Guardian Cryptic 29,267 by Vulcan

by

The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/29267.

Happy New Year to solvers, would-be solvers, and even those who did not try. I would think the would-bes form a small group; Vulcan is an easy-going setter, and none the worse for that. Perhaps the cryptic definitions might cause difficulty for some.

ACROSS
8 MITIGATE
Appease one caught in institute’s scandal? (8)
An envelope (‘caught in’) of I (‘one’) in MIT (Massachusetts ‘Institute’ of Technology; as a definition ‘institute’ does not need the capital) plus GATE (the all-purpose suffix for ‘scandal’).
9 OLIVE
Love to be a woman (5)
A charade of O (‘love’) plus LIVE (‘be’).
10 BAAS
Defunct car maker returns, as we hear from the flock (4)
A reversal (‘returns’) of SAAB (‘defunct car maker’).
11 PROSECUTOR
One completes one’s task with conviction (10)
Cryptic definition.
12 TORPOR
Sluggishness of shattered troop on run (6)
A charade of TORPO, an anagram (‘shattered’) of ‘troop’; plus R (‘run’).
14 STONE AGE
Old time theatre one enters (5,3)
An envelope (‘enters’) of ‘one’ in STAGE (‘theatre’).
16 DECODES
Makes meaning clear in Christmas verses? (7)
A charade of DEC (December, ‘Christmas’) plus ODES (‘verses’).
18 EFFECTS
Carries out goods (7)
Double definition.
21 SHOULDER
It’s hard, running along the motorway! (8)
Cryptic definition.
23 ENDUES
Tolerates being without right clothes (6)
A subtraction: ENDU[r]ES (‘tolerates’) minus the R (‘being without right’).
24 BREADCRUMB
Money and a tiny bit of comfort: is it for the birds? (10)
A charade of BREAD (‘money’) plus CRUMB (‘a tiny bit’) I am not sure what Vulcan intends by ‘of comfort’; it is unnecessary with ‘a tiny bit’, but hardly fits with the definition.
26 TOSH
Nonsense piece of photoshopping (4)
A hidden answer (‘piece of’) in ‘phoTOSHopping’.
27 SOLES
Parts of body, on the bottom? (5)
Crypticish definition.
28 HARD-CORE
This porn should be buried in the earth (4-4)
A reference to the earth’s inner structure, with its central solid core.
DOWN
1 PINAFORE
Dress is fine in open air, being fashionable (8)
An anagram (‘being fashionable’) of F (‘fine’) plus ‘open air’.
2, 26 LIPSTICK
Use tongue, just about spit out what may be round your mouth (8)
An envelope (‘just about’) of IPST or PSTI, an anagram (‘out’) of ‘spit’ in LICK (‘use tongue’).
3 GASPER
It’s a fag preparing grapes (6)
An anagram (‘preparing’) of ‘grapes’. ‘Fag’ and GASPER are both slang for cigarette.
4 HEROISM
Homer is involved in tales of this? (7)
An anagram (‘involved’) of ‘homer is’, with an extended definition.
5, 25 FORECAST
Predict cold atmosphere at first in Arden? (8)
An envelope (‘in’) of C (‘cold’) plus A (‘Atmosphere at first’) in FOREST (‘Arden’ with the question mark for the indication by example).
6 FIGUREHEAD
Nominal leader would be sacked if he argued (10)
An anagram (‘would be sacked’) of ‘if he argued’ – with perhaps an extended definition.
7 BELONG
Take ages to fit in (6)
BE LONG (‘take ages’).
13 PROCURABLE
Awkwardly curb parole that’s possible to get (10)
An anagram (‘awkwardly’) of ‘curb parole’.
15, 17 OFFEND
Commit foul — dismissed before full time (6)
A charade of OFF (‘dismissed’) plus (‘before’) END (‘full time’).
17
See 15
19 TREASURE
Greatly value this fictional island (8)
A reference to the novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.
20 WROUGHT
Like some iron, approximate in weight (7)
An envelope (‘in’) of ROUGH (‘approximate’) in WT (‘weight’).
22 HARASS
Bully, almost injure, American bum (6)
A charade of HAR[m] (‘injure’) minus the last letter (‘almost’); plus ASS (‘American bum’).
23 EMBARK
Bring me up part of tree to make board (6)
A charade of EM (‘bring ME up’ in a down light) plus BARK (‘part of tree’).
25
See 5
26
See 2

picture of the completed grid

65 comments on “Guardian Cryptic 29,267 by Vulcan”

  2. “Crumb of comfort” is a fairly well known expression meaning a little bit of comfort, which is what I would suggest Vulcan was aiming for in BREADCRUMB.
    I did wonder about the solid core of the Earth in HARD-CORE, but despite being at 4000 to 5000 Celsius, the pressure keeps it solid apparently. The outer core is liquid.

  3. Crispy @1
    You are probably right over 24A BREADCRUMB; Vulcan may have felt the need of something for the surface (not that that amounts to much; I do not see that it adds to the hint of Hansel and Gretel in the definition part).

  5. I just typed quite an extended comment but it’s refusing to take it. I really didn’t say anything offensive. I wonder whether this one will appear.

  6. As an alternative explanation, HARD-CORE is the material used as the foundation of a building, and is thus buried in the earth.

  7. Fun start to the year. My favourites were WROUGHT and LIPSTICK. For the latter I think “just” belongs with “use tongue” to define LICK (the tongue also being used with other mouth parts in eating and drinking). Thanks PeterO and Vulcan.

  8. I had fun trying to work out why Arden was a forest. Google offered me a school, a building supply company, a suburb of Melbourne and a make-up person, but no mention of a forest.

    I couldn’t account for the “comfort” in BREADCRUMBS.

    And I thought the earth had a molten core. You learn something every day.

  9. Collins told me that 3d was British old-fashioned slang, so I’m not surprised that I hadn’t heard of it.

  10. HARD-CORE
    I parsed it as Peter Ower@4 and Frenchy@6.
    The clue doesn’t seem to allude to the earth’s core.

  13. The Forest of Arden, a former place in England, is referred to in As You Like It.
    And I agree about crumb (crumbs?) of comfort.
    Great crossword to start the year. I liked LIPSTICK, BAAS, WROUGHT, BREADCRUMB, DECODES.
    Happy New Year to the brilliant setters and all the solvers.
    Thanks Vulcan and Peter.

  14. Happy New Year to all the Setters, Bloggers, Solvers, and Lurkers.

    A nice easy start to the year. Only fly in ointment is that app is still misbehaving and giving me an incomplete with one mis
    take; although this is better than crashing the app and loosing progress which was last week’s behaviour.

    Thanks Setter and Blogger

  16. I agree with the rubble for foundations interpretation of hard-core. I liked BREADCRUMB and WROUGHT. Happy New Year to all.

  17. Happy New Year to all 225ers across the globe. Thank you Vulcan for a gentle test after a late night and PeterO for blogging duties on a bank holiday. (I did wonder if hard shoulder was a specifically British term but I see no complaints so far. It’s probably a Private Eye thing but I only associate the use of gasper for cigarette with Queen Camilla!)

  18. GDU @9 the Forest of Arden is in Shakespeare; one of the series of annotated plays are published by Arden, which I’ve taught various plays using.

    Quite chewy for a Vulcan, but some is probably due to my slowness. I thought crumbs of comfort too.

    Thank you to PeterO and Vulcan.

  20. Came across GASPER just the other day [re]reading Agatha Christie’s Murder in the Mews, in which the absence of the smell of cigarette smoke in spite of multiple dog-ends is a significant clue. Talking to the blackmailing Major Eustace, Hercule Poirot says something like “I see you smoke Turkish”. The major replies something like “I’ve got a gasper somewhere, if you prefer…” Chambers bears out the implication, defining gasper as a cheap cigarette.

  21. Good start to 2024. For me, the grid with so many uncrossed first letters made this a wee bit trickier than the usual Vulcan, but I got there without too much trouble. The first ‘gate’ of the year 🙂

    I agree with the ‘crumb of comfort’ and HARDCORE = rubble explanations. Favourites were WROUGHT and DECODES (LOI).

    Thanks to S&B and best wishes to all

  22. Blaise @20: Thanks for that – GASPER presumably dates from a time when it was believed that only inferior cigarettes were damaging to one’s health. A Woodbine, anyone?

  24. Thanks Vulcan. I liked it. Good start to a new year, with a gradual unfolding.
    I was sure 4d was going to be ULYSSES but crossers indicated otherwise.
    As always, I was appreciative of the blog, PeterO.

  26. Did about half and gave up. Failed 9,11,16,23ac and 1,5,6,7,23,25d.

    Of the ones I solved, I could not parse 15/17d, 22d.

    Thanks, both and happy new year to everyone!

  29. Hmm, it happened again just now, so I changed the offending letter to bleep. Seems the software’s gone a bit Mary Whitehouse. Hey ho.

  30. A nice little crossword to get things going in the new year.
    Or so I thought …..
    And then …..
    AGGGHHHHH!
    It’s a PS word.
    I absolutely HATE and ABOMINATE the sound of PS.
    (Words like ‘psychology’ are OK, because the P is silent).
    This does not bode well for the new year, oh no it does not.

  31. A nice gradual solve. Just wasn’t clear which way in 10 went – but that’s what crossers are for I guess. Happy New Year!

  32. For once a crossword solved without using Bradford, the check button, or wiki, though I needed the dictionary for endues meaning clothes. Good fun, and thanks to all for parsing assistance. Let’s hope 2024 will be a darn sight better than 2023!

  34. [Anna @30: Best avoid Italian then, as the initial P is sounded in words like ‘psicologia’ and ‘pseudonimo’ 🙂 ]

  35. Happy New Year to all!! This was a fun start. I liked BAAS, GASPER, MITIGATE, FIGUREHEAD and FORECSAST (I had no problem with Arden: As You Like It…Brush up your Shakespeare and all that). A few clues, the cryptic defintions, gave me some pause for thought. With especial thanks to Vulcan and PeterO.

  37. (Gervase @ 34
    Oh yes, don’t I know it.
    And don’t get me started on the Greek I studied at university!)
    Not sure how to do the square brackets on my Finnish keyboard, so hope round ones will do.

  40. New for me was ENDUES but the clue was straightforward to it was gettable from the crossers. Very enjoyable start to 2024, with beautifully succinct surfaces for OLIVE, EFFECTS, TOSH and BELONG. Thanks Vulcan and PeterO

  41. Happy New year to all and thanks to Vulcan for a good start to quizzing in 2024.
    Thx also to PeterO for the blog.

  42. Thanks Vulcan and PeterO. I enjoyed this mostly but wasn’t happy with 27a – l had SILLS, which fits both crossers and definition (think car body). HNY all.

  44. Best Guardian puzzle of the year so far. 🙂 I too had the quibble that you couldn’t quite tell whether it was SAAB or BAAS, but the clue as written does slightly favor the intended answer. I also was less than pleased by the not-so-cryptic definition of SOLES, but hey.

    There also exist soft shoulders, paved with gravel rather than asphalt, which are rare enough on major highways that they put up signs: Soft Shoulder Next 5 mi (or whatever).

    I had never heard of GASPER for cigarette, but it was gettable.

    Happy New Year to all.

  45. My wife’s father used to talk about having a gasper. I believe these were generally of the “roll your own” variety.

  49. Geoff Down Under @48
    I see in the spam Tartarus the various versions of the comment which you eventually got passed @8. It passes my understanding as well why WordPress treated you this way. Perhaps it has an aversion to the phrase “What fun I had …” (stick that in your pipe and smoke it, WordPress). As you say, one of life’s little mysteries.

  50. Thanks for the blog, a suitable Monday puzzle to start the year although perihelion is not until early Wednesday morning.
    Blwyddyn Newydd Dda to everyone, especially Anna and AlanC.

  51. I think the “on the bottom” component of 28D would refer to the Dover Sole which is a flat fish and inhabits the bottom of the sea. So DD more than CD.

  52. GIF@29 & GDU I had a similar censoring experience recently when citing (in appropriate context) a body part. I posted on General Discussion but didn’t get a response so guessed it was a one-off. Let’s hope we don’t have to go back to 70’s euphemisms.

  54. A lovely puzzle for a do nothing day. I wanted 11A to be prosecutes so had to read the clue several times and it was my LOI. Soft shoulders are awful when you’re following a large truck whose weight blows up dust. Happy New Year everyone and thanks for keeping this going.

  55. Why is 11a not PROSECUTES?

    I had STUPOR for 12a.

    Multiple other checks and usage of WORDWIZARD, but managed half of this.

  57. Ong’ara @53
    My boss was still driving a SAAB sports car in 2005. He was shattered when they went under. HNY to you too.

  58. This was a typically straightforward Monday but I did have some gripes – I too don’t see the need for “comfort” in 24 nor for “just” in 2,26. I guess one could justify these are distractors but that seems a tad unfair. And of course, I have NEVER been (and never will be) a fan of a common noun (woman) as a definition for a proper noun (Olive). Yes, I know it’s completely kosher, but I just don’t like it myself; “Love to be Popeye’s girlfriend” (say…) would have been so much nicer!

  60. I seem to have been alone in having a small smile about CRUMB ‘of comfort’. DEC ODES was clever enough to hold me up until near the end, but I am suffering from a heavy cold. Which I also blame for not spotting PINAFORE in 1d. I went for the Italian word for fashionable – FIPARONE. Strange that I couldn’t find it in any dictionary. 😉

    Thanks to Vulcan and PeterO

  61. JerryG @17, I didn’t complain, but this American is unfamiliar with the phrase “hard shoulder.” We do have the term “cold shoulder,” which means to reject or ignore someone. So I wrongly guessed that it meant that in Britain.

    Now that I Googled it, I see it refers to the side of the road, which we just call shoulder. Come to think of it, though, if the ground on the shoulder isn’t very solid, they put up warning signs that say “soft shoulder.”

  62. I’m rather disappointed with 3d. Though the definition reading of “fag” is innocuous, the surface reading only works in the derogatory sense. I would hope the setter could do better.

  63. Shaun@62. The surface reading of the clue for GASPER simply says what hard work it is treading grapes. How are you reading it?

  64. Must admit I found this really hard for a Monday. On the other hand I don’t understand the puzzlement over “crumb of comfort”. I suppose we all have different blind spots.

  65. Finally solved this on Friday! DECODES was a delight, ENDUES was my LOI and new to me but fairly clued. GASPER occurs a lot in the Jeeves and Wooster books of P.G. Wodehouse.

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