Recently, when Jim and I have written about Mephistos, we’ve commented on words that appear in the Azed Clueing Competition. At least two of the Mephisto setters enter this regularly (Paul McKenna tells me he’s a sporadic entrant), and so do Jim and I (though neither of us are regular setters, at least I don’t think so – I’m hoping to get my first edited and published crossword out soon). Congratulations to Don Manley on coming out top of the Azed Honors list for the last year of competition! Don Manley managed a mention in every single competition, ending up with a first, two seconds, five VHCs and four HCs.
In comparison, Tim Moorey also got a mention in every competition (one first, eight VHCs, four HCs), Paul McKenna had one VHC and five HCs, Jim got four HCs and I got four HCs hey, we’re tied!
Jim – how about a Mephisto Bloggers Azed mini-cup? Bag of golf tees perhaps?
I guess I should blog the Mephisto – away we go!
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | LACTOSE: ACT(something done) in LOSE(what one of the teams on the rather awful show “The Apprentice” will do) |
| 6 | SALAD: a trainee Salvationist would be a S.A., LAD |
| 10 | GRAPEVINE: (ENRAGE, VIP)* |
| 11 | COLIBRI: LIB(book) in COR,1 |
| 13 | ODAL: O then LAD reversed |
| 14 | BOLERO: OR,E,LOB all reversed |
| 15 | SEMITAR: I think you get the SEMI from “not half”? |
| 16 | X(kiss),ERIC(blood fine) |
| 17 | AMATORIAN: A MAN holding 1,ROTA(course) reversed |
| 21 | OB,JET,DART |
| 24 | EDILE: hidden |
| 25 | MANIPLE: NIP(smart) in MALE |
| 28 | RU,ELLE |
| 30 | ATAP: A,TAP(room for a drink). Surprised this is the second definition of TAP in Chambers, anyone want to help with a campaign to promote the drinking definition to first? |
| 31 | ASS,IE,GE: GE is GAEA(Earth) here |
| 32 | PLATONIST: Something about this clue is striking me as odd – I think it’s meant to be PLAST(placed) and then NOT,I reversed – but the I is in the wrong place. I can’t find PLIST in Chambers to make it NOT,A reversed |
| 33 | HALO,N |
| 34 | PLENARY: RAN reversed in YELP(boast) reversed |
| Down | |
| 1 | LYCOSA: OS in (CLAY)* |
| 2 | AN,ODE |
| 3 | CALAMARIES: LAMA in CARIES |
| 4 | ORBIT: double definition |
| 5 | SARDAR: R in SAD, A.R.(Army Regulation) |
| 6 | SEROXAT: TAXES(burdens) reversed containing R(take), O(round). If you’re new to barred-grid puzzles, keep an eye out for take = recipe = R |
| 7 | AVA |
| 8 | ANGRIER: A then REIGN(rule) reversed containing R(king) |
| 9 | DECOCT: short for DECember and OCTober |
| 12 | DERMIAPTERA: anagram of (ARE,TRAMPLED) less L(50) – “up” is the anagrindicator here |
| 18 | MEDULLA: DULL(insipid) in MEA |
| 19 | OBE,LION |
| 20 | TERAPH: THE SERAPH without HE’S |
| 22 | EASSIL: LASSIE with the L and E swapping places |
| 23 | TEPEFY: F in YE,PET reversed |
| 26 | NISSE: reverse of the middle of mESSINg |
| 27 | LAGER: LAAGER without A |
| 29 | LOTO: T in LOO |
Can’t help with PLATONIST – I just assumed “plist” was old “placed” and, not having to blog it, didn’t check
I have compiled crosswords in the dim and distant George. My first published one was the saturday jumbo in the London Evening News circa 1964! Not sure I could cope with the pressure of a blogger’s cup.
Rishi