Gaston’s last puzzle (no. 1191, Briefing Received) had the I before E rule/exception as its theme. I remember enjoying that puzzle, especially the highlighting which gave a large I and E in the NW and SE quadrants respectively.
Here we had an Eminence Grise to be highlighted and three pairs of words in the top and bottom unclued rows to be identified. Four clues consisted of wordplay only and required the surnames thus given to be replaced by their first names. The central down entry would definitely be required, and possibly the central across, both unclued.
I found the acrosses a tad tough, getting only a third of them in my first pass through the clues. However, I got all but a third of the down clues.
I should have got JAPP immediately, since JA was obvious and Mrs B provided PP. Unfortunately I didn’t put the two together because the clue was (5). Seeing JA•E• after my first pass through all the clues, obviously led to JAMES and thus one of the thematic entries. A quick check on the clue again and a bit of googling revealed Chief Inspector JAPP’s first name was indeed JAMES and we were in Poirot territory.
Captain ARTHUR HASTINGS came next. With FELICITY at 16ac, I needed Google again to find ‘female in Poirot stories’. Except that gave me ARIADNE OLIVER at 27dn. The Felicity I had been looking for turned out to be Miss LEMON.
The pairs of words in the top and bottom rows referred to three Poirot novels: CARDS on the TABLE, EVIL under the SUN and DEATH on the NILE. Just to add, Wiki informs me that none of the four associates appears in any of the three novels, with the exception of Ariadne Oliver in Cards on the Table.
The central down entry, shaded grey, represented Poirot’s LITTLE (grey) CELLS, and the central across entry OED could possibly be of use (although I’m not sure it’s grey), but I think everything was in Chambers anyway. The èminence grise himself, HERCULE POIROT, could be found in the NE–SW diagonal. Chambers defines èminence grise as “n someone exercising power in the background, as did Cardinal Richelieu’s private secretary and alter ego Père Joseph, nicknamed l’Eminence Grise (‘the Grey Eminence’)”.
All in all an enjoyable puzzle, albeit on the easy side but entertaining nonetheless. Thanks, Gaston.
Solving time: Just over an hour
Legend:
Definition in clue
ABC* = anagram
ABC< = reversal
abCDef = hidden
| ACROSS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No | Entry | Clue and Explanation | |
| 1 | CARDS SUN DEATH |
Unclued See above. |
|
| 10 | HAEMIC | Bloody Michael almost goes A over T (6) MICHAE[L]*; ‘go A over T’ (in case you didn’t know) = ‘go arse over tit’ = stumble |
|
| 11 | LOUVRE | Where to find the French work of art out East? (6) L’OEUVRE (French work of art) – E (east); sort of semi-overlapping-&lit. I think! |
|
| 15 | SMARMS | Message about weapon for fawns (6) SMS (message) about ARM (weapon) |
|
| 16 | LEMON becomes FELICITY |
Gaston’s journal of French is withdrawn (8) LE MONDE (journal, French, ie Gaston’s) – DE (of, French) |
|
| 17 | JAPP becomes JAMES |
Ludwig’s agreement by proxy (5) JA (agreement, German, ie Ludwig’s) + PP (by proxy) |
|
| 18 | TOUSTIE | Walter’s angry when snack has change of rating (7) TOASTIE (snack) with A (cinema rating) changed to U (another cinema rating); the Walter is Walter Scott |
|
| 20 | RUPERT | Tail docked of strange, lively bear (6) RU[M] (strange, docked) + PERT (lively) |
|
| 21 | LUMBAR | The Spaniard leaves broken umbrella — something to do with the rib? (6) (UMBRELLA – EL (the, Spanish))* |
|
| 24 | SNARE | Partners measure type of drum (5) SN (partners, eg at bridge) + ARE (measure) |
|
| 25 | OED | Unclued See above. |
|
| 26 | TUINA | Says no in Perth after bird gives massage (5) NA (no, Scottish) after TUI (bird) |
|
| 28 | LETS UP | Stops to allow to eat? (6, two words) LET (allow) SUP (eat) |
|
| 29 | HASTINGS becomes ARTHUR |
Experiences affairs without husband (6) HAS (experiences) THINGS (affairs) – H (husband) |
|
| 30 | OUTVOTE | Gain more support — for leaving the EU? (7) 2 meanings, ish (hence ?) |
|
| 33 | GATOR | Dog goes back with yellow American reptile (5) TAG< (dog, verb, goes back) + OR (yellow) |
|
| 36 | SLOVENIA | Where in Europe a tramp meets an adult? (8) SLOVEN (a tramp) + I (an, one) + A (adult) |
|
| 38 | STREAM | Master’s upset to separate students (6) MASTER* |
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| 39 | OODLES | Thousands of idiots failing to start (6) [N]OODLES (idiots, without first letter |
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| 40 | TILDEN | Edward followed back American tennis star (6) (NED (Edward) LIT (followed))<; reference to Bill Tlden, American tennis player from the 1920's and 30's |
|
| [41] | TABLE EVIL NILE |
Unclued See above. |
|
| DOWN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No | Entry | Clue and Explanation | |
| 1 | CHAFERS | Old pans for cooking beetles? (7) 2 meanings |
|
| 2 | REAL | Genuine currency (4) 2 meanings |
|
| 3 | SINCERE | Pure father embraces new church (7) SIRE (father) around N (new) CE (church) |
|
| 4 | SCHIST | Rock split, with time for mass (6) SHISM (split) with T (time) instead of M (mass) |
|
| 5 | NOSY | Evil-smelling bone found in city (4) OS (bone) in NY (city, New York) |
|
| 6 | DUMP | Break up with Frenchman during party (4) M (monsieur, Frenchman) in DUP (party, Democratic Unionist Party) |
|
| 7 | ARRET | A decision to turn over earth (5) TERRA< (earth, turned over) |
|
| 8 | TEMP | Quietly paid for rising part-timer (4) (P (quietly) + MET (paid for))< |
|
| 9 | HOSIER | Henry uses shrub to make underwear? (6) H (henry) uses (avails oneself of) OSIER (shrub) |
|
| 11 | LITTLE CELLS | Unclued See above. |
|
| 12 | VACS | Holidays for cleaners? (4) 2 meanings, both abbreviations |
|
| 13 | JEJUNE | Immature to encourage collecting majority of rubbish (6) JEE (encourage) containing JUN[K] (rubbish, most of) |
|
| 14 | RIMERS | Page missing from manuals for dental instruments? (6) PRIMERS (manuals) – P (page) |
|
| 19 | OLD | Antique ring given to inexperienced daughter (3) O (ring) + L (inexperienced, learner) + D (daughter) |
|
| 22 | MUTTER | Noise made by dog attached to Queen (6) MUTT (dog) + ER (Queen) |
|
| 23 | ANURIA | Hurry up in first-class area — this makes it tough to go (6) RUN< (hurry, up) in AI (first class) + A (area) |
|
| 25 | OPT | Choose old exercises (3) O (old) PT (exercises) |
|
| 26 | TRAVAIL | Sledge used to hunt around Virginia (7) TRAIL (to hunt) around VA (Virginia) |
|
| 27 | OLIVER becomes ARIADNE |
Round about 600 yards before the priest returns (7) O (round) LI (about 600 yards) + REV< (priest, returned) |
|
| 28 | LOWSIT | Rest at bottom of old hill and was redeemed in Ayr (6) SIT (rest) below LOW (hill, old) |
|
| 29 | AGOUTI | Relish being clothed in animal pattern (6) GOUT (relish) in AI (animal) |
|
| 31 | THROB | Regular sound coming from boiling broth (5) BROTH* |
|
| 32 | VIED | Competed against one journalist (4) V (against) I (one) ED (journalist) |
|
| 34 | STOA | Said he lodges in Zeno’s lecture hall (4) sounds like STOWER (one who lodges) |
|
| 35 | PALE | Stake beyond which it is unacceptable to go? (4) 2 meanings; ‘beyond the pale’ |
|
| 36 | SMEE | Understand about male duck (4) SEE (understand) about M (male) |
|
| 37 | NODI | Difficulties for Romans without gods (4) NO (without, not any) DI (gods) |
|
The PDM came pretty quickly for me in terms of the theme, although this was majorly helped by Mrs R who is a huge AG and HP fan. However, I made a bit of a mess of the end-game. It took me quite a while to realise what needed to be entered into the central grey column. A kick-oneself moment when it dawned. In addition, I am pretty sure I failed to spot HP in the NESW diagonal – warranting a kick to the other shin.
My thanks to Dave H for the blog and Gaston for the puzzle. Lesson learned regarding reading the preamble fully before completing the grid and posting. Not sure I will ever learn though.
Sorry for late response – just catching up after some time away from fifteensquared