A few unknowns and semi-knowns in this one but all with wordplay that helped. FOI AVIATOR, LOI TREMULANT, COD to PAR FOR THE COURSE for the fishy pun.
I saw that the blog for 1316 (a Bank Holiday Jumbo) was published on Thursday but I decided not to publish this one until today (Saturday), seeing as it was going to be out of sequence regardless plus it might be confusing for the regulars to not see a Saturday puzzle blog on a Saturday (though I suppose that depends on what route people take to get to the blogs).
Definitions are underlined, * = anagram, {} = omission, dd = double definition
| Across | |
| 1 | Sea nymph’s domain welcoming in this way (8) |
| ARETHUSA – AREA (domain) around THUS (in this way). Not on my (very) shortlist of nymphs, and this seems to be her first appearance in a Times puzzle since 2006. Wikipedia says: “In Greek mythology, she was a nymph and daughter of Nereus (making her a Nereid), who fled from her home in Arcadia beneath the sea and came up as a fresh water fountain on the island of Ortygia in Syracuse, Sicily.” | |
| 5 | Better diamonds to west — a polar feature (3,3) |
| ICE CAP – ICE (diamonds) + CAP (Better) | |
| 9 | Agricultural worker’s fall? (7) |
| CROPPER – dd, with the sense of the second perhaps most often encountered in the phrase “to come a cropper” | |
| 14 | Soldier managed to capture unknown male with tot (11) |
| INFANTRYMAN – INFANT (tot) + RAN (managed), around Y (unknown) + M (male) | |
| 15 | Renowned music group interrupting us twice after misfortune (11) |
| ILLUSTRIOUS – ILL (misfortune), + TRIO (music group) in USUS (us twice) | |
| 16 | Moulding in astrologer’s house, reportedly (5) |
| TORUS – homophone of TAURUS (astrologer’s house), to give (Chambers): “A large moulding, semicircular or nearly so in section, common at the base of a column (architecture)” | |
| 17 | Excessive effort, to traipse around Virginia! (7) |
| TRAVAIL – TRAIL (to traipse) around VA (Virginia) | |
| 18 | Eg Pythia’s urge to secure new site (9) |
| PRIESTESS – PRESS (urge) around SITE*, with Pythia being (Chambers): “The priestess who delivered the oracles of Pythian Apollo at Delphi” | |
| 19 | Gin distributed after dance gets us swaying unsteadily (7) |
| REELING – REEL (dance) + GIN* | |
| 20 | Stately home’s discussions meriting hours by river (10,5) |
| CHATSWORTH HOUSE – CHATS (discussions) + WORTH (meriting) + H + H (hours) + OUSE (river), to give the seat of the Duke of Devonshire near the Peak District | |
| 22 | Unjustifiable claim before leading to strain (10) |
| PRETENSION – PRE (before) + TENSION (strain) | |
| 23 | How anchors may hang, a method being announced (6) |
| AWEIGH – A + homophone of WAY (method) | |
| 25 | Stern joint provider of fairy tales for listeners (4) |
| GRIM – homophone of GRIMM (joint provider of fairy tales, i.e. the Brothers Grimm) | |
| 28 | Mine is light, housing terrier in UK dependency (8,6) |
| PITCAIRN ISLAND – PIT (Mine) + IS + LAND (light), around CAIRN (terrier). It is, according to Wikipedia, the “least populous national jurisdiction in the world”, with a population of about 50. | |
| 30 | Riddle involving Sunderland’s first coach (8) |
| STRAINER – S{underland} (Sunderland’s first) + TRAINER (coach) | |
| 32 | Wooing of Charlie and Rosie initially interrupting excursion (8) |
| COURTING – C (Charlie), + R{osie} (Rosie initially) in OUTING (excursion) | |
| 34 | Develop a liking for Sir Rowland’s family, and run off? (4,2,3,5) |
| TAKE TO THE HILLS – TAKE TO (Develop a liking for) + THE HILLS (Sir Rowland’s family – a reference to Sir Rowland Hill who, amongst other things, laid the foundations for the modern postal service). I can’t find this phrase in any of the usual sources. | |
| 37 | A study identifying a Yemeni port (4) |
| ADEN – A + DEN (study) | |
| 38 | Blunder made by son taking sauce at university (4-2) |
| SLIP-UP – S (son) + LIP (sauce) + UP (at university) | |
| 39 | Demoralise inspector — try to load gun (10) |
| DISHEARTEN – DI (inspector), + HEAR (try) in STEN (gun) | |
| 43 | Salmon announced as part of the meal? That’s quite normal (3,3,3,6) |
| PAR FOR THE COURSE – homophone of PARR FOR THE COURSE (Salmon announced as part of the meal), where a PARR is (Chambers): “A young salmon up to two years of age, before it becomes a smolt”. Chambers contains a surprising number of words for salmon of different ages and conditions, e.g. blackfish (A salmon after spawning), brand (A salmon-parr), fry (Young salmon in their second year), grilse (A young salmon on its first return from salt water), etc. | |
| 45 | Shore birds a surgeon’s ringing round about (7) |
| AVOCETS – A + VETS (surgeon’s), around O (round) + C (about) | |
| 47 | Organist’s device giving us the shivers? (9) |
| TREMULANT – dd, with the first being (Chambers): “A device in an organ or electronic instrument for producing a tremolo effect”. Can’t say I was overly familiar with either definition but it seemed likely. | |
| 49 | Church body backing member about basic doctrine (7) |
| EVANGEL – reversal of LEG (member) + NAVE (Church body), with the answer being (Collins): “Any body of teachings regarded as central or basic”. Another unknown but the wordplay was compelling. | |
| 51 | Guys possibly rejected in Japanese ports (5) |
| ROPES – hidden reversed in JapaneSE PORts | |
| 52 | Spanish general’s supporter? One having a fixation with things Gallic (11) |
| FRANCOMANIA – FRANCO MAN (Spanish general’s supporter?) + I (One) + A | |
| 53 | Insects moving around pot: many here (11) |
| HYMENOPTERA – (POT MANY HERE)*, to give (Chambers): “An order of insects with four transparent wings, eg ants, bees, wasps, etc”. I would imagine that, even with all the checking letters in place, other arrangements of the available letters may be tempting if you don’t know the word. Couldn’t honestly say that I knew it, but the checking letters and anagram fodder seemed to mysteriously push me in the right direction. | |
| 54 | No small matter, for example, translating TS Eliot (7) |
| LITOTES – (TS ELIOT)*, and an indicated definition-by-example for (Chambers): “1. Melosis or understatement, 2. Esp affirmation by negation of the contrary, as in not a little angry (= furious)”. Note that the other translation of TS Eliot is TOILETS. | |
| 55 | Where some finally dined beside track? (6) |
| EATERY – {som}E (some finally) + ATE (dined) + RY (track), and an extended definition | |
| 56 | A second error by crack troops exposing murderer (8) |
| ASSASSIN – A + S (second) + SAS (crack troops) + SIN (error) | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Flyer primarily advertising the Italian way to run (7) |
| AVIATOR – A{dvertising} (primarily advertising) + VIA (the Italian way) + TO + R (run) | |
| 2 | Imposition of directions keep restricting Anglican males (11) |
| ENFORCEMENT – EN (directions) + FORT (keep), around CE (Anglican, i.e. Church of England) + MEN (males) | |
| 3 | Passes president, holding top of pointed lever (9) |
| HANDSPIKE – HANDS (Passes) + IKE (president) around P{ointed} (top of pointed), to give (Chambers): “A bar used as a lever”. Another unknown but again the wordplay produced an answer that seemed reasonable. | |
| 4 | US city well captured by woman with flowing garments (8,7) |
| SARATOGA SPRINGS – SPRING (well) in SARA (woman) + TOGAS (flowing garments). There are cities with that name in both New York state and Utah, both with populations of less than 30,000, however the NY one is the location of Saratoga Race Course as well as being a candidate for where the potato chip was invented, so I’m guessing it’s the NY one that the setter is thinking of. Probably not the first (or hundredth) American city that’s going to come to mind for most Times’ solvers, I would imagine, but the wordplay’s pretty helpful. | |
| 6 | One who conspired to ban a source of mercury (8) |
| CINNABAR – CINNA (One who conspired, i.e. against Caesar, as seen in Julius Caesar) + BAR (to ban), to give (Chambers): “A mineral, sulphide of mercury, called vermillion when used as a pigment” | |
| 7 | Ineffectual aristo’s sons, children we abandoned (8,6) |
| CHINLESS WONDER – (SONS CHILDREN WE)*, to give (Collins): “a person, esp an upper-class one, lacking strength of character”. Further insight from Urban Dictionary: “The trademark recessive chin is thought to be due to inbreeding.” | |
| 8 | Like some music originally hit on in old college film? (10) |
| POLYPHONIC – H{it} (originally hit) + ON, in POLY (old college) + PIC (film) | |
| 9 | Quibbler in Civil Service touring a pair of Hebridean islands (7) |
| CASUIST – CS (Civil Service) around A, + UIST (pair of Hebridean islands – North Uist and South Uist, commonly referred to as Uist or The Uists). I knew this was a word but couldn’t have told you what it meant. | |
| 10 | Leader dismissed from old car plant (5) |
| ORRIS – {M}ORRIS (Leader dismissed from old car), to give (Chambers)” “The Florentine or other iris” | |
| 11 | Expert division securing union leader’s indictment (11) |
| PROSECUTION – PRO (Expert) + SECTION (division) around U{nion} (union leader) | |
| 12 | One who shows opposition with regard to family member (8) |
| RESISTER – RE (with regard to) + SISTER (family member) | |
| 13 | Male graduate upholding English novel (4) |
| EMMA – E (English) + M (Male) + MA (graduate), and the 24,673rd appearance in Crosswordland of Austen’s enduring work | |
| 20 | Biscuit made by firm that is established around Oklahoma (6) |
| COOKIE – CO (firm) + IE (that is) around OK (Oklahoma) | |
| 21 | Young sheep used to be hardy at first? Nonsense (7) |
| HOGWASH – HOG (Young sheep) + WAS (used to be) + H{ardy} (hardy at first). For HOG, Chambers has: “A yearling sheep not yet shorn (also hogg)” | |
| 22 | Church government overturning restriction in emolument (6) |
| PAPACY – reversal of CAP (restriction), in PAY (emolument) | |
| 24 | Become famous — assault school principal, getting punishment (3,3,9) |
| HIT THE HEADLINES – HIT THE HEAD (assault school principal) + LINES (punishment) | |
| 26 | Improve one’s behaviour at spa uncle once represented (5,2,4,3) |
| CLEAN UP ONES ACT – (AT SPA UNCLE ONCE)* | |
| 27 | Saint included in hunter’s prayer (6) |
| ORISON – S (Saint) in ORION (hunter) | |
| 29 | Merchant displaying a set of books on Galilean satellite (7) |
| ANTONIO – A + NT (set of books) + ON + IO (Galilean satellite – one of Jupiter’s moons first identified as such by Galileo), to give the title character of The Merchant of Venice | |
| 31 | Rapidly changing crowd attached to the Italian quarter (6) |
| MOBILE – MOB (crowd) + IL (the Italian) + E (quarter) | |
| 33 | Sub-lessee finds foreign articles, plus English one in shelter (11) |
| UNDERTENANT – UN + DER (foreign articles, i.e. “a” and “the” in French/Spanish/etc and German respectively), + AN (English one, i.e. English article) in TENT (shelter). Not a word I necessarily knew but it seemed likely from the wordplay. | |
| 35 | Landlords coming round before son obtains printed matter (11) |
| LETTERPRESS – LETTERS (Landlords), around PRE (before) + S (son), to give (Chambers): “1. A method of printing in which ink on raised surfaces is pressed onto paper, 2. Matter printed in this way”. Another one that went in on trust. | |
| 36 | Amateur poet accepting foreign title (10) |
| DILETTANTE – DANTE (poet) around TITLE* | |
| 40 | Books having Pilot Officer call for learner in top grade (9) |
| APOCRYPHA – PO (Pilot Officer) + CRY (call) instead of L (learner) in ALPHA (top grade), to give (Chambers): “(usu with cap) those books or parts of books included in the Septuagint and Vulgate translations of the Old Testament but not accepted as canonical by Jews or Protestants, and to later books (Apocrypha of the New Testament) never accepted as canonical or authoritative by any considerable part of the Christian Church” | |
| 41 | Snide suggestions about gas, possibly, price finally going up (8) |
| SPITEFUL – reversal of TIPS (suggestions), + FUEL (gas, possibly) with the {pric}E (price finally) moved to the top | |
| 42 | Gill’s brief period of rest? (8) |
| BREATHER – dd, the first referring to the fish part rather than a girl’s name | |
| 44 | Emotional shocks Sumatra suffers (7) |
| TRAUMAS – SUMATRA* | |
| 46 | Keep up South American army at home (7) |
| SUSTAIN – S (South) + US (American) + TA (army) + IN (at home) | |
| 48 | Full-length turn a count regularly presented (5) |
| UNCUT – alternate letters of tUrN a CoUnT | |
| 50 | Ducks and drakes, maybe, in more than one sense (4) |
| GAME – dd, in the senses of (Collins): “a game in which a flat stone is bounced across the surface of water” and (Chambers): “Wild animals hunted for sport” | |
Edited at 2018-04-14 01:37 pm (UTC)
About 30 years ago I had a project working in a city in Central Florida about 3 times the size of Saratoga Springs. I was running short of dollars so I thought I’d cash some of my traveller’s cheques. First problem – where could I cash them? It turned out that, of the dozen or so banks in the city, only one did Foreign Exchange.
So, having found it, I went in and said to the lady cashier. “Excuse me, I would like to cash some Sterling traveller’s cheques please”. “I’m sorry?”, she said quizically. I repeated my request. She still looked very puzzled. I began to wonder if she knew anything about foreign currencies.
I tried again. “I have some traveller’s cheques in British Pounds Sterling I’d like to exchange for US dollars, please.”
She looked relieved. “Oh. I thought you said you had some stolen traveller’s cheques you wanted to cash.”
Edited at 2018-04-14 07:50 pm (UTC)
Edited at 2018-04-14 03:27 pm (UTC)
Ong’ara,
Nairobi.