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Puzzle from the Weekend FT of May 24, 2025
I found this fairly easy although there was one term I was unfamiliar with: 21 (CHEEK OF THE DEVIL). My favourites are 10 (EUCHARIST) and 19a (BRAILLE).
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | PUMICE |
Turning up small animals behind volcanic rock (6)
|
| UP (turning up) + MICE (small animals) | ||
| 4 | TALENTED |
Gifted, having old money (8)
|
| TALENT+ED (having old money) | ||
| 10 | EUCHARIST |
Mass becoming such a rite (9)
|
| Anagram (becoming) of SUCH A RITE | ||
| 11 | EAGLE |
In there a glen hiding flighty creature (5)
|
| Hidden word (in…hiding) | ||
| 12 | OPERATING SYSTEM |
Collection of computer programs, method of working first (9,6)
|
| OPERATING (working) + SYSTEM (method) | ||
| 13 | ICED TEA |
Cup that chills (4,3)
|
| ICED (that chills) + TEA (cup) | ||
| 14 | NEOCON |
Movement which one adapted for study (6)
|
| Anagram (adapted) of ONE + CON (study) | ||
| 17 | ASHRAM |
Has removed sheep from Hindu retreat (6)
|
| Anagram (removed) of HAS + RAM (sheep) | ||
| 19 | BRAILLE |
It can be read with feeling (7)
|
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 21 | CHEEK OF THE DEVIL |
Satan’s feature first is uninhibited insolence (5,2,3,5)
|
| CHEEK (feature) + OF THE (‘s) + DEVIL (Satan). Initially I was wanting this to be either SPEAK OF THE DEVIL or SHOUT AT THE DEVIL. I had to look up the answer to find this phrase CHEEK OF THE DEVIL which is new to me. It is used to describe someone with a mischievous or playful nature. You mean someone like a crossword setter?? | ||
| 23 | ERGOT |
Grass disease thus appearing before time (5)
|
| ERGO (thus) + T (time) | ||
| 24 | LOATHSOME |
Many a swear-word few find disgusting (9)
|
| L (many, i.e. 50) + OATH (a swear-word) + SOME (few) | ||
| 25 | NORTHERN |
Tube lights? (8)
|
| Double definition with the first referring to the Northern line of London’s Underground | ||
| 26 | UNUSED |
International body exploited mint (6)
|
| UN (international body) + USED (exploited) | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | PRETORIA |
A report I translated in the city (8)
|
| Anagram (translated) of A REPORT I | ||
| 2 | MACKERELS |
More than one holy fish? (9)
|
| I am unsure how to classify this one but I do think it’s a good clue. “Holy mackerel” is an informal exclamation used to express surprise, shock, or admiration. | ||
| 3 | CHARACTER SKETCH |
Quick description of someone in letter accompanying drawing (9,6)
|
| CHARACTER (letter) + SKETCH (drawing) | ||
| 5 | ANTIGEN |
Worker, one has info on foreign substance (7)
|
| ANT (worker) + I (one) + GEN (info) | ||
| 6 | EVERY NOW AND THEN |
Where Nanny voted by mistake occasionally (5,3,3,4)
|
| Anagram (by mistake) of WHERE NANNY VOTED | ||
| 7 | TIGHT |
Stretched most of nether garments (5)
|
| TIGHT[s] (most of nether garments) | ||
| 8 | DREAMY |
Read about my being vague (6)
|
| Anagram (about) of READ + MY (my) | ||
| 9 | SILICA |
Quartz Lisa exchanged was pronouncedly icy inside (6)
|
| IC (pronouncedly icy) in (inside) anagram (exchanged) of LISA | ||
| 15 | OBLIVIOUS |
Clear about 51 are forgetful (9)
|
| LI (51) in (about) OBVIOUS (clear) | ||
| 16 | WELL READ |
Like a popular book being highly educated (4-4)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 18 | MUFFLER |
Scarf — one that deadens sound? (7)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 19 | BEHEAD |
Remain leader and act in an executive capacity? (6)
|
| BE (remain) + HEAD (leader) | ||
| 20 | SCREEN |
Protect telly (6)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 22 | ELGAR |
Composer’s regal composition (5)
|
| Anagram (composition) of REGAL |
I found this challenging in places. I did not ever feel I was on the same wave length as Pedrock and found a few of his clues difficult to spot, with some unknown words thrown in.
I ticked OBLIVIOUS, UNUSED, and share Pete’s like of BRAILLE
I have also NHO CHEEK OF THE DEVIL – it sounds like 19th century saying. Holy MACKEREL also sounds pretty old, but at least I have heard that one before.
Thanks Bedrock and Pete
I thought the clue for NORTHERN was unconventional, to say the least. “Northern” can be a descriptor associated with both of the clued words, but neither word is a synonym for “northern” itself, and it is not really a “cryptic definition,” either. Another NHO for CHEEK OF THE DEVIL. A good puzzle, though.
Liked EUCHARIST and BEHEAD.
OPERATING SYSTEM
The ‘first’ in the clue indicates OPERATING goes before SYSTEM? The ‘of’ is hanging loose in that case.
CHEEK OF THE DEVIL
Satan’s=OF THE DEVIL, feature first=CHEEK first.
Thanks Pedrock and Pete.
BTW I always thought of an OPERATING SYSTEM as a program rather than a collection of programs. I hope the more technically savvy will provide an opinion.
I also wondered about “of” in the clue, KVa@3. I guess it is just another filler word.
Lovely puzzle – a bit easier than usual for a Saturday
But I did get stuck in the SW corner as I put SPEAK OF THE DEVIL at first. Like others I have never heard of the phase Cheek of the devil but it does fit the clue.
Liked: ANTIGEN, ASHRAM, CHARACTER SKETCH, BRAILLE
Thought NORTHERN was a bit devious.
Thanks Pedrock and Pete Mclean
I have heard CHEEK OF THE DEVIL before and confidently wrote that answer in on first pass – it’s possibly a West Country expression from the images I connect to hearing it. NORTHERN was my last one in with a groan – I try to avoid thinking about the Northern Line if possible. I really want to see the Northern Lights and have spent Christmases in Oban and Skye attempting to do so.
Thank you to Pedrock and Pete Maclean.
Doesn’t holy mackerel sound quaintly innocent these days! And yes, Speak of the .. and maybe Luck of the … but nho his Cheek.
Agree Cineraria @2, Northern was sneakily oblique, and despite having tubed to Highgate many times I needed to cheat for the N before twigging.
Not sure I’d dignify neocons as a movement — don’t they just cut taxes at the top and squeeze the bottom like always? Hey ho.
Much enjoyed, ta Pedro’s and Pete.
“Cheek otd” caught me out, “speak” nearly worked, but left thinking “telly” referred to teleost fish. Good fun, so thanks to Pedrock and Pete.
… Pedrock, sorry (auto thing)
RE Martyn at comment #4:
BTW I always thought of an OPERATING SYSTEM as a program rather than a collection of programs. I hope the more technically savvy will provide an opinion.
In the very early days of computing, operating systems were indeed single programs. I know; I wrote one of them. Today there may be single-program OS’s for some embedded microcomputers but the operating systems we generally talk about such as Windows, Mac OS and Android, comprise a very large number of programs. Then again, the core of any operating system is usually referred to as a kernel. But whether or not one would consider a typical kernel to be a single file or not is a matter that I am not clear about.
The quotation would seem to derive from The Merchant of Venice Act 1 Scene III. and Pedrock correctly ascribes “cheek” as a feature.
Antonio
The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose,–
An evil soul producing holy witness
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek, 95
Thank you Pedrock and Pete