Independent 9,277 / Phi

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Another working week comes to an end, with a puzzle by Phi to take us into the weekend.

This was a medium-difficulty Phi puzzle, in my opinion. I managed to complete it unaided in a reasonable period of time, although I needed to check some of the vocabulary in Chambers afterwards, e.g. the entry at 4; “wax” in the wordplay at 7; and “ley” in the wordplay at 21. I would be interested to hear if solvers share my view of the anagram indicator at 25.

Inevitably, I have failed to spot a theme that was doubtless jumping off the page at me all along. Any offers?

My favourite clues today were 6 and 23, for the same reason: the wordplay was deceptive in that both could be read in two different ways, e.g. at 6, “first to last” might have suggested that the first letter of a word was to be moved to the last position, which turned out not to be the case.

*(…) indicates an anagram; definitions are italicised; // separates definitions in multiple-definition clues

Across    
     
09 ISLET One positioned around Lake? On the contrary, as it happens

L (=lake) in [I (=one) + SET (=positioned)]; a lake is positioned around an islet, hence “on the contrary”
     
10 THE MIKADO Those people stir about backing King & I or an operetta

IK (K=king + I; “backing” indicates reversal) in [THEM (=those people) + ADO (=stir, as noun)]; the reference is to the 1885 operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan
     
11 FIREBRAND Hothead provided, while backing away, attempt to get new style

FI (IF=provided; “while backing” indicates reversal) + RE-BRAND (=attempt to get new style)
     
12 ELGIN River twisting back round grand Scottish town

G (=grand) in ELIN (NILE=river; “twisting back” indicates reversal)
     
13 GENTLEMAN-AT-ARMS Guard talent manager confused by address to female

*(TALENT MANAGER) + MS (=address to female); “confused” is anagram indicator; a Gentleman-at-arms is a member of the royal bodyguard, instituted in 1509
     
17 ROEDEAN Eggs academic official to take care of girls’ school

ROE (=eggs, from fish) + DEAN (=academic official); the reference is to the exclusive independent Roedean school for girls, located in Sussex
     
18 EVASION Dodge recalling response expressing preference for investment over expenditure?

Cryptically, “no, I save (and don’t spend)” could be a response expressing preference for investment over expenditure; “recalling” is anagram indicator
     
20 SEVEN DEADLY SINS Representation of dandy evilnesses?

*(DANDY EVILNESSES); “representation of” is anagram indicator; & lit.
     
23 LILAC Recalled demand to have brought in one flower

I (=one) in LLAC (CALL=demand; “recalled” indicates reversal)
     
25 SCRAWNIER Carries on about heartless woman, though with less substance

W<oma>N (“heartless” means all but first and last letters are dropped) in *(CARRIES); “on” appears to be anagram indicator, perhaps in the sense of tipsy, on the way to being drunk (Chambers)
     
27 SPEARHEAD Hurried round region containing hot lead

[H (=hot, e.g. on tap) in AREA (=region)] in SPED (=hurried)
     
28 STARS One abandoning flight’s heavenly view

STA<i>RS (=flight, of steps); “one (=I) abandoning” means letter “i” is dropped
     
Down    
     
01 DISFIGURES Defaces most of fridge taking issue with repair

*(FRIDG<e> + ISSUE); “most of” means last letter dropped; “with repair” is anagram indicator
     
02 FLORENCE Endless learning in pale Italian city

LOR<e> (=learning; “endless” means last letter dropped) in FENCE (=pale, paling)
     
03 STAB Rising cricketers to make attempt

BATS (=cricketers); “rising” indicates vertical reversal
     
04 STRAW MAN Hypothetical proposition picked up blemishes lots made less of

STRAW (WARTS=blemishes; “picked up” indicates vertical reversal) + MAN<y> (=lots; “made less of” means last letter dropped); a straw man/man of straw is a sham argument set up for the sake of disputation
     
05 TENDON Nurse assigned to body tissue

TEND (=nurse, as verb) + ON (=assigned to, in Chambers)
     
06 VILE First to last in contest? That’s horrible

L<ast> (“first to” means first letter only) in VIE (=contest, as verb)
     
07 DANGER Last of heated wax a source of risk

<heate>D (“last of” means last letter only) + ANGER (=wax, i.e. old slang)
     
08 DOWN Party victory, but one unseated is unhappy

DO (=party) + W<i>N (=victory; “one (=I) unseated means letter “i” is dropped)
     
14 LIE-IN Romance, I note, means extra time in bed

LIE (=romance, untruth) + I + N (=note)
     
15 TOADY Sycophant now making a switch

TODAY (=now); “making a switch” means position of letter “a” changes
     
16 SONGSTRESS Siren, say, good over emotional pressure applied to young man

SON (=young man) + G (=good) + STRESS (=emotional pressure); in Greek mythology, the Sirens – half women, half birds – lured sailors to their deaths on rocks with their seductive songs
     
18 ELDORADO Golden city rebuilt centre of golden road

*(<g>OLDE<n> ROAD); “centre of” means all but first and last letters are used; “rebuilt” is anagram indicator
     
19 INIMICAL Hostile in one examination of a person, suppressing editor

IN + I (=one) + M<ed>ICAL (=examination of a person; “suppressing editor (=ED)” means letters “ed” are dropped)
     
21 VALLEY John picked up curious line in path of river

VAL (LAV=John, i.e. toilet; “picked up” indicates vertical reversal) + LEY (=curious line, i.e. line linking landscape features, perhaps one having magical significance in prehistoric times)
     
22 EASTER Festival‘s energy’s mostly towards the end?

E (=energy) + ASTER<n> (=towards the end; “mostly” means last letter dropped)
     
23 LOST Missed opening, moving second to third

SLOT (=opening); “moving second (=S) to third (position)” means letter “s” becomes the third letter
     
24 CURT Republican beset by economy, in brief

R (=republican) in CUT (=economy, saving)
     
26 WASH What initially remains in the laundry?

W<hat> (“initially” means first letter only) + ASH (=remains, of cigarette)
     
   

6 comments on “Independent 9,277 / Phi”

  1. I’d agree with the “medium difficulty” assessment, but I finished fairly quickly with no external help required. The two long answers were write-ins after I got a few crossing letters from my first pass.

    The only thing I can think of for a theme, and it’s grasping at straws, is that DO appears in quite a few of the answers (twice in 18dn) but I guess there must be more going on than that.

    Thanks, Phi and RatkojaRiku

  2. “On” in the sense of “drunk” as an anagram indicator was a point of argument as long as 30 years ago in the Crossword Club’s magazine. The editor, Brian Head, went as far as arguing (probably not entirely seriously) that in his view, any word could be a legitimate anagram indicator. Most of us didn’t go that far, but felt that this particular use was legit.

    Phi, Brendan and Bradman on the same day. Can one ask for more?!

  3. Back on home turf, with a jangled body clock and lots of jolly things like unpacking and washing to look forward to.

    Sorry to give you such a curt, vile puzzle.

  4. I spotted a theme! Even before Phi’s hint.

    I can see The Firebrand of Florence, The Seven Deadly Sins, Down in the Valley and Lost in the Stars. Any others?

  5. Thank you Phi and RatkojaRiku,

    Late today, an enjoyable solve but no theme spotted, well done Dormouse! Those senses of “wax” and “ley” were also new to me. WASH made me laugh.

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