Guardian 26,712 – Rufus

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A very quick solve for me today, with the exception of 4d, which held me up at the end. Fewer cryptic definitions than usual, I think, which helps; the ones we do have were all fairly obvious (which perhaps defeats the purpose of a CD). Thanks to Rufus

 
 
 
 
 
 
Across
9. LOST CAUSE Couldn’t find reason for failed campaign (4,5)
LOST (couldn’t find) + CAUSE (reason)
10. INERT It holds the unloved emperor motionless (5)
NERO less O in IT
11. ERECTOR English head of college and builder (7)
E + RECTOR
12. TOTALLY To agree without reservation (7)
TO TALLY
13. IRISH Hibernian flag on hospital (5)
IRIS (flag) + H
14. DEFERENCE Respect some hesitation in one’s excuses, perhaps (9)
ER in DEFENCE
16. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT Shoplifter’s dilemma? (4,2,2,5,2)
Cryptic definition
19. DEMOCRACY Ruling based on popular decisions (9)
Cryptic definition
21. CRIER He can’t laugh — he’s got an announcement to make (5)
Double definition – the announcer is a Town Crier
22. SET FAIR Party with blonde when weather forecast’s favourable (3,4)
SET (party) + FAIR
23. FUNFAIR Loud and biased form of amusement (7)
F + UNFAIR
24. WRONG Right opposite (5)
Cryptic definition – “wrong” is the opposite of right
25. COUNTLESS Very many are of minor importance (9)
If you’re of minor importance then you COUNT LESS
Down
1. ALLEVIATED Ideal valet becomes unkempt and is relieved (10)
(IDEAL VALET)*
2. ASTERISK Star skater is knocked out (8)
(SKATER IS)*
3. SCOTCH The spirit of Hogmanay? (6)
Cryptic definition
4. BURR A natural hanger-on, in a manner of speaking (4)
Double definition – part of a plant that sticks to your clothes, and a rolled R in speech
5. FEET OF CLAY Those that supported Cassius show unsuspected faults (4,2,4)
Double definition – reference to Cassius Clay, aka Muhammad Ali (I originally wondered if the expression came from Julius Caesar, but it’s actually biblical, from the Book of Daniel)
6. VICTORIA Queen‘s state carriage (8)
Three definitions, though both the Australian state and the carriage are named after the Queen
7. BERLIN He wrote songs to provide capital (6)
Double definition – Irving Berlin, songwriter and the capital of Germany
8. STAY Stop and point at the river (4)
S + TAY
14. DROP A BRICK Commit an indiscretion by leaving out a decent chap? (4,1,5)
DROP (leave out) A BRICK (decent chap, in old slang)
15. ENTERPRISE Introduce force, showing initiative (10)
ENTER + PRISE
17. IN CHARGE Reaching new position of authority (2,6)
REACHING*
18. EMIRATES Times are changing for Arab states (8)
(TIMES ARE)*
20. METHOD Acting technique depicting part of Hamlet’s madness (6)
Double definition – method acting, as devised by Stanislavski, and Polonius’s line “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t”, describing Hamlet’s odd behaviour
21. CANUTE King upset aunt in church (6)
AUNT* in CE
22. SEWN Stitched up in news broadcast? (4)
NEWS*
23. FLUE Outlet for dispersing fuel (4)
FUEL*

29 comments on “Guardian 26,712 – Rufus”

  1. Thanks Rufus and Andrew
    I found this harder and more satisfying than a usual Rufus. I particularly like INERT and FEET OF CLAY. Of course there are always Rufus clues that I don’t like – today’s were CRIER (very loose in both definitions) and WRONG (not cryptic).

  3. I also got stuck on BURR, but generally it seemed a bit easier than the usual Rufus. Liked FEET OF CLAY and DROP A BRICK. Thanks to Rufus and Andrew.

  4. Thank you Andrew and Rufus and good morning everyone.

    More allegro than my usual plod with this setter.

    Enjoyed FEET OF CLAY but, being a heathen, did not know the biblical reference, knowing it only as a term used by psychologists referring to a child’s realisation that is father is a mortal and not a god. Does anyone know that excellent quotation about the young man whose father seemed to him stupid and irrelevant but whom, on returning from the army, was amazed how much his father had learned?

    Slight pity that the TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT clue did not refer in some way to the actual meaning of the phrase. For me, it’s not a double definition as it stands. “Hobson’s choice for shoplifter” perhaps?

    Nice week all.

  6. Thanks, Rufus and Andrew.

    As you say, some of the definitions are barely cryptic but I really liked FEET OF CLAY and METHOD.

    I was intrigued by 22dn: ‘broadcast’ is so often used as a ‘homophone’ indicator, as well as an anagram indicator, as here, where it means SOWN!

  7. Thanks Rufus and Andrew.

    I do enjoy Rufus’s crosswords, just the right challenge for me. How he manages to compose so many I can’t imagine. Today I particularly liked FEET OF CLAY and DROP A BRICK.

  8. William – the quotation you’re thinking of is by, or attributed to, Mark Twain: ““When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have him around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”

  9. Thanks Rufus and Andrew.

    The acting technique could only be METHOD but I forgot the Hamlet quote, although I watched the Cumberbatch Hamlet only last week (it was very good.)

    I liked FEET OF CLAY, although I think I have seen something similar before.

  10. Happy to join in the praise for FEET OF CLAY and the general (though not universal) sense that was at the easier range of Rufus’s spectrum.

    However, for those of us who feel thoroughly quizzed out after the exhausting events in York this weekend, that’s no bad thing.

  11. I did this puzzle last night after 11 local time, and since I was done before I got tired, it clearly must have been easy for me too. I strongly object to the clue for WRONG, which was so non-cryptic I was sure it couldn’t be, um, right. Plenty else to like here, though. FEET OF CLAY was a groaner when I finally got it–I was racking my brains for actual Caesar-related stuff for a long while.

    In today’s “divided by a common language” department, SET FAIR is a turn of phrase that isn’t in my dialect, and while I’ve heard (or maybe seen) “brick” used in the “good chap” sense, it’s decidedly not a common usage here. Neither clue presented any difficulties though, at least not once thhe crossing words were in.

  12. Thanks Rufus and Andrew

    A record time solve for me today over lunch (well the first bit of it anyway) – but enjoyed it all of the same. Some times one needs a relaxing one in the mix.

    Finished with the two short down clues at the bottom – SEWN ad FLUE.

    I entered BURR based on the first half of clue and was able to find the Scottish rolling of the “r” as the second half from references.

  14. Nothing to disagree with anyone today. Quite a gentle solve with some goodies e.g. FEET OF CLAY and TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. I had no problem with BURR; STAY was my LOI.
    Thanks Rufus.

  15. Thanks to Andrew for the blog.

    I’m another for whom Cassius meant Julius Caesar only. 🙁

    I also felt that 24a was just not cryptic!

  16. Thanks all
    Rather more enjoyable than the usual Monday puzzle.
    Still very easy, see 24ac etc.
    Nevertheless I was much delayed by 14downand 25 across.
    I liked 5 and 17 down, I always enjoy a new on word anagam.

  17. Pretty gentle even by Rufus standards, though pleasant enough. Liked FEET OF CLAY and METHOD.

    Thanks to Rufus and Andrew

  18. Thanks to Rufus and Andrew. I have little to add to the previous comments (e.g., as with mrpenny @11 SET FAIR was new to me) though I was surprised to encounter FAIR present in 2 consecutive solutions – 22a and 23a.

  19. @1, 11 & 15: you all say that 24ac is not cryptic. But the non-cryptic clue for ‘wrong’ would be ‘opposite of right’ rather than ‘right opposite,’ the latter suggesting, for example, something directly across the road. I’d therefore suggest that it is a cryptic clue.

  20. I’m with rog@19. The clue is terse and misdirecting, and only easy with crossers in place.

    I had to supplement my Monday morning pastry in the Baker’s Shop in Miltown Malbay with a custard pie before I could get “METHOD”.

  21. Overall, a gentle but enjoyable Monday puzzle, but I agree with the view that the cryptic definitions were more ‘barely cryptic’. I too was side tracked by Julius Caesar and briefly by “elector”. My favourite was FEET OF CLAY.

    Thanks to Rufus and Andrew.

  22. I’m amused that several people have mentioned that they were working along the lines of “Caesar’s assassins” for “Cassius”. It did cross my mind, but in fact I wasted more time trying to work “ALI” into the answer!

  23. The first Guardian puzzle I’ve solved since I started reading 15 Squared, so I feel entitled to post for the first time! All happened fairly quickly too, with a slight delay for 4d.

  24. Very easy even for R with just a sprinkling of his famous dodgy clues.

    I don’t know why there are so many complaints about 24A as Rufus has been doing this for years now. He’s invented a new type of clue which I’ve name the Joke CD/DD.

    The clues present as a CD or a DD. However after a few minutes one realises that it’s a non-cryptic clue masquerading as a cryptic one. I think it’s “hilarious”. Our illustrious ed obviously agrees with me. 😉

    Thanks to Andrew and Rufus

  25. Lighten up (as my children used to say to me).

    I thought 24ac was clever and cryptic and (well, slightly) funny.

  27. Re 24ac, D St Barnard in “The Anatomy of the Crossword” , Bell, 1963, has 1ac Not bad! (= GOOD) (Page 49) and suggests its unexpectedness “may fox even the experienced solver” this book was my early inspiration.

  28. When I discovered this site, quite by chance, a couple of years ago when recovering from having my appendix out I usually struggled to finish any Guardian crosswords.

    Two years of using this site has now led me to this; I made myself a cup of coffee and settled down to Rufus and it was still too hot to drink by the time I had finished the crossword. Thanks to you all !

  29. Thanks Andrew and Rufus.

    All over too quickly. Many barely cryptic but at least all answers were plain rather than a few possibilities.

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