(Apologies for the late appearance of this post – all my fault.) This was an excellent seasonal puzzle from Crucible, with a nice level of difficulty for a prize puzzle. The special instructions read:
Fourteen solutions need a seasonal adjustment before being entered in the grid, resulting mostly in non-words.
After some puzzling, we worked out that the seasonal adjustment was “ring out the OLD, ring in the NEW” – i.e. where OLD was found in the answers, it should be replaced with NEW before entering into the grid. This familiar phrase is apparently from the Tennyson poem, “Ring Out, Wild Bells”.
Across
1. Fletcher’s cellmate stole 50 German variations (8)
GOLDBERG -> GNEWBERG
GODBER = “Fletcher’s cellmate” (referring to the characters from Porridge) around (“stole”) L = “50” + G = “German”
Definition: “variations”, referring to The Goldberg Variations, by J. S. Bach
5. Poet translates Lorna Doone’s first letter (6)
ARNOLD -> ARNNEW
(LORNA D)*
Definition: “Poet”, referring to Matthew Arnold, I think
9. Drain Scotch? Feel benefit mostly (8)
ENFEEBLE
(FEEL BENE) – “scotch” is the anagram indicator
Definition: “Drain”
10. Stop early during strike (4,2)
HOLD IT -> HNEW IT
OLD = “early” in HIT = “strike”
Definition: “Stop”
11. Weathermen occupy steelworks (8)
ELEMENTS
MEN in (STEEL)*
Definition: “Weather”
12. Up out of bed but not here, so I’m told (6)
AWEIGH
Sounds like “away” = “not here”
Definition: “Up out of bed” referring to the sea bed and raising an anchor, as in “Anchors Aweigh”
14. Actor can these days cram in the worst parts (4,6)
JOHN CLEESE
JOHN = “can” (both US slang for a toilet) + CE (“Common Era”) = “these days” around LEES = “the worst parts” (in fermentation)
Definition: “Actor”
18. Wealthy comic holds deposit back for The King’s Speech feature (3,5,2)
THE ROYAL WE
ORE = “deposit” reversed in (WEALTHY)*
Definition: “The King’s Speech feature”
22. Northwest town’s clapped-out transmitter (6)
OLDHAM -> NEWHAM
OLD = “clapped-out” + HAM = “transmitter” (as in “ham radio”)
Definition: “Northwest town”
23. Maidenhead exports English cask to East Jerusalem, say (4,4)
HYMN TUNE
HYMEN = “Maidenhead” without E (“exports English”) + TUN = “cask” + E = “East”
Definition: “Jerusalem, say”
24. Refurbish room with centre of column in gilt (6)
ORMOLU
(ROOM)* + [co]LU[mn] = “centre of column”
Definition: “gilt”
25. Motorway load diverted through former European principality (8)
MOLDAVIA -> MNEWAVIA
M = “Motorway” + (LOAD)* + VIA = “through”
Definition: “former European principality”
26. Carpets Sunday school instals [sic] without warning (6)
SCOLDS -> SCNEWS
SS = “Sunday school” around COLD = “without warning” (e.g “a cold start”)
Definition: “Carpets”, in the sense of “tells off”
27. Watch man that goes into orbit (8)
EYEPIECE
EYE = “Watch” + PIECE = “man”
Definition: “that goes into orbit”, the “orbit”, anatomically, being the eye socket
Down
1. Turn left to study appearance of 24 (6)
GOLDEN -> GNEWEN
GO = “Turn” + L = “left” + DEN = “study”
Definition: “appearance of [ORMOLU]”
2. Hug lovelorn idiot in close (6)
ENFOLD -> ENFNEW
END = “close” around FOOL = “idiot” without O (“lovelorn”)
Definition: “Hug”
3. Picked up rock, a comparatively heavy type (6)
BOLDER -> BNEWER
Sounds like “boulder” – the homophone indicator is “Picked up”
Definition: “a comparatively heavy type” referring to bold typefaces
4. Both sides take ecstasy first of all, showing kinship (10)
RELATIONAL
RL = “Both sides” around ELATION = “ecstatsy” + A[ll] = “first of all”
Definition: “kinship”
6. Extensions to do with north Wales ground (8)
RENEWALS
RE = “to do with” + N = “North” + (WALES)* (“ground” is the anagram indicator)
Definition: “extensions”
7. Harry told his granny: “I’m boring grandad” (3-5)
OLD TIMER -> NEW TIMER
(TOLD)* (“Harry” is the anagram indicator) + ER (The Queen) = “his granny” around IM (“I’m boring”)
Definition: “grandad”
8. Stop city centre hotels blocking upland (8)
WITHHOLD -> WITHHNEW
[c]IT[y] = “city centre” + HH = “hotels” in (“blocking”) WOLD = “upland” =
Definition: “Stop”
13. Sign for forward exclusively — Wayne “Loony”, perhaps? (3,3,4)
ONE WAY ONLY
(WAYNE LOONY)*
Definition: “Sign for forward exclusively” – a lovely clue
15. Tinny PA’s last to be scrapped in South America (8)
STANNOUS
TANNO[y] = “PA’s last to be scrapped” in S = “South” + US = “America”
Definition: “Tinny”
16. Actor Gary goes round without granny (3,5)
OLD WOMAN -> NEW WOMAN
OLDMAN = “Actor Gary” around WO = “without”
Definition: “granny” (symmetrically with “grandad” = OLD TIMER in the grid)
17. Argue about Manchester City’s old rules (5,3)
ROMAN LAW
ROW = “Argue” around MAN = “Manchester” + LA = “City”
Definition: “old rules”
19. Loud start, awfully loud middle, quiet close (4,2)
FOLD UP -> FNEW UP
F = “Loud” + (LOUD)* + P = “quiet”
Definition: “close” – a lovely clue
20. Philosopher accepts 5 euros for Joe’s 4WD (6)
HUMVEE
HUME = “Philosopher” around VE = “5 euros”
Definition: “Joe’s 4WD” – perhaps this is referring to G.I. Joe?
21. Odzooks! Look up for the last time (3,3)
OLD AGE -> NEW AGE
EGAD! = “Odzooks!” + LO = “Look” all reversed (“up”)
Definition: “the last time”
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