Greetings barred-grid fans. Since I blog the odd-numbered Mephisto puzzles I rarely get first response on a special puzzle, but in this case I have the pleasure of writing up the 500th and final Tim Moorey Mephisto puzzle.
I had the pleasure of a few drinks with Tim on a trip to London about 10 years ago. He gave me a few of his puzzles from other magazines, shared some tips on setting and solving and was a lot of fun to hang out with. Of the four current Mephisto setters he has the longest tenure, and I will miss his characteristic clueing style.
This puzzle is a mix of classic and new clues, and having solved almost all of Tim’s Mephisto puzzles (I started attempting the Mephisto in 1996), there were a few that were familiar. I’ll try to link as many as I can here – Peter Biddecombe started blogging the Mephisto (but only partial answers) in November 2006 with Mephisto 2412.
Thanks for all the fun, and enjoy whatever new challenges lie ahead!
| Across | |
| 1 | Staff bedding large or twin (5) |
| MACLE – MACE(staff) containing L(large). Slight variation of a clue from Mephisto 3149 | |
| 6 | Charge concerned with Concise Oxford? (6) |
| INDICT – IN(concerned with), DICT(a concise form of Dictionary) | |
| 11 | One call covers duck seen on water for tidal gate (8) |
| ABOIDEAU – A(one), BID(call) containing O(duck) next to EAU(water) | |
| 12 | Ditch husband with expression of contempt (4) |
| HA-HA – H(husband) and AHA(expression of contempt). Slight variation on a clue from Mephisto 3203 | |
| 13 | Aberdeen solicitors do caveats in chancery (9) |
| ADVOCATES – anagram of DO CAVEATS. “In chancery” is the anagram indicator meaning in an awkward or helpless predicament. | |
| 14 | Hellish, filthy place shown on Atlas briefly (7) |
| STYGIAN – STY(filthy place) with GIANT(Atlas) minus the last letter | |
| 16 | Small program? Tech giant has tons (6) |
| APPLET – APPLE(tech giant) and T(tons) | |
| 18 | Endless nuisance: East and West Africa ready for some there (6) |
| PESEWA – PEST(nuisance) minus the last letter, then E(east), and WA(West Africa) | |
| 20 | Old, very good chums short of money for drugs (7) |
| OPIATES – O(old), PI(very good), then MATES(chums) minus M(money) | |
| 23 | Are wheels safe for removal? (7) |
| ERASURE – anagram of ARE, then SURE(safe) | |
| 26 | Alcoholic beverage opposed around Middle East city (6) |
| ALEPPO – ALE(alcoholic beverage) then OPP(opposed) reversed. | |
| 27 | Regularly rally round US lawyer shaking (6) |
| RATTLY – alternating letters in RaLlY surrounding ATT(attorney, US lawyer) | |
| 28 | Zone with difficulty has improved Indian districts (7) |
| ZILLAHS – Z(zone), ILL(difficulty), and an anagram of HAS | |
| 30 | Rig built with care producing oil (9) |
| LUBRICATE – anagram of BUILT and CARE | |
| 31 | Joke about rule in French department (4) |
| ORNE – ONE(joke) surrounding R(rule). Not quite the same as the clue for ORNE in Mephisto 3233 | |
| 32 | What Tim hopes can be cracked (8) |
| MEPHISTO – an all-in-one, anagram of TIM HOPES. I prefer Tim’s term for this type of clue better than &lit | |
| 33 | Assistants covering small digressions (6) |
| ASIDES – AIDES(assistants) containing S(small) | |
| 34 | Answer last in grid that’s something all can see as farewell (5) |
| ADIEU – A(answer), the last letter in griD, IE(that’s), U(something all can see) | |
| Down | |
| 1 | & 17: Wherein one could find orgasms are a plus naughtily? (7) |
| MASSAGE PARLOURS – anagram of ORGASMS ARE A PLUS. I don’t think this was a Mephisto clue originally, it comes from when Tim was a setter for the Sunday Times cryptic. | |
| 2 | Somewhat hard to give up long-standing practice (4, two words) |
| A BIT – remove H(hard) from HABIT(long-standing practice) | |
| 3 | Orators in hoary epic abused (9) |
| CORYPHAEI – anagram of HOARY EPIC. This one well and truly did me in when it appeared in Mephisto 2498. | |
| 4 | No time for ladies underwear in Wells (6) |
| EDDIES – remove T(time) from TEDDIES(ladies underwear) | |
| 5 | Book about Troy soldiers showing muscle (7) |
| LEVATOR – LEV(the book of Leviticus), A(about), T(Troy, the measurement), OR(soldiers) | |
| 7 | Must include missing diamonds and hearts (6) |
| NUCLEI – anagram of INCLUDE minus D(diamonds). Clue from Mephisto 2809 where one of our regulars learned of “must” as an anagram indicator. | |
| 8 | Had Chinese with lots of Japanese drink and Indian food (7) |
| DHANSAK – ‘D(had), HAN(Chinese), and SAKE(Japanese drink) missing the last letter | |
| 9 | Chronicles were rewritten with lines for Churchill adviser (8) |
| CHERWELL – CH(the book of Chronicles), an anagram of WERE and LL(lines) | |
| 10 | Drum roll for VW car ignoring parking (5) |
| TASSA – Volkswagon PASSAT reversed minus P(parking) | |
| 15 | Yours truly’s so long with an injury in foot parts (9) |
| METATARSI – ME(yours truly), TA TA(so long) and RSI(repetitive strain injury). From Mephisto 3197 | |
| 17 | The second part of MASSAGE PARLOURS goes here |
| 19 | Shoot in publicity did show ambition (7) |
| ASPIRED – SPIRE(shoot) inside AD(publicity) | |
| 21 | Charm one’s noticed in a small flat (7) |
| PERIAPT – I(one) inside PER(a), APT(small apartment, flat) | |
| 22 | I don’t believe that anyone supports States without capital (7, two words) |
| SAYS YOU – YOU(anyone) after SAYS(States, but without the capital letter) | |
| 24 | Hours with desktop at an end gets me onto tablet (6) |
| UPTIME – UP(at an end), then TIM(me), and E(tablet) | |
| 25 | Accepted case of leaf spot found in tea plant (6) |
| CALTHA – A(accepted), and the external letters of Leaf spoT inside CHA(tea) | |
| 26 | Half of TV comedy lost on a Scottish town (5) |
| ALLOA – half of ‘ALLO ‘ALLO (allegedly a comedy, did anyone find it funny?) next to A | |
| 29 | Pig wanting seconds mentioned as before (4) |
| HOTE – SHOTE(pig) minus S(seconds). More recent one to finish from Mephisto 3305 | |
This was the first Mephisto I got any clues in at all! Then I finished it (but with a dictionary). No notes, just wanted to tell someone.
I erred at STYGIAN – wrote in STYXIAN, since “Xian is a place, so would be in an Atlas” (briefly though?)
A very enjoyable puzzle.
I particularly enjoyed the two self-referential clues. The two-parter was a departure—and it does smack of a Sunday!
I solved this without much difficulty, despite not having been around to see the repeated clues. It helps if your willing to take any word at all as an anagram indicator. There were quite a few answers that were biffable, and biff them I did.
I greatly appreciated Tim Moorey’s final Mephisto, and I’m glad it fell to the appropriate blogger.
Most entertaining and not too tricky, although I transcribed the answers online wrong and have a pink square. I enjoyed the ‘best-of’ clues in particular. Thanks George and Tim, and I’ll miss your witty puzzles.
The MASSAGE PARLOURS clue was first used in a Mephisto, in about 20002, and reused something like 11 years later in an ST crossword.
Thanks for the help with “States without capital” in 22d – couldn’t see that, but very good.
Lovely tribute to Tim Moorey in your introduction, and a great puzzle. Interesting to see the links to earlier blogs.
1d was great. I see it raised a few eyebrows on its 2013 ST appearance: https://timesforthetimes.co.uk/sunday-times-4537-12-may-2013-by-tim-moorey-how-rude
A special solve for a special occasion. Loved the spectacular and rather naughty two light entry.
Many thanks George both for memories and for digging out the historic clues.
I only just got round to this. Not particularly difficult, but very entertaining. Thanks to Tim for all solving pleasure over the years and George for the blog and nice tribute.