T4TT 10th Anniversary Crossword – the hard one!

Author   linxitPosted on Categories Announcement
This was an amazingly hard puzzle, especially for me as I biffed in a few incorrect answers near the start. For example the hidden word ESCROW in 12ac (I thought may be in some cases it could mean ratify), BLOG for 18ac (thought I’d figure it out later) and CHOCOLATE as the first word of 5dn. Needless to say I didn’t get very far with it on the day. There was one table at the party consisting of Verlaine, Pete Biddlecombe and two or three other setters and crossword editors who eventually managed to complete it between them!

So, time to reveal our mystery tormentor – it was John Henderson (aka Enigmatist in the Guardian, editor of the Inquisitor puzzle in the Independent and also an occasional Times setter). I hope you all spotted the Nina of TIMES FOR THE TIMES appearing twice along the diagonals, radiating away from the central T. It was spotting that that helped me to complete the puzzle, as it gave me quite a few extra letters.

Across
1 Verse right-hand man, primarily in positive feedback? (6)
RHYMES – RH (right-hand) + M(an) inside YES (positive feedback).
5 Teeth maybe white and sparkling, this’ll help celebrate (8)
CHAMPERS – double definition, the second suitable for the occasion!
9 Burning rage accompanying twisting of zip (5).
AFIRE – IRE (rage) next to FA (zip, nothing) reversed.
10 Any number in a concert requiring a new… Flute? (5-3)
APRON-MAN – N (any number) inside A PROM (concert) + A + N(ew). Francis Flute is one of the Mechanicals in A Midsummer-Night’s Dream, and a bellows-mender by trade. The solution is a Shakespearean word for a workman.
11 In a little time cutting across face of mosquitoes? (8)
DIPTERAL – PER (a) around T (little time), all inside DIAL (face).
12 Ratify part of Ashes crowd? (6)
ATTEST – i.e. AT TEST.
13 Regular exercises outside a hospital are dedicated (4,5)
KEEP FAITH – KEEP-FIT (regular exercises) around A, plus H(ospital).
15 Contents of shotgun chamber that you probably don’t want to see doubled (4)
UNCH – hidden in shotgun chamber. Not a real word obviously, but very familiar to this puzzle’s target audience!
18 T4TT, maybe, is turning ten (not quite, as I write) (4)
SITE – IS reversed + TE(n), with a nice thematic surface reading.
19 Dusty family items – one left in attic perhaps she’s ill-disposed to keep (9)
HEIRLOOMS – I (one) + L(eft) inside ROOM (attic perhaps), all inside (she)*.
21 Some court action: fate’s sealed by member of twin-pair (6)
PELOTA – LOT (fate) inside PEA (member of twin-pair – as in “like two peas in a pod”).
23 Luckless rider may be wanting more earth filling (8)
UNSEATED – UNSATED (wanting more) around E(arth).
25 Part of repertoire of wrestling wizards not using top holds master (8)
ARMLOCKS – (w)ARLOCKS (wizards not using top) around M(aster).
26 On the top of piercing key (5)
ALOFT – OF inside ALT (a key on a computer keyboard).
27 Place of debauchery seen working beyond Republican compounds (8)
STYRENES – STY (place of debauchery) + (seen)* after R(epublican).
28 See revolutionary network subduing “Shape of The Day” with ecstasy (6)
EXETER – RETE (network) reversed around X (Cross, our thematic Shape of the Day) + E(cstasy).

Down
2 Head from sea horse in America conceals evidence of age (9)
HOARINESS – (Sea, horse in America)*. [Actually, JH has informed that he’d never use “conceals” as an anagram indicator, and the actual parsing is (m)ARINE (head from sea) inside HOSS (horse in America). The fact that my parsing would work otherwise is entirely unintentional and a huge coincidence.]
3 Tearful second, and the one ahead (5)
MOIST – MO (second) + 1ST (what comes ahead of second).
4 Isn’t peeled eating apple casting in The Deer Hunter? (8)
SPEARMAN – (i)SN(‘t) around PEARMA(in) (apple minus IN).
5 Choices for sweet puzzle setters – Sun, rather than Independent – in daily draws (9,6)
CHARLOTTE RUSSES – CHAR (daily) + LOTTERIES (draws), with the I (for Independent) replaced by US (puzzle setters), S(un). Great wordplay, but I’m pretty sure the plural should be CHARLOTTES RUSSES!
6 Vessels carrying vital stuff advanced gold to Scots (6)
AORTAE – A(dvanced) + OR (gold) + TAE (Scots for “to”).
7 Blame upset over dump holding out (3,2,4)
PIN IT ONTO – O(ver) + TIP (dump) around NOT IN (out), all reversed.
8 Much ahead of noon kept in reserve (5)
REAMS – AM (ahead of noon) inside RES(erve).
14 Pilot officer’s consumption on vessel making hack work (9)
POTBOILER – PO (Pilot Officer) + TB (consumption) + OILER (vessel).
16 Basic problem at home wounded me right through the heart (6-3)
HAMMER-TOE – (at home)* around ME, R(ight).
17 Right to interrupt Mars broadcast on top power struggle? (4,4)
ARMS RACE – R(ight) inside (Mars)* + ACE (top).
20 When cycling, discharge a signal heard by laptop user (6)
EARCON – ARC (discharge) + ONE (a), cycled so the last letter goes to the front. You may not have come across this word for an audible indicator on a computer – a pun on ICON as a visual indicator.
22 Bird hunter gets nets up (5)
EGRET – hidden reversed in “hunter gets”.
24 Series of symposia so nearly in unison (2,3)
AS ONE – hidden in “symposia so nearly”.

13 comments on “T4TT 10th Anniversary Crossword – the hard one!”

  1. Yup – this was the one the New Yorkers simply could not get. I found it on a word search when I got home but parse it I could not. I think we spent a solid half hour to 40 minutes struggling and then began comparing notes. By then more beverages were definitely called for and the thought of food beckoned. By the time we were done for the day we’d cracked all but 20d. We also had chocolate mousse for a while and when we got to Charlotte it was Vinyl who unravelled it – I was stuck. We weren’t convinced that a sty was exactly a place of debauchery but that’s a quibble. Terrific puzzle! P.S The Isla blog will be ready when I’ve had a bath and breakfast. P.P.S. The Nina sailed right over my head.

    Edited at 2015-12-12 11:17 am (UTC)

  2. …beaten by this. Couldn’t get EARCON (with NY), or SPEARMAN (had the SN but didn’t know PEARMAIN) or DIPTERAL (gettable, but gave up) or ARMLOCKS (ditto). Finished it with a word-finder.
    And didn’t see the Ninas. Should have – they’re what made the other crossword have a 1.1.1.1. solution, not previously seen.
    But enjoyed this, nevertheless, even though thinking it was a bit loose for a “Times” crossword.
    Do I remember John Henderson as setting a themed crossword in “The Times” a few years back when he got married?
    Yours in tingling anticipation for the other blog,
    Rob
    1. Rob, I just unspammed your comment. I’ve a feeling LiveJournal saw your 4 digits with full-stops between them as a dodgy IP address!
  3. I had a bit of a look at this, got a few, then decided to leave it. I’m glad I did. Looking through your blog, Andy, I’d say this was perfectly pitched for group-solving on the day, not so much fun to slog through on your own. I’m glad you all had something to get those booze-sodden brain cells working hard! Well done, John H.
    1. Well said, Sotira. I slogged through it doggedly but after an hour I had only completed the RH side (minus the long 5D) and three answers in NW corner. I’m sure it was enjoyable for those there on the day, but it didn’t seem to have much to do with the TftT level of puzzle that I’m used to and love. More the sort of thing to be handed round in the pub after the Championship finals.

      Edited at 2015-12-12 02:03 pm (UTC)

  4. I find JH’s style sufficiently singular that I knew it was one of his, and hence was filled with a sense of foreboding, after about half a dozen clues. A toughie that took quite a while and as always there was some definite satisfaction in filling in the last few squares (LOI DIPTERAL). APRON-MAN from wordplay only. EARCON came up in a Mephisto about a year ago and stuck in my mind because in 20 years of working with computers I’d never heard of it. Didn’t look for a Nina, so apologies to the setter for not appreciating (at the time) the final flourish!

    Thanks JH and Andy, and sorry to have missed the London gathering.

  5. A real tour de force based around the centrepiece, which of course I totally missed. I spotted John’s name on the webpage where the crossword was placed and so, based on previous experience of his Guardian puzzles and the tasks he set us at the do in London held when I was over in London three years ago, I was fearful I wouldn’t get very far. As it turned out, my solving experience was almost the same as Jack’s, with the right-hand side going in quite smoothly – over three or four days – and the left-hand requiring a solver or Andy’s excellent blog.

    In terms of individual clues, I’m not sure I have come across ‘conceals’ as an anagram indicator, and not sure I’m mad keen on it, and think the dessert clue is exceptional. Even if the ‘correct’ styling is as Andy gives it, I’m not sure anyone but a pedant would use it (sorry, Andy!), and feel that it is the type of foreign expression where usage would anyway prompt the dictionaries to include it as an alternative spelling, if they have not already done so.

    1. Re 2D – you’re entirely right about “conceals” as an anagram indicator – see John’s correction above.

      5D – so I’m a pedant, and wouldn’t deny it. I loved the clue even so.

      1. Well, I got neither parsing but I spotted the problem – the editor in me coming out…

        We’re all pedants, but in different ways, I rather suspect, after five years on this board!

  6. Didn’t spot the Nina at all – did anyone else in our group? I think it’s already been well established that between us we were very, very drunk.

    I was pretty sure it was John Henderson’s work at an early stage, though in fairness I often jump to that conclusion quite unjustly, when a puzzle is giving me more trouble than usual!

  7. I got this done eventually, but crikey was it hard! Rather like verlaine I suspected the hand of John Henderson for that reason alone.
    The French would certainly put an S at the end of both words at 5dn, but this is an English puzzle for English people and contrary to the belief of misguided Latinist grammar pedants down the ages there’s no rule requiring the structure of the original language to survive anglicisation.

    Edited at 2015-12-13 07:38 pm (UTC)

  8. Not a pleasant experience. Definitely DNF. In fact I was nowhere near finishing. I agree with Sotira that it lent itself to a group solve. The Deer Hunter = SPEARMAN? I don’t understand that even now.
  9. Well blogged Andy. I also had this marked down as a JH production on account of the degree of difficulty. In real life he may be one of the most welcoming coves you could ever wish to meet but as a setter he’s an awkward sod. I gave up with a small handful missing and failed to see the Nina.

    Thanks both.

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