Solving time : 15:56 – relieved to have it all correct, but frustrated along the way by the online puzzle hanging for a while, and then there being two clues catenated for 17 down. I thought it was one long complicated clue and was wondering if something like ALGIL EGIA was a thing.
There’s still two I don’t quite understand when coming to write up the blog, I think I know what is going on with 7 down, but I suspect 5 down, which went in on enumeration and thinking it was a plausible answer for one half of the clue.
I’m on the road most of the day tomorrow, so any flubs I make will take a while to be corrected – you might want to check the comments if you have disagreements.
Away we go…
Across | |
---|---|
1 | PAGODA: the old man being worshipped could be a PA GOD, then A |
4 | ANGSTROM: R in (AMONGST)* |
10 | CLOSE DOWN: C |
11 | ADIOS: I in SODA reversed |
12 | ERA: hidden in firttER Away |
13 | BAKED,ALASKA |
14 | EDISON: NO SIDE reversed |
16 | YARDAGE: EGAD,RAY all reversed |
19 | AEROBIC: (COBRA,I.E.)* |
20 | WASH UP: H in WAS UP (so now down) |
22 | SPEND A PENNY: go being the lavatorial sense |
25 | LIP: double definition |
26 | TIGHT: double definition (one being drunk) |
27 | TWEENAGER: WEE,N |
28 | TEN,DRIL |
29 | ISRAEL: take the sides off of DISRAELI |
Down | |
1 | POCKET: double definition – the other one referring to snooker/pool |
2 | GOOSANDER: 0,OS in GANDER |
3 | DWEEB: D |
5 | NINE DAYS’ WONDER: aaah – Google to the rescue, she was only queen for nine days |
6 | SMALL ARMS: MALLARM |
7 | RE,INS: got this from the definition (after much agonizing) – INS can refer to Inerial Navigation System which can be used to control the movement of ships Edit: as pointed out in comments, it’s also a term for kidneys… though I rather like my convoluted wordplay suggestion so I’m keeping it here |
8 | MUSCADET: SUM reversed, then CADET |
9 | WORKING CAPITAL: ROW reversed, then KING, CAPITAL(initial) |
15 | SUBEDITOR: BED in SUITOR |
17 | ACQUILEGIA: LEG in two I’s in AQUA |
18 | MARSH TIT: T in MARS HIT |
21 | SPIRAL: (PARIS)*, |
23 | ELGIN: G in NILE reversed |
24 | YONKS: YON, then KISS without IS |
Wondered why Lady Jane was “amazing” — but it’s probably just an indication for WONDER.
Yep, I tried a (5,4) at 17dn until I saw what was going on. If I’m right, it’s the second time this has happened under the new regime.
Edited at 2014-05-22 05:27 am (UTC)
Up to that point, a rather enjoyable romp, even allowing for the second excursion in a week for TWEENAGER. Quoting myself from the forum, that’s a word that “shouldn’t exist in any self-respecting vocabulary”.
AQUILEGIA constructed entirely from the cryptic – glad to see it exists and indeed that it’s one I’ve actually seen. Next time, I’ll call it by name.
Edited at 2014-05-22 06:55 am (UTC)
I plumped for ‘rains’ (despite being able to speak French), without really knowing why, and in my haste to complete in under 30mins (my target), I submitted without filling in MARSH TIT. That would’ve taken me over, but I guess I would’ve probably got it in the end…
Had yarrafa (momble) as an unfamiliar mild expletive at 16a until I got MUSCADET. Might adopt it…
The clueing for AQUILIEGIA was so clear that I assumed the ed’s comment and incorrect (and additional) enumeration was an oversight, and moved swiftly on.
That aside, this was a rather good puzzle with clever cluing such as 15dn and 20ac, both of which gave me pause for thought although the literal answers were pretty obvious. I didn’t know TWEENAGER a week ago but it came up somewhere only the other day.
I didn’t spend much time considering 7dn as the error already mentioned led me not to trust the clue necessarily to be correct. Given the checkers, “water/regulators” had to be RAINS or REINS so I plumped for the latter.
Edited at 2014-05-22 06:09 am (UTC)
Other than that, and the error in 17dn, I liked this puzzle a lot. Not much that could just be bunged in from definition, and a nice variety of references, with Lady Jane Grey, ANGSTROM, AQUILEGIA, DWEEB and YONKS in the same puzzle.
Agonised over REINS, of course, but finally assumed it was some equestrian joke beyond my ken and bunged it in. Otherwise, all understood and enjoyed.
I’m reading the late Leo Marks’ Between Silk and Cyanide and have just reached the part where he’s putting on a show of dimness by ostentatiously struggling to solve a single clue in The Times crossword. “I asked for their help with one across, ‘just to get me started’, but none was forthcoming. I then enquired if they were any good at anagrams as I was hopeless at them myself … I wasn’t quite as stuck as I hoped to appear because I’d set the puzzle myself, a paying hobby I’d indulged in at St Paul’s as a substitute for homework.”
Does anyone happen to know: Apart from his being unconscionably smart (for which I forgive him as he’s funny about it), is he the youngest setter to date? And the only school-age setter?
I quite liked 10a. Thanks to setter and blogger.
Griping aside I found this relatively gentle just slowing in the NE corner towards the end. I worried that I was going to repeat recent form of throwing something wrong in at the end without parsing but thankfully REINS proved correct and I hadn’t made up ANGSTROM.
brain said muscadet and hand wrote in muscatel probably because I was pondering next clue. Don’t think it would have happened in a harder puzzle. Last two ADIOS and REINS (which I tried and failed to see as a triple definition but it seemed most likely).
Edited at 2014-05-22 11:23 am (UTC)
FOI ANGSTROM, LOI YARDAGE (chased contentedly down the rabbit hole of trying to remember how the Billy Bunter expletive “Yaroo” should be spelled). COD to the very pretty Columbine, or AQUILEGIA.
His life was described in a one-man show by Chris Harris who sadly died only a few weeks ago.
Apart from that, it was reasonably plain sailing.
Old man PA
being worshipped GOD
a A
Cheers
Rob