Monday Prize Crossword/Aug 18
Familiar territory for a Monday. While Dante kept the number of cryptic definitions to a minimum, our beloved setter did his best to conceal a couple of definitions in such a way that this puzzle took me longer than usual. Moreover, I really had to think about 23ac (which I first thought was wrong but wasn’t) and 21d (which is problematic, to say the least).
Too many double definitions today: 9.
Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | THEORY | He interrupts politician with an idea (6) |
| HE inside TORY (politician) | ||
| 4 | CONSTANT | Unremittingly faithful? (8) |
| Double definition | ||
| Not a pure one – ‘unremittingly’ is an adverb and the solution is not. | ||
| 10 | REELED OFF | School subject – English – started, was able to recite fluently (6,3) |
| RE (school subject, religious education) + E (English) + LED OFF (started) | ||
| 11 | CLIMB | Conservative member to go on to higher things (5) |
| C (Conservative) + LIMB (member) | ||
| 12 | SHUN | Avoid getting hot in a blazer (4) |
| H (hot) inside SUN (a ‘blazer’) | ||
| 13 | DISCLOSURE | An opening revelation (10) |
| Double definition | ||
| 15 | MARINES | Servicemen seen in the airmen’s mess (7) |
| (AIRMEN’S)* | ||
| 16 | REALLY | Actually, it’s about a friend (6) |
| RE (about) + ALLY (a friend) | ||
| 19 | EXCISE | Tax being cut (6) |
| Double definition | ||
| 21 | LOCATES | Finds nothing in a ruined castle (7) |
| O (nothing) inside (CASTLE)* | ||
| 23 | INSTRUMENT | Orchestrate popular march to entertain the troops (10) |
| IN (popular) + STRUT (march) around MEN (the troops) | ||
| Initially I thought that Dante made a mistake but he didn’t: to instrument (as a verb) can be to orchestrate. | ||
| 25 | AREA | A touching article or tract (4) |
| A + RE (touching) + A (article) | ||
| 27 | FALSE | Falls short of a pound note – forged perhaps (5) |
| FAL[l]S (‘Falls’ minus L (a pound)) + E (note) | ||
| 28 | STRADDLED | Stood on both sides (9) |
| Non-cryptic definition | ||
| 29 | REDEEMER | Having paid, he [he] recovers (8) |
| Double definition | ||
| The word ‘he’ is needed for both definitions. | ||
| 30 | PLAYER | He may make or interpret a score (6) |
| Double definition | ||
| One’s a sportsman, the other’s a musician. | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | TIRESOME | Boring ties – more variety is needed (8) |
| (TIES + MORE)* | ||
| 2 | EXECUTRIX | Someone must have been been willing to appoint her (9) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 3 | REEF | It can be taken in a bank (4) |
| Double definition | ||
| I like well-hidden definitions but “It can be taken in” for REEF is too vague for me. There are many things that can be taken in (including this kind of sail). | ||
| 5 | OFFICER | Colonel possibly in command in present situation (7) |
| IC (in command) surrounded by OFFER (present) | ||
| 6 | SACROSANCT | A cross can’t be played with – it’s very holy (10) |
| (A CROSS CAN’T)* | ||
| 7 | ADIEU | Farewell notice that is going to university (5) |
| AD (notice) + IE (that is) + U (university) | ||
| 8 | TABLET | It may be prescribed or inscribed (6) |
| Double definition | ||
| Medicine and something to write on. | ||
| 9 | COPIES | They’re not the original apes (6) |
| Double definition | ||
| 14 | ANTIFREEZE | Not in favour of rigid price control for winter motoring (10) |
| ANTI (not in favour of) + FREEZE (rigid price control) | ||
| 17 | LATERALLY | On the side of the junior partner (9) |
| One who is now a ‘junior partner’ may become a LATER ALLY | ||
| 18 | ISLANDER | One to vilify a British resident (8) |
| I (one) + SLANDER (vilify) | ||
| 20 | EN MASSE | All together in France (2,5) |
| Non-cryptic definition | ||
| 21 | LINERS | Ships in river south of the Equator (6) |
| {R (river) + S (south)} under LINE (the Equator, the Line) | ||
| Now, this is a problem. I assume ‘south’ gives us S and can therefore not be used to explain ‘under’. And if ‘south of’ means ‘under’ then there’s another S missing. | ||
| 22 | DIFFER | Fail to correspond? (6) |
| Cryptic definition – ‘agree to differ’ | ||
| 24 | SOLID | It can’t run, so takes cover (5) |
| SO + LID (cover) | ||
| Just like in 3d, I find the definition very vague (but I see what Dante means). Perhaps we should add legs to the solid, then it can run! | ||
| 26 | IDOL | I’d look up to see a star (4) |
| I’D + OL (reversal (‘up’) of LO (look)) | ||
Thanks Dante and Sil
Found this one a bit more challenging than normal.
I read 4a more of a cd type clue … and then it works in a dd-ish manner :). Likewise with 24d – and I quite liked that clue.
REEF gave me a lot of trouble before I was comfortable with it – until I understood the whole reef sail and reefing (taking in) process.
The only way I could get 21d to work is for ‘south’ to be doing double duty.
Was happy to get it finished and as it turns out – all correct.
Most enjoyable, Dante (as usual), but I have to agree with Sil. 3dn REEF had me pondering for a very long time, but the eureka moment was worth the effort. Many thanks, both.
REEF
Yes, the first part of this clue is vague. So vague, in fact, that some lateral thinking
is really required: it’s our old pal Dante … it’s Rufus … it’s nautical!
Are we going to have to bone up on our setters’ interests in future?
LINERS
I’m all at sea with this one.
I couldn’t get
3d -agree your comment
22d which I reckon could have been anything
For 24d I guessed snail which scuppered my chances of 27a& 29a
I had en suite for 20d until 23a &28a made me realise that it must be wrong but it did seem plausible
So why is RE = TOUCHING?
Dear guscat, one of the meanings of ‘touching’ is, according to the dictionaries, ‘concerning’ (as a preposition).
The same can be said of ‘re’.
However, as I am not a native speaker, don’t ask me for an English sentence in which both words are interchangeable.
OK, so TOUCHING = CONCERNING = RE. How many = can we put in this series?
TOUCHING = CONCERNING = RE = GOD = anything you want to carry on with. Typical Dante careless clue. 21d is another.
I’m going back to Sudoku
guscat, I think you are a bit harsh on Dante.
“Concerning’ being the meaning of both ‘touching’ and ‘re’ are one and the same.
Oxford gives us for TOUCHING: [preposition] concerning, about [with as an example:] “discoveries touching the neglected traditions of the London Boroughs”.
21d is not a careless thing but a plain mistake, in my opinion.
I had hoped more solvers would come up with their views.
But alas.
Whatever you think of Dante/Rufus, he’s not one makeswith many mistakes.
So just like you I’m still puzzled.
And probably, it always will be ….. 🙂