A good and very enjoyable Sunday puzzle that I found trickier than usual. I think that the general level of difficulty of the IoS has gone up over the time I have been blogging it. I wonder if this is editorial policy or just random variation? Possibly just a natural decline in my faculties.
Some the cryptic definitions in this puzzle did not really hit home with me, if indeed that is what they are. I think cryptic definitions are quite a personal thing, so I say this as an observation rather than as a criticism of the puzzle.
Thanks Hypnos.
| Across | ||
| 1 | ALSACE |
Sadly slightly altered church in French region (6)
ALAS (sadly) with one letter moved (slightly altered) then CE (Church, of England) |
| 4 | AFTER ALL |
Large flat, not grand, requiring renovation nevertheless (5,3)
LARgE FLAT* (missing G=grand) anagram =requiring renovation |
| 9 | PENURY |
Writer with anger banishing initial privation (6)
PEN (writer) with fURY missing initial letter – I wasted a lot of time thinking ‘writer’ would be the definition |
| 10 | OFFSHOOT |
Branch cancelled filming work (8)
OFF (cancelled) SHOOT (film work) |
| 12 | ORPHANAGE |
Place in which issue is raised without natural authority? (9)
cryptic definition? Feels a bit strained to me. It looks like it ought to be a complex &lit but I can’t see anything. |
| 13 | LIE-IN |
An extension to being out? (3-2)
cryptic definition – sleeping (being out) longer than usual |
| 14 | COINCIDENTAL |
Police in bit surprisingly net gangster by chance (12)
CID (police) in COIN (bit) NET* anagram=surprisingly AL (Al Capone, ganster) |
| 18 | CONTROL TOWER |
Direct in leftward direction queen in airport building (7,5)
CONTROL (direct) TO W (to west, leftward direction on map) then ER (The Queen) |
| 21 | STAFF |
Crew in five lines? (5)
double definition |
| 23 | KANDINSKY |
Artist showing English footballer, short and dainty, grabbing last of goals (9)
Harry KANe (English footballer, short) and DINKY (dainty) containing goalS (last letter of) |
| 24 | ADDITIVE |
Supplement mentioned by Frenchman in a seedy joint (8)
DIT (said, mentioned in French) in A DIVE (seedy joint) |
| 25 | LIBIDO |
Urge that’s current to divide two parties (6)
I (current, electrical symbol) inside (to divide) LIB and DO (two parties) |
| 26 | LETHARGY |
Transformation in earthy girl on vacation showing sluggishness (8)
anagram (transformation in) of EARTHY and GirL (on vacation, evacuated, having removed the inside) |
| 27 | KNIGHT |
Horseman in black period, we’re told (6)
sounds like (we are told) night (black period) |
| Down | ||
| 1 | APPROACH |
Golfing expert interrupting a chap playing golf shot (8)
PRO (golfing expert) inside (interrupting) A CHAP* anagram=playing |
| 2 | SYNOPSIS |
Summary is amount of money raised on board (8)
IS PONY (£25, amount of money) in SS (in steam ship, on board) |
| 3 | CARPACCIO |
Fish produced by a cricket club I love as starter (9)
CARP (fish) with (produced by) A CC (cricket club) I and O (zero, love) – appetizer of thinly pounded raw meat |
| 5 | FIFTEEN TO ONE |
Fellow with youngster also appearing in excellent quiz show (7,2,3)
F (fellow) with TEEN (youngster) TOO (also) inside (appearing in) FINE (excellent) |
| 6 | EASEL |
Support for artist in rental agreement, first to last (5)
LEASE (rental agreement) with first letter moved to the end |
| 7 | AVOCET |
Wading bird one’s first caught clutched by a doctor (6)
One (first letter of) C (caught) in A VET (doctor) |
| 8 | LITANY |
Repetitive series in metropolitan yearbook (6)
found inside metropoLITAN Yearbook |
| 11 | SANDI TOKSVIG |
Presenter of 5, broadcasting king (TV said so) (5,7)
(KING TV SAID SO)* anagram=broadcasting |
| 15 | ATTRITION |
Gradual decrease in hands? (9)
cryptic definition again? Hands are workers, or sailors possibly. |
| 16 | TWISTING |
Crooked fool curtailed police operation (8)
TWIt (fool, curtailed) then STING (police operation) |
| 17 | GREY-COAT |
Uniformed schoolboy obviously getting on with former Yugoslav right away (4-4)
GREY (obviously getting on, old) with CrOAT (former Yugoslav missing R) |
| 19 | ASSAIL |
A second trip on water in storm (6)
A S (second) SAIL (trip on water) |
| 20 | BANDIT |
Criminal type making small quantity in effect? (6)
B AND IT would make ‘bit’, a small quantity |
| 22 | FATWA |
Religious ruling defended by chief at Walsingham (5)
found inside (defended by) cheiF AT WAlsingham |
definitions are underlined
I was puzzled by 17d Grey Coat, so googled it but the only reference I can find is the girls’ school, which doesn’t fit the clue of uniformed schoolboy – so I need a bit of enlightenment there!
I don’t see 15a – I’m definitely missing something.
Apart from that, nice stuff and thanks to setter and blogger.
Oh – I’ve not seen Fifteen to One so didn’t know who the presenter is, but Sandi Toksvig is wonderful anagram fodder!
cumbrian@1: Grey-coat is in Chambers as a pupil at certain schools. I presume you mean 15dn. I can’t see it either.
Thanks Dormouse @2
And yes, I did mean 15dn. I can just about see that rubbing in hands would cause a gradual decrease, but that’s far too weak surely?
Thanks, PeeDee. I too am struggling to explain 15dn, otherwise a good puzzle in the IoS style from Hypnos.
I completed this one almost disappointingly quickly – left me with nothing to do on Sunday afternoon!
I’m still not sure about 12A, but I think “without natural authority” alludes to orphans being raised without the presence, & therefore “authority” in disciplinary terms, of their natural parents.
A web search revealed that a group called Attrition made a CD entitled “The Hand that Feeds” – maybe that explains 15D? Too erudite a reference for me!
15d, ATTRITION rates describe the rate at which employees (hands) leave a company by resigning, retiring or being fired…
Recently, I’ve been finding the Sunday crossword not harder, but less absolute in being able to write in the answers with a firm hand. More CDs? Too little sleep? It’s not alcohol, Saturday was dry for me!
I loved the clue for the formidable Ms Toksvig! 12A Orphanage was my last answer, using every crossing letter I could get my hands on.
Anyway I completed this without too much of a struggle, but I, too, am at a loss to explain some of the clues. Never mind; puzzles are like people, if they were all the same, life would be boring!
I guessed ORPHANAGE from the common use of ‘issue’ in its genealogical sense in crosswords, and thought it quite a good CD. But ATTRITION, got from crossing letters didn’t click for me.
Liked some of the other clues, e.g. PENURY and AVOCET.
Thanks, Hypnos and PeeDee