Monday Prize Crossword/Oct 20
Pretty much standard fare from Dante. Quite a few anagram-based clued and at one point four double definitions in a row! But some really nice ones too (e.g. 13ac or 2d).
Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | FAST FOOD | Rations for the fleet? (4,4) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 5 | DOG-END | A fag’s tip? (3-3) |
| (Not so) Cryptic definition | ||
| 9 | DIAMONDS | Suit worn by the wealthy (8) |
| Double definition | ||
| 10 | SPADES | Passed around the quarterdeck (6) |
| (PASSED)* [* = around] | ||
| ‘Quarterdeck’ might one out of four in a deck of cards, making it two suits in row 3 of the grid! Perhaps, the clue needs a question mark. | ||
| 12 | REBUT | Don’t agree about an objectionable word (5) |
| RE (about) + BUT (an objectionable word) | ||
| 13 | PINEAPPLE | Long drink containing very soft fruit (9) |
| PINE (long) + {ALE (drink) around PP (very soft)} | ||
| Really nice clue with a surface that makes perfectly sense. | ||
| 14 | PANDAS | Animals making unhappy return on vessel (6) |
| PAN (vessel) + DAS (reversal (‘return’) of SAD (unhappy)) | ||
| 16 | TRANSIT | Tidy up – start in the passage (7) |
| (START IN)* [* = tidy up] | ||
| 19 | MUDLARK | Urchin lad wandering in the gloom (7) |
| (LAD)* inside MURK (gloom) [* = wandering] | ||
| 21 | SEE-SAW | Observes a Western board game? (3-3) |
| SEES (observes) + A + W (Western) | ||
| That kind of board! | ||
| 23 | SYMPHONIC | Chopin’s my option for being harmonious (9) |
| (CHOPIN’S MY)* [* = option for] | ||
| 25 | PADRE | The chaplain’s walk-about (5) |
| PAD (walk) + RE (about) | ||
| Just like in his previous puzzle, Dante wants us to ignore the hyphen. | ||
| 26 | IGNORE | Take no heed of some sovereign or emperor (6) |
| Hidden solution (‘some’): [sovere]IGN OR E[mperor] | ||
| 27 | CENSURED | Blamed head chef before having made certain (8) |
| C[hef] + ENSURED (made clear) | ||
| 28 | GARDEN | Plot involved danger (6) |
| (DANGER)* [* = involved] | ||
| 29 | REPRISAL | Act of vengeance concerning a poor Paris student (8) |
| RE (concerning) + (PARIS)* + L (student) [* = a poor ….] | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | FEDORA | Read of new capital investment (6) |
| (READ OF)* [* = new] – a FEDORA is a hat | ||
| 2 | STARBOARD | Jack’s right – rodents are climbing on the table (9) |
| STAR (reversal (‘are climbing’) of RATS (rodents)) + BOARD (table) | ||
| Our Jack is a sailor, so the solution is the right-hand side of a ship. The surface has nothing to do with that and is nicely whimsical. | ||
| 3 | FLOAT | Start a company that doesn’t go under? (5) |
| Double definition | ||
| 4 | OEDIPUS | He lived with his wife and mother (7) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 6 | ORPHANAGE | Model paragon, he cares for deprived children (9) |
| (PARAGON + HE)* [* = model] | ||
| 7 | END UP | Finish with one’s tail in the air? (3,2) |
| END (one’s tail) + UP (in the air) | ||
| 8 | DESSERTS | Fruit and nuts from wastelands around the south (8) |
| DESERTS (wastelands) around S (south) | ||
| 11 | KNOT | A complication that naturally goes against the grain (4) |
| Double / Cryptic definition | ||
| The cryptic part of the clue probably refers to “knot” as ‘a round cross-grained piece in wood when cut through’. If so, a bit loose though. | ||
| 15 | DRAY-HORSE | Orders hay to be put out for Dobbin (4-5) |
| (ORDERS HAY)* [* = to be put out] | ||
| 17 | STANDARDS | Flags that purists do not want to see lowered (9) |
| Double definition | ||
| 18 | SMASHING | Breaking up may be wonderful (8) |
| Double definition | ||
| 20 | KIND | Charitable group (4) |
| Double definition | ||
| 21 | SECRETE | Hide away and gradually let out (7) |
| Double definition | ||
| 22 | FEUDAL | Reactionary has prolonged row with a student (6) |
| FEUD (prolonged row) + A + L (student) | ||
| 24 | MINER | Wage earner who is beneath seeking earthly riches (5) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 25 | POSER | Tangled ropes can present a problem (5) |
| (ROPES)* [* = tangled] | ||
Thanks Dante and Sil
Nice and quick on the train into work. Nothing of note from it though.
I think there’s slightly more to dog end as both that and fag tip are cryptic hints to the letter G.
I had snag fro 11d and therefore couldn’t get 16a . I don’t think that a knot goes against the grain -it is just there.