Independent 9107 / Knut

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Knut seems to be trying out a few new tricks on us in this puzzle. There were a number of clues which we solved once we had some crossing letters but it took quite a bit of head-scratching to sort out the parsing. We’re not totally sure that they all work though. Our apologies to Knut – we have now blogged the last 3 of his 11 puzzles since his debut in February.

As mentioned in 1ac, we realised that there was a theme but only after we had completed the puzzle. If you want to know who it is you can click  here. We ‘t-wigged’ that there was a theme before realising the character that it was based on was hidden in the grid as well.

Thanks sidey@1 for your comment – we hadn’t noticed that!

This is our last blog before Christmas so we would like to take this opportunity to thank the setters and everyone on 225.

Across
1   Poss iffy rug? (5,2,4)
SYRUP OF FIGS We’re still not sure that this is a fair clue. It’s obviously an anagram of POSS IFFY RUG – the entire clue – there’s no definition and no anagrind, unless you count ‘iffy’ or even ‘poss’, which are part of the anagram fodder. However, as we got further into the puzzle we realised that there is a theme, and the clue, at least, makes reference to it, although the answer doesn’t seem to have any connection – is Knut trying it on? Perhaps he’s suggesting that we will need a laxative after hearing one of the theme character’s proclamations? Please see the first comment for a better explanation. Apologies to Knut – again!
7/27   Stocked by Tesco, Dr Oetker’s ingredient for taramasalata (3,3)
COD ROE Hidden or ‘stocked’ in TesCO DR OEtker’s
9   Gutless pilferer snatching little girl’s breadbasket (7)
PANNIER P and R (‘pilferer’ without the central letters, or ‘gutless’) round or ‘snatching’ ANNIE (little girl)
10   A new Rodin sculpture, reportedly part of The Great Exhibition? (7)
ANDIRON An anagram of A N (new) RODIN – anagrind is ‘sculpture’ – a rather iffy definition – one could describe an andiron as part of a ‘grate’ (‘reportedly’ or sounds like ‘Great’) – but why the ‘Exhibition’, except for surface reading?
11   Musical composition is a bit over the top (9)
HAIRPIECE HAIR (Musical) PIECE (composition)
12   Grow louder, like Cole Porter’s party? (5)
SWELL A reference to the SWELL party in Cole Porter’s song ‘Well, Did You Evah’’
13   Pull Nicolas’ leg – it’s quite bony! (7)
RIBCAGE RIB (pull someone’s leg) CAGE (Nicholas Cage, the American Actor)
15   See 14 Down
18   Like The Eagles? Only some, to be blunt (4)
BALD BALD eagles are a species of eagle, best known as the national bird of the USA
19   Naughtily adopt the French “frog” at a young age (7)
TADPOLE An anagram of ADOPT (anagrind is ‘naughtily’) LE (French for ‘the’)
22   Knut’s grabbed by drunken Scot; one shouldn’t grumble really (5)
STOIC I (Knut – the setter) in an anagram of SCOT – anagrind is ‘drunk’
23   Where North, South, East and West meet? (4,5)
CARD TABLE A reference to the players in four-handed card games being referred to as North, South, East and West
25   Stood up, I’m terribly embarrassed (7)
UMPIRED An anagram of UP I’M (anagrind is ‘terribly’) RED (embarrassed). However, can anyone think of an occasion when ‘stood’ can be a synonym for ‘umpired’? Or, are we missing something? Answer – Yes. However, Knut knows how little we know (or care!) about cricket after his last puzzle which we blogged. He will not be surprised then that we missed the cricketing link. Thanks to Paul A for explaining the special use of ‘stand’ which doesn’t seem to appear in our dictionaries!
26   Associate leading Archer’s case “trembling with excitement” (7)
AQUIVER A (Associate) QUIVER (archer’s case)
27   See 7
28   WC left first hint of slurry; green wellies a must here (5,6)
FIELD SPORTS FIELDS (WC Fields – American actor) PORT (left) S (first letter or ‘hint’ of ‘slurry’)
Down
1   Stone mug (note: contents highly acidic) (8)
SAPPHIRE SAP (mug, as in a silly person) RE (note) round PH1 (highly acidic – a low pH value)
2   In Bern, I’m exchanging currency (8)
RENMINBI An anagram of IN BERN I’M – anagrind is ‘exchanging’
3   Heads up: Prime Minister implores Republican Party to work on image (5)
PRIMP First letters or ‘heads’ of Prime Minister Implores Republican Party reversed or ‘up’
4   How to get foie gras on the menu in the NAAFI? (5-4)
FORCE-FEED The NAAFI is the canteen for the Army, Navy and Air Force – it could be said to FEED the FORCE
5   Photo journal that is in circulation (5)
IMAGE MAG (journal) in IE (that is)
6   Not happy to eat Delia’s tossed leaves (4,5)
SIDE SALAD SAD (not happy) round or ‘eating’ an anagram of DELIA’S – anagrind is ‘tossed’
7   For going on the floor, reprimand Rover (dog, possibly) (6)
CARPET Double definition and wordplay! CAR (Rover) PET (dog, possibly)
8   Male lecturer given a lethal dosage (6)
DONALD DON (lecturer) A LD (lethal dosage)
14/15A   Rabbit’s head in Bechamel perhaps a treat for Tiddles? (1,6,2,4)
A SAUCER OF MILK R (first letter or ‘head’ of Rabbit) in A SAUCE OF MILK (Bechamel is an example of a sauce made with milk)
15   Blackfriars theatre screening Spielberg classic –she’ll give you a ticket! (5,4)
METER MAID MERMAID (Theatre in Blackfriars) round or ‘screening’ ET (Spielberg classic film)
16   Bobby Charlton’s parting shot: Gone With The Wind? (8)
COMBOVER A cryptic definition – in the wind, Bobby Charlton’s parting would be ‘shot’. The image suggested by the parsing raised a smile but this wasn’t one of our favourite clues.
17   Becomes reacquainted with tragedy during Sir Christopher’s decapitation (8)
RELEARNS LEAR (‘King Lear’ – Shakespearean tragedy) in wREN’S (Sir Christopher Wren) without the first letter, or ‘decapitated’
20   He sells bonds to raise money for child-king (6)
ISSUER ISSUE (child) R (king)
21   Old printer driver’s support is about to offer patchy coverage (6)
TOUPEE Either OUP (Oxford University Press – ‘old printer’) or O (old) UP (United Press – printer) in TEE (support)
23   Madonna lost 90% of capital, having to beg (5)
CADGE mADGE (nickname for Madonna) with the ‘M’ (1,000) replaced by C (100) – ie ‘losing’ 90% by changing the ‘capital’ letter
24   Mostly honest politician’s quite a card (5)
TRUMP TRUe (honest) with the last letter missing, or ‘mostly’ + MP (politician)
 

 

14 comments on “Independent 9107 / Knut”

  1. Donald’s hair is often said to be a wig, rhyming slang for wig(s) is SYRUP OF FIGS.

    The combover reference was too obscure for me.

  4. 26ac – umpires do ‘stand’ in cricket, as in ‘Dickie Bird stood in 54 test matches in England’ (cf Wikipedia :-))

  5. Well, I got the theme from HAIRPIECE, BALD, and a few others, but could only think, rather as B&J did, that the ‘rug’ in the clue to 1ac was a deliberate misdirection based on the theme, so thanks, sidey, for pointing us in the right direction.

    I wasn’t all that happy with 14dn/15ac; ‘of’ seems a rather poor synonym for ‘made with’. A clever idea but it seemed to end not with a bang but a whimper. On the other hand I thought UMPIRE was brilliant – my CoD. Tennis umpires may sit but, as Paul A says, cricket umpires ‘stand’.

    Thanks, Knut and B&J – and Christmas greetings to all in case I don’t get to post again before Friday.

  6. Thanks Knut and B&J

    1ac: I think the question mark is meant to be the anagram indicator in the cryptic reading, as well as being part of the indication for the definition by example in the literal reading.

    21dn: I think the indicator for TEE is “driver’s support”.

  7. First in was ‘syrup’ (I took the “?” as the anagrind) last the Zimbabwean currency.

    Genuine Laugh out Loud moments (1a, Bobby Charlton, and when twigging the Donald Trump theme.)

    A setter I always look forward to and he never doesn’t fail to disappoint.

    Thank you Bertandjoyceandknut

  8. As we have come to expect, another entertaining challenge from Knut. Had to resort to Google to resolve RENMIMBI and I am surprised that was unfamiliar! Spotted most of the themed ones though I didn’t make the connection to SYRUP…

    Thanks and Happy Christmas to Knut, Bert & Joyce

  9. 10ac: Part of The Great Exhibition was the Crystal Palace, made of glass and iron. ?

    Plenty to enjoy, and some d’oh moments when I read the blog.

    Thanks to all.

  11. Hello folks,

    Thanks for the comments and thanks to B&J for the blog; I’m sorry you got the short straw…I do hope familiarity hasn’t been spreading his seed!
    I wrote this in early September when Donald J. Trump was rapidly becoming the best political lampoon target of recent times.
    1a. is supposed to be an &littish anag. with POSS (in Chambers as an informal alt. for “possible”)doing double duty as anagrind and partial fodder.
    When I was a boy, we had an uncle with a dodgy hairpiece/toupee/rug/carpet/syrup and the comment “we’ll put out a saucer of milk for it” was quite often heard; not just in our family, I think.
    I am sorry for the use of UMPIRED=STOOD – it is commonplace in cricketing circles (yes, I know) but it isn’t supported by Chambers (as Eimi pointed out!)
    Merry Christmas and happy new year to everyone

    best wishes,
    Knut

  12. Thanks Knut – in the spirit of Christmas all is forgiven for the cricketing reference. Happy Christmas and thanks for dropping by. We loved the ‘saucer of milk’ comment. We will forever think of that when we see Donald Trump – hopefully not too often!

  13. Full of wit with a brilliant anagram at 1ac. Loved TRUMP (not often you can say that) and the SAUCER OF MILK. Grate exhibition wonderful too.

    Most enjoyable.

  14. Bit late to the party due to familial pre-xmas festivities, but managed to have a go at this late this evening and really liked the immediacy of the surfaces, as well as their humour and all the nice defs.

    Didn’t quite complete so was glad to have BertandJoyce’s blog to clear up those I missed due to my denseness. So cheers to B&J, and, of course, to Knut for a such an excellent puzzle.

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