Guardian Cryptic 29,238 by Matilda

by

The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/29238.

A good mixture of clue types, with smooth surfaces, but nothing very difficult. Provided you are not offended by a couple of risqué clues, what more could you ask for of a Monday?

ACROSS
1 DEPOSIT
It’s dope? Somehow get payment (7)
An anagram (‘somehow’) of ‘its dope’.
5 DECLARE
State finding dodgy dealer has captured Charlie (7)
An envelope (‘has captured’) of C (‘Charlie’, NATO alphabet) in DELARE, an anagram (‘dodgy’) of ‘dealer’.
9 CHOIR
Singing group many papers reported (5)
Sounds like (‘reported’) QUIRE (‘many papers’).
10 LIMELIGHT
Fruit getting fair public attention (9)
A charade of LIME (‘fruit’) plus LIGHT (‘fair’).
11 BLATHERED
Made a lot of noise about article and talked nonsense (9)
An envelope (‘about’) of THE (definite ‘article’) in BLARED (‘made a lot of noise’).
12 ALLOT
Give much to the audience (5)
Sounds like (‘to the audience’) A LOT (‘much’).
13 LLAMA
South American‘s back in a shopping centre (5)
A reversal (‘back’) of (‘in’) ‘a’ plus MALL (‘shopping centre’).
15 DOWNSIDES
Disadvantages of feather edges (9)
A charade of DOWN (‘feather’) plus SIDES (‘edges’).
18 SWEETCORN
Deride eating awfully twee vegan food (9)
An envelope (‘eating’) of WEET, an anagram (‘awfully’) of ‘twee’ in SCORN (‘deride’).
19 DWEEB
In double bed initially, diminutive nerd (5)
An envelope (‘in’) of WEE (‘diminutive’) in D B (‘Double Bed initially’). Has this word escaped the US (it is in Chambers)?
21 REFER
One way or another, give a citation (5)
A palindrome (‘one way or another’).

Corrected per Tyngewick.
23 DETECTIVE
Find Matilda’s a police officer (9)
A charade of DETECT (‘find’) plus I’VE (‘Matilda’s’).
25 TEA-CHESTS
Instructs Eliot to get boxes (3-6)
A charade of TEACHES (‘instructs’) plus TS (Thomas Sterns ‘Eliot’)
26 ICING
Here in Paris nobody goes for starters of some cake (5)
A charade of ICI (French, ‘here in Paris’) plus N G (‘Nobody Goes for starters’). The “definition” is evident, but I think a little off-centre: ICING may be some part of some cakes.
27 MAESTRO
Mostly metal or otherwise covering tip of superconductor (7)
A lift and separate: an envelope (‘covering’) of S (‘tip of ‘Super’-) in MAETRO, an anagram (‘otherwise’) of ‘meta[l]’ minus its last letter (‘mostly’) plus ‘or’
28 AGAINST
Not in favour of a profit split after vacation (7)
A charade of ‘a’ plus GAIN (‘profit’) plus ST (‘SpliT after vacation’).
DOWN
1 DECIBEL
Bed heaving with lice making a bit of noise (7)
An anagram (‘heaving’) of ‘bed’ plus (‘with’) ‘lice’.
2 PROPAGATE
Shore up an exit and circulate (9)
A charade of PROP (‘shore up’) plus A GATE (‘an exit’).
3 SYRAH
Heartless Harry’s up for wine (5)
A reversal (‘up’ in a down light) of ‘Ha[r]ry’s’ with the middle letter (of Harry) removed (‘heartless’). SYRAH (aka Shiraz, principally in Australia) is a grape varietal, or, as the clue says, a wine made from it.
4 TALK RADIO
Back in Hanoi, dark latte with a chatty broadcaster (4,5)
A hidden reversed (‘back in’) answer in ‘HanOI DARK LATte’.
5 DOMED
As St Paul’s finally said: march up (5)
A charade of D (‘finally saiD‘) plus OMED, a reversal (‘up’ the down staircase) of DEMO (‘march’). Nothing to do with the answer, but in the course of investigating this clue, I discovered that the first recorded version of “Oranges and Lemons” does end with a reference to St. Paul’s.
6 COLLAPSED
Fainted as a result of error in viral illness (9)
An envelope (‘in’) of LAPSE (‘error’) in COLD (‘viral illness’).
7 ANGEL
Rearrange lunch, there’s a dear! (5)
A hidden answer (‘there’s’ – not a trick that I have come across before) in ‘rearrANGE Lunch’.
8 ESTATES
Properties of cars (7)
Double definition.
14 AFTER THAT
Then cracked up at the fart (5,4)
An anagram (‘cracked up’) of ‘at the fart’.
16 WENT TO SEA
Spooner’s dispatched for a tinkle like the owl and the pussycat did (4,2,3)
A Spoonerism of SENT TO WEE (‘dispatched for a tinkle’); the definition is a reference to Edward Lear’s nonsense verse.
17 DIETITIAN
Cube by artist who can manage food (9)
A charade of DIE (‘cube’ – the singular of dice) plus TITIAN (Tiziano Vecelli or Vecellio, ‘artist’).
18 SCROTUM
Where balls are to cast up in rugby formation (7)
An envelope (‘in’) of OT, a reversal (‘cast up’) of ‘to’ in SCRUM (‘rugby formation’).
20 BEER GUT
Corporation’s uncontrolled urge to enter speculation (4,3)
An envelope (‘to enter’) of ERGU, an anagram (‘uncontrollable’) of ‘urge’ in BET (‘speculation’). For those unfamiliar with this meaning of ‘corporation’: look it up. Excellent surface.
22 FLAME
F-feeble fire (5)
A charade of ‘F’- plus LAME (-‘feeble’).
23 DISCO
Nightclub 50% discounted (5)
Just what it says.
24 CHINA
Country tableware (5)
Double definition.

picture of the completed grid

62 comments on “Guardian Cryptic 29,238 by Matilda”

  2. Thank you PeterO. Fully agree with your comment.
    We have wee directly or indirectly in 3 clues, SWEETCORN, DWEEB, and sent to wee in the cute Spoonerism WENT TO SEA.
    The word picture of the surface for DECIBEL made me laugh. So did finding Matilda’s a police officer in DETECTIVES. Who’s policing Matilda? 🙂

  3. My eyes light up when I see Matilda’s name on the crossword, and I wasn’t disappointed today. She demonstrates that quality and difficulty are not related.

    Favourites were 11a BLATHERED (just because I like that word), 5 d DOMED (for the neat construction), the delightful Spoonerism at 16d WENT TO SEA, and 18d for the superb surface.

    Thanks, Matilda for the fun and PeterO for the blog.

  5. PeterO, you’ll be pleased to know I wasn’t offended. 😉

    I always enjoy a good honest puzzle with no ultra-obscurities and requiring no specialist knowledge. This was good fun, thanks Matilda.

  6. Thanks Matilda, I always enjoy your well written clues and sense of humour. My top picks included DWEEB, TEA-CHESTS, MAESTRO, AGAINST, SYRAH, WENT TO SEA, and BEER GUT. Thanks PeterO for the blog.

  7. A lot of fun, right level of challenge.

    Liked WENT TO SEA and SCROTUM. Maybe these were the clues that PeterO thought were risqué, but as I see it, we’re all adults here and body parts and functions are just natural, so I’m glad more and more setters are not afraid to mention them.

    Thanks M&P

  8. Very little in here to offend. When Paul can turn up and horrify the faint-hearted almost any other day of the week, encountering a fart, a couple of wees and some balls is unlikely to discommode many this Monday morning. Likewise, the cluing which is clear, simple and to the point. Nowt to complain about. SWEETCORN my favourite.

    Thanks Matilda and PeterO

  10. I liked this one very much and felt satisfied with my pace and my ability to solve without looking anything up. Thanks to PeterO and Matilda. I agree re others’ favourites with my top ones being the afore-mentioned 25a TEA-CHESTS, 18d SCROTUM and 20d BEER GUT. I also ticked 10a LIMELIGHT.

  11. Only complaint is… now what am I going to do? The morning Graun usually deflects me from less desirable humdrum tasks for an hour or two at least!

  12. [I feel sometimes that Matilda’s setting is similar in style, surfaces and gentleness (and my enjoyment levels) to Nutmeg’s puzzles, which continue to be much-missed.]

  13. Another who’s always happy to see Matilda – I find she sets straightforward Quiptics with amusing surfaces.

    Like WENT TO SEA and St Paul’s being DOMED – @PeterO – but which St Paul’s did the original refer to? (There’s a brilliant geocache that takes the solver to all the churches in Oranges and Lemons, or the sites in some cases, to collect information.)

    Thank you to PeterO and Matilda.

  14. Pleasant enough. If I was a beginner or in a hurry it would have been perfect

    Ticks for SCROTUM, BEER GUT & MAESTRO

    Cheers M&P

  15. Agree with Peter’s assessment. Ideal Monday fare. Likes as per other commenters, and also thought COLLAPSED a very neat envelope. Thanks Matilda for a classy puzzle.

  16. Loved the puzzle – thanks to Setter and Blogger.

    Completely unimportantly – I was told as a child that architecturally St Paul’s isn’t domed it just has a spherical-ish roof. Domes are self supporting (like an arch but rotated on vertical axis) whereas St Paul’s is made from an inner and outer skin over enormous joists. Wren had to do it that way to support his desired huge lantern.

    Still an amazing sight which cheers me every time I see it (most days)

  17. Lovely puzzle, not too taxing (quite a few write-ins, it could have been a Quiptic) and with plenty of good surfaces. Liked SCROTUM, TEA CHESTS and MAESTRO.

    Cheers both.

  18. Quick but pleasant start to the week. I thought BLATHERED and ALLOT was a neat segue and also enjoyed TALK RADIO, AFTER THAT, BEER GUT, SCROTUM and TEA-CHESTS.

    Ta Matilda & PeterO.

  19. Thanks Matilda for a very pleasant solve and PeterO for the blog.

    Checking the history of DWEEB I was quite surprised that its usage seems quite common. For example, in Guardian Crosswords there are around a dozen or so times it has been used, the first being in 2010, and especially in two crosswords on Sep 19 2013 (Tramp) and Sep 7 2011 (Arachne). There are many mentions in many other papers.

  20. Seeing Matilda’s name always cheers me up.
    Normally the quasi-spoonerisms make my heart sink, but Matilda is a classy setter and knows how to do them properly – and, of course, humorously!
    As well as that one, my faves were SCROTUM, DIETITIAN, DOWNSIDES and TALK RADIO.
    Thanks to PeterO for the blog, and Matilda for the fun.
    [Matthew Newell at 16: I’ve actually been up inside that bit of St Paul’s, and the dome’s construction is even more impressive when seen from close-up. A brilliant architect coming up with a brilliant solution to a tricky problem – with the added bonus of making the inner dome shallow enough to please his bosses.]

  23. Lovely to see Matilda back. She has a particularly light touch, if that makes sense. Favourites here were MAESTRO, SCROTUM, and WENT TO SEA.

    Thanks PeterO, and to Matilda – more please!

  24. I’m another who enjoys Matilda Mondays.

    I find myself particularly in tune with Cellomaniac @3 (‘quality and difficulty are not related’), Tony Santucci @6 (‘well-written clues and sense of humour’), Julie @12 (re Nutmeg) and Wellbeck @20 (re Spoonerisms).

    I had a number of ticks but my top favourite was the super conductor MAESTRO – which immediately called to mind Vladimir Ashkenazy, a real delight to watch, as I have had the privilege of doing on several occasions.

  26. My list for the thumbs up this morning would include TEA CHESTS, ICING, MAESTRO, AGAINST, TALK RADIO (COTD for me), ANGEL and BEER GUT. (Rather unpleasant image of that hanging out above 18d). And for a change a straightforward, non-controversial Spoonerism at 16d. Thanks PeterO and Matilda…

  27. Perfectly formed puzzle – a great start to the week. I agree with all of Eileen’s citations @24, including her praise for the lifted and separated superconductor.

    As PeterO observes, ‘there’s’ is a most elegant hidden word indicator.

    Thanks to S&B

  28. Good start to the week (at least for crosswords), which was very enjoyable.

    I liked the wordplays in MAESTRO, DOMED and BEER GUT, and the well-hidden TALK RADIO.

    Thanks Matilda and PeterO.

  29. I read REFER as a double definition – a reference in text, and to refer someone for discipline. Don’t see that use of a palindrome clue too often.

    Let anyone who has not had a smear of ICING as ‘some cake’ cast the first stone!

  30. Nothing too taxing, though I’d never heard of DWEEB. From what DaveEllison @19 says it seems it has come up before; but perhaps before I started tackling these puzzles. With thanks to Matilda and PeterO.

  32. Just a question. Does anyone under 40 still refer to a nightclub as a disco? Not sure any of my grownup daughters ever did.

  34. Comfortable way to start the week. Favorites were DECIBEL for the surface, SCROTUM for the definition, and WENT TO SEA for the childhood memories.

    Bonus: so far nobody has complained that they don’t have “estate” cars in the US. Is that well-enough known among the left-ponded by now?

  38. 18D a sure indicator that you are not doing the Telegraph crossword…

    All good fun. 27a was my fav.
    Thanks

  39. Jacob @34: if you do British crosswords, you learn British words. I’ve seen estate cars drive up in these puzzles so many times that I see no reason to bring it up again!

    Malken @32: disco as a place (as opposed to a music style) has been dead over here since long before the music style became passe. But I can’t speak to the rest of the world–they were still calling their local club a disco when I was in Germany in the late 90s.

  40. Thanks for the blog, very good puzzle, perfect for the Monday tradition , Cellomaniac@3 makes an excellent point. TALK RADIO is very neatly hidden, “to cast up” is clever for SCROTUM and devious use of Playtex for MAESTRO.

  41. Great fun so thanks both.

    [C’mon Steffen – tricky enough for the novice but I hope you’ll enjoy some success with this one.]

  42. OMG – I finished a Guardian cryptic! Favourite was Scrotum (fairly easy for an ex-doc). No way I could have parsed Maestro – just thought Superconductor was a cryptic definition and bunged it in. Thanks Peter O for the blog and Matilda for a confidence boosting puzzle.

  43. Perfect Monday crossword. So much to like – favourites are the fabulous Spoonerism WENT TO SEA, DOWNSIDES and MAESTRO. Thanks Matilda for a fun start to the week and PeterO for the blog.

  45. Thanks both,
    I echo the general appreciation.
    For posterity, the underlining in the blog for 21ac should extend under ‘give a’ as well as citation.

  47. I normally have a look at comments on the last couple of puzzles in the morning to see if there are any newones. I don’t attempt today’s puzzle until around 9.30pm. Alan C’s 18 here appeared @ 96 in the Fed blog which made this even easier. Still enjoyable, though.
    18d reminded me of the time that a friend of my wife’s told her that her litlle boy had a nasty cough and cold and she was worried that he kept swallowing his scrotum.
    Thanks to Matilda and PeterO

  51. I especially liked 7d ANGEL – where we had to lift and separate the splendidly old-fashioned phrase “there’s a dear”…
    – it appears in Jane Eyre and The Railway Children –
    …from its apostrophe-“s” and treat it as “has”
    The only dictionary I could find it in was https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-italian/dear
    ‘post this letter for me, there’s a dear (informal) sii gentile, imbucami questa lettera‘
    The repunctuation of Superconductor for 27a MAESTRO was nice too.
    Thanks M&PO

  52. Well I’ve given it 24 hours and I can’t get any more than 20 of these (and after revealing found a couple more that I absolutely *should* have got). More than I usually get but looking at the comments it looks like this was a particularly easy one so maybe that’s to be expected.

    As a beginner, clues like 1d are really hard, where the indicator appears in the middle of the fodder.

  53. Huh. I was going to grumble about SENT TO WEE and WENT TO SEA not being pronounced similarly-enough for a spoonerism, but now I’m wondering if that’s my own accent. I pronounce SENT with a short E and WENT with a short I – so SENT rhymes with ‘pent’ and WENT has the same vowel as ‘wink’. Is that just a US thing (or is that what Wellbeck@20 means by quasi-spoonerisms)?

  56. FrankieG @55
    The OED gives in part dietitian [prop. dietician], but has no entry for dietician (unless I have lost it in the fine print). That seems to say that they regard the T version as the “correct” one, but an irregular formation. They also list it as rare, and equivalent to dietist.
    Khitty Hawk @53
    It is perhaps impossible to come up with a Spoonerism or homophone clue which did not fall afoul of someone’s accent. That said, I think your difficulty with the clue is more local than “a US thing”.

  57. I’ve been eating SWEET CORN all my life, but I have never seen it spelled as one word before.

    New to me: “corporation” in that sense, DEMO = “march”

    Agree with PeterO @56 that SENT and WENT rhyme for every American I’ve ever met — even the ones who think they are both 2-syllable words…

  58. continuing WENT vs SENT – Hah, could very well be! Now I’m wondering if there’s also a stressed/unstressed element to it, like “been” as ‘been’ vs ‘bin’. Regardless, l now know I’m the weird one and will have to keep an ear out for encounters in the wild to compare.

  59. Khitty Hawk @53&58,

    Perhaps it would help if you were to look as these clues as aural wordplay, instead of pure and exact homophones. Puns and approximate sound-alikes are part of the fun of these puzzles. Spoonerisms are often examples of this kind of wordplay.

  60. cellomaniac@59 Oh, I’m not complaining! I know, for example, that homophone clues tend to assume a non-rhotic accent, etc. I just never had to think about whether WENT and SENT rhyme for other people before and now I’m eagerly questioning everything to try to figure out where on earth (literally, since it seems neither my mom or dad do this) I picked it up.

  61. @41 – I only got round to doing this today.

    Disastrous. Disgraceful. Demoralising. Take your pick. I solved 5 clues.

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