A good one for the pub on a Saturday afternoon, you might say.
Certainly a drinking theme this week or more accurately a drinking to excess theme. Maybe a 17dn of what happens after you 8dn to 4dn/25ac/1ac to watch the 12ac with a glass or three of 9dn, 27ac and 20ac. Then before you know it you’ll be 10 ac, 13ac/24dn, 23ac and eventually 28ac (First time I’d seen this expression in a crossword). There are numerous other allusions to the British drinking culture in the clues. I did like the reference to drunk as lords used in 28ac and also 4dn, I think. Now that’s a 26ac. Perhaps it was inspired by a pilgrimage to Lords to take the local waters?
A highly enjoyable, impeccably clued drinkers puzzle this week. I’m not sure how to categorise the likes of 10ac, 13/24ac and 26ac (Cryptic indications or almost riddles?)
Key:
* Anagram; Rev (Reverse) + DD (Double Definition)
ACROSS
1 Glad (Happy) to receive IOLI (Contents of Amati Case = vIOLIn) = GLADIOLI (Flowers)
5 DD = JUDGES
10 A bit too much Champers? = ONE OVER THE EIGHT i.e. Too much too drink
11 NONPLUS (Great Difficulty) symbolically this is < 0 and is also not in the mathematical symbols in the clue (equals, divided by, less than and zero)
12 Ma (old girl) + ESTRO (Enthusiasm – a new word for me) = MAESTRO (Conductor)
13/24 Having had “One over the eight” but not having gone overboard? = UNDER THE TABLE
15 Sot (Habitual drunkard) around a + b (black) = SABOT (Shoe)
18 Y (Year) + (ones)* = YES NO (a sort of question)
20 Rev (Sum (total indicated by knocking sideways)) + Cadet (beginner) = MUSCADET (Drink)
23 Outfit (Business Organisation) keeps O (FA – better look it up in Chambers if you’ve lived a sheltered life) = OUT OF IT (defined by 13/24)
26 Such given by judges to decision? = SOBERING THOUGHT
27 Shy (Reserved) around Err (To err is to be human) = SHERRY (Drink)
28 (atraders)* = RAT-ARSED (Like 4dn Lords as in drunk as a Lord)
DOWN
2 A + Nine (a one over the eight) in pens (authors) = APENNINES (Range – of mountains)
3 (Vino)* + live (as it happens) – I (one’s drained) = INVOLVE (concern)
4/1 Lords (Out of it one’s as per 28 across) + Cricket (jumper) + Ground (worn down) = LORDS CRICKET GROUND (Sports arena)
6 Way to cut cloth = Use less = USELESS (Poor)
7 GI (as in GI Joe) + got (caught) = GIGOT (Leg)
8 Set (Ready) + for (to experience) + the – e (the de-tailed) = SET FORTH (Display)
9 DD CHAMPERS (Champagne and teeth)
14 Attempting (Having a go) – at = TEMPTING (Inclination)
16 (Baker)* + ages (days) = BREAKAGES (they may be shattered)
17 S (South) + Rev(S (Spades) + is + (Pony – £25)) = SYNOPSIS (General view?)
19 (forfree)* = OFFERER (I propose to pay)
21 (Air)* + Rev(an + Oz (Australian)) = ARIZONA (State)
22 Rev (Tat) – not sure why the up is needed in the clue in Sed (But in latin) = STATED (8 = Set forth)
25 (coat)* around t (time) = COTTA (Server’s cover)
Thanks Twencelas. I was slightly surprised to see Champers crop up both as part of a clue and as an answer, but apart from that little quibble, I thought this was yet another great puzzle from Nimrod.
The champers appearance in clue and solution was, I think, deliberate. If 9 is champers, then “one over the eight”, as well as meaning pissed etc, then also links to the solution for the clue that’s one higher. If you don’t have that, 8 is rather weak – could as well be scotch, white wine, or the rather nice beer I was drinking in a pub in Wharfedale. (I initially hesitated to fill in 8 – it seemed obvious from enumeration, but “champers” surely was doing some work). Thought this the best bit of the puzzle, to be honest
Took me ages to get going, but then fell into place; perhaps not quite as tough as nimrod/enigmatist can be, and not quite as tight. By no means opposed to liberties, but 26ac not so much libertarian as a tad feeble.
I would have thought that ‘sobering thoughts’ were more likely to be had by occupants of the dock rather than the bench.
Sidey – I think the 26ac reference is from the saying “Sober as a judge”, seem to have missed it from the blog.
Ahem…11a?
Thanks AndyB, your explanation of Champers seems plausible enough – quibble withdrawn.
Thomas99 – Apologies I have added 11 across above
Re 2D, I think you’ll find it’s APENNINES not APPENINES, otherwise it doesn’t fit.
Thanks Tatrasman – I’ve corrected my typo.