Times 27865 – Out with the auld, in with the noo

Author   ulacaPosted on Categories Daily Cryptic
Coinciding with my retirement (at an incredibly young age, I must add), I manage what I am pretty sure is a personal best on a Mon-Sat Times cryptic (9:45). But enough about me. How did you do?

I like to use this pulpit to give the occasional homily and for today’s text I would like to draw on a comment made last week by a long-time lurker, who said that this was one of the most gracious spaces on the internet. How much I endorse that sentiment, as someone who lurked for six months or so before becoming a contributor 11 years ago, taking up blogging duties eight and a half years back.

There are so many aspects of this blog that I treasure (the more so since the place where I live – Hong Kong – now effectively criminalises free speech as it regresses to the dark ages): the different types of characters that frequent this oasis (even the odd wind-up merchant or two!), the different approaches to the art of blogging (from the para-scientific to the, um, quirky), the benefit of the doubt that people typically give others when they are perceived to be sailing close to the wind, the absence of silly squabbling over trifles, the tell-it-like-it-is, no-beating-about-the-bush approach to technical matters (parsing, factual matters etc).

So, a big thank-you to everyone who helps make this site a place I always enjoy coming to to be educated, entertained and edified.

ACROSS

1 Muslim ruler’s last month in hospital (6)
SULTAN – ULT (last month in Victorian bureaucratese) in SAN
4 Unmannerly chit initially having fling with one’s husband (8)
CHURLISH – C[hit] HURL (fling) IS (one’s) H (husband)
10 Outstanding peacekeepers put down roots (9)
UNSETTLED – UN (United Nations, bless ’em) SETTLED (put down roots)
11 Military unit’s chaplain quietly becoming Conservative (5)
CADRE – PADRE becomes CADRE as the P (quietly) morphs to C (conservative)
12 Tanzanian port makes bold sadly to back America (3,2,6)
DAR ES SALAAM – DARES (makes bold) ALAS reversed AM (America, bless her)
14 Continental character, and when he might turn up? (3)
ETA – Greek letter and Estimated Time of Arrival
15 Sources of comfort only found lining fashionable shoes at first (7)
INSOLES – SOLE in IN (fashionable) S[hoes]
17 See Anglican cleric entering calmly (6)
EVENLY – VEN (in C of E, the style usually given to an archdeacon) in ELY (see or bishopric)
19 Aim to follow member’s story (6)
LEGEND – LEG END
21 A northern girl crossing river in mountainous principality (7)
ANDORRA – R (river) in A N DORA
23 Spot head of zoo taking computer studies (3)
ZIT – Z[it] IT (nerdy pursuit)
24 Way I write journal, like some magistrates (11)
STIPENDIARY – ST I PEN DIARY
26 In Bhopal, a thick, long, heavy stick (5)
LATHI – hidden in words 2, 3 and 4; a stick found more often in crosswords now than on the streets, I imagine
27 Musician, odd chap associated with tango (9)
TRUMPETER – T (tango) RUM (odd) PETER (random chap)
29 A year’s rent for an old place in Scotland (8)
AYRSHIRE – A YR’S HIRE; the historic county of Ayrshire (home of Robert the Bruce and Rabbie Burns) is now sub-divided between four council areas
30 Make an impression in Turkey’s borders, being irritable (6)
TETCHY – ETCH in T[urke]Y

DOWN

1 Private soldier, second one of four to go west (8)
SQUADDIE – S QUAD DIE (to go west)
2 No-hoper’s new role picking up seaweed at front (5)
LOSER – S[eaweed] anagram* of ROLE
3 Area north of Italian islet (3)
AIT – A above (north of) IT
5 Doctor’s alter ego trapping rodent in compound (7)
HYDRATE – RAT in HYDE (the nutty half)
6 Approved play area old firm finally repaired (11)
RECOMMENDED – REC (play area) O (old) [fir]M MENDED
7 Popular countertenor once going about with one persistently present (9)
INDWELLER – IN W in DELLER; Alfred Deller was a famous English countertenor, who had somehow escaped my notice. Part of the reason for this is that I can’t abide a man trying to sound like a woman, while I am an absolute sucker for a boy sounding like a woman
8 Sound made by animal, male, beginning to eat fruit (6)
HEEHAW – HE ([generic pronominal] male) E[at] HAW (fruit)
9 Irish county’s leader absent constantly (6)
ALWAYS – [g]ALWAY’S; to be sure…
13 Sea cook’s story verbally identifying worker in precious metal (11)
SILVERSMITH – If a deck-hand wanted to refer to a yarn spun by pirate captain (and erstwhile chef) Long John Silver, he might say ‘Silver’s myth’
16 Onlooker’s cheers welcomed by policeman dropping in (9)
SPECTATOR – TA (cheers) in [in]SPECTOR
18 Like Rumpole we lay drunk on railway (8)
LAWYERLY – WE LAY* on RLY
20 Gap traversed by the German fishing-boat (7)
DRIFTER – RIFT in DER (German for ‘the’, as in ‘Der Bomber’, AKA Gerd Muller)
21 Tree-lined approach, a place to meet (6)
AVENUE – A VENUE
22 Extreme characters crushing a meadow plant (6)
AZALEA – AZ (extreme characters) on top of (crushing) A LEA
25 Big lorry, one originally carrying paintings on top (5)
ARTIC – I (one) C (originally carrying) under ART (paintings on top)
28 American writer needing oxygen in gym (3)
POE – O in PE; one for Brother Jonathan, as one of our esteemed number might say…

92 comments on “Times 27865 – Out with the auld, in with the noo”

  1. Enjoyable crossword, especially for 27a, a subtle dig at the outgoing US president which made me laugh.
  2. I once saw and heard Alfred Deller, in the last years of his life. He looked like Jimmy Edwards and for some reason put me in mind of an RAF officer. When he sang I was utterly amazed, never having heard a countertenor before, that such a sound was possible. I rather like it, particularly when done by Andreas Scholl.

    Never pronounced it anything but card-er.

  3. I don’t know what my brain was doing this morning. I solved this in just over 10 with all correct but my fingers had other ideas so I wound up with no fewer than 3 typos including a wandering Aztec instead of ARTIC. And I thought I’d proofed it too. Imogen has a good one in that other paper so I’ll console self with that. I certainly endorse U’s sentiments – it’s always a pleasure to come here.
  4. After two weeks away from crosswordland, it was nice to come back with a rare under-ten. A risky endeavour because I was fairly hurling the answers in at the end to beat the clock. I wouldn’t have known Long John Silver was a ship’s cook had I not recently read Treasure Island for the first time – and great fun it was too. Silver, it turns out, is a much more ambivalent character than I had thought. And unlike the rest of the pirates, he survives. Ran an ale-house in Bristol port. Kidnapped and The Master of Ballantrae also proved very enjoyable. There should be a walking route following Alan Breck and David Balfour’s journey. Maybe there is. Spare a thought for us non-retirees who have no prospect of it either as we enter our 60s. Not complaining mind.
  5. but I don’t think that’s really the case any more, as the various restrictions have meant I have more time on my hands, and I’m getting through 2 to 3 crosswords every day.

    11 mins exactly for me, which is my 2nd or 3rd best time ever I think. ETA and INDWELLER were the last 2 in, and INDWELLER was very much with a shrug and an expectation of pink square/s.

  6. Think this is my second fastest time.

    After a nondescript first round, had six acrosses, the downs being much better. The second pass completed most of the grid except the NE corner, where it took CADRE and HEEHAW to unlock the rest.

    Unparsed: SILVERSMITH (the checkers for SMITH were there so I biffed the rest)

    NHO: DELLER and wasn’t sure of LATHI either though could see the hidden.

    Congrats to you Ulaca – enjoy your retirement – now fewer than four years until I cross the finishing line.

    Edited at 2021-01-04 11:51 am (UTC)

  7. The QC blog said this was approachable and I had most of it done in 20 minutes. However I was another who found the NE hard.
    I spent another 20 minutes failing to get CADRE, ETA and INDWELLER so came here for enlightenment. I had ITA for an Italian who might arrive at 1pm.
    Thanks ULACA for your many helpful blogs. This site has got me a long way down the solving road.
    David
  8. Just a few words of enormous thanks to all the bloggers/contributors on this most prestigious of sites.. You must spend an absolute age writing up your informative and erudite blogs for the delectation and education of your appreciative readers. Keep up the fantastic work! Happy retirement, Ulaca.

    Cheers. Jovan (An occasional contributor).

  9. If it was my comment that was the subject of Ulaca’s characteristically gracious acknowledgment, can I please be redefined as “occasional contributor “ rather than a lurker. One has to be so careful these days 😊.

    Plain sailing in 16m with a momentary dither over LAWYERLY but nothing else.

    1. The great thing is you can pop in and out at your leisure, and someone will always misconstrue you. Just like a real conversation. Heartwarming!
  10. In tribute to Ulaca’s sage endorsement of this place I managed the exact same time. Would have been quicker but for doubts over INDWELLER. By coincidence, I came across LATHI in another crossword not half an hour ago so that was pleasingly fresh in my mind.

    A gentle start to the year. As someone once said, let’s hope it’s a good one.

  11. So often you brighten my day. Astronowt.
    But one has slipped past you today, there is a bird called a Sultan Tit
  12. Also hoping for a PB but initially mistyping CHURLSIH put paid to that.

    As a relative newcomer I can only echo Ulaca’s gracious comments.

    Thanks to both setter and blogger.

  13. 12.00 . A nice introduction to the first Monday of the year. Not too demanding but some good cluing. NHO the countertenor Deller and wasn’t entirely convinced of the persistent bit but didn’t look like the answer could be anything elseat 7 dn.

    FOI sultan, LOI drifter. Honourable mentions for always and hydrate.

    Thanks setter and blogger.

  14. I came to this mid afternoon after 9 holes of golf (allowed in 2’s) with sore eyes from the freezing wind. So reading the small type took longer than usual. Nevertheless I motored quickly though it until, like others, the NE corner remained, then HEEHAW was sorted and ETA. I’ve never heard of Mr Deller and could find no word to fit so came here to learn about countertenors.

    Enjoy retirement, ulaca. I had 3 goes at it; in 1994, then 2002, then 2007 when I finally got to the point when the people who might pay me to do something were all retired, or retiring. I’ve never been bored; would have retired at 30 if I had been able to afford it.

  15. Not quite a PB as I believe in the dim and distant I managed a couple of sub-10’s. Having consulted the SNITCH prior to starting and having got off to a good start, I then started biffing for England. After deciding the letter must be ETA, I bunged in INDWELLER as my LOI with fingers crossed as Deller is a name I have to date only associated with darts.
  16. …. Deller I might have avoided a minor delay in the NE corner.

    FOI DAR ES SALAAM
    LOI SQUADDIE
    COD CHURLISH
    TIME 6:40

    Edited at 2021-01-04 05:44 pm (UTC)

  17. Over an hour for me – but then I’m really still a Quickie having a go at the harder stuff! Thanks, blogger, for help in parsing INDWELLER and SPECTATOR, both if which I biffed. And I hope you enjoy your retirement as much as I’m revelling in mine! Learning to do Cryptic Crosswords was one of my retirement projects (as well as learning Welsh).
    1. I can’t speak a word of Welsh really, but learning eight songs in Welsh for a massed Welsh Male Voice Choirs event in 2008 was one of the highlights of my choral career. Pob Lwc!
      1. Diolch! My husband and I have managed to become fairly fluent in Welsh since retirement and it’s been a brilliant experience. I think it will be a while before I can attempt a cryptic Welsh crossword! Welsh Scrabble is good fun though.
  18. with the usual doze in the middle. All easy until HEEHAW and ETA took a while, which left me with the strange INDWELLER, a DNK with another DNK. However there was nothing else it could be so in it went. I think 4 or 5 of these went in as unparsed biffs.
    COD and WOD HEEHAW
  21. Never heard of Deller. Managed to get INDWELLER because it was the only word that fitted. Only found out about Deller after Googling ‘countertenor’.

    Everything else quite straightforward, even though I’ve only been doing the cryptic for about 4-5 weeks.

  22. I’ve been a watcher (rather than contributor) for many years, but I felt I must echo Ulaca’s comments about this site – it’s a lovely place to be.

    I hope your retirement goes well, Ulaca – mine started a year ago tomorrow, with great plans to travel the world – and then covid struck. Sigh!

    Fwiw: I’m about average on solving times, 21:34 today. Keep up the excellent work, everyone!

    David Pugh

  23. I don’t care if this was the easiest crossword since someone first sliced a cake, at 55 mins this is the first one of these I’ve ever finished under the hour mark. Having made the mistake of looking at the clock about half way through, I knew I had to stop trying to parse every answer. That allowed me to get down to the last few in the NE at the 40min mark. Heehaw and Evenly then just left I*d*e*l*r at 7d. I was sure it would begin Ind-, but had absolutely no idea who the singer was. After repeated alphabet trawls, all I could think was that Indweller seemed marginally more likely than Indueller, (I had missed the w prompt), though neither exactly jumped out. Thankfully, I decided it was worth a shot (or not!) Invariant
  25. I’m surprised that no-one has mentioned the one and only Keith Deller, who famously beat Eric Bristow in the world darts final of 19 something or other. Alan G
  26. Another couple of weeks and you’ll be as quick as verlaine….. (happy face)
  27. 10.11. The first couple of answers went straight in and I just filled my boots from there. Indweller was a bit odd. I’m another one who didn’t know Alfred and could only think of Keith and his 138 checkout.
  28. Very rare I finish one of these on the day, so I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to write a comment, even if I am a bit late. I thought I was on for a big pb, having almost all of it done, even the unknowns LATHI, AIT and STIPENDIARY, in about 50 minutes, but I just couldn’t see what 7d and 11a were. I gave up after 65 minutes, but a short while later, after putting my son to bed, I turned my mind once more to 5 letter chaplains beginning with P and immediately thought of PADRE which could turn into CADRE. With the D in place, I was able to come up with INDWELLER, though I had never heard of a countertenor before, let alone knew DELLER as being one. I don’t think I’ve come across INDWELLER as a word at all either, but it seemed to fit the description. You live and learn. Thanks all.
  29. I see, Ulaca, that there is at least one commenter who it seems still thinks you’re retiring from blogging, which would, of course, be a shame.

    As I only started working full-time at age 30 (at the same place I’m working now!) and was not a salaried employee (paying quarterly “self-employment” taxes) for almost five years thereafter (the Typographers’ Union having folded, my job was not in an official Newspaper Guild category), and I only turned 65 on December 18, I’ve put only 35 years into Social Security, so I don’t anticipate retiring until at least 70. Meanwhile, my salary goes up each year, thanks to our union-negotiated contracts, so my Social Security (assuming the “entitlement”—please!—still exists then) will be more the longer I wait. (Like, I’ll feel kinda rich for the year before I die… Ha)

    And since I don’t know if I’ll have to commute ever again, I could hang on even longer, in a job that is somewhat fulfilling (dig, I get to correct other people’s prose all day long, and occasionally entirely rewrite a sentence), gives me the feeling of helping in some small way to bend the arc of history further toward social justice and peace, and, especially, keeps me feeling connected with others (the wonderful people on the Nation staff) and thus prevents me from going utterly insane in my near-total pandemic isolation.

    Cheers!

    Edited at 2021-01-05 04:03 am (UTC)

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