Quixote’s first Indy appearance of 2012 and the usual excellent puzzle. A little on the easy side even by Quixote’s accessible standards, I found. Solving time, 15 mins.
* = anagram
ACROSS
1 LUPUS Double definition – name of a CONSTELLATION (20A)
4 STRIPPED S (saint) tripped (danced)
8 SHOW-OFF Defn: self-publicist and ‘paying fans’ would be disappointed if a show was off
9 TOOTING place in London – sounding a car horn so double definition
11 IN THE DOGHOUSE Pun on ‘setter’ = crossword setter and breed of dog
13 ICY Hidden
14 FINANCIERS in in fanciers
16 HEDONISTIC he (male) don (academic) is t (foremost among tutors) i c (in charge) = it would also work as 1st letters of the three words, I think.
18 POE(t) Edgar Allan Poe (C19 writer). Excellent surface.
20 CONSTELLATION (a clot insolent)*
22 PREDAWN red (wine) in pawn = man (chess)
23 IGNEOUS (using eo)* extremes of echo = first and last letters
24 TREE FERN cf FREE TERN
25 STAFF pun on staff = rod and staff (teachers) in a school
DOWN
1 LAST last = shoemaker’s model
2 PROBITY rob in pity
3 SPORTY p (quiet – music) in sort (type) y (yen – currency)
4 SUFFER IN SILENCE clue splits at can’t/endure
5 RATIONALISATION (a national riot is)*
6 PROPHECY (epoch)* in pry (look to see)
7 EPICURE EP (record) I CURÉ J the B was an ascetic.
10 GREASIER (eager sir)* Another good surface
12 NIGHTCAP nigh (near) pact = agreement (reversed)
15 INITIATE ie “In it I ate” Quite amusing, that
17 DANSEUR Dan = man (sure)* &lit
18 PANDORA pan (criticise) Dora Pandora from Greek myth opened her box when told not to and evil came out of it
19 GI ANTS
21 ASIF as if = you must be joking
Lupus isn’t really a skin disease, although the appearance of rashes on the skin can be one of the symptoms.
I found this slightly trickier than the usual Quixote. Perahps it was the mood I was in when I looked at it. I agree with Neal about lupus too.
Thanks Quixote for an enjoyable crossword and nms for the blog. Favourite clue 15dn.
1ac: Chambers 1998 (the nearest copy I have to hand) gives lupus a chronic tuberculosis of the skin. That is good enough for me.
23ac: I think this would be better as “Like some rock”.
25ac: I think this is referring to the abolition of corporal punishment.
Thank you, nms.
I too found this tricky in places, with some clever cds. DANSEUR and EPICURE were clues I particularly liked today.
The other PB is quite right re lupus vulgaris: lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a different kettle of nasty things, being a systemic auto-immune disease.
Interesting grid from the Don: wouldn’t mind knowing more about its origins!
Paul B @5: I see what you mean about the grid, although I hadn’t noticed it before. Someone recently mentioned unusual grids as (possibly) indicating the presence of nina or theme, though there doesn’t seem to be either here.
There is no nina here. I rarely do themes or ninas for the Indy. I do try to stick to a diversity of vocabulary with fair grids (all solutions with half or more letters checked) and non-libertarian clues. This will inevitably make my puzzles relatively easy for some while encouraging others. This grid was constructed around the four long entries in the classic Everyman style. Thanks for all feedback. Q
Struggled to get going and then finished in a rush, generally harder to me than usual for Q – thanks to Don and NMS.
Allan_C: ’twas I that offered wacky-blockedness as a possible sign of sorcery. Today’s was a cleverly-concocted double-bluff.
1d what has miss world to do with anything???
I think it’s just that if you’re LAST you’d be nowhere near to winning Miss World.