Once again it befalls me to blog a Jumbo that I categorised as “tricky”. I noted on my copy that there were a) a lot of clues that involved reversing something, and b) a lot of clues where I landed upon the answer from def & checkers and had to reverse-engineer the wordplay, which isn’t necessarily the most satisfying way to proceed and suggests a modicum of over-complexity. There are also a few elements that are likely to befuddle non-UK solvers.
First in was NORTH AND SOUTH and last was CONDOTTIERI
If any of my explanations don’t make sense then feel free to ask for further elucidation.
The technical stuff:
Clues are in blue with the definition underlined. Anagram indicators are in bold italics.
Notation:
DD: Double definition
CD: Cryptic definition
DDCDH: DD/CD hybrid where a straight definition is combined with a cryptic hint.
&Lit: “all in one” where the entire clue is both definition and wordplay.
(fodder)* denotes an anagram of the letters in the brackets.
Rounded brackets are also used to add further clarity
Squiggly brackets {} indicate parts of a word not used
Deletions are struck out
Square brackets [] expand an abbreviation or shortening like N[ea]R.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | I prepare to fill barrows from back to front as planned (9) |
| STRATEGIC -Reversal of I GET in CARTS | |
| 6 | Trap for Londoners on both sides of the Thames? (5,3,5) |
| NORTH AND SOUTH -I wasn’t sure which half of this sort of double cryptic definition to underline as I don’t think either is a dictionary phrase, so I went for both. Trap is UK slang for mouth and North & South is cockney rhyming slang for mouth. North and South London are characteristically divided by the Thames, even though it meanders in all sorts of directions. | |
| 13 | Campaign launch on high times (5) |
| LOBBY – LOB (launch on high), BY (times) | |
| 14 | Channel Islands and Mediterranean area priest turned out of school? (11) |
| NONACADEMIC – Reversal (second one already!) of C[hannel] I[slands], MED[iterranean], A[rea], CANON | |
| 15 | Gallery excused, put back in control (5) |
| REINS – REINSTATE without TATE. I suppose take “the” reins = take control, but is there a direct equivalence between reins & control? | |
| 16 | Flash report of transgression finishing at nine? (11) |
| SCINTILLATE – sounds like SIN TILL EIGHT. I guess we’re all more familiar with the figurative rather than physical meaning. | |
| 17 | Prisoner with less reason, one for mercenary leaders (11) |
| CONDOTTIERI – CON, DOTTIER, I. My knowledge of Italy in the middle ages is a little sketchy so this was a DNK/NHO. | |
| 18 | Repeat name, holding Spanish article level (7) |
| ECHELON – ECHO N[ame] around EL. | |
| 20 | Rough winds in second month for grass (7) |
| SORGHUM – (rough)* in S[econd] M[onth]. NHO. | |
| 21 | Australian native “X” welcomed by Melbourne’s dame? (7) |
| ECHIDNA – CGHI in (Dame) EDNA (Everage) (alter ego of Barry Humphries) | |
| 23 | Standard warning to firefighters without face masks? (5,4,2,4,4) |
| SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES – DDCDH | |
| 27 | Runner in the cold not going full pelt? (3) |
| SKI – SKI |
|
| 28 | Parisian cleric stops near an arresting person (6) |
| NABBER – ABBE in N[ea]R | |
| 29 | French man shortened cloth (6) |
| FABRIC – FABRIC |
|
| 31 | Neat square at the back, pointed at the front? (9) |
| SHIPSHAPE – DDCDH | |
| 34 | Extremely delicate Test India played (9) |
| DAINTIEST – (test India)* | |
| 35 | PA is last to employ in good time (6) |
| YEARLY – {emplo}Y, EARLY | |
| 36 | Stay on ocean (6) |
| REMAIN – RE, MAIN | |
| 39 | Humans advanced to get superpower (3) |
| USA – US, A[dvanced]. USA is a “superpower” (at time of going to press) | |
| 40 | Number for tea party caterer? (5,3,3,6,2) |
| POLLY PUT THE KETTLE ON – CD. I don’t know if this children’s song is known outside these shores. | |
| 42 | Linseed’s foremost in hot, sweet bread (7) |
| STOLLEN – L{inseed} in STOLEN | |
| 43 | Carry by pickup, perhaps with special significance (7) |
| TOTEMIC – TOTE by MIC[rophone]. I suppose a mic “picks up” sound waves. | |
| 45 | Knock over a preferred piece in castling? (7) |
| PARAPET – RAP reversed, A, PET | |
| 47 | Sweeten listless person who’s on post-match trip (11) |
| HONEYMOONER – HONEY, MOONER | |
| 49 | Envision van under repair without inserting tools (11) |
| NONINVASIVE – (envision van)* | |
| 51 | Commercial management, primarily at the office? (5) |
| ADMIN – AD[vertisement], M{anagement}, IN, &Lit | |
| 52 | Hater on imps, possibly — or everyone? (11) |
| MISANTHROPE – (hater on imps)*. The definition is really “hater on everyone” (is in rather than of an Americanism?) so it’s a sort of semi-&Lit with hater being part of the wordplay and “or” acting as glue. Or something. | |
| 53 | Joint, not the first to cause irritation (5) |
| ANKLE – |
|
| 54 | Gentle touch with slap to settle differences (4,3,4,2) |
| KISS AND MAKE UP – KISS, AND, MAKE-UP | |
| 55 | Novel out as hers? (9) |
| AUTHORESS – (out as hers)* &Lit. Neat. | |
| Down | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers agents rely on uncovering when backing shop worker (11) |
| SALESPERSON – Reversal (heh!) of NOS (numbers), REPS, {r}EL{y}, AS | |
| 2 | Trashy books I bound in haste (7) |
| RUBBISH – B[ook} B[ook} I in RUSH (are haste / rush equivalent?) | |
| 3 | Effort stumped by private meeting (5) |
| TRYST – TRY, ST[umped by] (cricket, natch) | |
| 4 | Westerner who shoots up, comfortable to hang around (10) |
| GUNSLINGER -SNUG reversed, LINGER | |
| 5 | Thoroughly investigate containers spanning vessel (7) |
| CANVASS – CANS around VAS (anatomical rather than culinary or nautical vessel). Not a meaning of canvass I knew. | |
| 6 | Type of power that’s leaner, developed with urgency (7,6) |
| NUCLEAR ENERGY – (leaner urgency)* | |
| 7 | Leaves middle of nice church with wireless coverage? (9) |
| RADICCHIO – {n}IC}e} CH[urch] in RADIO | |
| 8 | Bring up the writer’s French name: I’m surprised it could mean something else (7) |
| HOMONYM – reversal of MY NOM OH | |
| 9 | Nobody changed lyric including cool football chant (4,3,5) |
| NICE ONE CYRIL – NONE (lyric)* all around ICE. Much head-scratching amongst overseas and younger solvers I’ll warrant. A 1972 advertising slogan for bread became a Tottenham Hostspur terrace chant praising Cyril Knowles and led to a top 20 single issued to cash in on the 1973 league cup final. It then became a more widespread catchphrase. | |
| 10 | Cancels record damages? (9) |
| SCRATCHES -DD | |
| 11 | Bring together force taken from out-of-shape English (5) |
| UNITE -F[orce] removed from UNFIT E[nglish] | |
| 12 | Skewer boxer wearing tights and cause serious injury (11) |
| HOSPITALISE -SPIT ALI in HOSE | |
| 19 | Most ready for old-timer’s meeting of the mendacious? (7) |
| LIEFEST – DDCDH. LIEF is an archaic word for willing(ly). LIE-FEST is the cryptic hint. | |
| 22 | Detective’s seniority keeps equality run down (9) |
| DISPARAGE -DI’S AGE around PAR | |
| 24 | Dishonestly obtaining lots without any new part required (9) |
| OBBLIGATO – {n}OBBLI{n}G A TO{n}. Clever. | |
| 25 | Retiring, hiding skin blemish with dark complexion (7) |
| SWARTHY – SHY around WART | |
| 26 | Find the answer to upset person mislaying electric vehicle? (7) |
| RESOLVE – reversal of E.V. LOSER | |
| 30 | Skill of two vessels flanking small isle (13) |
| CRAFTSMANSHIP – CRAFT SHIP around S[mall] (Isle of) MAN | |
| 32 | Suffering from heat, wrestle with agitation (7) |
| SWELTER – (wrestle)* | |
| 33 | Fact-filled announcement of so-called garden city constructed (4-8) |
| WELL-INFORMED – Sounds like WELWYN (Garden City), FORMED. Another tricky one for non-Brits? | |
| 34 | Hems cut off blackish clothes once ready abroad (11) |
| DEUTSCHMARK – (hems cut)* in DARK | |
| 37 | Musical group hate live sets — their covers, anyway (11) |
| NONETHELESS – NONET H{at}E L{iv}E S{et}S | |
| 38 | Blue bloodline making the heart into pool? (10) |
| DESPONDENT -DESCENT with the C in the middle replaced with POND | |
| 40 | Optimistic person under 5, and mostly boring any over (9) |
| POLLYANNA – AN{d} in ANY reversed under POLL (canvass from 5d). The optimistic eponymous protagonist from a 1913 children’s book. | |
| 41 | One’s said to doctor, “Neuter cat” (9) |
| UTTERANCE – (neuter cat)* | |
| 43 | Liquor barrel lies north of Iowa country (7) |
| TUNISIA – TUN, IS, I[ow]A | |
| 44 | Stock phrases relating to Arsenal’s top footballer (7) |
| CANTONA – CANT, ON, A{rsenal}. Boo. And boo again. Pantomime villain (to put it mildly) for us Leeds fans. With his stupid turned up collar, arrogant air, daft poetry and kung-fu assaults on fans what’s not to hate? | |
| 46 | Thorn Birds’ central character in difficult situation (7) |
| PRICKLE – {bi}R{ds} in PICKLE | |
| 48 | City in France, home of a certain Jean (cousin of Serge) (5) |
| NIMES – DENIM gets its name from Serge de Nimes. | |
| 50 | Contribution to colossal amount for historic mission (5) |
| ALAMO – hidden | |
DNK N&S, but knew ‘trap’, which isn’t specifically UK. DNK CANTONA (can’t say NHO, as he appeared in a recent clue, which I didn’t understand, of course). NHO NICE ONE C. A MER at ‘hater on’; do Brits say that? We say ‘of’. NHO the garden city. I liked LOBBY & LIEFEST.
I never heard anyone say ‘hater on’.
Until I read Kevin’s comment John I was pretty sure I’d only heard Americans say it.
Same here. I don’t think I’ve ever heard ‘hater on’, but its a logical extension of ‘hate on’, which I have certainly heard and would say is mostly American.
Incidentally I would call this an &Lit. The ‘imps, possibly’ but is superfluous but doesn’t invalidate the definition. A MISANTHROPE would probably hate (on) imps, among other people.
Lots of unknowns and missed parsings here. I noted the RH was more difficult than the LH. I can’t say I enjoyed it much.
I finished in under 40 minutes, so I can’t have found it too hard. But I noted my FOI was 27A and I had a few where I had to go back to work out the parsings (SCINTILLATE, DEUTSCHMARK and POLYANNA). DNK the CRS for mouth, but it had to be the answer to 6A. Both VAS and that meaning of CANVASS were new to me and I had to look up CONDOTTIERI to confirm it was the answer. DNK that DENIM came from NIMES either. LOI DESPONDENT which was quite clever but the surface meaning is opaque to me. Thanks Penfold and setter.
Just popping by to say thanks for the reminder of the great No. 7.
*shakes fist*
This took me a little over half an hour, but it felt a lot harder than that. I found the NW corner the hardest, and thought for a while that I might not crack it.
Not that it matters but I would say ‘trap for Londoners’ is the definition in 6ac. I’m very surprised to find that ‘north and south’ isn’t in any of the usual dictionaries but it’s straight synonym for mouth, and therefore trap. I’m sure you’d find it in any dictionary of Cockney rhyming slang.
I confess I checked CONDOTTIERI before submitting. I thought it looked a bit likelier than CONPOTTIERI but POTTIER is a better fit for ‘with less reason’ so I wasn’t sure.
16a: If something finishes at nine, I would say that it runs until nine, not until eight.
I parsed this as ’til late’, which I thought was a bit odd because nine isn’t, particularly!
Interesting! My margin notes are the same as yours – several clues where we had to work backwards from the answer to find the parsing.
I thought Reins(Tate) was clever. Also liked Resolve. Loved Polly Put the Kettle On – one of those where it took a while to spot, then seems obvious.
Liefest is clever, but is it a word?
Agreeing with poc, 16A might be better phrased as “finishing before nine”.
Jean de Nimes is rather obscure, but interesting! One to stash away for future pub quizzing.
Thank you Penfold, and everyone for your insights.