It was only when writing this blog that I realised how good this crossword was. After solving I felt as if I hadn’t really enjoyed it, but I realise now that I must have been punch-drunk after wrestling with all the intricate wordplay. (You get two fighting metaphors for the price of one when I do the blog). I really don’t like 33dn but this is more than made up for by the opportunity elsewhere to use a slightly tenuous link to Baccara singing “Yes sir, I can boogie” – 1970s cheese at its most mature. Excellent work setter.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | HALF SOVEREIGN – relied somewhat on knowing that William and Mary were joint rulers of England and Scotland in the 17th century. This may be a really well known piece of general knowledge but I didn’t know it |
| 8 | PAPA,LISTS – more unknown facts, this time that there was a pope called Innocent. In fact there have been ten of them. I suppose with a name like that, Pope would be a good career choice. |
| 13 | TI,RED – TI being half TIme and RED being the colour that Man Ure play their home games in. This was within my sphere of knowledge. Peter has kindly provided a list of useful football teams and their strips here although he’s made one glaring omission – a founder member of the Football League in 1888, a founder member of the Premier League in 1992, 6 times winners of the FA Cup, one of only four teams to ever win the Premier League and the only town team (as opposed to a city) to win said league and who have probably one of the most distinctive strips of all. The way he ignores the existence of Blackburn Rovers, you’d think he works on Match of the Day! |
| 14 | CAMCORDER – MAC rev + C,ORDER |
| 15 | LATTICE – ATTICE in LE[nt] |
| 16 | PLEASANTNESS – PANT around LEAS then NESS |
| 17 | BUTTONED UP – double def |
| 18 | INTERN – TER[m] in INN |
| 19 | TRUFFAUT – RUFF in TAUT |
| 21 | JUMP IN – I think! “very willingly accept” can be “jump in” but how does REPRIMAND fit? Edited on proof reading – I now think it’s probably JUMP ON |
| 24 | GUATEMALAN – (GUN AT A MALE)* Not much of an anagram there – just move the N to the end and swap the E and an A |
| 26 | PURSE STRINGS – S in PUREST RINGS. Excellent spot by the setter “24-carat gold bands” |
| 29 | POMP – OM in P[olitical] P[arty] |
| 30 | CLODPATE – L in COD PATÉ. I don’t think I’ve heard of CLODPATE before, but I shall be using it soon |
| 31 | WATERLOO – WE,R around A,T[icket] + LO,O |
| 34 | ERRANTRY – ARR[ive] rev in ENTRY |
| 35 | REPROACH – P[i]ER rev + ROACH |
| 36 | HOPE – OP in HE |
| 39 | ORCHESTRA PIT – (CHORISTER APT)* |
| 40 | ATTACHMENT – Double def. 50 in the clue referring to 50dn (EMAIL) |
| 43 | CANAPE – CAPE around A,N[ourishment] |
| 44 | ARSENALS – Excellent clue. RA rev then SEN[eg]AL’S |
| 45 | PROP,ER – one of the few easy ones |
| 49 | PAEDIATRIC – PA + AIDE rev + “A TRICK” |
| 51 | PISCICULTURE – (SLICER I CUT UP)* |
| 53 | IMAGINE – I + G[et] in MAINE |
| 54 | G(RILL)ROOM |
| 55 | A,WAIT – one of the easiest clues of the lot but I couldn’t get it without help. I was probably too brain-mashed by the time I got here |
| 56 | NILE GREEN – L[ight] in (ENGINEER)* |
| 57 | KEEP ONES HEAD – Double def. Disappointingly easy clue |
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| Down | |
| 1 | HOT SPRING – two defs, one slightly cryptic |
| 2 | LARGE IT – a nod to youth. Can vermouth be anything other than IT? |
| 3 | SIDE STREET – SIDES + “TREAT” |
| 4 | VACANT – CAN in VAT. This clue is one of those you think must be a chestnut. If not, well spotted setter. “Empty container put inside another” |
| 5 | REMONSTRATOR – DEMONSTRATOR with a change of 1st letter |
| 6 | IRONS OUT – (IN TOURS) around O. Another excellent surface once you realise that Tours is a French city (it took me a while and couldn’t understand why it had a capital T) |
| 7 | NUDE – alternate letters in NO UNDIES. Brilliant |
| 8 | PORTUGUESE – PO + RUES around TUG + [quaysid]E |
| 9 | POLITE – IT in POLE. Marvellous surface “It stops staff being courteous” |
| 10 | LATIN QUARTER – [f]LAT + IN + QUARTER (as in “give no quarter”) |
| 11 | SPIED – DIPS rev around [Amst]E[rdam] |
| 12 | STEPPING STONE – (OPENING TEST’S P)*. What a great definition to use in a crossword – “I get one across” |
| 20 | FLUTTERY – UTTER in FLY |
| 22 | PENAL CODE – (PLACED ONE)* |
| 23 | BACCARAT – “Backer” + RAT[e] . One of those soundalikees that makes us rhotic speakers shudder. A very simple and addictive card game and not the 1970s pop group famous for “Yes sir, I can boogie” and the less famous “Sorry, I’m a lady”. (I really need to get out more!) Anyway, here’s a link . Try listening to it without thinking the first line is “Mister, your ears are full of vegetation”. Tremendous tune |
| 25 | ARMORICAN – (MANIC ROAR)* an old bit of France that we probably now call Brittany. |
| 27 | SLAPHEAD – PALS rev + HE,AD. “He’s completely distressed” made me laugh |
| 28 | APPETITE – APE around PETIT |
| 29 | PRECONCEPTION – P + CON in RECEPTION |
| 32 | ENTERPRISING – more smiles with “burglar with a jemmy may” |
| 33 | MALTESE CROSS – I’m not one to moan but…..”Ambulance symbol” here doesn’t refer to the big red cross on an ambulance; oh no siree, it’s the symbol of St John Ambulance, a very worthwhile voluntary organisation whose members get to see concerts for free. Then we’re supposed to have heard of the small breed of dog , the maltese terrier. Now, I’m no Crufts judge but I like to think I know a thing or two about dogs. This is a new one on me. Sorry, I’m ranting |
| 37 | CARRYING ON – double def |
| 38 | CHAROLLAIS – CHA + A1 in ROLLS. A breed of sheep that deserves its own .com website |
| 41 | TORMENTED – O[ld] RM in TENTED |
| 42 | MAXILLAE – EXAM around ALL, I[sland] all rev |
| 46 | PLUM,AGE |
| 47 | ATHENE – hidden in heATHEN Emperor |
| 48 | A,CU,MEN |
| 50 | EMAIL – AIL after ME rev |
| 52 | HICK – [t]HICK |
I also agree that 21ac is jump on, which unlike jump in does have a reprimand-y meaning. I didn’t have much trouble with 33dn, despite it never occurring to me that it was in fact St John’s..
re 38 dn, beef comes from cows not sheep. However, the concensus seems to be that Charolais is the cattle and Charollais is the sheep, so we have a problem here!
COD went to the ever so elegant 9dn.