Within about 30 seconds of starting this I realised that it was themed, and my heart sank. I often find the clues in themed grids tend to be a little more strained and subsequently harder to get my head around. But actually, if anything, the theme helped me in the solve especially since I spotted the Nina quite early on with only half the letters for it in place. So this gave me quite a few useful extra checking letters.
For those of you out there unfamiliar with Ninas – they are letter patterns hidden within the grid which spell out words or phrases when put together in the right way. Today’s can be spotted by taking the unconnected letters from rows 2 & 14 and putting them together to make a phrase that sums up the common theme running through a lot of the clues.
Overall, a good fun crossword. Some of the wordplay may be a little strained, but only slightly, and it doesn’t detract from the puzzle.
cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (–)*, and removals like this
Across | |
---|---|
1 | deliberately omitted – a nice easy starter |
5 | E + S(C |
9 | WHITE + LIE |
10 | T(OWN)IE – To ‘tie the knot’ is to get married |
11 | SEVER + |
12 | TEST + CASE |
14 | OUT + MAN + OEUVRE – My dictionary lists ‘to outwit’ amongst the many and varied definitions for ‘dish’, so a good clue. |
17 | WEDDING MARCH – Mendelssohn composed the famous tune as incidental music to accompany Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. |
20 | MIGRATES = |
22 | WOO + FE + R |
23 | DI + SOWN – There are two references to the Princess Diana today, and they rather neatly cross each other. |
25 | ARM(C + AND)Y |
26 | ANT + ELOPE |
27 | NOODLE = (LONDO |
Down | |
2 | AWHEEL = A + W + “HE’LL” |
3 | TITLE-HOLDER – dd |
4 | ELLINGTON = WELLINGTON without the W |
5 | ELECT + RA – Princess Electra was the daughter of King Agamemnon in Greek mythology. |
6 | CITES – breaks down as CS (gas) about I (second in |
7 | RAW + “ROAR” |
8 | EMISSARY = MISS (girl yet to meet husband) in EARLY (too soon) without the L |
13 | COUCH POTATO = CO + (UP TO CHAT)* + O |
15 | OARSWOMAN – cd – although the ‘young’ seems a little superfluous. |
16 | M + ER + I + DIAN |
18 | MISTAKE – I think this is suggesting that MIS-TAKE = (TAKE)* = KATE, but it seems a touch strained for the purposes of the theme to me. |
19 | MEN + DE |
21 | hidden |
24 | ONE – dd – Posh people might use it instead of I. |
Now ‘meridian’, I assumed was some sort of astronomical reference. There is a town in Mississippi call ‘Meridian Station’, but we have to draw the obscurity line somewhere.
I am also not sure about calling ‘Electra’ a titled lady, since the Greeks did not use formal titles as we do in English. That had to be it, though.
On reflection, I take the E in ESCORTED to refer to the direction or quarter (east), ‘though that didn’t do me much god at the time as I bunged in ‘escorter’. COD to the ruminant: so trickily clued that it proved harder to get than all the more obscure versions that form a staple of Times crosswords.
As a bit of light relief, here’s Rowan Atkinson as the hi-fi salesman from hell offering Mel Smith woofers and tweeters.
The others I didn’t get without cheating were ESCORTED, OARSWOMAN (why ‘young’, indeed?) and EMISSARY. Guessed MENDEL but didn’t see the reference or that DEAL = “board”. Missed the Nina.
To be honest I just about lost interest after grinding to a halt because I felt the setter was overstretching things to fit the theme and was not playing entirely fair.
and i thought that the clues were strained….
Mistake being a prime example!
30 minutes
No CoD, I think, just respect for an all round piece of cleverness. Off to watch the real thing.
I can see one anonymous contribution confirming that MERIDIAN is a TV station, which is correct. Others may already have confirmed that.
Good to see the Times joining in the general fun with a very enjoyable puzzle. Let’s hope the day goes well for everbody
I have to say that I didnt even see the nina until I came on here, and this would definitely have helped solve the downs in the NE corner a little quicker.
My one question would be why “pay” in 22A. Is “pay court” a form of court?
Conrad
jfr
By the way, martinfred, don’t waste too much time looking for Ninas here – it’s only about the 10th one they’ve had in the last 5 years or so! If you want to look out for Ninas, try the Concise, where there’s one to be found 3-4 times a week.
I’ve added this entry to the Memories section under “Themes and Ninas”
WELUMNEVE?????
If it doesn’t read intelligibly, you must have some incorrect solutions in your completed grid.
A Nina is a hidden message.
Of course this theme was to have been expected yesterday, but it ruined my attempt to avoid the R***L W*****G entirely. Among the women in the house (wife, British neighbour, German mother-in-law) there was no other topic of conversation, and the puzzle was to have been my respite!
Settling in tonight to catch up on my crosswords, I feel like I’ve been ambushed. As, no doubt, did Osama.
Still, all correct in 48 minutes, and managed to avoid throwing up, so no real cause for complaint.