Independent 7,459 by Anax (Saturday Prize Puzzle, 11/09/10)

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After last month’s exceedingly tricky Anax puzzle, I was a little worried about this one, but it turned out to be a lot more manageable. No obvious theme, but a pangrammatic grid, if I’m not mistaken.

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition.

Across
1 WHOLE – W + HOLE.
4 PATAGONIA – (TAG + ON) in (PA + IA). Pennsylvania, Iowa.
9 SHELL-HOLE – (HELL + H) in SOLE.
10 EQUAL – E[astenders] + QU + AL.
11 PROPER FRACTION – R in (PROPER + FACTION).
13 LENTISSIMO – (IT IS + SOLEMN)*.
14 DIAL – DIAL is LAID<, so "laidback".
16 TIDY – dd., the “drawer” in question being Bill Tidy.
18 LIKE BLAZES – dd.
21 PETROLEUM JELLY – J[ungl]E in (MERELY TO PULL)*.
23 SWORE – W[ound] in SORE.
24 OBJECTIVE – dd.
25 SPINNAKER – A K in SPINNER.
26 TANSY – ANS in TY.
Down
1 WUSS – [sho]W US S[andwiches].
2 OVERRUN – O + R. Clever.
3 ELLIPSIS – S[wam]P< in LILIES*. Also clever: the definition is simply "…".
4 PROGRESSIVE ROCK – two defs, one cryptic.
5 THE TRUMPET-MAJOR – two defs, one cryptic.
6 GREECE – [mea]GRE EC E[conomic].
7 NAUTILI – [mari]NA UTILI[sing].
8 AT LONG LAST – (GOT STALL AN[d])*.
12 PLATYPUSES – (SUPPLY EAST)*.
15 ALLEY CAT – ALL + (CA in YET*).
17 DETTORI – (I + ROTTED)<.
19 ZILLION – ILL in ZION.
20 SOLEMN – SO + LEM[o]N.
22 SEXY – S[ton]E + X + Y.

14 comments on “Independent 7,459 by Anax (Saturday Prize Puzzle, 11/09/10)”

  1. Sorry to come on like the proofreader I am, but the second U in your answer to 12 down should be E; and, in 4 across, shouldn’t ATG be TAG? 3 down was utterly brilliant: one of the best clues of all time (but I would say that, wouldn’t I?).

  2. A lot easier than Anax’s previous saturday but a challenge nonetheless, thought 3 down was inspired … as a definition, fantastic. re 4dn I knew I’d seen this recently after Tees on tuesday.

  3. Thanks for the blog, Simon, and thanks Anax for another quality puzzle.

    I was pleased to be able to complete it before the usual time that the blog comes out (which I rarely do for the online Saturday puzzle).

    Favourite clues are 11A, with a seamless wordplay/definition, and 3D which had a clever way of presenting the definition, misdirecting one to look for an &lit.

    Maybe it’s me, but was there a ring of familiarity with some of the clues, eg. 4D, 3D, 20D, 25A? But no matter, I couldn’t remember the answers anyway, much less in which Anax crossword(s) I may (or may not) have encountered them before. It could well be my mind playing déjà-vu tricks, but certainly it did not distract me from a great puzzle.

  4. Thanks for the blog Simon. Another top quality offering from Anax. It did seem a bit easier than some by this setter – the top half fell very quickly, but maybe that is just getting to know his style. Agree that 3 dn was a bit special, but there were also many other great clues to enjoy.

  6. Quite a quick solve for a Saturday puzzle; certainly easier than some from Anax. I agree about the brilliant clue for 3dn, especially following on from 2dn.
    Can’t say that I recall any clues from previous Anax offerings.

  8. Hi sidey, this is Crosswordland, where of course they would! 🙂

    I agree with Allan_C that it’s the link with 2dn that makes 3dn so very special!!

    Many thanks, Anax, for another super puzzle.

  9. The link with 2d is what makes 3d clever? Agree 110%.
    But 2d in itself was just as clever!
    [like Simon Says (remember the 1910 Fruitgum Company?)]

    And I liked PROGRESSIVE ROCK (4d).
    [think about thát, my dear friends! 🙂 – in a week in which Tees forgot to mention Caravan]

    But I didn’t quite understand why in 1ac the ‘w[omen]’ WILL have a ‘hole’ – apart from the fact that it is rather dubious putting it this way anyway.

    But no doubts about the crossword as such – quality stuff.

  10. Good evening friends, and many thanks for your very kind comments.

    Sidey, you have a very good point. Thank you Eileen for jumping in, but the truth is that after looking for the various meanings of Nautilus that could work in the clue I forgot to note that the one I chose wasn’t really valid in plural form; just a case of momentarily taking my eye off the ball, for which I apologise.

  11. Having just enjoyed Anax’s NTSPP032 over at BigDave’s Telegraph Crossword Blog (possibly too risqué in places for a national paper), I tackled this and enjoyed it immensely too, despite missing the Bill Tidy reference.

    I too loved 3d – superbly hidden definition, reminding me of “(thus)” as a definition in one of Paul’s recent Guardian crosswords, and it had to be combined with a sensible 2d (in which I’d missed the clever cryptic wordplay) to make sense.

    …and 4d was also marvellous.

    10a was beautifully constructed, requiring a lift and separate to disassociate Albert from Square, whose link in the surface reading was reinforced by the mention of Eastenders.

    Blog Typo: 25a A K in SPINNER

    Thanks to Anax and all who blogged and commented.

  12. Finally! I have actually completed an Anax.Got a few clues without really understanding them but got them anyway.Fav 5d

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