Monday Prize Crossword/Sep 9
Another fairly typical (and enjoyable) crossword from the Shropshire Lad – did I say Lad? 🙂 One can find it here.
Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | ASTERISK | Rates ski resort as “one star” (8) |
| (RATES SKI)* | ||
| Well, an asterisk is just one star, isn’t it? | ||
| 5 | AMBUSH | Some British submarines return to spring a trap (6) |
| Reversed hidden solution: reversal (‘return’) of [britis]H SUBMA[rines] | ||
| 9 | CRACKPOT | He’s crazy – taking two banned substances (8) |
| CRACK (one banned substance, form of cocaine) + POT (and another one, marijuana) | ||
| 10 | OSCARS | Awards no marks (6) |
| O (no, zero) + SCARS (marks) | ||
| Simple but very effective. | ||
| 12 | OVERS | Roves around making deliveries (5) |
| (ROVES)* | ||
| Also simple but, at least for me, a bit too simple. | ||
| 13 | MEASURE UP | Fulfil expectations and take dimensions (7,2) |
| Double definition | ||
| 14 | TIN CAN | One or two similar containers? (3,3) |
| TIN + CAN (two similar containers) or just TIN CAN (one container) | ||
| 16 | STIRRUP | The rest of the foot in the cavalry (7) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 19 | UNNAMED | Anonymous nun made to change order (7) |
| (NUN MADE)* | ||
| 21 | CRESTS | Many take breaks at the summits (6) |
| C (many, 100) + RESTS (breaks) | ||
| 23 | ELABORATE | Possibly able to speak with added detail (9) |
| (ABLE)* + ORATE ((to) speak) | ||
| 25 | APRON | Protection, with strings attached (5) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| I am not really a cryptic definition fan but usually I can appreciate them in the end. This one, however, I found rather weak – sorry Dante. | ||
| 26 | ADRIFT | Undirected commercial break (6) |
| AD (commercial) + RIFT (break) | ||
| 27 | APPETITE | A pupil originally with little desire to take courses (8) |
| A + P[upil] + PETITE (little) | ||
| 28 | EXCITE | Former name to cause a stir (6) |
| EX (former) + CITE (name) | ||
| 29 | ENLARGED | Big end about to be made bigger (8) |
| LARGE (big) with END going around it | ||
| Technically OK but the ‘Big’ at the start is the same as the ‘big’ in ‘bigger’. Not very satisfactory. | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | ANCHOR | Basic security for sailors (6) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 2 | TRAGEDIAN | Actor gives reading at new play (9) |
| (READING AT)* | ||
| Interesting anagram indicator. | ||
| 3 | RAKES | Has an inclination for debauched men (5) |
| Double definition | ||
| 4 | SNOWMAN | He will run away when things warm up (7) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 6 | MASCULINE | Clue is “man” perhaps; answer is “male” (9) |
| (CLUE IS MAN)* | ||
| I liked this one. | ||
| 7 | USAGE | States how old one is – it’s the custom (5) |
| US (States) + AGE (how old one is) | ||
| 8 | HOSEPIPE | It may be played on the lawn in summer (8) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| Well, yes, OK then. | ||
| 11 | BASS | Fish deep in the sound (4) |
| Double definition | ||
| Strictly speaking, that little word ‘the’ is a bit out of place but certainly needed to make the two meanings of ‘sound’ work here. | ||
| 15 | COME OFF IT | Drug addict should stop behaving like that! (4,3,2) |
| Double definition | ||
| 17 | RETARDING | Phone about disruption of trade causing delay (9) |
| RING (phone) around (TRADE)* | ||
| 18 | NUMERATE | Can count on union uprising about tea break (8) |
| NUM (union, National Union of Miners) + ER (reversal (‘uprising’) of RE (about)) + (TEA)* | ||
| My last one in. Although a nice clue, I am not sure that ‘Can count’ is enough as a definition. | ||
| 20 | DEAR | Expensive address (4) |
| Double definition | ||
| 21 | CHEAPEN | Depreciate each novel writer (7) |
| (EACH)* + PEN (writer) | ||
| 22 | INDEED | Certainly in on the act (6) |
| IN + DEED ((the) act) | ||
| 24 | AURIC | Maurice has a heart of gold (5) |
| Centrally hidden solution: [m]AURIC[e] | ||
| 25 | ARENA | A period return for Wembley, say (5) |
| Reversal (‘return’) of AN ERA (a period) | ||