Sunday Times 4524 (10 Feb 2013) by Dean Mayer

Author   daveperryPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time: 53:58

A typically clever offering from Dean this week. He rarely disappoints when it’s his turn. There were a couple of good &lits at 2 & 11, with 11 being so good that I’ll give it my COD. I thought 7, 15, 22 (my FOI) & 23 (my LOI) were all good too, and 20 made me chuckle.

An unusual grid that I don’t recall seeing before with three 15 letters words going down and two 14 letter words going across. I generally like the long ones, so I approve of that.

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

Across
1 ASLEEP = PEEL (skin) + SA (it – sex appeal) all rev
5 APPOSITE = APP SITE (Online Android resource) about O – material as in relevant
9 NUMEROLOGY – cd
10 EDDY – hidden – Mary Baker Eddy founded the Christian Science religion in 1879. I hadn’t heard of her, but the hidden word was still quite simple to spot.
11 BATHING MACHINE = THING (contrivance) + MA (old lady) all in (IN BEACH)* – an excellent &lit
13 BECOME – dd
14 HEDONIST = HEIST (Rip off) about DON (put on)
16 TRAI(NO + I)L
18 S(LOP)PY
20 DOUBLE ENTENDRE – cd – Ooh, Matron!
21 PI + TA
22 WASHATERIA = WAS HATER (couldn’t stand) + AI (top) rev
23 SHIN BEEF = (HIS)* + NB + FEE rev – ‘cut’ is the definition, ‘plastic’ the anagrind
24 PAMPERo
Down
2 S + TUMBLE – very concise &lit
3 ELECTRONIC BRAIN = (CORRECTABLE IN)* + IN
4 PROFITEROLE = PROFITER (bread maker, i.e. someone who profits) + OLE (Bravo!)
5 ALONG THE LINES OF = (SELF-LOATHING ONE)*
6 P + A + Y
7 STEPHEN SONDHEIM = (PENSMITH HE’S DONE)* – Not sure that pensmith is actually a word, but a good clue nonetheless
8 T(ID)INGS
12 A(IDE)S + DECAMP
13 BUT = TUB rev
15 TRY = T (time) + RY (lines) – a bit sneaky concatenating time and lines into one word
17 ROOK (man in the corner) + IS + H – ‘after a bird’ is the definition
19 PUERILE = “PURE ISLE”
22 Write + YE

13 comments on “Sunday Times 4524 (10 Feb 2013) by Dean Mayer”

  1. …but somehow I made it. Am I to understand that Jamaicans don’t pronounce th’s? It’s been a long time since I’ve heard one (Jamaican, not th). I was slowed down (well, everywhere; I mean, 73′; but for instance) at 14ac, since for me a heist is a robbery, while a ripoff is a swindle or cheat, or theft. Not to mention that a hedonist is not the same thing as a pagan. COD to 11ac. Christian Science and Mormonism: two of the goofiest religions you can find, and both products of the US of A.
  2. Please explain the def.and wordplay for this answer.
    I don’t understand Dave’s comment:
    Ooh, Matron!

    Barbara

    2. A double entendre is a phrase that can be interpreted in an alternative (generally saucy) way. To ‘give someone one’ can be used a slang term for having sex with them, so the ‘I’ll give you one’ in the clue is itself a double entendre and therefore an example of the answer as the clue states. Hence the cryptic definition. My comment was a sidelong reference to the ‘Carry On…’ series of saucy films that were prevalent in the UK during the 1960s and 70s which were practically built around these double entendres.
  3. Resorted to aids at an hour with 5ac and 9ac unsolved. Should have got APPOSITE and might have come up with NUMEROLOGY as a word that fitted but without ever understanding why it was the answer.

    I agree with Kevin’s comments about ‘heist’ and ‘pagan’ both of which I had noted down as queries. DK the Christian Scientist either and was quite pleased about that.

    Great fun; hard work.

  4. I just love these Anax puzzles which are both challenging and entertaining. Had the same problems with 14A as others but easy enough from checkers and definition. 11A is a real cracker and 20A made me laugh out loud.

    Watching NCIS the other night I was presented with the Anax Principle which turned out to involve genetically engineered insects. Are there no limits to Dean’s talents?

  5. A tough one but enjoyable nonetheless (I also liked 11A). I couldn’t bring myself to believe that WYE was a word, despite the wordplay – it’s a tad depressing to get a 3-letter answer wrong where 2 of the letters are checked …
  6. Another gem from Anax.
    14ac does seem to stretch the boundaries, somewhat. Acting as devil’s advocate, I would say that heist is indeed a noun meaning robbery, but it is also a verb meaning to steal. ODO says: verb (North American) to steal: “he heisted a Pontiac.”. So since rip-off can also mean steal, we have a match. (He is just trying to rip-off my design”)
    As for pagan, pagan can mean sunworshipper (ODO: …beliefs or practices from outside the main world religions, especially nature worship.) as can hedonism. I’m not sure I find that one quite satisfactory, but they certainly aren’t far apart.
    1. When I see the Mayer byline I take it as a sign to relax and enjoy. 35 minutes – a 2cuppa. As a US-based solver I agree with Kevin on heist as robbery rather than rip-off (and this side of the pond I’ve never heard or seen it used as a verb other than in the dictionary). Having recently bought a book of Telegraph Toughies to while away the longueurs of Heathrow I find that I don’t in the least mind a bit of looser cluing as long as it’s fair.
      Is your back better Jerry?
      1. I think Dean is the best there is, at present, but I am careful never to say so for fear he will get big-headed.
        I also don’t at all mind “looser” clueing. After all, 14ac wasn’t a difficult clue.
        My back is very much better thank you Olivia. It has now reached the “Stiff, but not painful, just keep doing the exercises and everything will be OK” stage. Maybe this time, I will keep doing them.

        1. As someone with annoying vertebra problems, let me echo what I’m sure your doctor told you: keep doing the exercises!
  7. 42 minutes. Another most enjoyable puzzle – as usual from this setter. Never heard of ROOKISH or PAMPERO before but in each case the answer was fairly obvious. It’s typical of the deviousness of Dean Mayer to clue WYE without using the river! Ann

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