I’ve blogged an Orpheus crossword before, and this one was pretty similar in style. Perhaps on the easier side, but some will be grateful for that after yesterday’s tricky offering. Nice clueing with the important element of humour. I was wondering if solvers might like a difficulty rating with the quick cryptic (as per Su Doku). The disadvantage of this is that it takes away some of the surprise, and I enjoy the full cryptic more for not knowing the solver or difficulty, but quick cryptic solvers might prefer it to give them some forewarning- any thoughts?
Across |
1 |
HOPSCOTCH – The bound is a HOP rather than being certain as the surface suggests, combine with SCOTCH (‘whisky’) to give the kids playground game. |
6 |
FAR – The RAF are the ‘airmen’, which when reversed (‘retreating’) gives FAR. Def = a long way |
8 |
PADLOCK – An anagram of ‘old pack’; the anagrind is ‘funny’. Combination words (eg PAD-LOCK) are often the most difficult anagrams, if you’re struggling with an anagram, try and think of a combination word. Def = a form of security |
9 |
WHALE – W is the first letter of was (‘initially’) followed by HALE (‘healthy’) to give a mammal not a fish as we are all taught early on. Def = large mammal |
10 |
LADLE – LAD is the youth, followed (‘pursued’) by LE (the in FRENCH) to give a large soup spoon rather than someone frequently in trouble as the surface suggests. Crossworders need to know some foreign articles- le, la, un, une (French), der, ein (German), el (Spanish). Def= one often in the soup |
12 |
NOVICE – A double definition, the second one being cryptic. Novice means an inmate of a religious house who has not yet taken their vows, and said inmate should hopefully ‘aspire to’ NO VICE (apart from cryptic crosswords). Def = religious probationer |
14 |
SKATEBOARDING – S KATE is the southern woman, woman being loosely interpreted as any girl’s name. Combine with BOARDING (‘getting on’ as in a plane). Def= travelling like a youngster |
16 |
PAGODA – A GOD (‘ a deity’) ‘in’ PA (US state code for ‘Pennsylvania’) to give ‘PAGODA’. Pagodas are eastern temples, the Peace Pagoda in Battersea on the bank of the Thames is a beautiful sight, but I haven’t seen it lit at night for a while. 2 letter US state codes often come up in crosswords (NY, CA, FL, OK, RI (new york, california, florida, oklahoma, rhode island respectively) are the most common I think. Def = where some worship |
17 |
ALERT – Queen Victoria’s husband was ALBERT, which with the B (‘bishop’) removed (‘dismissed’) gives ALERT. Def = lively ( |
19 |
TRIER – A double definition, ‘one who attempts’ is a TRIER, which is also a German city on the banks of the Moselle. I had only vaguely heard of the city, hopefully more familiar to others. |
20 |
INSTANT – IN is ‘popular’ combined with ‘ST’ (short for street, ie a ‘way’) and ‘ANT’ (‘worker’) to give INSTANT. Way could also indicate LA (lane) or RD (road) Def = a sort of coffee. |
22 |
PIE – the first letters (‘originally’) of ‘prepared in eastbourne’ are PIE. Def = baked dish |
23 |
PRETENDER – double definition; ‘one indulging in make believe’ is a PRETENDER which can also mean a claimant to a throne as was Bonnie Prince Charlie. |
Down |
1 |
HOPELESS – Apparently Bob Hope made a series of ‘Road to’ movies, hence HOPELESS is ‘unlike such movies. Sometimes I’m afraid you just have to put in the clue from the checkers if you don’t know the General Knowledge aspect. Def = Pathetic |
2 |
POD – PO is the Italian river (probably most common river used in crosswords) with D (‘beginning of dive’ – ie first letter) ‘under’ it to give POD. A pod or school is the name for a group of dolphins. |
3 |
CLOVE – C (‘cook’s initial’) combined with LOVE (‘passion’) to give a spice whose oil is good for toothache. Def = spice |
4 |
TAKEN FOR A RIDE – To be taken for a ride is to be swindled, and I suppose you might also be taken for a ride by a girl at an equestrian centre. Def = Swindled |
5 |
HOWEVER – WE is ‘you and I’ (unless I’m royalty) with HOVER (hang) ‘around’ it to give HOWEVER. Def = though |
6 |
FRANCHISE – FRANCE is the European country, which when ‘accepting’ HIS becomes ‘FRANCHISE. Def = right to vote |
7 |
REEL – REEL is a homophone for real (‘genuine sounding’) and can also mean a dance. Def = Scottish Dance |
11 |
DRAMATISE – Rearrange ‘It’s a dream’ to give DRAMATISE. ‘Somehow’ is the anagrind. Def = to adapt for the stage |
13 |
AGITATOR – An AGITATOR is a political activist, and to agitate can mean to cause a stir. Def = activist |
15 |
EGO TRIP – Rearrange ‘to gripe’ to give EGO TRIP. The anagrind is ‘dreadfully’. Def = self centred activity |
17 |
AISLE – Sea-girt apparently means enclosed by the sea, so an ISLE is a ‘sea-girt territory’. Combine A and ISLE to give AISLE. Def = passage |
18 |
STOP – POTS (‘lots of money’) when reversed (‘raised’) gives STOP. I wonder if STOP is the four letter word with the most anagrams (ed- actually it’s SEAT with 7 anagrams as pointed out by Mohn2)? Def = Prevent |
21 |
AID – AD is a notice (advertisement), when placed around (‘about’) an I gives AID. AD can be indicated by plug, bill, poster, promotion etc. Def = benefit |
I think SEAT might be the four letter word with most anagrams.
Edited at 2014-04-30 11:36 am (UTC)
I agree with what mohn2 says on the subject of difficulty ratings and would not want to see them introduced.
Edited at 2014-04-30 01:13 pm (UTC)
On difficulty ratings, it would help me to know whether I am likely to be able to complete a puzzle or whether I should be content to solve just one or two clues. I would have thought that rating crosswords for difficulty would be harder that rating SuDoku and I regularly rant about the often wildly inaccurate SuDoku ratings, so if it can’t be done any better than that, don’t bother!
Off to celebrate now….
Thank you .
Count me as another who wouldn’t like to see difficulty ratings.
As for today’s crossword itself, I’m so pleased to see people finishing. It would be great if you registered with Livejournal (like Docbee6) so we can see who you are and congratulate you personally!
Edited at 2014-04-30 04:40 pm (UTC)
Felt to me that “by a girl” in 14ac was superfluous. Though answer became clear, this addition made parsing it take a while, as kept looking for something gender related.