Solving time: 10 minutes
Overall I didn’t find this difficult but there are a few words or meanings that will not be familiar to all. How did you do?
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]. I usually omit all reference to positional indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.
 Across |
|
| 1 | Rhode Island group’s award (6) |
| RIBAND | |
| RI (Rhode Island), BAND (group). An alternative name for a ribbon as used for some awards. | |
| 4 | Monotony of new diet, uniform beginning and end (6) |
| TEDIUM | |
| Anagram [new] of DIET, then U{nifor}M [beginning and end] | |
| 8 | Route’s distinctive quality entertaining Poles (7) |
| TRANSIT | |
| TRAIT (distinctive quality) containing [entertaining] NS (poles). I wasn’t sure that the definition worked here other than in expressions such as ‘en route / in transit’, but Collins confirms it as a direct definition. | |
| 10 | Inspection as unusual deficit is tackled at first (5) |
| AUDIT | |
| A{s} + U{nusual} + D{eficit} + I{s} + T{ackled} [at first] | |
| 11 | Notebook Jack’s lost depicting furry swimmer (5) |
| OTTER | |
| {j}OTTER (notebook) [Jack’s lost] | |
| 12 | Idle chatter from friend, a part of speech cut short (7) |
| PALAVER | |
| PAL (friend), A, VER{b} (part of speech) [cut short]. I didn’t know or had forgotten this meaning of ‘palaver’; I think of it more as a lengthy procedure, fuss and bother etc. | |
| 13 | Home Counties criminal seen by Cornwall river? That’s not true (9) |
| FALSEHOOD | |
| FAL (Cornwall river), SE (Home Counties – South East England), HOOD (criminal) | |
| 17 | Wash three articles from abroad (7) |
| LAUNDER | |
| LA, UN, DER (three articles from abroad – definite and indefinite) | |
| 19 | Turf lotteries recalled (5) |
| SWARD | |
| DRAWS (lotteries) reversed [recalled]. Somewhat poetic and not a term one hears much these days. | |
| 20 | For example, demand for payment on return? Gentle reminder (5) |
| NUDGE | |
| EG (for example) + DUN (demand for payment) reversed [on return]. I only know this meaning of ‘dun’ from crosswords. | |
| 21 | Time with our first journeyman? (7) |
| TOURIST | |
| T (time), OUR, 1ST (first) | |
| 22 | Complicated situation — ultimately reluctant to reach point of view (6) |
| TANGLE | |
| {reluctan}T [ultimately], ANGLE (point of view) | |
| 23 | One advising blokes to rest initially (6) |
| MENTOR | |
| MEN (blokes), TO, R{est} [initially] | |
| Down |
|
| 1 | Informer, one on fixed allowance (6) |
| RATION | |
| RAT (informer), I (one), ON | |
| 2 | Newly feed a stubborn animal used for work (5,2,6) |
| BEAST OF BURDEN | |
| Anagram [newly] of FEED A STUBBORN | |
| 3 | Opening section of piano’s trill (7) |
| NOSTRIL | |
| Hidden in [section of] {pia}NO’S TRIL{l} | |
| 5 | Seems a girl regularly used communication system (5) |
| {s}E{e}M{s} A {g}I{r}L [regularly used] | |
| 6 | “He’s no team player!” Aunt is livid I’d fouled up (13) |
| INDIVIDUALIST | |
| Anagram [fouled up] of AUNT IS LIVID I’D | |
| 7 | Due for payment, mother? True, unfortunately (6) |
| MATURE | |
| MA (mother), anagram [unfortunately] of TRUE | |
| 9 | Toper’s second return, always half-ignored and not to be mentioned (3,6) |
| TOP SECRET | |
| TOP{er’s} + SEC{ond} + RET{urn} [always half-ignored]. ‘Tope’ was unknown to some 15×15 commenters re the prize puzzle blogged on Saturday so I’d mention that a toper is a person who regularly drinks alcohol excessively. Sadly even with that in mind the surface in this clue doesn’t read very well or make much sense. | |
| 14 | Old Boy’s remedy far from clear (7) |
| OBSCURE | |
| OB’S (old boy’s), CURE (remedy) | |
| 15 | A world of energy in factory? (6) |
| PLANET | |
| E (energy) contained by [in] PLANT (factory) | |
| 16 | Media boss offering some carrot I decide after reflection (6) |
| EDITOR | |
| Hidden [some] and reversed [after reflection] in {car}ROT I DE{cide} | |
| 18 | Live comfortably supporting daughter (5) |
| DWELL | |
| D (daughter), WELL (comfortably) | |
Attempted in 2 sittings today – rough time around the 20 min mark. NHO ‘dun’ and also unaware of the clued meaning of PALAVER. Major PDM with NOSTRIL. I was one of the commentators who hadn’t come across ‘toper’ before but it is now etched in my memory from the 15 x 15! No particular problems otherwise. Liked LAUNDER and TOURIST. Many thanks to Jack and Hurley.
9:48. Like others could only think of ribbon before I remembered there was RIBAND too. Enjoyed the clever device for TOP SECRET when I finally saw it. Didn’t know jotter as notepad or TRANSIT as route but accepted they must be so. I’ve learned setters know a lot more about word meanings than I do!
About 12 minutes today. As usual, I was slowed down by my last two – this time they were TANGLE and DWELL. And as usual, when looking over everything, I’m not sure why I found them tricky!
I’m another one who only knew PALAVER as a to-do, as in ‘what a palaver’. The etymology is interesting – it’s easy to see how long-winded negotiations can (and do) end up becoming an unsatisfactory performance!
FOI Riband LOI Dwell COD Launder
Thanks Hurley and Jack, and thanks too to the new bloggers. There was no chance of putting my name forward as the idea of having to think clearly either very late at night or very early in the morning was too much for me 😂 So this is a timely opportunity to thank again everyone who is prepared to do so!
Struggled again today, but finally managed to complete this, although firmly in the SCC timescale! Didn’t associate palaver with idle chatter but eventually got it from the word play.
7’20” enjoyed LAUNDER immensely and nice to see PALAVER … it’s a fine word. Thanks for the etymology Kevin.
Cheers Hurley n Jackkt
I am visiting my parents (both in their 90’s) today, and have just done this after a large cooked meal and a beer. I wondered therefore if I would start dozing off part way through, but that didn’t happen and I was able to cross the line in 22 minutes – very fast for me, but not quite an SCC escape.
I particularly liked FALSEHOOD and LAUNDER, but had to trust the parsing with NUDGE. My LOI was TANGLE.
Many thanks to Hurley and jackkt.
Couldn’t get Tangle or Planet. Not sure why. Thought Launder was terrific.
Carelessly put in ribbon for 1a, which caused problems with 3d nostril, until we saw the error of our ways. We found this middle of the road difficulty. A pleasant solve.
Just under 9 minutes with a slight puzzle at how TOP SECRET parsed, but all is clear now. Enjoyed LAUNDER and DWELL.
On the basis that I actually finished it in one sitting, today’s 15×15 is worth a go.
Thanks, I did – DNF with 5 unsolved – very happy with that!
Fairly gentle today with some nice clueing.
6:24, very enjoyable puzzle and nothing too sneaky, liked the hidden nostril. Thanks Jack & Hurley.