Solving Time: 40 minutes
It all began well in the NW, with some well constructed but straightforward clues (“beginner’s delight” I was thinking) but then just as quickly turned into something completely different; requiring my undivided attention. Unfortunately, the latter was split into at least three at the time. There were some novel, clever and witty clues I thought and two which I can’t properly explain.
Across |
1 |
(DEMAND SHOWN)* = HAND-ME-DOWNS, straightforward but well crafted. |
7 |
ASH, a double definition, the day after Mardi Gras being Ash Wednesday, with the question mark alerting the solver to the omission of Wednesday. |
9 |
NONPAREIL = (IRON PANEL)*. Another straightforward but well crafted anagram |
10 |
P[Recite]OEM = PROEM, a preface. Thrown in more in hope than with any degree of certainty; I’ve never come across the term before. It’s from the Old French, via Latin and originally Greek (you can see why I’m at a disadvantage) meaning “before song”, a counting in technique typified by John Lennon at the very beginning of Give Peace a Chance. |
11 |
QUAcKERS = QUAKERS, the Religious Society of Friends founded by George Fox. Write that name down on a piece of paper. For those not immersed in American television, Chandler Bing is a character in the sitcom Friends. |
12 |
SOLIDUS = SOUS (more old coins) if you remove the LID. A nice reverse inclusion device. |
13 |
The resting actor might seek A PART = APART |
15 |
UNDERWEAR = UNDER WEAR, combinations being a combination either of a chemise and drawers (now popularly a teddy) or a vest (singlet) and long johns (now not popular, although see thermal underwear). |
17 |
(SHE DUG THE)* = TED HUGHES, Poet Laureate, author of “Flowers and Insects”. The “she” in question would be Sylvia Plath; some maintain the converse was true. |
19 |
PILOT, a cryptic definition. |
20 |
RICKY, for boy, outside ETon = RICKETY |
22 |
RAFFISH = F for female, (IF)reversed for provided backing all inside RASH for outbreak. One of my favourite words, well constructed. |
24 |
E for English, DI for detective inspector + CT for court = EDICT |
25 |
AFFLICTION = (FACT IF LED)* |
27 |
Deliberately omitted. Asking may reveal the answer. |
28 |
NON-EXISTENT = STEN for gun inside aNON (for soon heading off) next to EXIT (for leave the stage). Except how does “being held,” indicate the required inclusion? |
Down |
1 |
Here And Now = HAN. Are the linked HANs a setter’s trademark? |
2 |
NINJA = curtaiN IN JApan. My nephews, not having grown up with Shintaro, insisted on calling them “The Engine Turtles”. |
3 |
MEANEST is the ultimate in shabbiness, yes. I’ve absolutely no idea who Arthur is. It’s also ES for (thou) art in MEANT. I’m still clueless. |
4 |
SPEED inverted + OUT for blooming + H for hot = DEEP SOUTH |
5 |
WALES = W for with + dALES |
6 |
SUPPLER = SUPPLiER |
7 |
A GOOD DEAL = (ADO + AGE-OLD)*. Another cracking anagram, perhaps my favourite clue today. |
8 |
HOME STRETCH, a double definition, the second tongue in cheek. |
11 |
QUARTERDECK, Double definition, the first cryptic, the second a reference to an old sea-going tradition of uncertain origin, at least to the author of this web page. |
14 |
ADDICTION = A [arounD] DICTION |
16 |
DESERT for leave + FOX (see 11ac) = DESERT FOX, Rommel’s nom de guerre |
18 |
trousseaU + NEATEN for groom = UNEATEN |
19 |
PUFFINS = UP reversed + F for fine + FINS for bits of fish. The small miracles of fluid mechanics. |
21 |
YARN for story about lonesomE = YEARN |
23 |
THISTLE without the T and H of “the” = ISTLE, a plant fibre known only to crossword compilers and solvers. |
26 |
Deliberately omitted. This one has been around since the beginning of time. |
Didn’t need to know Fox to get his clues (but tucked away for later, more fiendish inclusion); ISTLE from the wordplay, generating images of Eeyore. COD to QUARTERDECK for its elegance and for holding me up for some time by derailing me into ‘heart’.
As for the grammar of being held, “There was, gun being held, a holster” doesn’t make a lot of sense to me even if “There was a holster, gun being held” might just about survive the omission of “with”. I can’t think of a convincing example which doesn’t require “in” or “by” after “held”. Anybody?
This is what I call a lively puzzle with lots of quirky clues and references. Great fun to solve.
I was also delayed by a wrong spelling for ‘stretch’, making ‘pilot impossible, only seen very late.
We had ‘solidus’ before, in a Monday puzzle I blogged. Several solvers complained about it.
Pietersen Surrey saga (for cricket fans only):
KP now has just one more opportunity to achieve a first-class whole number average for Surrey. I note that the batter left out to accommodate KP scored a century in each innings of the 2nd XI match played simultaneous to that where KP managed 0 and 1. I fear for England down under.
At 28, the answer to kororareka’s question can only be “rather loosely” – If you heard a sentence like “Passport being held, Peter approached the check-in desk”, you would understand it but probably conclude that the speaker’s first language was not English. Unless of course someone can offer a more convincing example.
Elsewhere there were some very nicely done clues – I liked all od 1A, 17, 24, 4, 19 (which I think qualifies as an &lit/all-in-one), and 26 a 7, so to speak.
I’m more convinced by your passport example than anything I could come up with, but there is a certain clumsiness.
sidey
CoD to QUARTERDECK, such a neat clue.
A few notes: the SOUS (12ac) are interesting, since “sou” derives from OF “sout” which, itself, derives from “solidus”. And while we’re on the subject, can radio announcers (etc.) please use this word instead of “slash” (which has a very different meaning in my home dialect).
A pangram minus B, V & Z; for which I have the usual remedy, but won’t bother everyone with it this time. You might have some extra fun working that out. Or maybe not.
A neat puzzle that would serve beginners well. The “gun being held” construction almost certainly betrays a classical education.
Clue of the Day: 21dn (YEARN).
Proem, solidus and istle were all new, I entered raffish, non-existent and addiction without bothering to unravel full wordplay.
32 minutes!
Both 11a and 11d get my COD vote.
Tom B.
Rob