The regular monthly geographically themed puzzle, available to solve online at ft.com/crossword
The usual preamble:
A cryptic puzzle themed on one particular place in the world. Its name should be inserted at 26 across. Work out the place by solving the *asterisked clues, all undefined. Their solutions have some relevance to the place, such as famous people, landmarks, culture and language.
This month’s offering is brought to us by Sleuth, a setter whose puzzles I always find an enjoyable challenge, and this was no exception. As is often the case with Sleuth puzzles, I found it tricky to start with but once I got going, it all fell into place nicely. Surprised myself by the apparent breadth of my knowledge of all things Argentine – and there are a lot of bases covered here, from places to politics to cinema to sport, not to mention a fair bit of general knowledge covered in the non-themed clues too.
Thanks, Sleuth!
| ACROSS | ||
| 9 | LA PLATA |
* A place found in filming location appreciated (2,5)
|
| A + PL (place) in LA (filming location) + TA (appreciated)
The capital city of Buenos Aires province in Argentina. |
||
| 10 | GUARANI |
* Safety device largely linked to a new institute (7)
|
| GUAR[d] (safety device, largely) + A + N (new) + I (institute)
The Guaraní are an indigenous people of South America who have communities in Argentina. |
||
| 11 | ASADO |
* A note about commercial (5)
|
| A + SO (note) about AD (commercial)
A sociable outdoor meal comprising various meats cooked on a barbecue, traditional in Argentina. |
||
| 12 | GASPAR NOE |
* Talk at length with Italian runner in exercise (6,3)
|
| GAS+P(ARNO)E
GAS (talk at length) + ARNO (Italian “runner” or river) in PE (exercise) Gaspar Noé, Argentine-Italian film director, perhaps best known for his controversial 2002 film Irréversible. |
||
| 13 | DEL POTRO |
* Democrat has awkward role receiving trophy (3,5)
|
| D (Democrat) + anagram (awkward) of ROLE containing (receiving) POT (trophy)
Juan Martín Del Potro, Argentine tennis player, winner of the US Open in 2009. |
||
| 14 | AGUERO |
* Silver, valuable material for all to see on reflection (6)
|
| AG (silver) + (ORE (valuable material) + U (for all to see, film classification) reversed (on reflection))
Sergio Agüero, Argentine footballer who played for Manchester City. |
||
| 16 | RAFT |
Large amount in trade lacking an opening (4)
|
| [c]RAFT (trade, lacking an opening) | ||
| 18 | MILEI |
* European put in fighting force half reduced (5)
|
| E (European) put in MILI[tary] (fighting force, half reduced)
Javier Milei, president of Argentina since December 2023. |
||
| 19 | BRIO |
Verve shown by writer exchanging central parts (4)
|
| BIRO (writer) swapping the order of the middle letters (exchanging central parts) | ||
| 23 | BORGES |
* Tiresome types stifling government (6)
|
| BORES (tiresome types) containing (stifling) G (government)
Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986), Argentine writer, best known for his poetry, essays and short stories. |
||
| 24 | GALTIERI |
* Good boxer retaining level (8)
|
| G (good) + ALI (boxer) containing (retaining) TIER (level)
Leopoldo Galtieri (1926-2003), Argentine army general and president 1981-82, best known in the UK for instigating the invasion of the Falkland Islands in April 1982. |
||
| 26 | ARGENTINA |
* [See setter notes] (9)
|
| The country to which all asterisked clues refer. | ||
| 28 | PERON |
* Being dismissive of society (5)
|
| PER[s]ON (being) subtracting (dismissive of) S (society)
Juan Perón (1895-1974), Argentine army lieutenant-general and twice president (1946-55, 1973-74), best known in the UK for the musical about his wife Eva “Evita” Duarte. |
||
| 29 | CORDOBA |
* Barrier shortly put in front of airline (7)
|
| CORDO[n] (barrier, shortly) + BA (British Airways, airline)
The second largest city in Argentina. |
||
| 30 | CABRERA |
* US singer embracing Belgian one endlessly (7)
|
| CARA (US singer) containing (embracing) BRE[l] (Belgian singer, endlessly)
Ángel Cabrera, Argentine golfer, winner of the US Open in 2007. The US singer is Irene Cara, best known for the song What A Feeling from the film Flashdance in which she also starred. The Belgian singer is Jacques Brel, famous for songs such as Ne Me Quitte Pas and Amsterdam. |
||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | OLEANDER |
Evergreen shrub getting to bend over in European river (8)
|
| LEAN (to bend over) in ODER (European river) | ||
| 2 | SPRAWL |
Large distortions arising in expansion of urban area (6)
|
| L (large) + WARPS (distortions) reversed (arising) | ||
| 3 | NABOKOV |
Novelist has a book for review in Nevada (7)
|
| Anagram (for review) of A BOOK in NV (Nevada)
Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977), American-Russian novelist, best known for Lolita. |
||
| 4 | SANGFROID |
Construction of a sign for leader of demonstrators showing composure (9)
|
| Anagram (construction) of A SIGN FOR + first letter (leader) of Demonstrators | ||
| 5 | AGES |
Gets on platforms overlooking street (4)
|
| [st]AGES (platforms) subtracting (overlooking) ST (street) | ||
| 6 | SARANGI |
Indian instrument kept in Mombasa rang incessantly (7)
|
| Hidden (kept) in mombaSA RANG Incessantly | ||
| 7 | RAINWEAR |
Warren surprisingly carrying fine clothing for showers? (8)
|
| Anagram (surprisingly) of WARREN containing (carrying) AI (A1, fine) | ||
| 8 | PINERO |
Secure leading character in the East End for playwright (6)
|
| PIN (secure) + [h]ERO (leading character) dropping the H (in the East End)
Arthur Wing Pinero (1855-1934), British playwright perhaps best known for The Second Mrs Tanqueray. |
||
| 15 | REBALANCE |
Adjust again note and article probing British weapon (9)
|
| RE (note) + A (article) inserted between (probing) B (British) + LANCE (weapon) | ||
| 17 | FORAGERS |
Those widely seeking nutrition over a very long period? About right (8)
|
| FOR AGES (over a very long period) containing (about) R (right) | ||
| 20 | ORIENTAL |
Nancy’s nothing to put in a lot possibly describing eastern Asia? (8)
|
| RIEN (“nothing” as they say it in Nancy, the French city) put inside an anagram (possibly) of A LOT | ||
| 21 | REUNION |
Gathering again in Indian Ocean island (7)
|
| Two definitions | ||
| 22 | STOPS BY |
Briefly visits leading soprano and bass in borders of Surrey (5,2)
|
| TOP (leading) + S (soprano) + B (bass) inserted between the first and last letters (borders) of SurreY | ||
| 23 | BRANCH |
Health food supported by chief section of a business (6)
|
| BRAN (health food) + CH (chief) | ||
| 25 | EARNER |
Student heading off to get rewarding job (6)
|
| [L]EARNER (student, heading off) | ||
| 27 | IRAN |
First person stood as a candidate in Middle East country (4)
|
| I (first person) + RAN (stood as a candidate) |
Very well-composed puzzle. Enjoyed solving it.
Great blog as usual. Detailed and neat.
Thanks Sleuth and Widdersbel!
Top faves: PERON, SPRAWL, FORAGERS and ORIENTAL.
LOi – 18a “_I_E_” – held me up for a while, until I had the💡idea of Googling “Argentina president”. Especially liked 30a CABRERA for constructing Ángel out of Jacques and Irene – in the UK she was ever so slightly more famous for Fame (a No. 1 in 1980) than for Flashdance… What a Feeling (only a No.2 in 1983).
[In the US the reverse is true: Flashdance… a No. 1; Fame only a No. 4].
Thanks S&W
Wot no Messi? I failed on MILEI who I had forgotten about. There’s too many scary leaders around to remember them all. Enjoyable puzzle and an excellent blog.
I got ARGENTINA as about my third one in (the crossers made it obvious). I then managed to finish the puzzle despite not knowing half the Argentine answers. I could try and take credit, but I know Sleuth’s clear cluing was mostly responsible
Thanks Sleuth and Widdersbel