This is Norman’s second outing in the Indy and the second puzzle of his that we have blogged..
We had high hopes for today’s crossword puzzle after such a polished debut. However, whilst solving today’s offering, we didn’t get quite the same buzz as we did back in January. Looking back at the clues, we wondered why as there were a number of very smooth surfaces in the clues – 17ac, 3d, 17d in particular, but we could include many others.
We did wonder about a theme around fish and fishing after we had ROACH, MONK and ARCHER in the grid. Perhaps it was the theme that didn’t set us alight. We live next to the River Trent which often has anglers sitting on expensive contraptions above the water. They are there all day and out of their earshot we wonder how they can sit there for so long and not get bored.
After filling the grid, we were amazed at the number of themed entries scattered in the grid. Quite impressive. So, thanks Norman – lovely clues but not such an interesting theme – the only good thing about fish is that we like eating them. Having said that, we do have fish in our pond!
N (knight – in chess) and an anagram (‘astray’) of LED around or ‘taking in’ EE (drugs)
L (fifty) with FOUNDER (‘one begins’) outside or ‘around’
L (lake) and an anagram (‘obscured’) of ISLE and MIST
A homophone (‘on the radio’) of GUYS (kids)
bROACH (propose) without or ‘kicking’ ‘b’ (bishop)
CARP (grouse) ENTER (log)
S (southern) and an anagram (‘fried’) of PLAICE
OP (work) EN (space) IN (at home) G (grand)
Hidden in (‘a group of’) mountiES PLAN A DEmanding
Alternate letters (‘regularly sampling’) in jAzZ aT bEaCh
TUM (corporation) around or ‘taking on’ HR (human resources)
COW (frighten) A BUNG (seal) A. Bert ended up googling words beginning COWA and came up with the answer. It is street slang apparently and not in Chambers or our other ‘go to’ website (wordfun).
N (last or ‘ultimate’ letter in politician) inside or ‘blocking’ SPOOF (satirical piece) + ED (editor)
PI (self-righteous) + CE (church) inside or ‘surrounded by’ SS (saints)
A cryptic definition: AN (one) + a reversal (‘about’) of EG (say) around or ‘pulling in’ L (line) + R (river)
An anagram (‘ground’) of MEAT and MEAT (‘two portions’)
FAT (overweight) around or ‘copping’ L (left)
LOSE (get rid of) inside or ‘limited by’ CR (credit)
N (middle letter or ‘heart’ of grinder) inside or ‘eaten by’ LUG (bear)
An anagram (‘lost’) of RAFT I’D
REEF (rocks) inside or ‘during’ TROG (walk)
A cryptic definition – if a pencil didn’t have any lead in it, it would be useless
HAlIFAx – without or ‘withdrawing’ L (pound) and X (ten)
E (English) and a reversal or ‘rejection’ of A (American) MEN (soldiers)
S (last letter or ‘ultimate sign’ of diabetes) WEE (urine) TEST (sample)
ONE (I) + a homophone (‘picked up’) of TOO (also). The pair of ‘socks’ refers to blows in boxing.
Hidden (‘some’) in paINT ON A Coat. INTONACO is the finishing coat of lime plaster on a fresco before the paint is applied. Did Norman want to include a word with TUNA in the middle here?
Double definition
A clue as definition: mARCHER (‘soldier perhaps’) without or ‘firing’ ‘m’ (first or ‘primary’ letter of missiles)
A homophone (‘professor’s’) of COURSE (lectures)
A clue as definition – M (male) with cONK (head) missing first letter or ‘shaved on top’
A clue as definition – an anagram (‘cast’) of A and BIT
Liked puzzle and style. ONE-TWO favourite, also neat &lits.
Almost anything is a fish, but PENCILfish and NEEDLEfish certainly are. The tona which goes nicely with the tin just above it must be forced by COWABUNGA, in which COW could be a fish, and a BUNG is apparently some sort of fishing gizmo.
Thanks Norman and B&J!
Top faves: GUISE, SPOON-FED, ANGLER, ONE-TWO and BAIT.
Like Bert and Joyce, I was looking forward to Norman’s second puzzle, after being impressed by his debut one – and I did enjoy the solve, particularly SPECIAL and DIABETES, as picked out by B&J.
Although it’s Tuesday, I wasn’t looking for a theme on the way through and was slightly underwhelmed to find in the end that it was fish(ing) – over the decades that I’ve been solving, it seems to have been almost parr for the coarse, as you might say, to find at least one reference a week – but that didn’t really spoil the solve. I’m afraid, though, that I didn’t finish: I entered ‘part’ for 28dn: a part in a play / film gets cast! I’d never heard of COWABUNGA and, by having a misplaced P, I’d scuppered my chances of getting it from guessing , or even a wordsearch. Much to my chagrin, it also stopped me getting the lovely PISCES -grrh!
However, there was much more to enjoy: I had ticks for LIMITLESS, SPOON-FED, TEAM MATE (liked the reference to the dog food), LUNG, HAIFA and the very cleverly (and aptly) hidden INTONACO, which I’d never heard of and was chuffed to discover.
Many thanks to Norman and to B&J.
I’ve always been a fan of Charles Schulz ‘Peanuts’ comic strip. Snoopy would often cry out “COWABUNGA” when surfing, so that was an easy one for me.
I hope the setter isn’t too discouraged by the fact that his theme does not appeal to everyone; irrespective of whether fish and fishing is intrinsically interesting (and they are to many), I thought there was some superb clung in this. Particularly the CADs/&lits – ANGLER, ARCHER, MONK and BAIT. SPECIAL, PISCES, ROACH, TEAMMATE and OPENING are my other big ticks. I believe COWABUNGA was featured as a war cry or similar (?) in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles which my youngsters were into at one point.
Thanks Norman and B&J
I can’t see anything wrong with fish as a theme: as good as any surely? Despite which I didn’t see it! Thanks Norman and B&J.
Yes, it;s a ghost theme, so solvable without even noticing. Preferable to being spoon-fed pastries. I prefer fish – much healthier.
I’d only ever heard “COWABUNGA, Dude!” in The Simpsons(1989–) before, but oed.com dates it as 1954– – celebrating a 70th (Platinum) anniversary: ‘
INTERJECTION – Expressing astonishment, enthusiasm, or exuberance; ‘yahoo!’ ‘wow!’ Now frequently humorous. – slang (originally U.S.). 1954–
1954 – Chief Thunderthud. Kowa-Bunga! Then Me Fix You Good! You Be Sorry. – Howdy Doody (Dell Comics) January–February
1963 – Shouting the surfer’s cry ‘Cowabunga!’ they climb a 12-ft. wall of water and ‘take the drop’ off its shoulder. – Time (Electronic edition) 9 August
Thanks N & B&J
MONK
Male with head shaved on top?
All words are required for the wordplay. One box ticked.
That said, does the ‘on top’ part of the clue contribute to the def?
The Teenage Mutant Turtles also use COWABUNGA, and they were around in the 1980s.
KVa @8, the MONK’s tonsure is just the top part of their heads, not all the head.
INTONACO was fairly clued but didn’t look right until I’d checked.
Thank you to Bert and Joyce and Norman.
I enjoyed this again from Norman, and as is common with ghost themes (for me) only half-spotted it. A couple of others in surfaces as well, like the plaice in SPECIAL. Not sure whether I know COWABUNGA from TMNT or Bart, but either is fine by me! The pair of socks was my favourite, however.
KVa @8 – a monk’s tonsure would usually involve shaving the crown of the head only, so ‘on top’ seems a valid bit of precision in the definition. As it happens I always think of a CONK as your nose, rather than your bonce, but it was clear in any case.
Thanks to Bert, Joyce, and Norman.
Thanks Shanne and Amoeba!
Thoroughly enjoyed this, thanks Norman, and Bert & Joyce. Faves include the dish of the day, the overweight cops, the urine test and the pampered politician, with clue of the day for the pair of socks. Whilst the theme’s not an interest it was very nicely done and fun to spot all the references. Thanks again – cowabunga, dudes!
Thanks both. A good level of challenge for me today. I did spot the theme early but it did not assist – I’ve commented in the past regarding clues with a type of fish as the answer that there are apparently around 33000 species. No specific disappointment therefore not to see turbot getting in on the act, but it remains my favourite if only because it sort of rhymes with Herbert.
Took way too long to finish this, for no good reason.. altho I didn’t ever imagine writing the Ninja Turtles call sign in a crossword.
I don’t think FROG is a fish.. or associated with the sport… maybe used as bait? Chum on the other is the bloody stuff they lob in to attract sharks ..
Thanks Norman n Bertandjoyce
I had to go out for most of the day, immediately after my post @3 and so missed PM @5 and would like to endorse his comment. I was not meaning to denigrate the puzzle in any way – some super clues, highlighted by me and others – and I’m really looking forward to Norman’s next outing – thanks again. 🙂
Liked the clueing style of the puzzle as PM@5 has mentioned above. Had the same favourites. Didn’t catch the theme but I was a surfer in the late 60s so COWABUNGA was not hard. I did a double-take seeing it in a crossword but I’ve never watched TMT. We thought the American term a little twee but we used it over-dramatically to add to the fun. My one failure was COARSE because I couldn’t spot the homophone indicator. Thanks to the bloggers and I look forward to more inventive clueing from Norman.
Theme by over my head but I did enjoy some elegant clueing that made me smile. 17a, 20a 3d, 5d among the standouts, but particularly liked 13a for the Len Brennan reference.
Undre@14 – We agree that a frog is not a fish but there is a frogfish!
We are also looking forward to Norman’s next puzzle.
That took me ages but I, too, have to echo PostMark. Great stuff, thanks.
Thanks to everyone for giving this one a go and for the encouraging and helpful feedback, particularly Bert and Joyce for another entertaining blog. I tried to pack as many fish into this puzzle and I’m most pleased B&J and James found a few unintended themers, in PARR (having intended PARROT fish as the themer), SWEET, NET, COW and BUNG, even if the overall concept didn’t sparkle with everyone. I am inspired to think of something more interesting for the next one!
I enjoyed seeing Cowabunga and an answer.
My favourite was Haifa.
Widdersbel@17 – Here he is! 😉
Very enjoyable and I managed to spot the theme but not all its references in the grid (so many!)
Loved ONE-TWO, COWABUNGA, HAIFA (despite nho), ENEMA and SWEETEST. I particularly liked the &lit/CAD clues, which Norman seems to be both fond of and good at!
Thanks both.