So a puzzle from Scorpion today and I sense a theme.
The multiple references to 14 7 in the clues, mean that the 2 obvious clues to start with are 14 and 7. 7 was my first of these to resolve and then 14 became obvious. These yielded Euro and Vision so, unsuprisingly, for the day of the Eurovision song contest, we have a Eurovision theme. It certainly brought back memories of UK winning songs from the past.
The British Winners:
Sandie Shaw – Puppet on a String 1967
Boom Bang-a-Bang” Lulu 1969
“Save Your Kisses for Me” Brotherhood of Man 1976
Making Your Mind Up” Bucks Fizz 1981
“Love Shine a Light” Katrina and the Waves 1997 – not in the grid
There’s also a reference to second placed entries:
“Knock, Knock (who’s There?)” by Mary Hopkin 1970
“Beg Steal or Borrow” by The New Seekers 1971
Good fun – as it brought back some fun childhood memories, when the United Kingdom had more respect in Europe – maybe some day we’ll work out our differences and be less insular .
A pangram too – almost a double one. An impressive puzzle with 4 of the 5 UK winners present and two of those placed 2nd.
As to my favourite clue, lots of nice misleading ones but I’d plump for 8 down, though personally I’d regard the question mark as superfluous. 21 across may provoke controversy among the anti-homonym crowd, but I would say it’s a good clue, 6 down deserves a mention for originality and 14 across is sublime. Many thanks Scorpion for a good deal of fun and head scratching – the only song I could n’t remember was Mary Hopkin’s and some original clueing.
Key:
* Anagram
Rev. Reverse
ACROSS
7 VI (Virgin Islands) + Sion (a Utopia – alternative spelling of Zion (Jerusalem) – which currently is anything but a Utopia) = VISION (A dream)
9 Hay (Literary and Arts Festival = Hay-on-Wye) + Maker (cryptic indication from attendant of the festival) = HAYMAKER (strong punch)
10 Buzz (ring) + saw (dated as in to see someone amorously) = BUZZ SAW (US Cutter)
11/19 (here ten weeks + s(first in show))* = THE NEW SEEKERS (UK Eurovision entrant)
12 J (Judge) + Emmy (prize) = JEMMY (One’s used to prise)
14 Hidden monsiEUR Offers = EURO (Defined by the whole clue)
16 Pluck (little tug) – l (left) = PUCK (Played with on ice – Ice Hockey)
18/23 Cryptic definition Manx signifying Isle of Man and a fellowship being a brotherhood = BROTHERHOOD OF MAN (UK Eurovision entrant)
21 How Sean Connery would say Mess (dining room) = MESH (Netting)
22 Oddie (as in Bill Oddie – birdwatcher) – i.e.(that is) + s (earliest for sanctuary) = ODDS (Ten to one?)
25 S (son) + (joke)* around p (quietly) = SKOPJE (Somewhere in the Balkans – The bleakest city, I have ever seen in Europe and I’ve been to many)
26 Squid (seafood) around (sandwiches) al (almost all (completely)) = SQUALID (Completely dirty)
28 Dr (medic) + (issued)* = DRUIDESS (Celtic figurehead)
29 K (grand) + l in (diet)* = KILTED (As in the clan McDonald in Scotland)
DOWN
1 See 24 down
2 ant (worker) around gs (vacant g-ent-s) = ANGST (Dread)
3 See 20 down
4 Rev. (Syd) (as in Syd Little of Little and Large “fame”) + trophy (plate as in a prize) = DYSTROPHY (Nutritional Complaint)
5 (Antwerp – n (newsman finally)* + Roof (top) = WATERPROOF (Garment)
6 Tenpence with r (right) for NP (Newport post code) = TERENCE (As in Terence Stamp)
8 In (at home) + Homonym (Bread (money)) = INBRED (Like the royal family – why the question mark?)
13 Mar (Hurt) + Y (Yankee) + hop (dance) + kin (family) = MARY HOPKIN (UK Eurovision entrant)
15 pen (enclosure) in ud (centre of Bude) = UPEND (Drastically affect)
17 ut (extremely u-pse-t) + to + xeter (topless place Exeter) = UTTOXETER (Place for racegoers)
19 see 11 across
20 san (hospital) + dies (declines) + haw (fruit) = SANDIE SHAW (UK Eurovision entrant Puppet on a string)
24 Bucks (County) + rev(if – provided) + zz (zones) = BUCKS FIZZ (UK Eurovision entrant)
26 Rev(OS – ordinary seaman) x 2 = SO SO (OK)
27 Homonym Loo (toilet) = LULU (UK Eurovision entrant )
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