It’s a while since I blogged one of Phi‘s puzzles. And before I start, let me wish everyone a happy festive season – I’ll be trekking & camping in the Anti-Atlas (so no internet, obviously).
Apart from 14 definition-only answers, all the clues are ordinary (no extra/missing letters/words) for a change. These 14 answers “can be fitted into the seven highlighted rows in pairs, but only after thematic material has been removed.”
{Our kitchen now has cabinets and a working sink & cooker – marvellous; however, worktops etc. will have to wait until the new year.}
Solving the regular clues seemed to go quite well – not too slow, not too fast. There were quite a few unfamiliar words (PAM, MOYL, KHAYA, SANKO, EMYS, …), but often the wordplay for these was gentle. However, I started this fairly late, so with just 32d FLEA(m) remaining undiscovered, and with the definition-only clues barely looked at, I called it a day & went to bed.
I returned to the puzzle with a morning coffee and set about adding to my list of CHIAROSCURO (row 9, right), EMERALD ISLE (row 5, left) and ZYGODONT (row 1, right). Quite soon I had PEYOTE for the right of the middle row and DOSI-DO for the left, and the game was up – DOPEY had to be removed, and the hunt for the rest of the seven dwarfs ensued. They weren’t difficult to find, though BASHFUL was a little elusive.
So we have: SNICKERSNEE¦ZYGODONT, ABASH¦FULSOME, EMERALD ISLE¦EPYLLION, DOSI-DO¦PEYOTE, RONDO¦CHIAROSCURO, INGRUM¦PYLON and OLD CHAP¦PYTHAGORISM.
A pleasing, ingenious, workout from Phi (for whom it’ll probably be early in his afternoon when this blog is published) – thanks.
{I have often thought that a good question for a pub quiz would be to name the Seven Dwarfs, the Seven Deadly Sins, and the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World …}
PS kenmac: which dwarf did you use for your avatar?
PPS The title? Maybe it alludes to the dwarfs being short and that they have been dropped or let fall …
| Definition-only clues | |
|---|---|
| Definition | Answer/Removal |
| Disconcert | ABASH |
| Disposition of light and shade | CHIAROSCURO |
| Dance figure | DOSI-DO |
| Ireland | EMERALD ISLE |
| Short epic | EPYLLION |
| Obsequious | FULSOME |
| Ignorant (obs.) | INGRUM |
| Familiar friend | OLD CHAP |
| Mescal | PEYOTE |
| Wire carrier | PYLON |
| Vegetarianism | PYTHAGORISM |
| Repetitive musical form | RONDO |
| Ko-Ko’s weapon | SNICKERSNEE |
| Having molars with paired cusps | ZYGODONT |
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Answer | Wordplay |
| 11 | PESAH | HAS (keeps) EP (record) all< |
| 12 | SOUTHSEA | [AT HOUSES]* |
| 14 | ORGY | GORY (distasteful) with G(ood) shifted |
| 16 | COVEYS | Y (unknown) in COVES (men) |
| 21 | ORNE | STORE − ST (street = way) around N(ew) |
| 22 | MARMOT | TOM (cat) + RAM (sheep) all< |
| 23 | PAM | PAM (girl = jill, obsolete) |
| 26 | GIE | GIVE (elasticity) − V(ery) |
| 27 | NOCENT | NO CENT (American in absolute poverty has this) |
| 29 | SAAM | A(cre) in MAS< (farm) |
| 33 | LAAGER | LAGER (drink) with A (one) repeated |
| 35 | MOYL | M(unch) O(n) Y(our) L(awn) |
| 37 | ATTESTED | ATT (phone company) + (b)ESTED (undone) < is this OK? |
| 38 | KENYA | KEY (essential) A (article) around N(orth) |
| Down | ||
| No. | Answer | Wordplay |
| 1 | SPACE OPERA | SOP (significant other person = partner) + ERA (time) around PACE (progress) |
| 2 | NERO | (Sto)NE RO(ses) |
| 3 | CATERED | CAT (popular pet) + [DEER]* |
| 4 | KHAYA | KA (spirit) around HAY (rural dance) |
| 5 | ROOM | R(uns) + MOO< (low) |
| 6 | GUM | GU (old violin) + M(edium) |
| 7 | OTELLO | O+O (loves) around TELL (Rossini hero) |
| 8 | DHOW | D(irty) H(ull) OW (that hurt) |
| 9 | NEGRONI | [ONE R(ecipe) + GIN]* |
| 10 | TAY | TODAY (now) − OD (overdose) |
| 13 | EVEN MONEY | EVE (first female) NONE (by no means) around M(ale) + (authorit)Y |
| 15 | RAIN GAUGE | IN GAU(l) (France) in RAGE (tumult) |
| 17 | KIMONO | KINO (resinous substance) around MO (second) |
| 18 | IN MEMORIAM | [MINE]* + MORIA (folly) + M(iners) |
| 19 | LASCAR | RASCAL (scoundrel) with R(un) for L(ine) and L(eft) for R(iver) |
| 20 | DRIER | DRIPPER (leaky tap, say) − P+P (all pressure) |
| 24 | AXOLOTL | A + LOT (good deal) in LOX< (salmon) |
| 25 | ESCAPER | ES (are, French) + CAPER (criminal stunt) |
| 28 | OIKIST | [IS IT OK]* |
| 30 | SANKO | SAN(e) (sound) KO (knockout) |
| 31 | ALEC | AC (account = bill) around LE (the, French) |
| 32 | FLEA | FLEA(m) (one bleeding cattle) |
| 34 | EMYS | (pollut)E MY S(tream) |
| 35 | MAO | MO (modus operandi = way of working) around A |
| 36 | NTH | NT (National Trust = heritage group) + H(arrumph) |
|
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||
Season’s greetings from a pub in Petone, just north of Wellington.
Continuing my practice with Inquisitor puzzles, there’s more on this puzzle in a blog on my website – click through my name above this post. Or try:
Phionline.net.nz/setters-blogs/shortfall
And do have a look around while you’re there.
Hi H___ G____, thanks for the namecheck. My avatar is Grumpy. I’ve no idea why 😉 but it’s my wife’s nickname for me.
Thanks also for the blog, I really enjoyed this puzzle with its wonderful PDM. I’m sorry to hear that Phi’s Pheline Phamily has to diminish in order to provide our entertainment 🙁 . We had a feline death earlier this year and I wish I had Phi’s setting abilities to be able to provide such a lasting memorial for her.
Thanks Phi and RIP Little ‘Un.
Those who are really talented at something make it all look so easy. Phi does that with his clue-writing, it is very annoying!
Sorry to hear about the loss of a cat. We have a couple, one of which is getting on and starting to behave a bit odd – just copying me according to my missus.
Seasons best to all
Wan
Thanks HolyGhost for the blog and we hope you enjoyed the walking! Dopey also opened up the theme of the puzzle for us too.
Lots to enjoy here so thanks to Phi as well. We never cease to be amazed at the inventiveness behind the Inquisitors as well as the skill in the final construction.
Long may they continue!
Doc was my way in. I think I’m on the same wavelength as Phi regarding clues…they seem to fall into place a lot more quickly than those written by certain other setters.
Very enjoyable, and very satisfying PDM.
Thanks to Phi and HG.
A most enjoyable puzzle from Phi, relatively low on the difficulty scale. My way in was via Sneezy. Snickersnee from the Mikado was my first definition-only answer – the result of playing in the orchestra for a week of performances at University!
I remembered (as usual) 6 of the seven, but Bashful eluded me this time!
Thanks HG
Bashful has always been the Brad Dexter of dwarves for me too.