A puzzle from the archive that was originally published on Christmas Day 2011 as ST4465.
This served as a reminder of the time when ST puzzles were often the easiest of the week, and I completed it in 21 minutes. It may be on the easy side but it’s still a fine example of the setter’s craft. If anyone wants to have a go at it before reading the blog below, they can still access the puzzle here.
I’ve kept the blog basic as there doesn’t appear to be much interest in the Christmas specials, but if there are any questions please don’t hesitate to ask.
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]
| Across | |
| 1 | ITV repeat broadcast about union abuse (10) |
| VITUPERATE – Anagram [broadcast] of ITV REPEAT containing U | |
| 6 | Dull Liberal in broadcast (4) |
| SLOW – L in SOW (broadcast) | |
| 9 | Pointer from ‘igh school? (5) |
| ARROW – (h}ARROW | |
| 10 | Tube? — it’s often jam packed (5,4) |
| SWISS ROLL – Cryptic definition | |
| 12 | Look for sun and brand new holiday area (7,6) |
| NORFOLK BROADS – Anagram [new] of LOOK FOR S (sun) BRAND. A word that needs abbreviating to form part the anagrist is not something I’m used to seeing. | |
| 14 | Break in journey finished after a great deal all round (8) |
| STOPOVER – POTS (a great deal) reversed [all round], OVER (finished) | |
| 15 | Gangster rings, causing bad luck (6) |
| HOODOO – HOOD (gangster) , OO (rings) | |
| 17 | With rotters hanging around, daughter and I fly (6) |
| CADDIS – CADS (rotters) hanging around D (daughter) + I | |
| 19 | Fantastic Sudanese artiste (8) |
| DANSEUSE – Anagram [fantastic] of SUDANESE | |
| 21 | Snog and then it’s finished? Could be “Brief Encounter” (3-5,5) |
| ONE-NIGHT STAND – Anagram [finished] SNOG AND THEN IT | |
| 24 | One day, aim for entry (9) |
| ADMISSION – A (one), D (day), MISSION (aim) | |
| 25 | Fish with tail cut off found in car (5) |
| TURBO – TURBO{t} (fish) | |
| 26 | US lyricist’s courage mentioned (4) |
| HART – Sounds like “heart” (courage). Lorenz Hart was Richard Rodgers’ first famous collaborator. | |
| 27 | Cryptic item’s yours to be solved (10) |
| MYSTERIOUS – Anagram of ITEM’S YOURS. I’m hedging my bets here as to which is the anagrind and which is the definition. | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Food some have a lot (4) |
| VEAL – Hidden in {ha}VE A L{ot} | |
| 2 | City aware of rent having been reduced at top level (7) |
| TORONTO – TOR{e} (rent), ONTO (aware of) | |
| 3 | What the Energy Minister has to succeed in? (5,8) |
| POWER POLITICS – Cryptic definition | |
| 4 | Furniture craftsman possibly concerned with shop on river (8) |
| RESTORER – RE (concerned with), STORE (shop), R (river) | |
| 5 | Term for unintelligent bumpkin (5) |
| THICK – {unintelligen}T [term – end], HICK (bumpkin). &lit. | |
| 7 | One terribly boring fat man (7) |
| LEONARD – Anagram [terribly] of ONE in [boring] LARD (fat) | |
| 8 | Articulate writer touring in order to support a cathedral city (4-6) |
| WELL-SPOKEN – WELLS (cathedral city), then PEN (writer) containing [touring] OK (in order) | |
| 11 | Mortuaries set to develop grave issue (7,6) |
| SERIOUS MATTER – Anagram [develop] of MORTUARIES SET | |
| 13 | Crazy paving dreadfully disturbed individual (10) |
| PSYCHOPATH – PSYCHO (crazy), PATH (paving) | |
| 16 | French composer of unusual tameness (8) |
| MASSENET – Anagrm [unusual] of TAMENESS | |
| 18 | One’s not realistic about stopping armed criminal (7) |
| DREAMER – RE (about) inside [stopping] anagram [criminal] of ARMED | |
| 20 | To some extent founder going for experience (7) |
| UNDERGO – Hidden in {fo}UNDER GO {ing} | |
| 22 | Swimming in Riyadh out of depth is dangerous (5) |
| HAIRY – Anagram [swimming] of RIYA{d}H | |
| 23 | No prime Co-ops cry over spilt milk? (4) |
| OOPS – {c}O-OPS [no prime] | |