Solving time : I resorted to aids (Chambers and Bradfords) after 35 minutes to get the last few, so 41 cheating minutes.
I found this one tough. Really tough. On a first scan through the acrosses, I only had three, and after a first go through the downs, I got another 5. It was a steady slog from there, I don’t think there were any really unfair clues, but this setter and I are not on the same wavelength. I ended up having to look up a few (I’ll tell you which in the blog), so in the end this feels more like a Mephisto solve to me than a Times.
If you need more laughs at my expense, check out George vs the Listener Crossword, to be updated tomorrow.
Across | |
---|---|
1 | TOWN CRIER: OWN,CR(=private credit) in TIER(=bank). The first clue to go in, but the last for a whiel |
9 | LEAD,KINDLY,LIGHT: Figured out word by word from wordplay (had LIGHT from checking letters, then LEAD, KINDLY was the last to fall into place. Hymn by John Henry Newman, 1833 |
10 | DISOWN: 1S in DOWN(=blue). Kind of a giveaway with the blue and bottles separated by a space, denying a Goon Show reference |
13 | SPOILS,PORT: surface reads better as “left with prize” rather than “prize and left” |
14 | BOA,(ha)Z(el): Boaz is Ruth’s (eventual) husband in the Book of Ruth. I didn’t know this, but the wordplay makes it easy enough |
16 | IN,RO: sounds like INN,ROE. Mephisto fans rejoice – remember when it showed up in consecutive crosswords? |
17 | DERAILLEUR: A,ILL in (RUE,RED)<=. I wanted to put the name of a brightly-coloured coat in here, but it’s the cycling gear that is the definition. It’s the gadget that switches your chain from level to level when changing gears |
20 | MATINS: MATING with the G changed for S |
22 | NO,SPRING,CHICKEN: (KINGSHIP,CONCERN)* – I didn’t get this until I got the checking K from 7d |
24 | SANDY: a nickname for ALEXANDER (Graham Bell) and the last entry to go in after a visit to Chambers |
 | |
Down | |
1 | TI(L)ED: the first of the downs to go in |
2 | WHAT’S,YOUR,POISON: (TWO,HOURS’,PAY) – I particularly liked having the apostrophe there to be a part of the anagram |
4 | (fr)I(nt)O(no)N(se)A: I liked the “couples going” to indicate every third letter |
5 | RELIEF,ROAD: Another Mephisto-like clue. RE, then (ORFE)<= in DAIL<=, DAIL being the Irish parliament and DIET being the Japanese. Yikes! |
6 | CELERY: sticks for dipping |
7 | LEG BEFORE WICKET: cricket cryptic definition |
8 | COTE,D’AZUR: Z(=unknown) in (EDUCATOR)* |
12 | A,P(PEA)RANCE: I was looking for a vegetable for the answer for a long time |
15 | BLOATING: Had to look this up to get the definition – bloating is also curing (as in smoking) fish |
18 | T,HORNY: made me crack a, umm, smile |
21 | SYNOD: Y in DONS<=. Two smutty clues in a row, way to go |
22 | ECHO: The letter after N in GUINEA is E, which is ECHO in radio speak. |
I worked out 24 eventually (are we sure it’s quite fair?) and guessed 14 wrongly, never having heard of BOAZ, or perhaps I have just forgotten him.
6D seems a bit dodgy to me too.
Other than that it was an entertaining puzzle and 5D is my COD. I’ve little doubt which one Anax will nominate.
But just wanted to jump in and thank Jimbo for the compliment; this is a tough puzzle and there’s some nice innuendo at work – but it’s not one of mine. It’s encouraging, though – the first Times COD bonus puzzle appeared there because I thought it perhaps slightly too fruity for the Times. I think I’ve just learned differently!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,368560,00.html
I don’t know whether INNS would pass in the championship. I’ve never yet come up with an alternative answer there that felt good enough to argue about. (And I’ve only known of one accepted alternative, which happened the very first time I entered, back in 1989 – HATTIE for HATPIN, for which the clue referred to Harriet I think (dimunitive: Hat or Hattie).
Me with a horrible hangover at a statue of a llama at Saltaire
Some off-topic info – I think I recently read that the local residents are now up in arms that the old-style level crossing (which stands at the entrance to the town and is viewed by them as the same as a national frontier) may well be removed. So it’s just possible that Frinton may become reconnected to the UK in a few years.
4D very nearly got my COD vote (Frinton-on-Sea is a terrific spot) but I agree “where” puts some strain on finding the right type of location and PB’s interpretation seems quite valid.
18 & 21? OK guys, I admit, they came close! But I’m going for 2; a friend of mine did p/t work at a pub while at university and the pay was rubbish – this clue sums it up rather nicely.
TS
Agree that 6 was iffy (I bloody hate celery anyway so may be prejudiced) and would have expected 8 to me marked as (4,1’4) rather than (4,5).
Of the two smutty clues my vote goes to 21. The thought of a bunch of clerics pinching ladies’ bottoms is rather amusing.
In addition I put in Inns – which still looks ok to me
JohnPMarshall
However, never felt it was an unfair challenge and when the final 18 down went in, I did smile with more than usual satisfaction.
I was intrigued to see that Peter had put INNS for 4D. I put in IONA myself, but thought it was a rather poor answer and might have been tempted by INNS if I’d thought of it. (I have stayed at Frinton once, but since Janet and I were performing at the Walton Folk Festival with the Reading Traditional Step Dance Group (aka Reading Cloggies) and Walton has plenty of pubs, we weren’t unduly troubled by their absence from Frinton.)
I’ll go for 24A (SANDY) as my COD for the pleasure it gave me when the penny finally dropped – with 22D (ECHO) as the runner-up for the same reason.
My LOI was the prickly lover at 18d. Perhaps like others I did not expect to see the H-word appear in a Times. I don’t have a problem with it though.
With one of the “easies”, at 3d, I am only familiar with the word from the Claude Debussy piano piece – part of his “Children’s Corner” suite of 6. For PC reasons we are discouraged these days from using its full title. I note that the title of one of the other pieces is “Jimbo’s Lullaby” – about a Sudanese Elephant. This title is not a reference to our friend from Dorset but due to the apparent inability of the Parisian French to pronounce Jumbo. Zut alors.
There are half a dozen on the bench in this blog:
6a Visiting cliniC I LOCate back pain (5)
COLIC. The condition many of us may have had but do not remember.
11a Ally with (brief)* works to complete (8)
BEFRI END
19a Stories about fine chap call for attention (4,4)
LO OK HE RE
25a Put on stretcher, (not a ledge)* when wounded (9)
ELONGATED. Not a washing-up rack Cardinal Biggles!
3d One’s certainly not trying exercies after pudding (8)
CAKE WALK
13d Overlook tracks made by these vehicles? (3,6)
SKIP LANES. I found this tough as I don’t think of aircraft as vehicles.