Puzzle from the Weekend FT of June 7, 2025
This puzzle took me some time to finish. My first-in was 4 (QUEUED) and last came 23 (CITIZEN). My favourites are 3 (FOOLHARDY), 11 (IDLE THREAT) and 16 (GARGOYLE). Due to some software hitch, 22 (NOBLE) does not appear correctly in the grid. And, as usual with Zamorca, the puzzle is a pangram. Thank you!
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | RIP-OFF |
Rent’s rotten exploitation (3-3)
|
| RENT (rip) + OFF (rotten) | ||
| 4 | QUEUED |
Lined up when verbally prompted (6)
|
| Homophone (when verbally) of “cued” | ||
| 8 | JUKEBOX |
In France I import British TV and a record player (7)
|
| UK (British) in (import) JE (in France I) + BOX (TV) | ||
| 9 | USED-CAR |
Employed help of motorists in review for second hand vehicle (4-3)
|
| USED (employed) + RAC (help of motorists) backwards (in review). The RAC is the British Royal Automobile Club. | ||
| 11 | IDLE THREAT |
Phantom Menace is doing nothing and theatre shortened run (4,6)
|
| IDLE (doing nothing) + anagram (run) of THEATR[e] | ||
| 12 | EELS |
Imagine coming back carrying large fish (4)
|
| L (large) in (carrying) SEE (imagine) backwards (coming back) | ||
| 13 | SHEER |
Complete vertical (5)
|
| Double definition with the first as in “sheer luck” | ||
| 14 | INCISIVE |
Cutting uncontrolled vice and sin on island (8)
|
| I (island) + anagram (uncontrolled) of VICE SIN | ||
| 16 | GARGOYLE |
Grotesque fish has spiky tail in Lego set (8)
|
| GAR (fish) + [spik]Y in (in) anagram (set) of LEGO | ||
| 18 | MEDAL |
Daughter invested in dinner gong (5)
|
| D (daughter) in (invested in) MEAL (dinner) | ||
| 20 | WEAR |
Become weaker partner during conflict (4)
|
| E (partner, as in bridge) in (during) WAR (conflict) | ||
| 21 | TICKLE PINK |
Please, very much credit the French with rosé (6,4)
|
| TICK (credit) + LE (the French) + PINK (rosé) | ||
| 23 | CITIZEN |
Kept back spot in nice development for compatriot (7)
|
| ZIT (spot) backwards (kept back) in (in) anagram (development) of NICE | ||
| 24 | STAND BY |
Be ready with key to go in farm building (5,2)
|
| AND (with) + B (key) together in (to go in) STY (farm building) | ||
| 25 | ECHOED |
Said ‘hear, hear!’ as financial district expected to ignore president (6)
|
| EC (financial district, of London that is) + HO]p]ED (expected to ignore president) | ||
| 26 | ASHORE |
Reportedly secure on dry land (6)
|
| Homophone (reportedly) of “assure” (secure) | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | ROUND |
Sandwich and drinks for all? (5)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 2 | PRECEDE |
Herald Pope’s first special decree (7)
|
| P[ope] + anagram (special) of DECREE | ||
| 3 | FOOLHARDY |
Frodo lay sick, admitting his leadership to be reckless (9)
|
| H[is/ in (admitting) anagram (sick) of FRODO LAY | ||
| 5 | UPSET |
Some delegates publicised mounting disruption (5)
|
| Reverse (mounting) hidden word (some) | ||
| 6 | UNDRESS |
Nursed wound putting on small strip (7)
|
| Anagram (wound) of NURSED + S (small) | ||
| 7 | DRAW LEVEL |
Catch up with faltering leader, clinching win and victory overall at last (4,5)
|
| W (win) and V (victory) in (clinching) anagram faltering of LEADER + [overal]L (corrected) | ||
| 10 | RESIDENCE |
Home for Religious Education team with new church (9)
|
| RE (Religious Education) + SIDE (team) + N (new) + CE (church) | ||
| 13 | SPARE TIME |
Extra issue arising in leisure hours (5,4)
|
| SPARE (extra) + EMIT (issue) backwards (arising) | ||
| 15 | COMPLETES |
Enters race across lake and achieves (9)
|
| L (lake) in (across) COMPETES (enters race) | ||
| 17 | GARNISH |
Bit of parsley perhaps cut to hide turnips essentially (7)
|
| [tu]RNI[ps] in (to hide) GASH (cut) | ||
| 19 | DIP INTO |
Casually look at detective swilling Pinot (3,4)
|
| DI (detective) + anagram (swilling) of PINOT | ||
| 21 | THEME |
Article on writer has recurring image (5)
THE (article) + ME (writer)
|
| 22 | NOBLE |
Half-heartedly intimidate aristocrat (5) (5)
|
| NOB[b]LE |
Comments are closed.