Times Cryptic 27032

Author   jackktPosted on Categories Daily Cryptic

Continuing the run of quite tricky puzzles this one took me 58 minutes. I found it satisfying and was pleased there were no unknown words or references so that I was able to complete the grid without resorting to aids.

As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]

Across
1 Failure at the Slade perhaps providing material for union? (6,6)
BOTTOM DRAWER – This answer came up in a puzzle I blogged on 10th April and here’s what I wrote then: “a bottom drawer is a young woman’s collection of clothes, linen and other artefacts, set aside in anticipation of marriage. I understand that on the other side of the pond this is called a hope chest“. The definition today is preceded by a cryptic hint with reference to the Slade School of Art which is part of University College London. Also, there are Slade Professorships of Art at Oxford and Cambridge, all funded by a bequest from the philanthropist Felix Slade (1788-1868).
9 Not getting to meeting, maybe, having extra time for coffee (5)
LATTE – LATE (not getting to meeting, maybe) contains T [having extra time]
10 Explosive, say, hurled back coal (9)
GELIGNITE – EG (say) reversed [hurled back], LIGNITE (coal – sometimes clued as as ‘brown coal’ )
11 Like some things in bars, barmaid’s accessory requires time to be installed (8)
OPERATIC – Cryptic definition with reference to a type of music, plus wordplay: OPTIC (barmaid’s accessory) with ERA (time) contained within [installed]
12 Big cat bringing recall of month in old India (6)
JAGUAR – Reverse [recall] of  AUG (month) contained by [in] RAJ (old India) also reversed. Pleased to note that this setter recognises the difference between big or wild cats and the domestic variety.
13 Team has to contend with a non-frontal approach (4-4)
SIDE-VIEW – SIDE (team), VIE (contend), W (with)
15 Expression of gratitude amongst a lot of criticism leaves you unmoved (6)
STATIC – TA (expression of gratitude) contained by [amongst] STIC{k} (criticism) [a lot of…]
17 Survey quantity both small and large? (6)
SAMPLE – S (small), AMPLE (large)
18 It indicates head of government is in wrong job… (8)
SIGNPOST – G{overnment} [head] in SIN (wrong), POST (job)
20 …governing is upsetting, very loudly being dismissed (6)
RULING – RU{ff}LING (upsetting – feathers, say) [very loudly – FF – being dismissed]
21 Go across the range initially in area between peaks (8)
STRADDLE – T{he} + R {ange} [initially] contained by [in] SADDLE (area between peaks – in a line of hills, perhaps)
24 Delivering the ophthalmologist’s stance? (9)
PROVISION – A straight definition with a cryptic hint based on the alternative spacing PRO-VISION
25 Set of twelve letters, last of them for island (5)
ATOLL – A TO L (set of twelve letters) + L (last of them)
26 Inspect circus to an excessive degree? (2,4,3,3)
GO OVER THE TOP – Cryptic definition. I’ve taken this as one definition rather than two as although ‘inspect circus’ can stand alone, the remaining words don’t contain a verb to account for ‘GO’.
Down
1 Unsettled account reduced over promises to pay (7)
BILIOUS – BIL{l} (account) [reduced], IOUS (promises to pay)
2 Animal tottered about, a ragged creature (14)
TATTERDEMALION – Anagram [about] of ANIMAL TOTTERED. I vaguely knew this word but not exactly what it meant. It’s simply another term for ‘ragamuffin’.
3 The ultimate? Picked up a fine specimen, nothing more (5)
OMEGA – A + GEM (fine specimen) + O (nothing more) all reversed [picked up]
4 Worn-out track, note, at which you must stop (3-5)
DOG-TIRED – DOG (track), TI (note), RED (at which you must stop)
5 Dismiss involving Left in centre of revolution (4)
AXLE – AXE (dismiss) containing [involving] L (left)
6 A good deal of advantage over one abandoning defence in Test venue (9)
EDGBASTON – EDG{e} (advantage) [a good deal of…], BAST{i}ON (defence) [one abandoning]. The cricket Test venue in Birmingham.
7 French claim on the governance of England? (4,2,3,5)
DIEU ET MON DROIT – I’m not sure how to categorise this as having read the first bit of the Wiki article, I’d say it’s barely cryptic:  “Meaning God and my right, this is the motto of the Monarch of the United Kingdom outside Scotland. It is said to have first been used by Richard I (1157–1199) as a battle cry and presumed to be a reference to his French ancestry and the divine right of the Monarch to govern”.
8 Following decimal system satisfied monarch in charge (6)
METRIC – MET (satisfied), R (monarch), IC (in charge)
14 Film star holding fast in futile love (9)
VALENTINO – VAIN (futile) containing [holding] LENT (fast), 0 (love). One of the first heart-throbs of the silver screen, he died in 1926. Good to see The Times keeping up with the times!
16 After a bit of learning, “ere” isn’t mistaken for “ear” (8)
LISTENER – L{earning} [a bit of…], anagram [mistaken] of ERE ISN’T
17 Bends, doing handstand? Exercise class offers difficulty (6)
SCRAPE – ARCS (bends) reversed [doing handstand?], PE (exercise class)
19 Edited highlight of cup match shows something attached to shirt (3,4)
TIE CLIP – TIE (cup match),  CLIP (edited highlight)
22 Flooded area used to be hot (5)
AWASH – A (area), WAS (used to be), H (hot)
23 City that is against supporting King (4)
KIEV – K (king), IE (that is), V (against)

68 comments on “Times Cryptic 27032”

  1. I biffed BOTTOM DRAWER from the checkers, but had already forgotten the ‘hope chest’ meaning, and didn’t know–more likely, didn’t remember from some distant past–Slade. I definitely didn’t know EDGBASTON–or any Test venue other than Lord’s–and although I had the EDG and the checkers, could come up with nothing, so Googled a list of Test venues. Liked ATOLL and OPERATIC, COD to SIGNPOST.
  2. 40 minutes but got the unchecked vowels the wrong way round in TATTERDEMALION.
    1. Glad I wasn’t the only one. I was done in under 31 minutes but went the wrong way on the final A/E combination in TATTERDEMALION. DNK optic for the barmaid and no real idea of why BOTTOM DRAWER was correct, but managed these answers with no errors.

      Thanks, Jack, for the explanations.

      1. It’s a disgraceful clue, really, as there’s no way of knowing how to sort out the letters unless – [that’s enough, Ed]
            1. No but only this morning I admonished my youngest for being a scruffy little TATTERDEMALION.
              Well I didn’t, obviously, but I think the point stands, I’m sure you’ll agree.
              1. I tried this out on Mrs BW with reference to her new summer outfit. Fortunately, she didn’t know the word either.
                1. That’s fortunate. I’d recommend hiding any dictionaries you might have lying around the house for a period.
                  1. I presume by “for a period” you mean “forever”?

                    Long memories these wives….

  3. I found this on the easy side, although it helped that we’ve had 1a recently, and finished in 22 minutes.

    No stand-out clues, but I liked TATTERDEMALION (good word), SCRAPE and PROVISION.

    Thank you to setter and blogger

  4. 13:05 … took a while to get the wavelength for this but then it was fairly smooth sailing.

    Very glad the ragged creature had the central consonants checked as I’d always thought it was a tattermedalion.

    COD to the SIGNPOST

    1. Unfortunately it was possible to get the vowels in the wrong order too.. I did.
  5. An hour and two minutes to fail because I’d guessed the spelling of the unknown 2d as TATTERDAMELION. Fiddlesticks.
  6. A guaranteed ear-worm for Shalamar fans.
    30 mins with yoghurt, granola, etc.
    “Mr. Pavarotti, your performance tonight was so… so, what’s the phrase I’m looking for?”
    “Like some things in bars?”
    “That’s it you’ve hit the nail on the lumpy thing under your hat.”
    Thanks setter and Jack.

    1. Worse. An ear worm for people (say, for instance, me) that can’t stand Shalamar and their ilk.

      Off to blast some Metallica out now to eradicate it.

  7. 18 minutes, so quick for me, but irritatingly with TATTERDAMELION, a word I’ve never heard with right or wrong spelling. And that’s certainly not because I’m yesterday’s fashion victim! I enjoyed this puzzle apart from that wretched clue. I’d put DIEU ET MON DROIT in straightaway too. We had COD BOTTOM DRAWER recently and it was an everyday phrase in my earlier years. EDGBASTON of course was a write-in for any cricket fan. Thank you Jack and setter.
  8. 20:38. I remembered BOTTOM DRAWER for the second half of the clue eventually but couldn’t fathom the Slade reference. Thanks for the explanation, Jackkt. Managed to spell TATTERDEMALION right, more by luck than knowledge. I liked ATOLL and SIGNPOST, OPERATIC my favourite.
  9. I erroneously had DOG-EARED for 4D, which stopped me getting 11A. I think DOG-EARED fits the def. Parsed it as DOG plus G for note plus A RED being something you stop at. Annoying that my wrong answer is both justifiable in terms of construction; and seems to fit the definition of ‘worn-out’ rather well… Once it was in, I couldn’t imagine it was wrong.
      1. But worn-out means ‘worn or used until threadbare’, so I think I’d allow it if I were Solomon.

        * My wife assures me I’m not *

        ** No prizes for guessing who she thinks is **

      2. ‘Worn out’ can mean ‘damaged or shabby to the point of being no longer usable’ (ODO). This is perhaps slightly different to DOG-EARED but it’s pretty darned close!

        Edited at 2018-05-08 08:25 am (UTC)

    2. I think you mean E for note. Collins supports your stance, with ‘worn’ for dog-eared.
      1. I was another DOG-EARED. But then I got OPERATIC even with the wrong checker, so then I fixed it. So I managed to finish.
    3. I also had DOG-EARED, and while I agree that it’s stretching ‘worn-out’ a little bit, it’s close enough that I think the clue would have been changed if the editors had spotted it.
  10. If I attempted to do the New York Times crossword I would definitely brush up on the American fields of sporting battle. Alas I know only of Wrigley Field. But I also know many of the cricket grounds outside of England and have been to Wellington NZ; Sydney; The Trinidad Oval and Sabina Park Jamaica. So there! Edgbaston is like Little India on Match Day! Magic! Lords is often referred to as Headquarters.

    Very enjoyable puzzle timed at 36 minutes.

    FOI 13ac SIDE VIEW
    LOI 5dn AXLE
    COD 7dn DIEU ET MON DROIT
    WOD 2dn TATTERDEMALION

    Whoever wears a 19dn TIE CLIP in this day and age? It went out with Ted Ray!

    Edited at 2018-05-08 08:27 am (UTC)

    1. That is my ring tone.

      except for the wife – and we won’t discuss that.

  11. Same reservations as others – why do they keep on cluing obscure words as anagrams? And why such a weak clue at 7D? The setter deliberately put that phrase in the grid but then failed to produce a worthy clue. No problem with the cricket ground.

    Well blogged Jack

    1. I’m ok with obscure words as anagrams if there’s no ambiguity about how the spelling would work. This one struck me as a bit of a guess, purely with E/A feeling a bit better than A/E
  12. Twenty-five minutes for this, but with a studip typo (“Edgnaston”). I’d’ve struggled with TATTERDEMALION if I hadn’t encountered it before, and I agree with those who took exception to its being clued as an anagram – “tatterdamelion” looks equally plausible a priori.
  13. We had BOTTOM DRAWER recently. Another one here with A/E, one written over the other. Oddly, EDGBASTON LOI, probably because I was seeking a general rather than specific term. 16’13” with that one error. Thanks jack and setter.
  14. 13m and change. I’m glad BOTTOM DRAWER came up recently because I’ve never encountered it in the wild. TATTERDEMALION is a funny old word but I knew it, hence the clue is entirely fair.
  15. V. slow on NW leading to 35’57. Anything that halts the slide of a word like tatterdemalion into darkness has to a good thing. Not sure about the wording of 7 as a clue. Also 3 – ultimate as ultimate letter? Or horror? Hardly the alpha et o. as a clue.
  16. Did anyone else have a problem with printing this puzzle? Tried it a couple of times, and got the grid, but no clues.

    Had to resort to doing it online, for the first time in six months orso, which added a minute or two to my time while I checked meticulously for typos. (Which is why I moved to solving on paper first.)

    Also, apologies for the anonymity, but can’t work out how to comment under my own name.

    2. I had no problems printing. For help you need to specify where you are printing from (newspaper puzzles secion or the Club) and the device and browser you are using.
  17. but felt harder than the time suggests – one of those days where the SNITCH disagrees with my gut feeling. Anyway, I was another who had a vague awareness of TATTERDEMALION (which didn’t necessarily extend to knowing what it meant). The cricket ground took an unexpectedly long time to drop, considering how many happy days I’ve spent there.
  18. And that includes getting lucky with the A/E split in 2d.

    For those that watch The Grand Tour* I will blame my lack of grasp – and general slowness – on a bout of pneumonia suffered during the bank holiday afternoon.

    *for those that don’t watch it, I spent an awfully long time in the garden yesterday, indulging in fermented beverages, therefore have an absolute ****ter of a hangover.

  19. ….is another man’s Novichok. Right on my wavelength, and finished in 8:35

    FOI LATTE
    LOI PROVISION
    COD VALENTINO
    WOD TATTERDEMALION – second one in, and known to me.

    I biffed DOG-TIRED, but sorted it out afterwards.

  20. Another wavelengthy one except for drawing a blank with the second half of DOG-TIRED for a while (yup I looked at “eared” too). Knew of the Slade as a place where some of the Bloomsbury types started out and EDGBASTON because I had cousins living almost near enough to collect stray cricket balls. As a young man my father-in-law did live near enough to collect balls from Fenway Park in Boston – I hope no one has the nerve to change its name to Gatorade or something. 15.23
  21. I once wrote a roleplaying game with a bunch of factions living in a fantasy city, one of which (the hoi polloi) was called TATTERDEMALION, so that was a write in for me – very conveniently!
    1. Congratulations to you and to aphis99 on great times! I notice that Magoo called out your good time at the end of his Cracking the Cryptic video today.
  22. Was going for a record time – seemed to be one of those crosswords but the SW proved to be trickier. On completion I discovered a rather naughty LIEU.
    Oddly having to do this on my phone because I can’t get the live journal up on my computer.
  23. 14:56. Somehow I knew TATTERDE-whatnot so I shan’t be complaining today although I do sympathise.

    Getting OPERATIC forced me to correct DOG-EARED which I agree fits all elements of the clue other than the checking letters.

    At 1a, having eliminated Noddy Holder and Norman Stanley Fletcher, I just assumed that Slade had to be some kind of art establishment.

  24. 22 mins. Okay with 2 as knew it; ditto 6, which was a write-in. LOI AXLE. Thanks setter and blogger.
  25. Satisfying crossword today – love it when I have the inclination to stick at it and get there slowly but surely. Bottom Drawer was my last one in as the Slade reference completely over my head – spent a while trying to justify Bottom Dealer!
  26. Pretty normal puzzle, except that BOTTOM DRAWER was a guess by assuming Slade was some kind of art venue (of course I’d already forgotten the recent reference), and struggling to remember the royal motto. In French, for crying out loud. Finally looked up the latter, at which it was somewhat familiar, but not in my everyday parlance. Regards.
  27. No problems with this except LOL AXLE took too long, 25 minutes. Knew all about bottom drawers and cricket grounds.
  28. Bit slow on the uptake today. Still had 1ac, 3dn and 5dn after about 50 mins so put the puzzle away and polished it off in about 10 mins after work. Glad to eventually remember the bottom drawer from its recent appearance, Slade wasn’t giving me very much, apart from the sitcom prison and the glam rockers. Also knew tatterdemalion from a previous puzzle, possibly a TLS.
  29. Damn! 26:13, but with TATTERDAMELION, which I’d never heard of in either spelling. No problem with the cricket ground. I once watched Viv Richards and Ian Botham there. Sadly Viv was out for a duck that day. Didn’t know the Slade reference, but I did know the bride’s collection once I had enough crossers. Thanks Jack.

Comments are closed.