Another cruciverbalist feat from Gozo . . .
. . . or should I say FeaT? It probably did not take solvers long to recognize that something thematic was going on in this puzzle. In fact, every solution as at least one “F” followed by at least one “T,” and there are a total of 30 “F’s” and 30 “T’s” altogether, suggesting possibly a reference to the FT30 stock market index managed by the Financial Times.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | FEASTS |
Lavish spreads from 29 (6)
|
| Anagram of (from) SAFEST ([solution to] 29A) | ||
| 4 | GET OFF IT |
Stop being a fool and leave the train! (3,3,2)
|
| Double/cryptic definition | ||
| 9 | EFFORT |
Hard work from Unicef, fortuitously (6)
|
| Hidden in (from) [UNIC]EF FORT[UITOUSLY] | ||
| 10 | FILTRATE |
Percolate much of the muck in front of judge (8)
|
| FILT[H] (muck) minus last letter (much of) + RATE (judge) | ||
| 12 | CLIFF TOP |
Richard at No. 1 up on the coast (5,3)
|
| CLIFF (Richard) + TOP (No. 1) | ||
| 13 | FILLET |
French daughter having time to bone fish (6)
|
| FILLE (French daughter, i.e., in French) + T (time) | ||
| 15 | EFTA |
Some chieftain’s European set-up (4)
|
| Hidden in (some) [CHI]EFTA[IN], referring presumably to the European Free Trade Agreement | ||
| 16 | POMFRET |
Small liquorice cake of fish (7)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 20 | FALTERS |
Frances changes trips (7)
|
| I cannot quite parse this one. Clearly, the intention is: F (France[s?]) + ALTERS (changes), but I cannot see any attestation for F = Frances. Fanny as a diminutive for Frances appears in the abbreviated euphemism sweet FA. F is an abbreviation for France, no “s,” or we might get away with “France’s”??? | ||
| 21 | FATE |
Destiny of 27 on the radio (4)
|
| Homophone of (on the radio) FÊTE ([solution to] 27D) | ||
| 25 | REFUTE |
Disprove arbiter on Aussie truck (6)
|
| REF (arbiter) + UTE (Aussie truck) | ||
| 26 | INFINITE |
Limitless popular penalty covering city centre (8)
|
| IN (popular) + {FINE (penalty) around (covering) middle letters of (centre [of]) [C]IT[Y] | ||
| 28 | FOOTSTEP |
Fitbit measure reflected in the trumpets – too fast (8)
|
| Hidden in [TRUM]PETS TOO F[AST] reversed (reflected) | ||
| 29 | SAFEST |
Cape Town celebration is most free from risk (6)
|
| A “Cape Town [South Africa] celebration” might be described as a SA-FEST | ||
| 30 | THE FATES |
Mythological sisters run away from playhouses, carrying female (3,5)
|
| THEAT[R]ES (playhouses) minus (away) R (run) around (carrying) F (female) | ||
| 31 | FETTER |
Say ‘Cheese’ is to restrain (6)
|
| Homophone of (say) FETA (cheese) | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | FLETCHER |
Inmate at Slade who provides bowmen (8)
|
| Double definition, the first referring to the character Norman Stanley Fletcher, an inmate at HM Slade Prison, in the sitcom Porridge, and the second referring to a maker of arrows | ||
| 2 | AFFLICTS |
Strikes, when left in charge during staff troubles (8)
|
| {L (left) + I/C (in charge)} inside (during) anagram of (troubles) STAFF | ||
| 3 | THRIFT |
Prudence in bed! (6)
|
| Double/cryptic definition, the second presumably referring to the flowering plant also known as the lady’s cushion or sea pink (genus Armeria) | ||
| 5 | E-FIT |
Police’s electronic picture of heartless thief at large (1-3)
|
| Anagram of (at large) T[H]IEF minus H (“heart-less”) | ||
| 6 | OFTTIMES |
Frequently love having two papers (8)
|
| O (love) + {FT + TIMES} (two papers) | ||
| 7 | FLATLY |
Riverdance star is suggested, definitely (6)
|
| Homophone of (is suggested) [Michael] FLATLEY (Riverdance star) | ||
| 8 | THEFTS |
Article on our losses? (6)
|
| THE (article) + FT’S (our) | ||
| 11 | GO FORTH |
Set out and travel to Scottish firth (2,5)
|
| GO (travel) + FORTH (Scottish firth) | ||
| 14 | AFFRONT |
Insult a fellow on the prom? (7)
|
| A + F (fellow) + FRONT (the prom) | ||
| 17 | FANTASIA |
Is at an FA review of Disney film (8)
|
| Anagram of (review) IS AT AN FA | ||
| 18 | MANIFEST |
Customs official’s list is very obvious (8)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 19 | DEFECTOR |
Fault other ranks and turncoat (8)
|
| DEFECT (fault) + OR (other ranks) | ||
| 22 | PROFIT |
Favouring healthy yield (6)
|
| PRO (favouring) + FIT (healthy) | ||
| 23 | OF NOTE |
Often love turns out to be significant (2,4)
|
| Anagram of (turns out) {OFTEN + O (love)} | ||
| 24 | FIXATE |
Direct one’s eyes on nine amongst 21 (6)
|
| IX (nine) inside (amongst) FATE ([solution to] 21A) | ||
| 27 | FÊTE |
Tory leader involved in payment for honour (4)
|
| First letter of (leader [of]) T[ORY] inside (involved in) FEE (payment) |
Well that went completely over my head. Ingenious stuff. Thanks both.
FANTASIA was a lovely clue, and I also ticked THE FATES, and AFFLICTS for their surfaces. EFIT showed nice diversionary tactics.
I had exactly the same thoughts as our bigger about FALTERS. Otherwise, all parsed. I thought FLETCHER a bit silly – I loved Porridge but it was so long ago that I had no hope of remembering the name of the prison. NHO THRIFT plant or POMFRET liquorice cake.
Like James P@1 I managed to miss the theme entirely. I am afraid I tend to solve a clue and move on, and rarely look at the puzzle as a whole. I need to try and change that
Thanks Gozo and Cineraria
I spotted the Fs and Ts, and was impressed by how many were stuffed into the grid. It helped for a few clues, including remembering FLETCHER, Ronnie Barker’s starring role in Porridge – Slade definitely helped. I also entered FALTERS because it fitted the theme and crossers, rather than being convinced by the parsing.
Gozo always has some trick, often missed by FT solvers, including me, so I was pleased to spot this one.
Thank you to Gozo and Cineraria.
I am normally oblivious to themes, but even I spotted this one early. I almost wish I hadn’t – it made a lot of clues into write-ins. An admirable achievement nonetheless. And I didn’t know half of each DD in 16A and 3D, so thanks for those!
Yes, 20a works if we read “Frances” as “France’s” (= France has), but those of us old-fashioned enough to think that setters should say what they mean would give that the thumbs-down. A more remote possibility is that wording such as “at first” or “originally” has been inadvertently omitted after “Frances” (but in that case any word beginning with F would have worked).
A gentle and enjoyable puzzle.
I presume there’s a typo in ” France changes trips”, 20(ac)? Either way, it’s a limp clue.
Same for 4(ac), for me. I’ve heard of “come off it”, as in “you’re taking the mickey”, not “get off”. And “leave the train” is weak; a wordplay on “IT” might have been better.
Quibbles aside, nice work from gozo & cineraria
I am with E.N.Boll& on this re 4A and 20A. As well as “Frances” and “get off it” (I too have only heard “come off it”) I queried “H”= “heart” as opposed to “hearts” in 5D.
A theme or restriction (as Brendan in the Grauniad calls an idea like this, which restricts the setter in the construction) is lovely except when it forces convolutions and I think I failed to appreciate the many lovely clues because of annoyance at some of these, which is my problem not the setter’s!
Many thanks Gozo and Cineraria.
Gozo’s last was my first completed cryptic. The tally is now seven FTs and Everymans, including this sweet one.
Thank you Gozo for opening the door to a beginner.
Alastair
Congratulations Alastair@8 – if you like “Everyman” you may also enjoy the Guardian’s Quiptic which appears (free) online on Sundays and is aimed at relatively new solvers.
Lots of fun