Mephisto 3078 – Paul McKenna

Author   dorsetjimboPosted on Categories Mephisto
Unless you’re very experienced you are unlikely to solve a Mephisto without using Chambers. The idea is that you use the precise wordplay to derive an answer that you then verify in the dictionary. 16A is a perfect example.

The PM Pun is “concentric”

I solved this relatively quickly with quite a bit of biffing. However, when I came to write the blog, I discovered that I have a problem parsing 11A, 15A, 22A, and 6D – all comment welcome. I’m starting to wonder if I’m getting too old for this.

In the clues, definitions are underlined. Wordplay explanation is followed by very helpful comments.

ACROSS

1 Agree dupe got off (7)
CONSENT: CON-SENT;                                                       
6 Run through local village causes sprain (5)
WRICK: W(R)ICK; local village=WICK;
10 Satisfying grub by itself this gives second power (10, two words)
SQUARE,ROOT: SQUARE-ROOT; satisfying=SQUARE; grub=ROOT; by=multiply; second power is the product of two equal terms so nine is the second power of three
11 Rummy WPC, one Stellenbosching last oil-producer? (7)
GINGILI: GIN-GILI; rummy=GIN (cards); I can’t see the rest of it. Stellenbosching means moving sideways
13 Beautiful being by island (4)
PERI: PER-I;
15 Line for fencers points where egg and bacon is de rigueur? (5)
LORDS: I can’t see “line for fencers points”; the definition from which I biffed the answer is a reference to the “egg and bacon” tie worn at Lord’s by MCC members
16 Scrap self-catering isle’s recycling (7)
SCISSEL: SC-(isles)*
17 Fine pretence in truth (4)
FACT: F-ACT;
18 Odd afterthought on wood — cut from behind (9, two words)
RUMP,STEAK: RUM-PS-TEAK;
21 Visitor to the local, we hear, supposed cutting complaint right (9, two words)
GUEST,BEER: sounds like “guessed” + BEE(f) + R;
22 In Memphis almost break a drum (4)
GAFF: I don’t understand the cryptic;
23 Power in the grim portent to freshen a room up perhaps (7)
REPAPER: RE(P)APER;
26 Grass is circling a heap of spuds (5)
STIPA: S-(A-PIT) reversed;
29 Final judgement is indicative, say, in review (4)
DOOM: MOOD reversed;
30 Girl endearingly pressing peevish male in the Covenanters (7)
HILLMEN: H(ILL-M)EN;
31 Eg, aerosol chap from Bristol and smart with it (10, two words)
SPRAY,PAINT: SPRAY-PAIN-‘T; Bristol dialect SPRAY=chap;
32 Flaggy Ozarker at heart is a dumpling (5)
GYOZA: hidden (flag)GY-OZA(rker);
33 Some rat misused funding system? (7)
MAESTRO: (some rat)*; Italian equivalent of EFTPOS; settlement system rather than funding;

DOWN

1 Charlie’s chunter is irritating stuff (5, two words)
CS,GAS: C’S-GAS;
2 Tsipras’s character borders on noxious for conventuals (4)
NUNS: NU-N(oxiou)S;
3 They’re stories, however you read them (5)
SAGAS: reference palindrome;
4 Fine fabric rolled up (4)
ERIC: CIRE reversed;
5 Booze price’s let off (9, two words)
TRIPLE,SEC: (price’s let)*;
6 Seek place to go to stop following fallout from shearing shed? (7)
WOOLFAT: again, I can’t see the cryptic; lanolin;
7 Learned lecturer leaving repeat (7)
ITERATE: (L)ITERATE;
8 Dairy supply she cured within safety standard (10, two words)
CURD,CHEESE: CE surrounds (she cured)*; CE=the mark that shows that electrical equipment meets European safety standards;
9 Trump’s behind wildcat strike involving English (7)
KEISTER: (strike + e)*;
12 Brooding at home bear a Conservative (10)
INCUBATORY: IN-CUB-A-TORY; “bear” for CUB strikes me as definition by example;
14 Safe to pretend this’ll keep you warm and dry (9)
PETERSHAM: PETER-SHAM;
18 Old parliament clothes antipodean scruff (7)
RIGSDAG: RIGS-DAG; the national legislature and the supreme decision-making body of Sweden
19 Wise guy raising family — joyous cry — well (7)
MAFIOSO: FAM reversed – IO-SO;
20 Squally ____ could give you special trauma (7)
SUMATRA: S-(trauma)*;
24 A wit upsetting columnist? (5)
ATLAS: A-SALT reversed;
25 Afford the littlest doughnut? (5, two words)
RUN,TO: RUNT-O;
27 Pitcher Pistol Pete packs (4)
OLPE: hidden (pist)OL-PE(te);
28 Session over in shed (4)
EMIT: TIME reversed;

10 comments on “Mephisto 3078 – Paul McKenna”

  1. ….on GINGILI, LORDS, or WOOLFAT, but I was just as much in the dark as Jimbo, to whom I’m grateful for the parsing of SQUARE ROOT.

    I eventually retired hurt without solving GAFF (still don’t get that one either), STIPA, or RIGSDAG (which I feel I should have solved, and might then have biffed the other two !)

  3. Morning, Jim. I can do some of them:

    GINGILI = GIN (rummy) + GILL (female policeman) with I replacing the final letter. Stellenbosching apparently means “To supersede”
    LORDS I thought was just L(ine) + ORDS. An ord is “a point, eg of a weapon” .. but Kevin’s suggestions seems to work too
    WOOLFAT is WOO (“To seek the support of”) + F(ollowing) in LAT(rine), a place to go

    GAFF I am still struggling with at present.

    Edited at 2019-09-01 06:26 am (UTC)

  4. OK: Chambers has “Break: a social blunder (US)” .. so I think it is GAFF(e), a break if you are in Memphis, Tenn.
  5. GINGILI = GIN(cards) + (one I + LIG Life Is Good – Stellenbosched)(backwards) which is a well known brand of Japanese umbrella (LIG) made by WPC (World Party Co.) IKEAN

    GAFF(e) a gaff is one’s drum – where one lives – Memphis cockney is a type of slang.

    Edited at 2019-09-01 07:10 am (UTC)

  6. All correct but couldn’t parse 11A or 6D either.
    I parsed LORDS like Jerry.
    I was going to say GAFF defn 3 in Chambers is …a house or other building and DRUM can also mean “a house (sl.)”, but horryd has beaten me to it. I had BOUT for 28D for a long time, but HILLMEN made me think again. I liked RUMP STEAK.
    P.S. I’m not convinced by SQUARE ROOT. The square root of a number multiplied by itself (the square root), gives you the original number not the number squared (which is the second power).

    Edited at 2019-09-01 10:21 am (UTC)

    1. I know what you mean – definition of SQUARE ROOT just doesn’t feel right. One clue I actually solved from the cryptic!
  7. Thanks to everybody who helped out with the parsing. I clearly had a bad day. Managed to finish today without any queries – so I feel a bit better

Comments are closed.