Tack is a relatively new setter in the Independent series, appearing every three months or thereabouts.
All of Tack’s previous puzzles have included a theme, but I can’t see one here. No doubt someone will tell me what I have missed. The only small connections I can see are that SWORDs and CHISELs are sharp plus ARISTOTLE being a BRAINBOX.
I was impressed by the clue for LANGUEDOC taking 9 alternate letters from an 18-letter phrase in the clue.
I can see what is going on in the clue for CATEGORISING, but I don’t think I have explained it very well in the detailed parsing below.
It was interesting to compare the different uses of ‘supported / supporting’ in the clues for RADICCHIO (across) and TROUBLESHOOT (down).
I think the definition for USURPATION at 13 down is ‘assumption’ rather than ‘take over’, but the entry could be defined both ways.
| No | Detail |
| Across | |
| 1 | People a priest’s about to have sex with (8)
COPULATE (have sex with) POPULATE (people, as a verb) with P (priest) being replaced by (‘s / is) C (circa; about) C OPULATE |
| 5 | Gadget finding husbands for daughters creates excitement (3-3)
HOO-HAH (noisy fuss; excitement) DOODAD (gadget) with H (husbands) replacing (for) all the Ds (daughter) to form HOO-HAH HOO-HAH |
| 9 | One’s clever gift of lingerie? (8)
BRAINBOX (one who is clever) BRA (lingerie) + IN BOX (given as a present) BRA IN BOX |
| 10 | Charlie periodically sleeps with recurrent cheat (6)
CHISEL (to cheat) C (Cocaine; Charlie) + LESIH (letters 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 [periodically] of SLEEPS WITH) reversed (recurrent) C HISEL< |
| 12 | Deviously cover up a bold and cynical show of affection (8- 4)
CUPBOARD LOVE (hypocritical or cynical show of affection for material gain) Anagram of (deviously) COVER UP A BOLD CUPBOARD LOVE* |
| 15 | One has a point about key arguments (5)
SWORD (a weapon that has a point) (D [musical key] + ROWS [arguments]) reversed (about) (SWOR D)< |
| 16 | Plan currency in European country after leader is deposed (9)
ELEVATION (reference ELEVATION plans which show the outside or the exterior of the property) LEV (standard monetary unit of Bulgaria; currency) contained in (in) (E [European] + NATION [country] excluding the first letter [after leader is deposed] N E (LEV) ATION |
| 18 | Life force essentially supported by awfully acrid vegetable (9)
RADICCHIO (purple-leaved variety of chicory from Italy, used raw in salads; vegetable) Anagram of (awfully) ACRID + CHI [life-force] + O (central letter of [essentially] suppOrted) RADIC* CHI O – across clue so ‘supported’ is not playing another part in the clue as it often does in a down clue. |
| 19 | Mention I construct housing of Greek style (5)
IONIC (descriptive of a Greek architectural style or a region of Greece) IONIC (hidden word in [housing] MENTION I CONSTRUCT) IONIC |
| 20 | Solarists got confused with these? (12)
ASTROLOGISTS (people who study the supposed influence of the movements and positions of the stars and planets on human and terrestrial affairs) –ASTROLOGISTS shouldn’t really get confused with SOLARISTS (scientists who study the sun) Anagram of (confused) SOLARISTS GOT ASTROLOGISTS* |
| 24 | Part of opera was created earlier we hear (6)
ISOLDA (reference the opera ‘Tristan and ISOLDA‘ by Richard Wagner (1813 – 1883; ISOLDA is part of the title) ISOLDA (sounds like ‘IS OLDER‘ [was created earlier]) ISOLDA |
| 25 | Precinct detective following rules to the letter (8)
DISTRICT (precinct) DI (Detective [Inspector]) + STRICT (following rules to the letter) DI STRICT |
| 26 | Rounded projection numbers reversing national insurance guarantees primarily (6)
NOSING (the projecting rounded edge of the step of a stair, sill, moulding, etc) NOS (numbers) + NI (National Insurance) reversed (reversing) + G (first letter [primarily] of Guarantees) NOS IN< G |
| 27 | A diver abandoned by bachelor in Grand at one (8)
AGREEING (being of one mind; at one) A + GREBE (diving bird; diver) excluding (abandoned by) B (bachelor) + IN + G (grand) A GREE IN G |
| Down | |
| 1 | Perhaps 8 ball initially caught by its player’s equipment (4)
CUBE (8=23, therefore 8 is a cube) B (first letter of [initially]) contained in (caught by) CUE (in snooker, pool or billiards a player uses a CUE to strike the ball) CU (B) E |
| 2 | Summit talk starts late (4)
PEAK (summit) SPEAK (talk) excluding the first letter (starts late) S PEAK |
| 3 | Wine producer learnt glut ends once regular characters leave (9)
LANGUEDOC (The region of a LANGUEDOC in Southern France is known for its wine production) LANGUEDOC (letters 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 of LEARNT GLUT ENDS ONCE) LANGUEDOC |
| 4 | Try to correct call in parliament supporting transitive monetary units (12)
TROUBLESHOOT (try to locate the cause of a problem and correct it) T (transitive) + ROUBLES (monetary units in Russia) + HOOT (the call of an owl. The collective noun for a group of owls is ‘parliament’) As this is a down entry, ‘supporting’ is indicating that the letters in HOOT are holding up or (supporting) the letters in TROUBLES T ROUBLES HOOT |
| 6 | After goalless draw the man had sounded pleased (5)
OOHED (sounded pleased) O–O (nil-nil, the score in a goalless draw) + HE’D (the man had) OO HED |
| 7 | Complicated case of herpes, so I ran it past experts (10)
HISTORIANS (experts in knowledge of the past) Anagram of (complicated) HS (outer letters of [case of] HERPES) and SO I RAN IT HISTORIANS* |
| 8 | Seconds away from late run on Echo cutting journalist’s top line (6,4)
HALTER NECK (top line on a dress) (LTE [LATE excluding the second letter {seconds away} A] + RN [RUN excluding the second letter {seconds away} U] + E [Echo is the international radio communication codeword for the letter E) contained in (cutting) HACK (journalistic drudge; journalist) HA (LTE R N E) CK |
| 11 | Listing Roger and Stacy exposed to me? (12)
CATEGORISING (listing) CATEGO (central letters of each of, omitting the outer letters [exposed to me] ROGER and STACY) reversed (read from below; RISING) (CAT EGO)< RISING |
| 13 | Assumption American puritan somehow will take over (10)
USURPATION (the taking of possession; assumption of) US (United States; American) + (an anagram of (somehow) PURITAN containing [will take] O [over]) US URPATI (O) N* |
| 14 | Prepares terms (10)
CONDITIONS (prepares [verb]) CONDITIONS (terms [noun]) double definition CONDITIONS |
| 17 | He used to think she serves coffee naked to upset the French (9)
ARISTOTLE (reference the Greek thinker ARISTOTLE [384 BC – 322 BC]) BARISTA ([female; she] coffee maker) excluding the outer letters (naked) B and A + TO reversed (upset; down entry) + LE (one of the French forms of ‘the’) ARIST OT< LE |
| 21 | Perhaps boxer cycles against pianist and composer (5)
OGDON (reference John OGDON [1937 – 1989], English pianist and composer) DOG (a boxer is a type of DOG) with the letters shifted one place to the left and first going to last (cycles) + ON (against) OGD ON |
| 22 | Retired judge providing island country (4)
FIJI (country in the Pacific ocean) (J [judge] + IF [provided]) all reversed (retired) + I (island) (FI J)< I |
| 23 | Singular example of game (4)
STAG (a animal hunted for sport [game]) S (singular) + TAG [example, although I can’t find a dictionary of thesaurus giving TAG as a synonym of example] S TAG |
I took 23d as an &lit with TAG as an example of a game.
Parsed CATEGORISING as in blog and think the wording is ok.
A couple of nho’s (OGDON and both CHISEL and NOSING with these particular definitions) plus some quite tricky parses (RADICCHIO, HALTER NECK and CATEGORISING) made this quite a tricky puzzle. Certainly one of my slower solves this year. My podium is USURPATION for the surface, LANGUEDOC for the lengthy alternation as noted by our blogger and HISTORIANS and CUPBOARD LOVE for the anagrams.
Thanks Tack and duncan
Enjoyed. If Tack is a new setter he/she is inventive and has plenty of old tricks. Maybe new here. Especially liked HISTORIANS (surface), CHISEL and the clue for HALTER NECK but not the definition. Went for OGDEN not OGDON based on a google. Still don’t get on = against. Also, nho cupboard love. Always learning. I think I put ISOLDE in the online version. Thanks for an excellent blog duncan to go with an excellent puzzle Tack.
I had ISOLDE as well. ‘On’ = ‘against’ as, perhaps, leaning on/against a wall?
Thanks. Yes, I knocked my head against/on the door/window etc, I suppose.
Liked ASTROLOGISTS, USURPATION and the &lit STAG.
CATEGORISING
Should we apply ‘exposed’ first and then ‘to me’?
OGETAC to me/read cryptically—>CATEGO RISING.
Thanks Tack and duncan.
A tricky solve, with OGDON and the definition for ELEVATION taken on trust, while I didn’t parse COPULATE at all. I really liked CHISEL, ASTROLOGISTS, and ARISTOTLE.
Thanks Tack and duncan.
PS. 24a is ISOLDE, rather than ISOLDA.
A plan is the view from above, an elevation is a side view, just sayin’ …
This was a hard solve for me, but I slogged it out and got there in the end with heavy use of the Check functionality. I found it verging on too-clever-by-half in places, though I think that’s a reflection on me rather that the setter, as other more experienced solvers enjoyed it. I got lots of clues – possibly the majority – by solving the definition using the checkers and then back-parsing. Still, it wasn’t all frustration; favourites included BRAINBOX, CUBE, LANGUEDOC, HISTORIANS and STAG. And I can’t complain about the tightness of the clueing – it all makes sense. I parsed CATEGORISING and STAG as per KVa and Hovis.
I quibble about COPULATE for have sex with; the former is intransitive and the latter transitive; it sounds pedantic but this kind of thing does lead to one looking for the wrong synonyms or writing off anything like the intended one. Coupled with some devious, understated wordplay it made for a hard clue. I also shrugged at ELEVATION for “plan” but couldn’t put my finger on why; I think grantinfreo@8 has it.
BTW how is “recurrent” a reversal indicator?
Thanks both
Recurrent in the sense of coming back, I guess
Thanks KVa; I guess that’s it. Hmm. Seems pretty indirect to me!
AP@9, I would have said the same as you re: COPULATE, but Chambers says “to have sexual intercourse (with)”, so I think the setter has cover – if it’s an error, it’s one to blame the dictionary for!
I too put unparsed OGDEN as I didn’t think of John Ogdon as a composer and I found online an American pianist and composer Denis Ogden. Also ISOLDE, which is always how I’ve seen it written.
At 18A, I was under the impression that ‘double-solving’ was taboo, i.e one has to solve part of the clue (chio here) then incorporate it into an anagram, at least I’ve not seen it before. Discuss!
Despite all this, I very much enjoyed this puzzle so thanks Tack and Duncan.
The definition for USURPATION must be Assumption, as you need the O from Over, but yes could be defined either way.
NHO CHISEL for cheat
My favourite today BRAINBOX, very clever, and I had ISOLDE too
Tatrasman@13 – CHIO is sat there at the end of clue, the anagram part is just ACRID.
Wikipedia tells me that hard Tack is a dense cracker, which seems about right for this. I agree with going about ELEVATION, though.
Gave in, and came here to use the excellent blog (thanks, Duncan!) as a learning opportunity. Liked BRAINBOX (very funny) ARISTOTLE and LANGUEDOC. Thanks to Tack, and hoping to get more on the wavelength next time.
You could parse 5a HOO-HAH:
with “doodad n. Chiefly U.S. 1920– A ‘fancy’ article (of dress), a ‘thingummy’; esp. a trivial or superfluous ornament.” (maybe needing a US indicator)
or “doodah n. slang. 1. 1915– all of a doodah: in a state of excitement; dithering. 2. 1928– = doodad n.
It all depends on how many daughters you need to find husbands for. I favour the latter,
because of Victoria Wood’s Mens Sana in Thingummy Doodah, and Other Nuggets of Homely Fun.
[24a Wagner’s opera is Tristan und Isolde.] — 1d The 8 ball is the black ball in pool, potted after all your spots/solids(1-7) or stripes(9-15).
Loved the puzzle. Very chewy. LOi – because it took me longest to parse – 1a COPULATE.
[FrankieG @18: LOL. Picturing Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and his three marriageable daughters. Or Lord Grantham in the first three seasons of Downton Abbey. The milieu is very different, but the skeletal outlines of the two plots have a lot in common. (Eldest daughter makes basically acceptable choice, youngest daughter makes scandalous choice, and everyone’s minds are a bit broadened, with tradition lying in rags and no one the worse off.) ]
Thanks Tack. I found this difficult and revealed CATEGORISING (too convuluted for my brain) as well as DISTRICT which I should have seen. I couldn’t parse everything and more than a few solutions went in via definitions & crossers. Still I found lots to enjoy such as COPULATE, HOO-HAH, BRAINBOX, TROUBLESHOOT, HISTORIANS (my COTD), and ARISTOTLE. Thanks duncanshiell for parsing.
I agree that this had its difficult parts, and definitely used reveal a little (been at this since about November). CATEGORISING and CHISEL were definitely beyond me. I got the basic structure of CHISEL, but reversing the periodically appearing letters combined with a definition on the obscure end was too much.
I really appreciated this puzzle, though – the clues were interesting, and there was a lot of stuff giving good entry points to be able to build up the checking letters. I thought that this was excellent stuff – approachable for someone building his skill, but difficult enough at the top end not to be a pushover. Very well done, Tack.
Duncan – thank you for such a clear recap. I’ve learned a lot here.
One of those days. Got exactly four answers I was sure of and another couple I wasn’t. No fun for me.