I can.
Steffen is right, though – while PeterO shows the full envelope: EASYTER, he has neglected to include the component: EASTER in his subsequent parsing. Not a difficult leap, of course, to see the intent.
Only got to this this morning Australian time and am so glad I did! A dleightful challenge from Qaos. And now even though late to the party, I have enjoyed reading over PeterO’s blog and the preceding comments. Missed the theme which means 15² has added even further to my enjoyment of this one. Many thanks to both setter and blogger, as well as to other contributors. [Earworm of my favourite clue THE END (5d) now – what a great song, though it always makes me think a lot about Jim Morrison’s tragic demise – and indeed all those in the 27 Club.]
[Very sorry to learn of Dave Morton’s death – Vale “Big Dave”.]
Steffen @57 and yehudi @61
Apologies for the omission in 7D EASY TERMS – now corrected, if a bit late to be of much use..