Phi has produced his latest Friday puzzle, easing us nicely into the Easter weekend.
I found this to be a medium-difficulty puzzle on Phi’s Indy spectrum, through which I made steady progress from start to finish. My apologies for the late posting.
The gateway clue at 29 might have suggested an Easter-related theme for Good Friday, but that is a red herring: all the theme words are synonyms for teaser, which just happens to be an anagram for Easter! Realising this early on actually helped me to solve the clues to the other theme words.
My favourite clues today were 6, for the inclusion of Spain and Portugal in the wordplay to a clue for which the definition is Iberia; 21, for its smooth, cricket-themed surface; and 25 for making me smile, since money must surely be a very rare enticement to tackle a crossword.
I wish everyone a pleasant Easter weekend, filled with crosswords, chocolate and anything else one might wish for.
*(…) indicates an anagram; definitions are italicised; a break in underlining separates definitions in multiple-definition clues
| ACROSS
|
||
| 1 | BICEPS |
Book is chilling about power and muscle (6)
|
| B (=book) + [P (=power, in physics) in ICES (=is chilling)] | ||
| 4 | PALPABLY |
Clearly friends will welcome Bishop before end of day (8)
|
| [B (=bishop, in chess) in PAL PAL (=friends, i.e. 2 x pal)] + <da>Y (“end of” means last letter only) | ||
| 9 | REBUS |
Checks, excluding following 29 (5)
|
| REBU<ff>S (=checks, curbs, setbacks; “excluding following (=ff, i.e. pages, lines)” means letters “ff” are dropped); a rebus is a teaser (=entry at 29) | ||
| 10 | CONUNDRUM |
Fake booze tucked into by sister, 29 (9)
|
| NUN (=sister) in [COD (=fake, sham, mock) + RUM (=booze)]; a conundrum is a teaser (=entry at 29) | ||
| 11 | EXCORIATION |
Article in wrought iron, exotic source of abrasion (11)
|
| A (=article, in grammar) in *(IRON EXOTIC); “wrought” is anagram indicator; to excoriate is to rub the skin off, abrade | ||
| 12 | ICY |
I initially considered you hostile (3)
|
| I + C<onsidered> Y<ou> (“initially” means first letter only) | ||
| 13 | QUESTION |
29 quite soon sorted out, skipping an over (8)
|
| *(QUITE S<o>ON); “skipping an over (=O, on cricket scorecard)” means one letter “o” is dropped from anagram, indicated by “sorted out”; a question is a teaser (=entry at 29) | ||
| 15 | PUZZLE |
29 turned up: last characters? The French (6)
|
| PU (UP; “turned” indicates reversal) + Z Z (=last characters, i.e. 2 x last letter of alphabet) + LE (=the French, i.e. a French word for the); a puzzle is a teaser (=entry at 29) | ||
| 18 | ENIGMA |
29 moves in game (6)
|
| *(IN GAME); “moves” is anagram indicator; an enigma is a teaser (=entry at 29) | ||
| 20 | HERALDIC |
Group in charge penning a line regarding display of shields (8)
|
| [A + L (=line)] in [HERD (=group, pack) + I/C (=in charge)] | ||
| 23 | CUP |
University publisher and college at university (1,1,1)
|
| C (=college) + UP (=at university, studying); CUP is Cambridge University Press | ||
| 24 | SPIRIT LEVEL |
Gin or rum? Be frank: this is scarcely bubbly at all (6,5)
|
| SPIRIT (=gin or rum) + LEVEL (=be frank (with someone)); there is one air bubble in a spirit level, hence “this is scarcely bubbly at all” | ||
| 26 | ADENOIDAL |
Broadcast i.e. a Donald, with an affected voice? (9)
|
| *(I.E. A DONALD); “broadcast” is anagram indicator | ||
| 27 | CLOUT |
Chlorine not to be used? That’s a blow (5)
|
| CL (=chlorine) + OUT (=not to be used, not selected) | ||
| 28 | HAY FEVER |
Seasonal problem play by Coward (3,5)
|
| Double definition: hay fever is a seasonal problem of allergies AND Hay Fever is 1925 comic play by Noël Coward | ||
| 29 | TEASER |
Anagram, perhaps, seen in Easter? (6)
|
| *(EASTER); a teaser is an “anagram, perhaps”; & lit. | ||
| DOWN
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||
| 1 | BURLESQUE |
Runs into version of blues quite lacking it in American show (9)
|
| R (=runs, on cricket scorecard) in *(BLUES QU<it>E); “lacking it” means letters “it” are dropped from anagram, indicated by “version of”; a burlesque is an American show, i.e. entertainment combining jokes, songs, dancing, etc | ||
| 2 | CUBICLE |
Tricky clue, with pen filling space for working? (7)
|
| BIC (=pen, biro) in *(CLUE); “tricky” is anagram indicator | ||
| 3 | POSER |
Work up series 29 (5)
|
| PO (OP.=work, i.e. opus; “up” indicates vertical reversal) + SER (=series); a poser is a teaser (=entry at 29) | ||
| 5 | AENEID |
Long story? End almost here, last bit to go, on reflection (6)
|
| DIE (=end, expire) + NEA<r> (=almost here; “last bit to go” means last letter is dropped); “on reflection” indicates reversal; the Aeneid is a Latin epic poem, hence “long story” | ||
| 6 | PENINSULA |
Iberia? Portugal and Spain almost all in sun, possibly (9)
|
| P (=Portugal) + E (=Spain, i.e. Espana) + *(AL<l> IN SUN); “almost” means last letter is dropped from anagram, indicated by “possibly” | ||
| 7 | BERLIOZ |
French composer and American composer not finished with Australia (7)
|
| BERLI<n> (=American composer, i.e. Irving Berlin; “not finished” means last letter is dropped) + OZ (=Australia); the reference is to French composer Hector Berlioz (1803-69) | ||
| 8 | YUMMY |
Delectable years on corporation, though not at first (5)
|
| Y (=years) + <t>UMMY (=corporation, belly; “though not at first” means first letter is dropped) | ||
| 10 | CRAYON |
Not in favour of retaining form of light artistic tool (6)
|
| RAY (=form of light) in CON (=not in favour of, anti) | ||
| 14 | TOMBSTONE |
Arizona city: comments about person who is late here? (9)
|
| Cryptic definition: a tombstone may feature “comments about person who is late (=deceased)”! | ||
| 16 | ESCALATOR |
Feature of a big mall, perhaps, or a castle, possibly (9)
|
| *(OR A CASTLE); “possibly” is anagram indicator | ||
| 17 | MENIAL |
Servant on the spot, turning up during supper? (6)
|
| NI (IN=on the spot, on the premises; “turning up” indicates reversal) in MEAL (=supper) | ||
| 19 | IMPIETY |
Blasphemy? I’m a matter for regret around Close in Carlisle (7)
|
| I’M + [<carlisl>E (“close in” means last letter only) in PITY (=matter for regret)] | ||
| 21 | DEVIOUS |
Underhand opening for Dean and Prior to dismiss Priest (7)
|
| D<ean> (“opening for” means first letter only) + <pr>EVIOUS (=prior, preceding; “to dismiss priest (=Pr.)” means letters “pr” are dropped) | ||
| 22 | RIDDLE |
29 days? Upset about that (6)
|
| DD (=days, on calendar) in RILE (=upset, irk); a riddle is a teaser (=entry at 29) | ||
| 23 | CRASH |
Chromium remains in accident (5)
|
| CR (=chromium) + ASH (=remains, i.e. after burning) | ||
| 25 | LUCRE |
Money: enticement to set about crossword at the outset (5)
|
| C<rossword> (“at the outset” means first letter only) in LUCE (=enticement) |
I didnt know a burlesque was specifically American.
Thanks P and R. Late posting not a problem as I’m late finishing. Thanks also for the ‘medium difficulty’ – welcome.
6d was favourite for me too. Clever. Burlesque not a problem, it was brought to mind by the American hint, even if not technically correct.
Thanks again
Thanks both. Broadly untroubled, until fell two letters short of a picnic in AENEID – I’d like to say it’s an unknown, but I know it’s been in Indy cryptics before, however the end/die synonym wasn’t sufficiently obvious where reversals of tip or aim were more attractive.
With my ex-sub-editor’s hat on there’s a tiny typo in the blog for 25d. Should be LURE not LUCE. I too realised the theme early on which was a help. Nice puzzle. DIdn’t get Aeneid, but the wordplay is precise. Thanks Phi and RR.
I must apologise for my inability not to point out that both of my spirit levels have 2 bubbles: 1 for horizontal and 1 for vertical.
Nice puzzle and blog. Thanks Phi and RR.
I did the thing where you get all the others before the “entry clue”. Ho hum – overthinking it. Really enjoyed this. Thought it on the less difficult side of Phi. Agree 6d a cracker, and Aeneid loi. Thanks to both, and a good bank holiday weekend to all
Comment #7