I believe this is the first Genius to be set by Twin. Indeed, it may be his/her first Guardian puzzle. But I’m informed by the excellent Crossword Forum that Twin won the Ascot Gold Cup in 2020 and 2022 for Listener puzzles (voted so by correct solvers) and has set crosswords as Prime for the Telegraph Toughie and as Agenor in the TLS. And the day after I compose this post, November 7th, Twin sets the Independent Cryptic.
I’m also told that Twin is male … so we can safely and warmly welcome him to the Genius community. He’s given us a dazzling if befuddling work-out. And, my goodness, was this hard work! I spent the first few hours having to train myself not to look for definitions in the clues. The concept is based on the brilliant Two Ronnies sketch Mastermind, in which Ronnie Corbett, as the contestant, answers the previous question asked by Ronnie Barker’s Magnus Magnusson – and the (wrong) answers make a perverse hilarious sense. So, here, all the clues bar the last (27d) end in question marks and consist of wordplay only (as indicated in the rubric). But then all the answers bar the first (1a) are described, rather than defined, by the previous clue (question).
The sketch can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRhyc56aVb0 and read at http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Answering_the_Question_Before_Last
The answers TWO RONNIES and MASTERMIND are symmetrically placed (as indicated in the rubric) at the top and bottom of the grid, and there are various references to the sketch – perhaps coincidental, though it seems little in this piece of work is coincidental – in the answers to 1d, 6a, 11a, 30a and 15d, as well as in the clues to 14a and 9d. There may well be others I haven’t spotted. The question-marks often serve a double purpose – suggesting a whimsical or questionable application of the wording in the description that anticipates the following answer.
I cottoned on to the sketch relatively early but it took a long time to grasp that it wasn’t just odd words but the whole clue that referenced the following answer (though this, of course, is the trick in the sketch). Even then, having got completely stuck just over halfway through, it took several hours to grasp a number of words with no definition to help.
I hope I have resolved it accurately and I will be happy to be told that there are parsings I have got wrong, or implications in the foreshadowing clues I have missed.
ACROSS
1 Sort of woman relative, primarily – i.e. not son? (3,7)
TWO RONNIES
Anagram (SORT OF) of WR (WOMAN RELATIVE PRIMARILY) + I E NOT SON. Fortuitously, anagram-solver.net gives this …
AUNT
Hidden in (SOMEWHAT) D AUNT ING. Charley’s Aunt figures in the sketch.
From 1a: SORT OF WOMAN RELATIVE and certainly NOT SON
10 Introductory requirements for – along with ermine – second House (somewhere in London)? (7)
AWESOME
AWE – first letters (introductory requirements) of ALONG WITH ERMINE + S (SECOND) + OME – ‘ome (HOUSE pronounced by a cockney (SOMEWHERE IN LONDON)
From 6a: if something is awesome it is SOMEWHAT DAUNTING
11 Sporting activity with time for one to roll? (7)
PEERAGE
PE (Physical Education – SPORTING ACTIVITY + (WITH) ERA (TIME) + GE (e g – FOR ONE) backwards (TO ROLL)
From 10a: you have to get a peerage (INTRODUCTORY REQUIREMENTS) before dressing up in ERMINE in the SECOND HOUSE (of Lords) SOMEWHERE IN LONDON. Burke’s Peerage features in the sketch
12 Mirror image of another – nearly – approximately? (5)
CRAPS
Reversal (MIRROR IMAGE) of SPAR (nearly SPARE = ANOTHER, as in Prince Harry) + C (APPROXIMATELY)
From 11a: a dice game could be described as a sporting activity in that there is a sporting chance of winning. And, of course, at least one is to roll. I’ve tried to find a reference to a die called “time” to justify the FOR ONE – but failed.
LOOKALIKE
LOOK (TAKE IN) + (with) A + LIKE (DIG)
from 12a: a lookalike could be an (APPROXIMATE) MIRROR IMAGE
14 To be extremely malign about? (6)
ENTOMB
Anagram (ABOUT) of TO BE + M+N (first and last letters – EXTREMELY – of MALIGN). To be or not to be is quoted in the sketch
from 13a – although entombment is normally above ground, it could be a process of TAKING IN WITH A DIG
16 Sort out before, you’d set up to go about it? (7)
DESTROY
Anagram (OUT) of SORT, inside (ABOUT IT) YE’D (earlier – BEFORE – version of YOU’D). Move the comma a word backwards.
from 14a: DESTROY could mean TO BE EXTREMELY MALIGN ABOUT someone
PREPARE
Take IS, OUT of PRISE (WRENCH) and add PARE (to PEEL)
from 16a: if you PREPARE, you SORT OUT BEFORE and SET UP TO GO ABOUT something
21 Others discontented, was hanging around? (6)
WRESTS
Another case of moving the comma backwards. REST (OTHERS) with, outside (HANGING AROUND), WAS with its centre taken out (DISCONTENTED)
from 19a: WRESTS is present tense (IS OUT TO) of a verb that can mean to WRENCH and, at a stretch, to PEEL
25 Creature taken for a ride outside, only needing to have one central bit? (9)
CONSORTED
SORT (a word that can, at a stretch, mean creature – as in it’s a man-eating sort) with (OUTSIDE) CONED, being TAKEN FOR A RIDE (CONNED) with ONLY ONE CENTRAL BIT (N)
from 21a: consorted means WAS HANGING AROUND … OTHERS (not sure why they would be DISCONTENTED)
26 You’ll find me in unending tranquillity? (5)
CAMEL
ME in CAL(M) – UNENDING TRANQUILLITY. (This was my first one in – I was hoping to find a reference in the sketch, but failed)
from 25a: perfect description – a camel, as opposed to a dromedary, only has one CENTRAL BIT (hump)
28 What’s more extensive without cut being trimmed at either end? (7)
LOUNGER
WHAT’S (suggesting a thing) LONGER (MORE EXTENSIVE) outside (WITHOUT) U (CUT trimmed at either end)
from 26a: a LOUNGER could be FOUND IN UNENDING TRANQUILLITY
29 Lover of old religious text, perhaps? (7)
EXTRACT
EX (LOVER OF OLD) + TRACT (RELIGIOUS TEXT, PERHAPS)
From 28a: an EXTRACT is TRIMMED AT EITHER END and can, in the sense of a substance, be MORE EXTENSIVE WITHOUT CUT
DEAN
A (ACE) in DEN (STUDY)
From 29a: a DEAN (in the ecclesiastical sense) may well be a LOVER OF OLD RELIGIOUS TEXT. Here, as in other suggestive “definitions”, the question mark is doubly appropriate. Dean Martin features in the sketch.
31 Premier holding singular period in office – first for dame? (10)
MASTERMIND
MAIN (PREMIER) around (HOLDING) S (SINGULAR) + TERM (PERIOD IN OFFICE) + D (FIRST FOR DAME). I spent some time trying to fit AMIN for Premier – even though he’s usually clued as dictator.
From 30a: a MASTERMIND is usually an ACE IN STUDY
DOWN
THATCHER
THAT (THIS THING) + (HAS) CHER (a DIVA – reference to the famous singer/actress from Moonstruck etc).
No doubt there is also a political subtext to the clue … The not-for-turning Lady appears in the last question in the sketch as does Sir Geoffrey Howe, who (more or less) described her as a diva.
From 31a: Thatcher could be said to have had a SINGULAR PERIOD IN OFFICE – and was, of course, the first UK PREMIER to be made a DAME.
2 A resident between Mexico and Canada, at the far ends? (5)
OPERA
PER (standard crossword term for A, as in x times a year) inside (RESIDENT BETWEEN) O and A (last letters -AT THE FAR END) of MEXICO AND CANADA.
From 1d: Opera (THIS THING) usually has a DIVA
3 Work up, so getting problem? (7)
OPOSSUM
OP (WORK) + OS (SO, reversed – UP in a down clue) + SUM (PROBLEM). Again, an intrusive comma for construing.
From 2d: apparently opossums originated in South America but, partly thanks to warmer climes, have migrated to Mexico and even parts of Canada (AT THE FAR ENDS).
4 Searches in the extremities, away from luxury? (6)
NEEDLE
S+S (SEARCHES IN THE EXTREMITIES) taken AWAY from NEEDLESS (LUXURY) … the final synonym a bit of a stretch?
From 3d: to NEEDLE someone can be to WORK them UP and NEEDLE can also mean PROBLEM
5 Without different person taking opposite side in litigation? (8)
EXPLORES
EX (WITHOUT) + anagram (DIFFERENT) of PERSON with L instead of N (TAKING OPPOSITE SIDE (end) IN LITIGATION). This was my last one to succumb.
From 4d: EXPLORES does express searching IN THE EXTREMITIES, AWAY FROM LUXURY
7 Around North America, perhaps a Canadian one’s skinned dwelling? (9)
UNANIMOUS
NA (NORTH AMERICA) with, outside it (AROUND) UN (PERHAPS A – French – CANADIAN’S ONE) + I’M (ONE’S) + OUS (house – DWELLING – without outsides – SKINNED). If one doesn’t want the ONE to serve two purposes, UN could read as A in (French) Canadian – so PERHAPS A CANADIAN could read as perhaps A IN Canadian.
From 5d: UNANIMOUS means without anyone else TAKING THE OPPOSITE SIDE – the question mark working hard for IN LITIGATION …
TEEPEE
TEE (TOP – as in T-shirt) + PEE (to GO in common parlance). I spent ages trying to get TOUPEE to fit, thinking that 7 down might be uppermost (for Top in 8 …)
From 7d: a TEEPEE is indeed a skinned dwelling to be found in North America, including Canada.
9 Hairy Theraphosidae, he is – oh! A ground to flee? (6)
DEPART
anagram (HAIRY) of THERAPHOSIDAE minus (TO FLEE) HE IS OH and A mixed up (GROUND).
From 8d: DEPART is a SYNONYM FOR GO. I assume TOP is suggesting DE-PART, as in taking one part (the head) from another – in which case again the ? is doing double duty.
TARANTULA
T (LEADING PART OF TSHWANE) + A (ONE) + RAN (THE THREE CAPITALS (first letters) OF REPUBLICAN AFRICAN NATION) + T (SEAT – back part – OF GOVERNMENT + U (UNIVERSITY) + LA (CITY). Rather a torturous clue, but needed for 17d – the OF is superfluous, except for the sense. Tarantula figures in the sketch.
From 9d: a tarantula (HE) IS a HAIRY THERAPHOSIDAE and a good reason (GROUND) TO FLEE. For a while, having got 17 early on, I was envisaging a South African theme …
17 I.e. apart or lacking a supply? (8)
PRETORIA
Anagram (SUPPLY) of I E APART OR without (LACKING) an A
From 15d: PRETORIA is all of the four identities mentioned.
ISOLATED
I followed by LATE (PASSED, in the sense of dead) inside (THROUGH) SOD (TURF)
From 17d: ISOLATED can mean APART or LACKING IN SUPPLY
20 Expert over boundless perturbation? (6)
PRONGS
PRO (EXPERT) + (OVER in a down clue) NGS – ANGST without ends (BOUNDLESS)
From 18d: PRONGS (of a harrow perhaps) may pass THROUGH EARTH
22 Loaded with shell of tortoise, right? (7)
RICHTER
RICH (LOADED) + (WITH) TE (SHELL – outside – OF TORTOISE) + R (RIGHT)
From 20d: Charles F Richter was one of two scientists to establish the Richter Scale in seismology and was thus an EXPERT IN BOUNDLESS PERTURBATION
23 Chance to do shopping, stopped by beginning of Christmas Day? (6)
SCALED
SALE (CHANCE TO DO SHOPPING) containing (STOPPED BY) C (BEGINNING OF CHRISTMAS) + D (DAY)
From 22d: SCALED describes the SHELL OF a tortoise, so could be LOADED with it
24 High-rising part of USA ceding a capital to Tallahassee? (6)
ADVENT
ADVEN – reverse (RISING) of NEVADA (HIGH PART OF AMERICA) minus (CEDING) A + T (CAPITAL – first letter – OF TALLAHASSEE – a device also used in 17d)
From 23d: ADVENT is a CHANCE TO DO SHOPPING ended (STOPPED) BY BEGINNING OF CHRISTMAS DAY
27 I’m over starting to ask; I aim to finish up (5)
MIAMI
MI (I’M OVER – upside down) + A (STARTING TO ASK) + I + M FINISH of AIM), the last 2 letters reversed (UP)
From 24d: MIAMI can be said to be high-rising because of its tall buildings. It never CEDED the capital to Tallahassee, the latter being established as capital in 1824, long before the south of Florida was populated – but it is the largest city so might be said to CEDE A CAPITAL – whimsically, with a question-mark.
The surface defines itself in the context of the game – the setter has finished “asking the questions” and aims to finish up – hence no question-mark.
Chapeau to Twin!
I was so impressed with this when I managed to do it. Writing good clues is difficult at the best of times but Twin is here writing a clue which is the definition for one word and the wordplay for a completely different word. Brilliant stuff and no wonder he’s won the Ascot Gold Cup twice. A welcome addition to the Genius stable and I hope we see more of him.
I originally had Nutcase (a reverse type clue) instead of EXTRACT because I treated it as a normal clue, not just wordplay (it’s a hard habit to lose as you say prospero) but the crossers made me rethink.
I had THATCHER at 1d as one of the theme words, as she appears at least in this version of the script.
I also took the “with time for one to roll” simply as when playing CRAPS there is a time when the player rolls the dice.
Bravo Twin and thanks for the comprehensive blog prospero.
I think 27D is intended to loop back around as the description/definition for 1A, as another oblique reference to the Mastermind sketch.
All through the solve, I was wondering how the setter had provided a double-check on the solutions, other than just the crossers, since wordplay alone could be ambiguous. I was looking for ninas or an acrostic, and I was down to the last three solutions before I realized how the gimmick from the sketch applied to the clues. A tour de force.
This was superb. I must have watched the sketch half a dozen times now. Like Cineraria I was a good way through before the full cleverness dawned on me. Agree with Tim C that Thatcher appears in the sketch (she’s in the last question, the answer to which is Charlie’s AUNT).
Thanks for the detailed blog, Prospero, and thanks again to Twin.
Jay (aka Jono)
I didn’t do the puzzle but I know and adore the sketch, and you have done an amazing job with the blog and spotting the assorted references.
As many will know, this (along with “Four Candles” and others) was a sketch written by the great Gerald Wiley, whose name continues to appear on the credits long after it was discovered that it was a pseudonym used by Ronnie Barker. He started submitting sketches to the BBC under a false name so his partner would not be embarrassed by Barker’s growing prowess as a writer as well as a performer and for a while there was much speculation as to which established writer was behind it as the quality was too high to be a new and unknown member of the public.
Long time lurker but had to weigh in on this. This could be the single cleverest thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t even imagine how you’d bring to create workable wordplay that simultaneously serves as a clear definition for another clue. Literally 10 across and on a par with the genius and perfection of the original sketch.
Also I think that the final clue may be jntended to mean “I’ve started so I’ll finish” which is the perfect way to end it. Thanks so much for this, Twin, it’s my favourite crossword I’ve ever solved.
Too difficult for me. A masterpiece undoubtedly – but just beyond my talents.
We need occasional toughies – I would think less of the Guardian if all the crosswords were within my range. It’s nice to know I still have lots to learn in terms of solving. Huge kudos to those who got it finished
Thanks Twin and prospero.
PJ @4 Ronnie Barker did write some incredible sketches such as Four Candles but Mastermind was written by David Renwick of One Foot in the Grave fame.
thank you for the comments – I’m pleased to have Thatcher join the reference list – I was working from the script link I’ve quoted, which has Shirley Williams, not the actual transmission – pays to double-check.
I thought the instructions were a bit misleading: it isn’t really true that “Each answer is clued by wordplay only”, as there are definitions, albeit it in the previous clues. Maybe the wording could have been something like “Answers are not defined in their clues”, which gives the necessary information and doesn’t give the gimmick away immediately.
I have sometimes thought that a Genius puzzle has had answers clued by wordplay only without any good reason, so I wasn’t very happy when I read the instructions for this one. Then I saw it was set by Twin who I knew had set the 2022 Magpie Puzzle of the Year ‘Two Grids with One Stone’ (sorry, I haven’t done The Listener for many years), so I thought he can’t have just written a set of wordplay-only clues for no good reason.
I worked out where the definitions were after solving a few clues which made things much easier, even though it was a while before I solved 1a and 31a and understood why. I didn’t notice that all but the last clue ended with a question mark until I was almost finished, and I had wondered if 27d was supposed to be a definition for 1a, but I think 1a is supposed to be the answer to the first question, which is ‘who performed it?’ in the instructions.
Like everyone else, it took a considerable time before the penny finally dropped! I even put “terrible clue” against 15 down, and question marks against others. It seemed unfair at first that we had no way of choosing which of four possible anagrams (PETARD, DEPART, PARTED, PRATED) might fit 9 down without first solving the crossing clues, but of course once you see the definition in the previous clue, there is no ambiguity. A brilliant puzzle on a delightful theme.
I agree with others that it must have been mind-bogglingly hard to set – and not much easier to solve!
We got TWO RONNIES early, the ‘sketch’ in the rubric being a faint suggestion, but spent a while looking for Fork Handles and similar. But even with the MASTERMIND reference, it was still hard – the ‘definitions’ are often allusive and elliptical.
Failed at the last hurdle, we were convinced 20d was either PLOUGH or PLEUGH (an old Scots spelling of plough) as these seemed good candidates for having passed through turf – I didn’t thing of PRONGS, but might have rejected it for being plural. Thought CONSORTED was a candidate for 25a, but couldn’t parse it, but CONNECTED (to go with PLEUGH) seemed equally (un)likely. Ah well, we can take consolation that others found it tough too!
AD@7, you’re quite right – many thanks for saying so and correctly crediting Mr Renwick!
Brilliant, but too clever for me. I got 22 of the answers without twigging the connection to the previous clue but then ground to a halt.
I concur with #6, well done setter & blogger!
This was magnificent – an instant classic. For ages I was thinking both “what oddly worded clues” and “I hope there’s a damn good reason for wordplay-only”, and I’d even scribbled on my printout that all clues had a question mark except for the last one. The penny dropped when I got MASTERMIND! What an achievement – worthy of the series name ‘Genius’ 🙂
Quite brilliant. And what I really loved about it was that I filled about 3/4 of the grid thinking that the setting was just lazy and not worthy of the Genius slot. No definitions and a connection between a couple of answers, well so what and how do I even know that my wordplay solution is what the setter intended? When I finally twigged what was going on . . . wow!
See now this blog by Alan Connor: https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/crossword-blog/2024/dec/02/when-does-a-cryptic-crossword-become-a-work-of-genius
Interestingly, he gets 9 down wrong!
he also says it’s October’s …
I got the Two Ronnies and Mastermind quite early, but only when about halfway through solving the rest of the clues twigged the significance of the sketch. A real lightbulb moment! Absolutely fabulous crossword. Thank you Twin.
I’m afraid I was beaten by 20D – like Mr Beaver at #12 I wasn’t convinced by the plurality of PRONGS (and I didn’t think of aNGSt), so I bunged in PLOUGH (UGH as perturbation?) at the last minute, having mulled over it for most of the month!
Chapeau to Twin, indeed!
Nothing to add but admiration.
I think I had about a quarter of the answers in before the penny dropped, which helped sort out the “two Ronnies” anagram. I had a suspicion early on where there were two neighbours I’d solved and I thought there was a bit of a coincidence but I did not follow it up.
Brilliant Twin – thank you.
Even when we worked out what was going on, it was still difficult to complete. Mind you, we did keep laughing about it!
This really was one of those crosswords which will live on in the memory – a truly superb idea which was well constructed. We annoyingly missed that all the clues (except the last ‘I’ve started so I’ll finish’ one) were questions.
Thanks to Twin. Prospero – when we were solving the puzzle we were wondering how on earth we would blog this if it was our turn – you did a great job.
Oh boy, this one was a doozey, and I did not finish. I had all the bottom half out, and some of the top. I got the Two Ronnies and Mastermind quite early, and watched the sketch, which was hilarious, but I never twigged what the setter was doing with the rest of that idea. Had I realised, I might have got a few more words. So mind-bogglingly clever!
Brilliant crossword, spotted the Two Ronnies and mastermind, watched the sketch laughing hysterically, and yet did not get the concept of the answer being in the previous clue. Only saw this as we were about to give up and seek help with 4 clues still to solve….and another couple unresolved due to ambiguity ( consorted and petard and maybe others) just in time to complete without help. So satisfying and awe inspiring! Thanks for a delightful solve Twin, and for the clear and helpful blog.
We just printed a year’s with of genius crosswords for our holiday, so hence the late post.
I looked at this puzzle today, having forgotten that I gave up on it after two and a half answers last month, gave up on it again, and came here for the explanation… and I find an extremely lucid preview that should allow me to try it! I interpreted the instructions as saying that every symmetrical pair of clues was the subject of a sketch and a comedian who did it, got AUNT quickly, went symmetrical and got DEAN, googled to find that there’s a comedian called Larry Dean, and was like “well obviously Larry Dean did a famous sketch about an aunt but I’ll never get these references.” Then I convinced myself that 2 down was MOACA, googled that, and found a comedy show called “Men of a certain age” so figured that that was another skit from a comedian I didn’t know, and gave up. Should’ve noticed the connection between 1 and 2 across!
Happy holidays and thanks to setter and blogger.
Having done it now (almost; I had an unparsed CONTORTED in for CONSORTED and did not get CRAPS, and also ADVERT for ADVENT), absolutely brilliant! Amazing construction.
For ADVENT I thought ADVERT and was trying to work out something with DENVER, which is a proverbially high part of America–I would say that “high-rising” is the reversal indicator, though Nevada is in fact the fifth highest state by average/median elevation.
The clue part for RICHTER is particularly clever because the Richter scale is open-ended, hence the “boundless” perturbation. I think of this because of the classic Einstürzende Neubaten album Fünf auf der nach oben offenen Richterskala.
Thanks Twin and Prospero!