Sunday Times 4494 (15 Jul 2012) by Anax

Author   daveperryPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time: I can’t offer a time, I’m afraid, as my Mum & Dad were visiting and they filled quite a few answers in when I wasn’t looking. I can say, however, that even with their help, it still took a good couple of hours to finish it, so I found it very tough indeed.

It was all a bit too clever for me. Several answers went in on blind faith, especially towards the end, and I was quite surprised to find I had them all right. I managed to come up with justifications for everything, but some of them I’m not overly happy with, so I may be missing something.

I rather liked 10d which gets my COD by a nose from 12a. But there were several others where the level of cleverness was just right.

cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (–)*, and removals like this

Across
1 HADJ = (H + DJ) about A
3 EFFORTLESS = (FROST FEELS)*
9 DISAPPEAR = (PAPER SAID)*
11 C(E)ASE
12 OPERATION CODES = (EASIER TO DO ON PC)*
14 OUTFIELD – I failed to undertand the wordplay for this until quite some time post-solve. It’s O (ball) + U (you casually, think text messaging) + (LIFTED)* – It’s a cricketing term that refers to area of the field just inside the boundary rope.
15 FIESTA = IE + ShorT all in FA
17 IMPUGN = I’M (Setter is) + PUN about G
19 NEOPLASM = (MEANS)* about OP + hospitaL
22 CLOAK-AND-DAGGER = (DOCKLAND GARAGE)*
24 WORST – dd
25 IMP + RISE about EC (the postcode area for the City of London)
26 GROUSEMOOR = (ROGUE’S)* + ROOM rev
27 EYED = “IDE”
Down
1 HYDROPONIC = H + (YON about DROP) + I + C
2 DESCENT – I got this from the definition. As for the wordplay, the best I can come up with is reading down from the 9 in the grid gives you DROP. But that can’t be it, can it? Technically it gives you DROPONIC, but that doesn’t make any sense.
4 FLEXIBLE = FLEE about XI + BaLl
5 OARING = A in (O + RING)
6 TECTONIC PLATE = (LET IN TO ACCEPT)*
7 ENAMELS = MANE rev + ELSe
8 S + KEW
10 PRAYING MANTIS = R in PAYING MAN + SIT rev – I liked the surface here, it all seemed very neat, particularly the ‘settle up’ bit. My COD
13 HAMMERHEAD = HAMMED about RHEA
16 LEAD + UP TO
18 PALERMO = PAL + (ROME)* – the capital of Sicily
20 ANGRILY = ANY about GRILl
21 SADISM = IS in SAD + Movies
23 TWIG – dd

8 comments on “Sunday Times 4494 (15 Jul 2012) by Anax”

  1. Congrats on the blog, Dave. It can’t have been easy.

    For what it’s worth my explanations agreed with yours and I think I was satisfied with all of them eventually apart from ‘made a big thing out of’ = HAMMED at 13dn which I got by reverse engineering and I can’t imagine anyone coming up with it prior to finding the answer to the clue by other means.

    The 9 trick at 1dn, as you rightly point out, doesn’t actually work because it needs something to clue the exclusion of the remaining four letters. Good bit of fun though and I enjoyed the puzzle as a whole.

    62 minutes with one cheat at the end to get HYDROPONIC which as it turned out I had met before, much to my surprise.

    Edited at 2012-07-22 09:28 am (UTC)

  2. The logic behind this was certainly unusual, but it made good sense to me. A word for “descent” descends from the square numbered 9. I can’t see any logical reason why this word should have to include all the letters until the next black square.
  3. I always look forward to Anax puzzles and this one is up to his usual standard with the sole exception of 2D where I have to disagree with PB. It was my last in and entered from checking letters plus “it falls” guessed as a definition. Eventually saw the “drop” device but dismissed it as not up to standard!

    The rest was a real pleasure. Thanks Dean and great job Dave – Anax puzzles are never easy to blog.

  4. I have come across Anax puzzles before and never understood them This was no different, most of the clues were a real grind and apart from 1dn and 1ac the NW corner was a blank. I guess I just don’t get it.

    Derek K

  5. Another Premier League crossword from Anax, in more ways than one. I found this a challenge and took about an hour over it.
    Last in was indeed 2dn. I am not certain how good a clue it is, but I think it is technically correct, and it is definitely original!
    Good stuff.
  6. 21:08 for me, with the last few minutes spent agonising over 2dn, and even then I didn’t spot how it worked until after I’d finished. I have to say that I’m not terribly keen on it.

    Apart from that, plenty of good stuff.

  7. Must admit I really, really don’t like this sort of clue. It’s not that there’s anything inherently unfair but it’s just annoying. Probably because it makes me feel stupid. The shark on the other hand was superb and brilliantly concealed. 37 minutes.

    Edited at 2012-07-23 08:26 pm (UTC)

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