Everyman 3,592

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Straightforward everyman, with some nice clues (but one niggle).

I found this easier than the last few I’ve done.

completed grid
Across
1 HOLD BACK
Hesitate in front of hero, former champion (4,4)

H (front of hero) OLD (former) BACK (champion).

I like clues like this that mislead you in the surface as to whether it’s a verb / noun (champion, in this case)
5 CARPET
Saloon for instance with favourite floor covering (6)

CAR (saloon, for instance) PET (favourite)
9 TABOO
Volunteers express contempt for ban (5)

TA (volunteers) BOO (express contempt)

Not sure about this clue. The construction is clear, but I don’t see how TABOO = ban. Banned yes, but that’s a different part of speech. Taboo, as far as I’m aware, isn’t a verb, and when it’s used as a noun doesn’t mean ban. Grateful for thoughts, as I’m often wrong on these things.
10 LEGISLATE
Pass laws with support I condemn (9)

LEG (support) I SLATE (condemn)
12 PARASOL
Old man, artist with very large sunshade (7)

PA (old man) RA (artist) SO (very) L (large)
14 AMATEUR
Partner in mood endlessly unprofessional (7)

MATE (partner) in AURa (mood, endlessly)
15 BLUE SUEDE SHOES
Unhappy with material, so she played an Elvis classic (4,5,5)

BLUE (unhappy) SUEDE (material) anag (played) of SO SHE.

Here’s Carl Perkins, playing the original
18 INEFFECTUALITY
One with fee cut, faintly troubled, showing weakness (14)

An anagram (troubled) of I (one) FEE CUT FAINTLY
19 EGO TRIP
Alliance finally became split in vanity project (3,4)

E (alliance, finally) GOT (became) RIP (split)
21 EXTREME
In context remembrance is intense (7)

Hidden answer, in contEXTREMEmbrance
23 PERSUADED
New drapes due to be brought round (9)

anag (new) of DRAPES DUE
25 IMPLY
Merely dropping small hint (5)

SIMPLY (merely) without (dropping) the S (small)
26 NATTER
Talk reflected on temperature and effect of sun (6)

Reversal (reflected) of RE (on) T (temperature) TAN (effect of sun)
27 SOMERSET
Area containing Glastonbury Tor seems changed (8)

Nice, seamless clue. Anagram (changed) of TOR SEEMS.
Down
1 HET UP
Agitated man set to climb (3,2)

HE (man) PUT (set) reversed (to climb)
2 LIBERAL DEMOCRAT
Party member’s unsparing protest about traitor (7,8)

LIBERAL (unsparing) DEMO (protest) C (about) RAT (traitor).

Not sure whether we can read anything into Everyman’s politics here.
3 BOOKSHELF
Nonsense about fair and legendary creature? You’ll find volumes on it (9)

BOSH (nonsense) OK (fair) ELF (legendary creature)
4 COL
Low point reached by school expelling odd characters (3)

Strange to think of a col as a low point, particularly with the Tour de France fresh in my mind, but so it is (relative to the surrounding peaks).

The oddly numbered letters of sChOoL are expelled.
6 AT SEA
Some diplomats easily baffled (2,3)

Hidden answer
7 PLANET OF THE APES
Hasn’t fate dealt badly with people in this film? (6,2,3,4)

Nice clue, with &lit overtones. Anagram (dealt badly) of HASNTFATEPEOPLE
8 THEORIST
Thinker’s article on wild riots (8)

THE (article) anagram (wild) of RIOTS
11 GRAND DUKE
Aged drunk bothered noble ruler (5,4)

Anagram (bothered) of AGED DRUNK
13 LAUNCH PAD
Walk after meal round a point of departure (6,3)

LUNCH (meal) around A, PAD (walk)
16 SOLITAIRE
Love put into opening tune, English gem set alone (9)

O (love) in SLIT (opening) AIR (tune) E (english)
17 LIFESPAN
Psychic power in strange final period of existence (8)

ESP (psychic power) in anagram (strange) of FINAL
20 ROUSE
Provoke arguments in hearing (5)

Sounds like (in hearing) ROWS (arguments)
22 EGYPT
Country for example with unknown part (5)

EG (for example) Y (unknown) PT (part)
24 DUO
Pair united in act (3)

U (united) in DO (act)
*anagram

20 comments on “Everyman 3,592”

  3. Thanks Everyman and Matt.

    I solved this last Sunday and don’t remember having any problems, however BOOK SHELF and HOLD BACK took me a while to get and I had to Google the Elvis classics.

    I did like EGO TRIP, LAUNCH PAD, LIFESPAN, NATTER and PLANET OF THE APES.

  4. Further to Peter Green’s comment, my edition of Chambers has TABOO as adjective, noun and verb. I thought the clue for PLANET OF THE APES was a gem.

  5. As Pierre said last week: Concision?  Tick.  Surface readings good?  Tick.  Some clever anagrams?  Tick.  No obscure words?  Tick.

    I enjoyed all of the anagrams, especially INEFFECTUALITY. My favourites were BLUE SUEDE SHOES, EXTREME, IMPLY, LIBERAL DEMOCRATS, BOOKSHELF, EGO TRIP & NATTER.

    Thanks Everyman and Matt

  8. I agree with most of the above. D’ya think someone had a sit-down with the now not-so-new Everyman setter and told him to tone it down a bit? It feels like it’s back to the old level of difficulty, and indeed almost the same style.

    Not that I minded when it was harder, you understand.

  10. I think the style is very good. It’s all about wordplay. Less emphasis on general knowledge. Don’t get me wrong. Allan Scott got me into crosswords with his Everyman. I have enjoyed the Everyman series since 2009.

  11. I’m glad the new setter is finding general approval for the level now. I’m too new to the Everyman puzzles to be able to compare, but it must be difficult to pitch puzzles at just the same level as a setter who has been doing them every Sunday for years.

    My favourites were BOOKSHELF and LIBERAL DEMOCRATS.

    Thanks to Everyman and Matt.

  13. Straightforward solve. He is definitely less multi-layered than when he started, so noticeably easier. I’m in two minds as to whether that’s a good thing, I enjoyed the odd wrestle when he took over this spot. But enjoyable nonetheless.

    I’m fine with Taboo.

    Thanks Matt and EM.

  14. Yes it was a straigthforward crossword. I found it pretty average to be honest. I didn’t think there were many clever clues this week, though I liked 16 ac and 13 d. Still I enjoyed solving it.
    Thanks Matt and Everyman.

  15. The new setter seems to have settled… the surfaces are much much better and I think I’m coming to grips with his style more. I have enjoyed the last two weeks and thanks to the new style have picked up a few tricks I didn’t have before. Thanks heaps Matt and Everyman.

  16. I’m sure, mrpenny, that someone whispered into E’s ear, or maybe he reads Fifteen Squared and saw for himself the unhappiness he was creating! This was a doozy, easy enough to get a few in on the first pass, and then the others which require a bit of thinking to get you to the “aha! ” moment. Very good, top marks. Thanks Matt and EM.

  17. Hi again, I’ve just been back into last week’s blog and read all the comments from the folk in Papakura and Pakuranga. Firstly, last week Vanessa, when I was done and dusted by 7.45, I wasn’t exactly up, and I am fortunate enough to have a capable wife who takes care of the housework.Sexist? Probably. And I always go back and read who has come in after me, not usually a week later, I admit, but at some stage, so I’m looking forward to reading you again. I see Pierre came in as well late last week so we are not alone. Good stuff.

  18. It’s our “go to slseep” puzzle on Saturday night – to be finished on Sunday morning. Liked 20 d (rouse).LOI was 1a.
    The last two weeks were much more our level. Good.

  19. Yes this was easier. Got it right out. I query how in 9 a Taboo, Volunteers = TA.
    Last one in was Rouse, just a guess because I missed the pun on rows.
    Thank you Matt.

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