This was a cracker, one of the most entertaining QC’s I’ve done for a while. Some may find a bit on the tricky side, but there is ample reward for perseverance. Particular faves are 15 and 21 ac.
Time: 07:22
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Error by staff installing a route to service station? (4,4) |
| SLIP ROAD – SLIP + ROD with A inserted | |
| 5 | Block source of problematic moisture (4) |
| DAMP – DAM (block) + P for Problematic | |
| 8 | Taking tops off and immersing ourselves, loving invigorating dip (5) |
| AIOLI – acronym | |
| 9 | Spooner’s declared river is a body of water (4,3) |
| DEAD SEA – Spooner would say ‘Said Dee’ | |
| 11 | Perhaps Eeyore’s back half is crucial (3) |
| KEY – Eeyore is a donKEY | |
| 12 | Getting gradually louder, crocs need exercising (9) |
| CRESCENDO – anagram (‘exercising’) of CROCS NEED | |
| 13 | Board overcome by problem bar knights (6) |
| EMBARK – hidden word. Curarist’s third law: if it all makes absolutely no sense at all, look for the hidden word | |
| 15 | Origins of trees and ends of trees (6) |
| FIRSTS – FIRS + TS (each end of ‘trees’). This was my favourite, a cruel misdirection making you assume it begins with T or TE, and lovely symmetry. | |
| 18 | Fussy process transformed a grim job (9) |
| RIGMAROLE – anagram (‘transformed’) of A GRIM + ROLE (job) | |
| 19 | Appearance of couple with no power (3) |
| AIR – PAIR minus P for power | |
| 20 | Show hoax proof of qualification briefly (7) |
| CONCERT – CON (hoax) + CERT (ificate) | |
| 21 | Renovate and/or decorate (5) |
| ADORN – anagram (‘renovate’) of AND OR. Another beautifully symmetrical clue. | |
| 22 | Pressure amateur to perform (4) |
| PLAY – P + LAY | |
| 23 | Pub with zero VAT first in Essex to modernise? (8) |
| INNOVATE – INN + O + VAT + E for Essex | |
| Down | |
|---|---|
| 1 | King left, bathed in remaining glittering light (7) |
| SPARKLE – K + L inside SPARE (remaining) | |
| 2 | Pale, like a little Welsh steam train, perhaps? (5) |
| IVORY – Referring to Ivor The Engine, a 1970s animated TV series by the legendary Oliver Postgate who also made The Clangers. | |
| 3 | Control a trance, writhing around, return to life (11) |
| REINCARNATE – REIN (control) + anagram (‘writhing around’) of A TRANCE | |
| 4 | Supplement guided and confused (6) |
| ADDLED – ADD + LED | |
| 6 | Agrees rises verbally (7) |
| ASSENTS – sounds like ASCENTS | |
| 7 | Large set of keys regularly split a new ring (5) |
| PIANO – Alternate letters of sPlIt + A + N + O | |
| 10 | Go each April, travelling around group of islands (11) |
| ARCHIPELAGO – anagram (‘travelling around’) of GO EACH APRIL | |
| 14 | Botanists exploring Greece initially uncovered Ionian flowering plant (7) |
| BEGONIA – First letters of Botanists Exploring Greece + ONIA (IONIAN ‘uncovered’) | |
| 16 | Sergeant, lacking some energy, spilled rum (7) |
| STRANGE – anagram (‘spilled’) of SERGEANT minus an E. Another misdirect, ‘rum’ usually being an anagrind | |
| 17 | Soothe son frequently (6) |
| SOFTEN – S + OFTEN | |
| 18 | Heading north, speed regulator run over again (5) |
| RECAP – PACER backwards | |
| 19 | Mother gets to the bottom of a right old smell (5) |
| AROMA – A + R + O + MA | |
An enoyable DNF – beaten by strange. I confess to still making the odd “chirdy-cuff” noises when puffing up a steep hill on a walk.
FOI Damp
LOI Rigmarole
COD Reincarnate
thanks both
Great QC. Thought I might have a MER At ‘verbally’ (6 down) – I prefer ‘orally’ – but I think this battle was lost some time ago, if indeed it ever existed. Why do I hate Spooner clues? I did this one easily though. Almost every clue neat and entertaining, and that ‘Third Law’ about ‘hiddens’ is so true!! Thanks as ever.
Favourite fact about Ivor the Engine – he sings first bass with the Grumbly and District Choral Society. Also he’s probably the only steam engine whose whistle makes a bassoon sound!
11.35.
17:02, with – like almost everyone else – FIRSTS both LOI and COD.
Thanks to Kybos and Curarist.
Agree with the comments above, enjoyable but tricky.
So glad I couldn’t get EMBARK now I’ve learned Curarist’s Third of many Laws, ‘look for the hidden’, isn’t life easy when you know. I’ll sleep peacefully this weekend!
A proud 30ish min finish. Think this is the hardest puzzle I’ve completed. The downs saved me giving me the checkers for some of those cunning across clues.
Thanks Kybos and Curist
👍👍
Little Welsh engine? It could only be Ivor! Still available on YouTube if you want a trip down memory lane.
I started off well with this one, but slowed down a bit in the SW corner. But there was so much to enjoy, and I even got the Spoonerism at first go – it was an easy one, I admit! I really liked SLIP ROAD, AIOLI, ADORN, and INNOVATE, and IVORY got a big smile. My LOI seemed to take ages though – I fell into every trap!
11:53 FOI Damp LOI Firsts COD and AOD Archipelago – an absolute cracker 😄
Thanks Kybos and Curarist
On edit: out of interest, I looked up KYBOS and discovered that it is a genus of leafhoppers. I wondered what inspired our newish setter to choose this name?
Tough but fair and good fun. Biffed IVORY and had to change ASCENDS into ASSENTS when DEAD SEA went in. Likewise had to change RENOVATE into INNOVATE (duh) when I saw renovate in the clue to 21a and thought a) cannot be and b) pub of course gave INN. My first Kybos and much enjoyed – thanks to Curarist too.
Yes, this was very good. We just crept in at round about par (12:55) with FIRSTS keeping us guessing until the last: a worthy COD. Thank you, Curarist and Kybos.
Dnf, a bit above my pay grade. Is this really QCTerritory?