Monday Prize Crossword/Mar 31
Another fine puzzle by Monday regular Crux. As one may know by now, I am not a fan of his cryptic definitions but all in all this was very enjoyable.
What I do like about Crux, though, is that there is never the automatic pilot to make up clues. In my opinion, he’s a thoughtful and elegant setter not unsimilar to Dac in the Independent (even if I think Dac is slightly more consistent).
Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | PITTANCE | A cent tip, perhaps? Definitely! (8) |
| (A CENT TIP)* | ||
| Semi &lit. | ||
| 5 | CUTTER | Censorship? (6) |
| Double definition | ||
| One has to split censor/ship in a Guadianesque way. Very clever clue, in my opinion – double definition with only one word. I know another one but I’ll keep that to myself … | ||
| 9 | LONG SHOT | Goal from fifty yards? It’s not very likely (4,4) |
| Double definition | ||
| 10 | SPRINT | Second run off is needed in this race (6) |
| S (second) + PRINT (run off) | ||
| 12 | RUPEE | Anna was once part of it in India (5) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| Some might find this not very cryptic. The Anna was a former coin in India (and Pakistan, too). | ||
| 13 | SCRAP IRON | Dispute with press could be a load of rubbish (5,4) |
| SCRAP (dispute) + IRON (press) | ||
| 14 | ANNOYS | A sound heard from bugs (6) |
| Homophone (‘heard’) of: A NOISE (a sound) | ||
| Clear enough, this, but the perfectionist in me doesn’t like ‘from’. “Heard from bugs” suggests that ‘bugs’ is the homophone fodder while it’s not. | ||
| 16 | BOLSHIE | Mostly brave and quiet, that’s difficult to deal with (7) |
| BOL[d] (brave, mostly) + SH (quiet) + IE (that’s, id est) | ||
| 19 | ODYSSEY | First postwar travel adventures (7) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 21 | FERULE | Iron law used as punishment (6) |
| FE (iron) + RULE (law) | ||
| 23 | THE BROADS | Inland waters where her boats are deployed by day (3,6) |
| (HER BOATS + D (day))* | ||
| As ever with Crux I like the surface reading. However, I am not sure about the use of ‘by’ here. I feel that the clue tells me that it is (HER BOATS)* + D but it’s not. | ||
| 25 | ALIBI | First person to back a liberal defence (5) |
| A + LIB (liberal) + I (first person) | ||
| 26 | ONE-MAN | No dispute over billing in such a show (3-3) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 27 | IN FAVOUR | What persona grata would be for (2,6) |
| Cryptic/Double definition | ||
| A persona non grata is not in favour, therefore a persona grata would be. I liked the second definition (just ‘for’). | ||
| 28 | POTATO | Staple hard to handle when hot (6) |
| Kind of double definition | ||
| 29 | ET CETERA | Unmentioned extras for Caesar? (2,6) |
| Latin (‘for Caesar?’) for “unmentioned extras” | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | PALTRY | Mean to snoop around a junior officer (6) |
| PRY (to snoop) around A LT (a junior officer, a lieutenant) | ||
| 2 | TEN A PENNY | Practically free at a pound per thousand (3-1-5) |
| It gives us indeed ‘a pound per thousand’ | ||
| 3 | AISLE | Part of theatre I shall briefly mention (5) |
| Homophone (‘mention’) of : I’LL (I shall, briefly) | ||
| 4 | CROESUS | Various sources supply this wealthy ruler (7) |
| (SOURCES)* | ||
| 6 | UNPOPULAR | A French tree with uniform heart, unlike 27 (9) |
| UN (a, French) + {POPLAR (tree) with U (uniform) at its heart} | ||
| 7 | TRIER | One has a crack in this German city (5) |
| Double definition | ||
| Two definitions, two different pronunciations. | ||
| 8 | RETINUES | Trains ensure it when travelling (8) |
| (ENSURE IT)* | ||
| 11 | GRUB | Caterpillar food, commonly (4) |
| Double definition | ||
| 15 | OBSERVANT | Orthodox old bishop needs help (9) |
| O (old) + B (bishop) + SERVANT (help) | ||
| 17 | HOLE IN ONE | A stroke of luck, of course! (4-2-3) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 18 | SOFT SOAP | It may also be applied to flannel (4,4) |
| Cryptic/Double definition | ||
| 20 | YUAN | Income in Shanghai you earn regularly (4) |
| Y[o]U [e]A[r]N | ||
| 21 | FISHNET | Fabric woven from finest end of cloth (7) |
| (FINEST + [clot]H)* | ||
| Another nice surface. | ||
| 22 | SIERRA | Mountain range referred to by letter (6) |
| The solution refers to S (letter) in the phonetic alphabet | ||
| 24 | EVENT | Competition in sport never rejected (5) |
| Hidden backwards (‘in …. rejected’): [spor]T NEVE[r] | ||
| 25 | ABASE | Cast down from a pedestal (5) |
| A + BASE (pedestal) | ||