Solving time: 1:55:40
An excellent Yuletide solve from Anax this. I have no complaints about any of the clues, and some of them were really excellent. 2, 11 & 14 were probably the pick of the bunch for me, but 35a was one of the best &lits I’ve seen this year and easily my COD.
It wasn’t hugely Christmassy. There were probably only half a dozen or so direct references to Christmas, and about the same number of indirect references. Not many out of 56 clues. But then it’s better to have a few good ones than lots of mediocre ones.
Note to PB: We all hate resorting to aids, but who’d have thought reaching for a thesaurus could be so costly! You have my commiserations.
cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (–)*, and removals like this
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | MA + GRITTE |
| 5 | SCHNAPPS = “SNAPS” when said in a drunken fashion |
| 10 | RAPID – Dylan Mills is a rapper, so Dizzee Rascal is his Rap ID |
| 13 | LOSE FACE = (A + C) in (FEEL SO)* |
| 14 | WEIGHT-WATCHERS = WE + (TARGETS WHICH)* – a very natural surface |
| 16 | GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS – For those unfamiliar with Gillian McKeith, she is a Scottish nutritionist well-known for her tendency to assess peoples’ diets by analysing their bowel movements. |
| 19 | WATER ON THE BRAIN = (HEART WON’T BE)* + RAIN |
| 21 | EYELID = L in (DIE + YE) rev |
| 22 | W + HELM – ‘Whelm’ means to submerge, as in overwhelm presumably. My dictionary doesn’t list it as archaic, but I take it from the use of ‘Old’ that others do. |
| 23 | DISTORT = DIS (detectives) + TROT rev |
| 24 | POTHOLING – dd – literally putting holes in pots, and examing a sink which is a category of underground pothole. |
| 26 | RAVE + NOUS |
| 28 | EDUCATED = (C + ATE) in DUDE rev |
| 30 | TEN + ON |
| 32 | I KNOW = “AYE” + “NO” – at least that’s how I interpreted it. |
| 34 | TOOK PART = TOO (overly) + P (quiet) in KART (race vehicle) |
| 35 | ABSEILER = RELIES rev after (A + B |
| 37 | HE + YPRES + TO |
| 39 | ON PAPER = |
| 41 | ROCKS – dd |
| 43 | B(ELF + R)Y |
| 44 | TEAR ONE’S HAIR OUT – dd – ‘tress’ = hair, hence dis-tress = depilate, is something of an old chestnut |
| 46 | A BEAR OF VERY LITTLE BRAIN = (BEFORE BARE-ALL NATIVITY)* about R – Winnie-the-Pooh’s self-deprecating catchphrase which he used often in A. A. Milne‘s childrens books. |
| 49 | MARCO POLO SHEEP = (SPOOR HOPE CAMEL)* – I hadn’t heard of them, but when the Os started falling into place, there was little else it could be, although I was held up for a while by a mistake at 50d. |
| 51 | H(AM)ILTON |
| 52 | NO(S |
| 53 | RASHNESS = |
| 54 | OLIGARCH = OLGA RICH with the I moved to the centre (heart) of OLGA |
| Down | |
| 1 | M |
| 2 | GAS-BOTTLE = (BAG’S)* + OTT + L |
| 3 | INFANTRYMAN = INFANT (young) + RYAN (soldier, from Saving Private Ryan) about |
| 4 | T(AC)IT |
| 6 | CHEQUEBOOK DIPLOMACY – cd – ‘ready’ = money is another chestnutty synonym |
| 7 | NOG – a drink, as in eggnog. For GIN to be IN it needs NO G. |
| 8 | PIT + C + HAND + PUTT |
| 9 | SMARMIEST = SM (officer, Sergeant Major) + T |
| 10 | ROCK THE BOAT – dd – Put out Status Quo / 1974 disco hit (for Hues Corporation) – Status Quo were a rock band, and certainly never did disco! |
| 11 | PREPOSITIONAL = (APPLIES TO IN OR)* – Another wonderfully disguised surface |
| 12 | DE(S)IST |
| 15 | BRAHMS – I’m guessing this is BRAHAM’S without one of the As. Wikipedia offers three potential composers, one writer and an inventor with this name, all of whom could be considered to create things. I’ve not heard of any of them so I couldn’t say which is being referred to. Apparently it’s BRAHMA, the Hindu God of Creation. So there you go. Thanks to jackkt for that. |
| 17 | HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS = (HELP + TV RADIO RESEARCH)* |
| 18 | A + W(K + WARD)ISH |
| 20 | NO DOUBT = “NODE” (bump) + “OUT” (off) |
| 25 | GENE + ROS(IT)Y |
| 27 | VANDYKE BEARDS = S after (NAKED + VERY BAD)* |
| 29 | DEBORAH = HAD about ROBE all rev |
| 31 | TOP OF THE POPS – dd – ‘Christmas’ here is strictly superfluous, and only present for thematic surface resons. |
| 33 | WORD FOR WORD – dd |
| 36 | EAR-PIERCING – dd |
| 38 | SOYA FLOUR = (YOUR LOAF’S)* |
| 40 | P(R |
| 42 | CH(O)RIST + ER |
| 45 | PA + XMA |
| 47 | EM + AIL |
| 48 | INCH – dd – Island / move slowly |
| 50 | HEN – hidden, although I confidently put ENA at first, being a woman’s name, and only realised my mistake after puzzling over MARCO POLO HEPES for a while! |
Edited at 2013-01-06 09:15 am (UTC)
I had no idea who Dizzie Rascal is or Gillian McKeith and having researched them rather wish things had remained that way. I was also puzzled by 15D and even considered Abraham from Lincoln’s famous patent
I fully endorse the clues you have highlighted Dave with 35A particularly good. Thank you Anax.
Edited at 2013-01-06 10:01 am (UTC)
Less sure about 6dn. Ready money means cash. But “ready” or “the ready” has a rather more general usage it seems to me (and the ODO), of “available funds.” So I think it creeps in.
I wouldn’t know where to start picking a favourite clue. I liked 16ac, though the less said about the awful McKeith, the better
Good work, setter & blogger..
Also commiserations to poor Peter B, not Britain’s Brightest after all..