Times Cryptic No 27036 – Saturday, 12 May 2018. Rugola salad?

34 comments on “Times Cryptic No 27036 – Saturday, 12 May 2018. Rugola salad?”

1. Not having the vaguest idea where Goole is, I was in no position to work out the wordplay, and biffed ‘on the loose’. Also didn’t know about Ascot, but no problem with ROYAL STANDARD. And didn’t understand the reference to a cartoon gang leader, or the Turkey connection. The definition at 13d is a bit shaky, as rabbis are not priests. Liked 14ac, but COD to YACHT.
   1. …he’s the indisputable leader of the gang, he’s the one, the only, the original – TOPCAT!’ voiced by Phil Silvers a feline Bilko cartoon. Officer Dibble at al!
      1. I remember it well.
         1. Resurrected as an Ad for The Halifax!
      2. Voiced originally by Arnold Stang impersonating Phil Silvers who was never in it. But Maurice Gosfield (Doberman in the PS Show) voiced Benny the Ball.
2. I enjoyed this puzzle which took 36:47. I didn’t know the salad vegetable either, but the wordplay and checkers were helpful. FOI YACHT, LOI WAKE for which I needed an alphabet trawl. Doh! RABBINICAL was constructed rather than known too. Thanks setter and Bruce.
3. I do know that the ‘Norfolk’ turkey was my LOI, and I had to think hard to get it.

   As far as I know, the armadillo is not endangered, they are very common throughout large stretches of North and South America.

   1. I was a little surprised at the suggestion that the armadillo is endangered. Perhaps I should have investigated.
      1. I was surprised as well, and wondered if the setter knew something I didn’t (aside from the location of Goole). They’re endangered when they try to cross a highway, but. They’re also an occasional source of leprosy in humans, so I wouldn’t advise playing with one.
      2. I wonder if the setter is mistaking them for that other crossword stalwart, the pangolin, which are endangered, and have been in the news a bit over the last couple of years as the world’s most-trafficked mammal.
         1. I thought the most trafficked animal was the Zebra Crossing?
4. I took my usual half an hour and remember this crossword for its generally very good surfaces.
5. Technical DNF as I missed RABBINICAL and had to resort to aids, but as pointed out above the definition (‘of priests’) is inaccurate so I don’t feel too bad about that.

   What is it with ‘turkey’ references in Saturday puzzles in two consecutive weeks? The idea of BRUSSELS SPROUTs enhancing a meal is somewhat controversial I’d have thought, although it’s true that by tradition they are supposed to go on the plate at Christmas.

   I’m little the wiser about what RAMPION is and how it is served. The dictionaries mention ‘edible root’ but all the pictures of ‘rampion salad’ seem to be of bowl of leaves. One picture showed it raw, looking like a long and very thin white carrot. There’s no mention of how it tastes so I assume it doesn’t.

   I knew the shrub at 19ac from the Irish ballad, “My Love’s an ARBUTUS”.

   Apparently there are about 20 species of ARMADILLO and the vast majority of these are considered to be endangered.

   Edited at 2018-05-19 06:11 am (UTC)

   1. I have no idea about the fine distinctions in play here but Collins defines a priest as ‘a minister of any religion’ and a rabbi as ‘the minister of a synagogue’, so as is so often the case the argument here is with the lexicographers!
      1. Well, the argument is with Collins (or Chambers, as the case may be).
      2. I agree one has to allow for usage as I argued here only yesterday with regards to ‘engine/train’, but ‘rabbi/priest’ seems to require an extra step (A = C and B = C so A = B) and that makes it a little harder for me to accept. My knowledge of Judaism is somewhat restricted but I do know that priests and rabbis are, strictly speaking, quite separate entities.
      3. So on this definition a rabbi is, perhaps, priestly, but a priest is not rabbinical. The clue’s definition is ‘of priests’.
   2. Like you, known mainly from the song. We used to sing it in school. I wouldn’t actually know what an ARBUTUS looks like.
6. 27 minutes on this. What’s all this about BRUSSELS SPROUTS enhancing turkey? No way -.they’re the devil’s own food. Being made to voyage all that way through Yorkshire was a trial too, but I did know the Ouse. All I can say is that if the drinks were ON THE HOUSE, the pub was on the other side of the Pennines. I’d say NAUGHTY LEE. (Let’s call the whole thing off.) I’m not sure if I knew RAMPION but the clue was clear. COD to the innocent – looking WAKE Thank you B and setter.
   1. The clue doesn’t say that BRUSSELS SPROUTs enhance turkey. It says they could enhance turkey, which is undoubtedly true. It just depends on the eater, and the preparation. I absolutely love sprouts, unless they’re overcooked, in which case I detest them.
      1. I’m with you on that. I note the answer is singular, but, alas, my children consider even a single sprout as one too many. It doesn’t stop me serving them, though!

         Edited at 2018-05-19 11:40 am (UTC)

         1. Sadist!
7. 15:28. I was worried Rampion might be Rompian but guessed right. I was also unsure of both awake, not knowing the nautical term, and Pods, not knowing Pos as an abbreviation of position.

   COD On The House.

   Here’s a clue from me.

   Spouse nearly married Himself (6)

   1. You’ve unfortunately reminded me of a rude joke (from Lenehan, I imagine) in “Ulysses”.
8. I did this myopically in 24 odd minutes, but ended up in desperation with ON THE LOOSE. Couldn’t fully parse it then, but seeing that Goole is SE of York, if you could fit a portable commode in place of a saddle on a horse, it might just work…
   Technically, it’s true that priests and rabbis are different people in Judaism. Priests (Cohens) can’t fulfil their sacrificial role until the Temple is rebuilt, though they have a role in most Jewish worship. I suppose Rabbis have a role analogous to (say) Catholic priests in broad terms of leadership, but those who do the Crossword may well have spluttered over their matzos at this solecism.
   I wonder if ARMADILLOs think they’re endangered while they retain their Kevlar coating?
   As sounzlikes go, I did like the naughty lie.
   Thanks B for a comprehensive report.
9. An enjoyable but straightforward puzzle completed in 11:38 without any biffs.

   Goole is a deliberate destination from York in 11A, being the point where the Ouse joins the Humber before flowing into the North Sea at Hull (my birthplace).

   FOI DICTA
   LOI NAUTILI
   COD BUTTONED UP

   1. ‘The Ouse is located towards the backside of Britain and Goole is half-way up it!’ From second year Geog., teacher Cret Brown.
10. 46 minutes, gradually gaining momentum as I went along, if memory serves.

    FOI 1d RADIOTHERAPIST (it probably helps that I’m working in health insurance at the moment) LOI 17a the unknown RAMPION. Surely if you can’t order them from Ocado, then they don’t exist?

    Interesting that my dictionaries define POMPADOUR as “A woman’s hairstyle…” whereas a Google image search shows them as being an almost exclusively male choice these days…

11. About 16 minutes. I thought this was great fun. I had BUTTONED UP as a triple definition (Like cardigan), (successfully completed) and (mum). BRUSSELS SPROUT my LOI and COD when I finally spotted it and parsed it as an &lit. I’m not sure its a staple diet but could be an occasional treat. But I guess your parsing is more accurate, B. I also liked the Yorkshire journey. RAMPION unknown but got from the checkers.

    Edited at 2018-05-19 08:16 am (UTC)

12. 9:43. Not hard, but very enjoyable I remember. Today’s was in the same category. I didn’t know where Goole was but I really liked the clue.
13. 35:52 I found it hard to get started but once I got a foothold everything flowed smoothly. I’m not sure I knew the expression turned turtle, if I had I’d forgotten it, but the answer to 2dn was pretty clear. Been watching re-runs of the Phil Silvers Show on TV recently so Topcat was a write-in. An enjoyable solve.
14. I did quite well on this and enjoyed it. I used to go to a restaurant called Arbutus and I know where Goole is so that all helped.
    But I was defeated by 17a and 18d.
    At 17a I came up with Romaine ( a lettuce which will not be available after Brexit) which I thought had to be right despite difficulty parsing.I was then unable to find the sea creatures required.
    Am finding today’s difficult but hard to concentrate during the wedding and the American preacher. David
15. 8dn Almost inedible filth – but not as awful as cauliflower – ‘supertasters’ do not like. Cauliflower cheese – who’s godawful idea was that?

    FOI 21ac BUTTONED-UP
    LOI 17ac RAMPION
    COD 8ac BS
    WOD 19dn NAUTILI

    Time In memory of Nick the Novice – Not Telling!

16. If a rabbi is not a priest, then I’m a rabbi… from ODO: “Priest – a person who performs religious ceremonies and duties in a non-Christian religion.” and “Rabbi – a person appointed as a Jewish religious leader.” From Collins: “Rabbi – the religious leader of a congregation; the minister of a synagogue” and “In many non-Christian religions a priest is a man who has particular duties and responsibilities in a place where people worship.”
    If a rabbi is not a priest, who leads Jewish religious services?
    Nice crossword, btw. I have reached my advanced age without ever eating or being offered rampion. Brussels sprouts on the other hand, are top of the class, a vegetable lover’s vegetable ..

Comments are closed.