Independent 12,358 by Hoskins

I found this generally on the easier side. The south east corner took a little longer than the rest.

I liked the simple elegance and good surface reading of 3D. 6A felt a little contrived but it was a good effort to get a darts themed clue into the puzzle.

picture of the completed grid

ACROSS
1	COCKROACH	Bug found in chicken served by swimmer (9)
		Cock(=chicken) + roach(=type of fish i.e. swimmer)
6	FLEET	Swift ends of legs? Littler’s bound to be involved! (5)
		Feet(=the ends of the legs) around L[ittler]. I think the bound refers to the upper bound of Littler i.e. the first letter.
9	MANITOBAN	Canadian chap in boat in a state of distress (9)
		Man(=chap) + (in boat)*
10	TACHE	Attachés covering up something right under Poirot’s nose? (5)
		Hidden in Attaches. Poirot is famous for his moustache.
11	USHER	It’s a job being American in this place mostly (5)
		US(=American) + her[e](=most of "in this place")
12	INSOLVENT	Penniless Poles involved in violent rioting (9)
		NS(=North/South Poles) in violent*
13	ITCHING	Impatient moaning bishop needs excommunicating! (7)
		[B]itching(=moaning with B{ishop} removed)
15	PERTURB	A flipping curt bruiser could cause trouble (7)
		Per(="a" e.g. one per/a person) + brut[e]<(=bruiser)
18	TWANGED	Time pale German with my boss picked a G-string? (7)
		T{ime} + wan(=pale) + G{erman} + ed{itor}(=compiler's boss). The def refers to a G string of a guitar rather than underwear.
20	UNDERGO	Sustain less than good offspring (at first) (7)
		Under(=less than) + g{ood} + o[ffspring]
21	GERIATRIC	Old and new Cartier rings one put on gangsta (9)
		G{angsta} + (Cartier* around i). I think G{angsta} is allowed as an abbrev in Gangsta rap, which can also be called G rap.
23	HARDY	Enduring author? (5)
		DD referring to Thomas Hardy
25	USAGE	Employment you and me found by centre of Hagen (5)
		Us(=you and me) + [H]age[n]
26	ARGENTINA	Spy screening king visiting a foreign country (9)
		(Agent(=spy) around R{ex}(=king)) + in(=visiting) + a
27	TOKER	Batman villain making judge tense is a drug-taker (5)
		Joker(=Batman villain) with j{udge} changed to t{ense}
28	TUSK SHELL	Animal skulls he set out on centre of altar (4,5)
		(Skulls he)* on [al]t[ar]. A tusk or tooth shell is type of marine mollusc.
DOWN
1	COMMUNIST	Red cumin? Most unusual! (9)
		(Cumin most)*
2	CONCH	Shell of blue; skin of Cheetah (5)
		Con(=blue in the sense of Conservative) + C[heeta]h
3	RETURNING	English performer in band making a comeback (9)
		(E{nglish} + turn(=performer)) in ring(=band)
4	AMBLING	Walking slowly being better? Good to be discharged! (7)
		[G]ambling (=being someone who bets with g[ood] removed)
5	HANDS UP	Heroin plus drink? Show me who’d like some of this? (5,2)
		H{eroin} + and(=plus) + sup(=drink)
6	FATAL	A trawler at front entering river terminal (5)
		(A t[rawler]) in Fal(=a river in Cornwall)
7	EXCHEQUER	Old auditor perhaps on call in Treasury department (9)
		Ex(=old) + hom of checker(=auditor)
8	TREAT	Surprise gift: upside-down pastry laced with MDMA (5)
		Tart< around E{cstasy}(=MDMA)
14	CHAIRBACK	Part of a SEAT a chick smashed up with bar (9)
		(A chick bar)*
16	REDSHANKS	Those wading by shore send shark into a frenzy (9)
		(Send shark)*
17	BOOTY CALL	IT meeting arranged by phone? (5,4)
		CD. A booty call is call to arrange to have sex ("it") with someone.
19	DORMANT	Torpid bouncer? One ball not delivered by Trueman primarily! (7)
		Do[o]rman(=bouncer with one O removed) + T[rueman]
20	UNCAGES	A French composer and soprano’s releases (7)
		Un(=French "a") + Cage(=John Cage, a composer best known for the "work" 4'33'', which doesn't actually have any music) + s{oprano}
21	GAUNT	Head to Goa with relative to get wasted (5)
		G[oa] + aunt(=relative)
22	AMEER	Old Afghan leader always after a maiden (5)
		E'er(=poetic spelling of ever) after a m{aiden}(abbrev used in cricket for maiden over)
24	RAISE	Increase level of sound (5)
		Hom of raze, as in raze something to the ground.

8 comments on “Independent 12,358 by Hoskins”

Rabbit Dave

#1 - Mon 18th May 26, 09:21

This was mostly good fun but with a couple of what seemed to me to be dodgy clues.

Using Littler’s bound to signify an L, and G for gangsta were both a bit of a stretch, and, according to Collins, “booty call” is an American expression.

RETURNING was my favourite with special mentions for ITCHING and RAISE.

Thanks to Hoskins and to Neal.

E.N.Boll&

#2 - Mon 18th May 26, 10:25

This was a sweet starter, but with a sour finish.
As per Rabbit Dave@1, I am unimpressed by LITTLER and GANGSTA, both lame and annoying.
COCKROACH, 1(ac) , is limp.
Heroin and MDMA? + TOKER: Can setters come off the drugs…apparently not. Tedious and unnecessary.
CHAIRBACK / BOOTY CALL / TUSK SHELL, ugh.
An easy solve, but forgettable.
More clues like HARDY please, bob.
Thanks Neal

Staticman1

#3 - Mon 18th May 26, 10:36

I think I enjoyed this more than others. I don’t mind a bit of bawdiness and the occasional drug reference but then Irvine Welsh is one of my favourite authors.

Not heard the phrase BOOTY CALL for a while maybe due to being married for decades.

I think the G of gangsta comes from G-Funk a genre of gangsta rap. It’s a style used by some of the most successful rappers such as Snoop-dogg, Dr Dre and Tupac.

REDSHANKS, RETURNING, TWANGED and HANDS-UP amongst favourites today.

Thanks NealH and Hoskin

Digger

#4 - Mon 18th May 26, 13:45

G for gangsta is very established in usage, though maybe not in crosswords (yet). G-Funk, G-Unit, you can be the O.G., a certified G, or just a G. Spelling gangsta with the a was a good hint and a nice touch.

I’d much rather have vaguely contemporary slang than some 1930s thing that’s been forgotten by everyone except Chambers.

The Littler clue was one of the best.

I didn’t like “you and me” since, for the surface, it should have been “you and I”, but for the indication it had to be “you and me”.

gsolphotog

#5 - Mon 18th May 26, 13:47

I think that if one sees the name at the top of the puzzle as Hoskins and expects good clean fun they are in for a shock.
I really enjoy this setter and at least on this occasion it also helped me solve ‘Booty Call’ an expression I d never heard of. But,seeing IT in the clue and the crossers I worked it out and knew that in all probability the only link to IT was the mobile or laptop used to arrange the meeting!!

Thanks all.

TFO

#6 - Mon 18th May 26, 15:52

Thanks both. Similarly, I was delayed albeit it only briefly in the SE. I know BOOTY CALL as a song title, but not its specific meaning, so the misdirecting/inaccurate capitalisation snared me at first. Didn’t know TUSK SHELL but it was guessable, and ‘animal’ is not hugely illuminating – I now see it is not vegetable or mineral, but looking at pictures, it’s not easy to tell.

grantinfreo

#7 - Mon 18th May 26, 15:55

Enjoyed this, thanks Hoskins and Neil. I like a bit of sweet and sour, ENB @1, like life. Thanks for the Gangsta run-down, Digger @4. My only real contact with rap is via my younger sister and her mates back in the ’90s worrying about their kids listening to Eminem. (Afaik, they turned out fine, no real damage)

grantinfreo

#8 - Mon 18th May 26, 16:12

… meant ENB @2 ..

Rabbit Dave

#1 - Mon 18th May 26, 09:21

This was mostly good fun but with a couple of what seemed to me to be dodgy clues.

Using Littler’s bound to signify an L, and G for gangsta were both a bit of a stretch, and, according to Collins, “booty call” is an American expression.

RETURNING was my favourite with special mentions for ITCHING and RAISE.

Thanks to Hoskins and to Neal.
E.N.Boll&

#2 - Mon 18th May 26, 10:25

This was a sweet starter, but with a sour finish.
As per Rabbit Dave@1, I am unimpressed by LITTLER and GANGSTA, both lame and annoying.
COCKROACH, 1(ac) , is limp.
Heroin and MDMA? + TOKER: Can setters come off the drugs…apparently not. Tedious and unnecessary.
CHAIRBACK / BOOTY CALL / TUSK SHELL, ugh.
An easy solve, but forgettable.
More clues like HARDY please, bob.
Thanks Neal
Staticman1

#3 - Mon 18th May 26, 10:36

I think I enjoyed this more than others. I don’t mind a bit of bawdiness and the occasional drug reference but then Irvine Welsh is one of my favourite authors.

Not heard the phrase BOOTY CALL for a while maybe due to being married for decades.

I think the G of gangsta comes from G-Funk a genre of gangsta rap. It’s a style used by some of the most successful rappers such as Snoop-dogg, Dr Dre and Tupac.

REDSHANKS, RETURNING, TWANGED and HANDS-UP amongst favourites today.

Thanks NealH and Hoskin
Digger

#4 - Mon 18th May 26, 13:45

G for gangsta is very established in usage, though maybe not in crosswords (yet). G-Funk, G-Unit, you can be the O.G., a certified G, or just a G. Spelling gangsta with the a was a good hint and a nice touch.

I’d much rather have vaguely contemporary slang than some 1930s thing that’s been forgotten by everyone except Chambers.

The Littler clue was one of the best.

I didn’t like “you and me” since, for the surface, it should have been “you and I”, but for the indication it had to be “you and me”.
gsolphotog

#5 - Mon 18th May 26, 13:47

I think that if one sees the name at the top of the puzzle as Hoskins and expects good clean fun they are in for a shock.
I really enjoy this setter and at least on this occasion it also helped me solve ‘Booty Call’ an expression I d never heard of. But,seeing IT in the clue and the crossers I worked it out and knew that in all probability the only link to IT was the mobile or laptop used to arrange the meeting!!

Thanks all.
TFO

#6 - Mon 18th May 26, 15:52

Thanks both. Similarly, I was delayed albeit it only briefly in the SE. I know BOOTY CALL as a song title, but not its specific meaning, so the misdirecting/inaccurate capitalisation snared me at first. Didn’t know TUSK SHELL but it was guessable, and ‘animal’ is not hugely illuminating – I now see it is not vegetable or mineral, but looking at pictures, it’s not easy to tell.
grantinfreo

#7 - Mon 18th May 26, 15:55

Enjoyed this, thanks Hoskins and Neil. I like a bit of sweet and sour, ENB @1, like life. Thanks for the Gangsta run-down, Digger @4. My only real contact with rap is via my younger sister and her mates back in the ’90s worrying about their kids listening to Eminem. (Afaik, they turned out fine, no real damage)
grantinfreo

#8 - Mon 18th May 26, 16:12

… meant ENB @2 ..

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8 comments on “Independent 12,358 by Hoskins”

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