The Weekend Prize Puzzle from 13 September 2008
It must be obvious that I am fairly good at FT puzzles but I am not a particularly fast solver. It does happen once in a while but it is rare that I sit down and dash one off in 15 or 20 minutes. This puzzle was one of those however. It gives me some good satisfaction when I manage it….but then what do I do for the rest of the weekend??
Across
1. SHELDUCKS – HELD (captive) in SUCKS (uses straw)
6. COWED – WE (we) in COD (fish)
9. SWANSON – SWAN SON[g]
10. BYE-BYES – YE (you) in BB + YES (okay)
11. LOIRE – I (island) in LORE (learning)
12. INCOMPOSE – INCOM[e] (revenue curtailed) + POSE (in a way)
14. CON – double definition
15. SPECULATORS – anagram of COUPLES RATS
17. ALDERMASTON – ALDER (tree) + MAST (nuts) + ON (on)
19. COL – double definition
20. MANICHEAN – MANIC (crazy) + HE (he) + AN (an)
22. TONGA – hidden word
24. ELSANTA – EL (the Spanish) + SANTA (visitor at Christmas). Elsanta is a variety of strawberry.
26. NERVOUS – anagram of OVER in N (north) + US (American)
27. SKYPE – SKY (satellite TV) + P[rogramm]E
28. SMELL A RAT – anagram of ALARM LETS
Down
1. SISAL – IS (is) in SAL (girl)
2. ELATION – [r]ELATION
3. DISPENSER – DI (police officer) + SPENSER (poet). I like this kind of clue.
4. CONSIDERATE – anagram of DESECRATION
5. SUB – double definition
6. CREAM – E (energy) in CRAM (athlete). Refers to Steve Cram.
7. WAY TO GO – double/cryptic definition
8. DISPERSAL – anagram of LESS RAPID
13. COUNTENANCE – double definition
14. CHARMLESS – C[onservation] + HARMLESS (safe)
16. AU NATUREL – cryptic definition. A beauty!
18. DYNASTY – DY (missing a day) + NASTY (unpleasant). Missing a day, huh?
19. CONTOUR – C[artographers) + ON TOUR (going from place to place)
21. CANOE – anagram of OCEAN
23. ASSET – AS (since) + SET (fixed)
25. ADS – hidden word