Newsworthy events of November in cryptic form. Find it to solve online or download and print at ft.com/crossword
Guy is one of my current favourite setters and this superb puzzle shows why – lots of clever constructions working the news stories into both surface and wordplay of clues. Particular favourites were 28 across, 2 down and 8 down. Feel free to tell me your own favourites in the comments below, along with highlighting any topical references I may have missed.
Thanks, Guy!
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| ACROSS | ||
| 7 | COOLIDGE |
Old president with unruffled brow, resistance gone (8)
|
| COOL (unruffled) + [r]IDGE (brow) less R (resistance)
Reference to the US presidential election that happened this month, in case you missed it. |
||
| 9 | REVERE |
Kate’s back led by king, always showing respect (6)
|
| Last letter (back) of katE “led by” R (king) + EVER (always)
The Princess of Wales appeared in public for the first time a few weeks ago following her cancer treatment. |
||
| 10 | FELON |
Fellow alongside Musk, Trump? (5)
|
| F (fellow) + ELON (Musk)
The newly re-elected President is indeed a convicted felon. |
||
| 11 | REJOICING |
Cock-a-hoop gang having crooked Joe in charge part-way through (9)
|
| RING (gang) containing (having … part way through) an anagram (crooked) of JOE + IC (in charge)
Maybe a reference to outgoing President Joe Biden? Not sure. |
||
| 13 | RENT-ROLLS |
Some children troll Santa for profitable lists (4-5)
|
| Found among the letters of childREN TROLL Santa
Christmas “season” has started. I’ve already heard Wham’s Last Christmas on the radio. |
||
| 15 | SEATS |
Liquid asset, cars possibly washed away by 17 19? (5)
|
| Anagram (liquid) of ASSET
Seat is a Spanish car brand. |
||
| 17/19 | THE RAIN IN SPAIN |
Felipe VI’s responsibility, one hears, to get Audrey Hepburn’s number? (3,4,2,5)
|
| RAIN sounds like REIGN, and Felipe VI is the current King of SPAIN
Several parts of Spain have been hit by flash flooding caused by extremely heavy rain this month, leading to much death and destruction. |
||
| 20 | UPSET |
Leading firm not happy (5)
|
| UP (leading) + SET (firm) | ||
| 21 | KEW BRIDGE |
Thames crossing where traffic jam’s always reported? (3,6)
|
| KEW sounds like QUEUE (traffic jam) | ||
| 24 | BICAMERAL |
Beating heart of Republican America, description of US Congress (9)
|
| Anagram (beating) of the middle letters (heart) of repuBLican + AMERICA
Bicameral meaning having two chambers, as per the US Congress, with the Representatives and the Senate. |
||
| 26 | SHELF |
Keep it down, magical little green creature in Yorkshire village (5)
|
| SH (keep it down) + ELF (magical little green creature)
Elf on the Shelf has become a Christmas “tradition” since the book of the same name came out in 2005. Something to do with spying on your kids to make sure they behave, I think. |
||
| 28 | RECORD |
Off The Wall producer scrubbing up as ‘best of all time’ (6)
|
| Anagram (off the wall) of PRODUCER less (scrubbing) the letters UP
Quincy Jones, the legendary record producer, died this month aged 91. He produced Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall LP. Great clue. |
||
| 29 | GYRATING |
In a spin, both sides in Germany dealing rebukes (8)
|
| Both “side” letters in GermanY + RATING (dealing rebukes)
The German government is on the brink of collapse after Chancellor Scholz lost his majority. |
||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | ACT FOR |
Represent penultimate part of Shakespeare play on the radio (3,3)
|
| ACT FOR sounds like ACT FOUR, which would be the penultimate part of a five-act Shakespeare play | ||
| 2 | BOIL |
Get mad leader in Baku a gift from God? (4)
|
| First letter in Baku + OIL (gift from god)
Baku is capital of Azerbaijan, whose President Ilham Aliyev this week told the COP29 environment summit that oil and gas are a ‘gift from God’. |
||
| 3 | SINNER |
ATP’s champion in Turin // no saint (6)
|
| Two definitions
Jannik Sinner won the men’s ATP World Tour Series tennis finals held in Turin this month. |
||
| 4 | GENIUSES |
Very clever people, for example raised National Insurance and benefits (8)
|
| EG (for example) reversed (raised) + NI (National Insurance) + USES (benefits)
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in her Budget that employers’ contributions to National Insurance are being increased. |
||
| 5 | KEMI |
Out of Jake & Mike, who won an uninspiring contest? (4)
|
| Found within the letters of jaKE and MIke
Kemi Badenoch won the election to become new leader of the Conservative party this month. You might call it an uninspiring contest, I couldn’t possibly comment. |
||
| 6 | FERGUSON |
Fine surgeon treated the manager Amorim must emulate (8)
|
| F (fine) + anagram (treated) of SURGEON
Portugal’s Ruben Amorim became the new manager of Manchester Utd football club this month. It’s his first game in charge today, against Ipswich. The Ferguson he needs to emulate is former manager Sir Alex. |
||
| 8 | GARY LINEKER |
Changing kit, old greyer man leaving MOTD (4,7)
|
| Anagram (changing) of KIT OLD GREYER MAN less the letters MOTD
The former Leicester and England striker announced this month that he is leaving his position as main presenter on Match of the Day (MOTD) at the end of this season, after 25 years in the job. |
||
| 12 | JUSTIN WELBY |
Breaking news breathed around Canterbury, finally he’s gone (6,5)
|
| JUST IN (breaking news) + BLEW (breathed) reversed (around) + last letter (finally) of canterburY
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby finally succumbed to pressure to resign due to his perceived failure to deal adequately with child abuser John Smyth, a barrister who worked for the Church of England. |
||
| 14 | NEEDS |
Basics noticed going up, including diesel primarily (5)
|
| SEEN (noticed) reversed (going up) including the first letter (primarily) of Diesel
After a recent downturn, inflation has gone up again this month. |
||
| 16 | AWARD |
Give notice that conflict is spreading (5)
|
| AD (notice) that WAR (conflict) is “spreading”
Could be a reference to the situation in Ukraine or could be a reference to the situation in the Middle East. |
||
| 17 | TRUE-BORN |
Crazy Robert Jun. lacking Jack’s pedigree (4-4)
|
| Anagram (crazy) of ROBERT JUN less J (Jack)
Trump announced that Robert F Kennedy Jr, a conspiracy theorist noted for his anti-vaccines position, will be Secretary of State for Health in his new administration. |
||
| 18 | ANTIMERE |
New clock in A&E reflected body part (8)
|
| N (new) + TIMER (clock) in A+E
New word for me – a body part that has a symmetrical counterpart, eg a left and right arm. Generously clued. |
||
| 22 | RASCAL |
Scoundrel gripping equally roughly with both hands (6)
|
| AS (equally) + CA (short for circa = roughly) “gripped” by R + L (right and left, both hands) | ||
| 23 | EFFIGY |
Guy on November 5th deleting name of damned Yankee (6)
|
| Deleting N (name) from EFFING (damned) + Y (Yankee)
Older solvers will remember that it used to be a British tradition for kids to take around effigies of Guy Fawkes on Bonfire Night (5th November) requesting “Penny for the guy” before later chucking them on the bonfire, but this seems to have been overtaken by the American custom of trick-or-treating on Halloween. Don’t think I’ve seen a guy for many years. |
||
| 25 | COCO |
Ms Gauff taking China on, coming out on top (4)
|
| First letters (on top) of China On Coming Out
American tennis player Coco Gauff beat China’s Zheng Qinwen in the WTA finals this month. |
||
| 27 | ERIC |
Little Trump delivered after third term in America? (4)
|
| The third letter (term) onwards of amERICa
Son of Donald Trump, who has already talked about changing the rules to allow him to run for a third term as President. |
JUSTIN WELBY
Are archbishops addressed/referred to as HE.? The ‘he’ in the def is HE?
TRUE-BORN
The Jack in the clue is JFK. Right?
Loved FELON, GARY LINEKER, TRUE-BORN and COCO.
Excellent surfaces packed with a good mix of news.
Great blog, which enlightened me a lot.
Thanks Guy and Widdersbel.
I think if that were the intention then HE ought to be capitalised in the clue for fairness.
And yes, Jack would be JFK.
JUSTIN WELBY
Thanks Widdersbel. I see your logic.
As in most cases in the puzzle, this clue also works like a CAD and
‘HE’ may not have been intended by the setter.
Thanks again.
In UK, archbishops are referred to as Most Reverend, and Your Grace, rather than HE for His Excellency. Eastern Catholic archbishops can be addressed His Eminence. In any case, I’ll chance my arm and say Guy didn’t intend any of that.
Tracey Eminence is more like it anyway. Thanks to Guy for a nice work-out.
Sorry I’m late – busy day yesterday, running a social for one of the things I’m involved in. I do enjoy these news puzzles and try to make sure I complete them.
KEW BRIDGE hasn’t been in the news this month, but last month and recently – for the repairs to the rail bridge – Grade II listed and all, and the new Banksy by the road bridge (the goat is there).
Thank you to Guy and Widdersbel