Independent 11585 / Filbert

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Filbert must be one of the most prolific Independent setters at the moment.

 

 

 

I really enjoyed solving this puzzle with its themes and variations.  The main theme centered on various examples of the word CARPENTER or CARPENTERS, but there were a few other linked clues as well.  We had some Star Wars, a bit of golf and quite a few trees and types of wood.

I liked the references to Ken Livingstone, John Birt and Greg Dyke, William and Kate [Catherine], as well as the Muppet links.

No Detail
Across  
1

Currently uncle’s wobbly chin OK (2,4) 

IN HOCK (in a pawn shop – a pawnbroker is known as an uncle.  If an item is in a pawn shop, it is with uncle, so uncle’s)

Anagram of (wobbly) CHIN OK

IN HOCK*
4

3 with sexy approach (4,4) 

CHIP SHOT (in golf, an approach shot to the green)

CHIPS (informal term for a CARPENTER [ 3 down]) + HOT (sexy)

CHIP S HOT
10

Wood perhaps flattening itself (3-4) 

NON-IRON (if a golf club is not an IRON, then it is likely to be a wood)

NON-IRON (doesn’t need pressing, so maybe it flattens itself)  couple of cryptic definitions

NON-IRON
11

Couple‘s fifty tattoos deteriorate over time (7) 

LINKAGE (tie; couple)

L (Roman numeral for fifty) + INK (tattoo) + AGE (deteriorate over time)

L INK AGE
12

Number of 3s very happy stripping sides on cupboard (5,2,3) 

CLOSE TO YOU (song [number] recorded in 1970 by The CARPENTERs [3 down] singing duo)

CLOSET (cupboard) + JOYOUS (very happy) excluding the outer letters (stripping sides) J and S

CLOSE T O YOU
13

Maple lasts for ever, unlike fabric IKEA recalled (4) 

ACER (plant of the maple genus)

ACER (final letters of [lasts for] each of EVER, UNLIKE, FABRIC and IKEA) all reversed (recalled)

(A C E R)
14

Supermarket has no parking, can you believe it? (3) 

COO (expressive of surprise; can you believe it)

CO-OP (CO-OPerative supermarket) excluding (has no) P (parking)

COO
15

North American cut bare cedars in street back, for shopkeeper (11) 

TRADESWOMAN (shopkeeper)

(N [North] + A [American] + MOW [cut] + [EDAR {letters remaining in CEDARS when the outer letters C and S are removed (bare)} contained in {in} ST {street}}) all reversed (back)

(T (RADE) S) WOM A N)><
18

Trendy pants Catherine’s gift from Will (11) 

INHERITANCE (transmission from a past generation; gift from a will)

IN (trendy) + an anagram of (pants) CATHERINE

IN HERITANCE*
20

Price reduced for salad (3) 

COS (lettuce; salad vegetable)

COST (price) excluding the final letter (reduced) T

COS
21

Muppet, one exiting English chauffeured car (4) 

ELMO (furry red Muppet monster who lives on Sesame Street)

E (English) + LIMO (LIMOusine; chauffeured car) excluding (exiting) I (Roman numeral for one)

E LMO
22

Cut 6 at right-angles for fair price (6,4) 

SQUARE DEAL (fair and honest transaction)

SQUARE (cut at right angles) + DEAL (fir or PINE [6 down] board)

SQUARE DEAL
26

2’s girlfriend catches fool seeing another woman (7) 

LETITIA (woman’s name)

LEIA (reference Princess LEIA, girlfriend of HAN SOLO [2 down] in Star Wars) containing (catches) TIT (contemptible person; fool)

LE (TIT) IA
27

3’s wife really into Nigella’s wings (7) 

MADONNA (Mary, mother of Jesus, wife of Joseph the CARPENTER [3 down])

MAD ON (really into) + NA (outer letters of [wings] NIGELLA)

MAD ON NA
28

Off-roader provided by Spooner’s bosses at the BBC (4,4) 

DIRT BIKE (off-road vehicle)

DIRT BIKE (Spoonerism of BIRT DYKE.  Reference John BIRT [born 1944] and Greg DYKE [born 1947], both of whom held the post of Director General of the BBC)

DIRT BIKE
29

Fungal problem has doctor turning blue (3,3) 

DRY ROT (decay of timber caused by Merulius lacrymans and other fungi)

DR (doctor) + TORY (Conservative; blue is the colour associated with the Conservative political party) reversed (turning)

DR Y ROT<
Down  
1

As capital might be gripped by congestion, I cycle (5) 

IONIC (relating to an order of Greek architecture characterized by the volute [spiral scroll] of its capital [head or top part of a column])

IONIC (hidden word in [gripped by] CONCESSION I CYCLE

IONIC
2

Spaceman finding ring of light around poles ordinary (3,4) 

HAN SOLO (character [as a space traveller] in the film series Star Wars)

HALO (ring of light) containing (around) (N [North] and S [South] – poles and O [ordinary, as in examinations])

HA (N S O) LO
3

15 grouse on log (9)

CARPENTER (example of a TRADESWOMAN [15 across])

CARP (complain; grouse) + ENTER (log something in a file)

CARP ENTER
5

Healthy nurse takes down 3’s scary picture (9) 

HALLOWEEN (horror film directed by John CARPENTER [3 down])

(HALE [healthy] + EN [Enrolled Nurse]) containing (takes) (LOW [down])

HAL (LOW) E EN
6

Long leg and point (4) 

PINE (yearn; long)

PIN (leg) + E (cardinal point of the compass)

PIN E
7

Electronic eye ached terribly in the morning (7) 

HEADCAM (small video camera attached to a hat or helmet or strapped to the head, used especially to provide video footage from the wearer’s perspective; electronic eye)

Anagram of (terribly) ACHED + AM (in the morning)

HEADC* AM
8

21’s signs of age (4,5) 

TREE RINGS (internal features of a TREE trunk that indicates its age)

ELM O’S is a way of writing the possessive of the entry at 21 across, to be interpreted as ELM [TREE] + OS [RINGS]

TREE RINGS
9

Cancel party after fun fails to start (4) 

UNDO (cancel)

FUN excluding the first letter (fails to start) F + DO (party)

UN DO
14

Butcher held slice cut from joint? (9) 

CHISELLED (cut, possibly from connections between pieces of wood [joint])

Anagram of (butcher) HELD SLICE

CHISELLED*
16

Physicist’s tiny opposite old docked wooden boat (9) 

ANTIQUARK (the antiparticle [opposite ] corresponding to the QUARK [fundamental subatomic particle of special interest to physicists]

ANTIQUE (old) excluding the final letter (docked) E + ARK (wooden boat)

ANTIQU ARK
17

Little old mayor looking embarrassed about second home in Australia (9) 

WEEKENDER (Australian term for a second home or holiday cottage)

WEE (little) + KEN (reference KEN Livingstone [born 1945], former [old] Mayor of London) + RED (looking embarrassed) reversed (about)

WEE KEN DER<
19

Shake the arms, being covered with wood shavings? (7) 

HAMSTER (small rodent often kept as a pet in a hutch lined with sawdust or wood shavings)

Anagram of (shake) THE ARMS

HAMSTER*
20

Recliner on which Charlie sits daily (7) 

CLEANER (a daily)

C (Cocaine; Charlie) + LEANER (recliner)

C LEANER
23

Slugs for example live a short time (4) 

AMMO (slugs are a form of ammunition)

AM (be; exist; live) + MO (moment; short time)  MO could also be described as an abbreviation for [short] MOMENT [time]

AM MO
24

Rose suddenly developed petal (5) 

LEAPT (rose suddenly)

Anagram of (developed) PETAL

LEAPT*
25

Pierce turned willow spindle’s top (4) 

STAB (pierce)

(BAT (a cricket bat is often referred to as the willow) + S [first letter of {top} SPINDLE]) all reversed (turned)

(S TAB)<

 

15 comments on “Independent 11585 / Filbert”

  2. Although I parsed 1d as you did, Duncan, I also noticed that it could be interpreted as gripped by a cycle of ‘CongestION I’.

  3. SQUARE DEAL (I read it a bit differently)
    (a) cut 6=DEAL
    at right-angles=SQUARE
    So as to get the order of the particles right, we should read
    the ‘cut 6 at right-angles’ part of the clue as one block, I think.

  5. A real struggle to begin with, but got there in the end. Took far too long, well beyond the duration of breakfast, but much enjoyed anyway so thanks Filbert and Duncan.

  6. Loved all the LINKAGEs, especially the ELM Os = TREE RINGS trick.
    Brilliant surfaces – PINE is all cricket (pairing with the willow in STAB), CHISELLED all meat.
    Thanks F&d

  7. I’m always happy to see Filbert, and especially glad that his more regular appearances aren’t coming at the cost of quality. This was lots of fun, with the usual invention. DIRT BIKE was a particular highlight.

    Thanks Filbert & Duncan.

  8. Filbert continues to keep the standard high; definitely a setter whose name makes me happy with anticipation when I see it beneath the puzzle. What a superb use of Spooner for DIRT BIKE. I haven’t seen that before. And the ELM O’s is very clever and funny too. I mean, there are just so many superb clues I could nominate – HAN SOLO, LINKAGE, COO, HEADCAM, CHISELLED, HAMSTER (what a definition!), CLEANER, AMMO … And the beautiful LEAPT at the end. Just a delight, start to finish.

    Thanks Filbert and duncan

  9. Thanks both. Struggled only partly owing to a lack of time today, and have gained much illumination here, including ELMO / TREE RINGS combo as mentioned by others. Was hopeful that Harry CARPENTER would make an appearance, if you know what I mean?

  10. Thanks duncanshiell and Filbert.
    Variety of clues, linked references, enjoyed this.

    INHERITANCE
    MADONNA
    HEADCAM
    ANTIQUARK
    CLEANER make.my list.

  11. Too late to add anything but praise for another great puzzle from Filbert and my annoyance with the app which breaks up just as I am finishing the crossword.

  12. I liked the Muppet ref, and TREE RINGs was neat. 3 = CARPENTER was a quick starter which gave a nice way in to several other clues – MADONNA was a very nice connection. Thank you Filbert and duncanshiell.

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