ST 4332 (Sun 7 Jun) – 17A of vitroil

Author   talbinhoPosted on Categories Daily Cryptic

Solving time: 6:10

A pretty good puzzle without too many quibbles, although 17ac confuses me and I may have got the wrong answer.

* = anagram, “X” = sounds like ‘X’.

Across
1 CORNETTIST; (RENT COST IT)*
6 C + LE + F
9 PASTY (2 defs) – actually, given the question mark, this is more of a whimsical definition than a double definition.
10 EYE-OPENER (cryptic definition) – ‘lid’ as in ‘eye-opener’.
12 REINFORCEMENT; (MENTION FREE CR[edit])* – quite exacting to expect the solver to abbreivate a word (‘credit’ => CR) and then anagram it.
14 LUMINARY; L + U + (IN ARMY)*
15 LENT + I + L
17 ASSOIL; A + (LOSS I)* – if this is the right answer then it’s a strange one: ‘brought about’ is more of a reversal indicator than an anagram indicator and according to Chambers the answer variously means ‘acquit’, ‘discharge’, ‘solve’, ‘dispel’ or ‘determine’, none of which is synonymous with ‘atone’.
19 COSTUMES; COST + ([th]E SUM)* – I didn’t know ‘ensemble’ could mean ‘costumes’ so was slow on this one.
21 PARALLEL LINES; (ALL PILLS NEARE[r])*
24 ENVISAGED; SAG in ENVIED – nice breakdown which I was slow to see.
25 TONIC; (INTO C[old]) – another anagrammed abbreviation (cf 12ac).
26 EASY (hidden)
27 INTRODUCES; (REDUCTIONS)*

Down
1 CAP + O
2 ROSTRUM; (SORT)* + RUM
3 ELYSIAN FIELDS; (AND, YES, FILLIES)* – I liked this anagram although the indicator is strange. The Elysian Fields were a section of the Greek underworld reserved for those whom the Gods considered to have led a good or heroic life. I think there was a sort of ‘double or quits’ twist to this where individuals got resurrected for another go and if they made it to the Elysian Fields three times they could go to the Isles of the Blessed forever.
4 TREE-FERN; TERN around REEF
5 STEER (2 defs) – very clever clue (a nod to Box and Cox) which I don’t think I’ve seen before.
7 LENIENT; (NINE)* in LET
8 FIRST CLASS (whimsical definition)
11 PREDESTINATED; (A PRIEST TENDED)* – I nearly shoved ‘predetermined’ in here but just checked myself in time.
13 ALTAR PIECE; “ALTER” + PIECE
16 COL(LU)DER – .lu is the Internet suffix for Luxembourg.
18 STRIVES; R in ST. IVES
20 MA + SON + I/C
22 ELGIN; (IN LEG[end])* – does this clue refer to some legendary goings-on in Elgin? If not I’m not sure why there’s a question mark.
23 ACTS (2 defs) – the book of the Bible, and theatrical plays.

4 comments on “ST 4332 (Sun 7 Jun) – 17A of vitroil”

  1. Webster’s 1913 edition (via onelook.com) gives:

    Assoil: 4. To expiate; to atone for. [Archaic] Spenser.

  2. Collins has “atone” too. I had interpreted it as: A + LO(I)SS (rev.) rather than an anagram, but looking at it again now I’m not sure that quite fits the clue either.

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