Monday Prize Crossword/Nov 25
Falcon’s puzzles are never to be found at the hard end of the FT spectrum but this one was, in my opinion, much easier than usual. However, no complaints about the neatness and elegance of the clueing.
Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | TROPICAL | Very hot, current across river (8) |
| TOPICAL (current) around R (river) | ||
| 6 | SHANTY | Sea air? (6) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| I am sure I have seen this one before. | ||
| 9 | TOLEDO | Was first to invade extremely historic Spanish city (6) |
| LED (was first) inside TOO (extremely) | ||
| 10 | NORTH SEA | Noah and rest adrift in large body of water (5,3) |
| (NOAH + REST)* | ||
| 11 | MERE | Lake in Lyme Regis (4) |
| Hidden solution: [ly]ME RE[gis] | ||
| Is there? | ||
| 12 | SWORD-STICK | Angry talk amid criticism of weapon-holder (5-5) |
| WORDS (angry talk) inside STICK (criticism) | ||
| The double use of ‘stick’ feels somewhat uncomfortable but it’s, of course, technically OK. | ||
| 14 | PLATFORM | Party line given from soapbox (8) |
| Double definition | ||
| 16 | ORAL | Said of country life (past not present) (4) |
| PASTORAL (of country life) minus (‘not present’) PAST | ||
| Really nice clue, in my opinion. | ||
| 18 | OVER | Unopened port settled (4) |
| DOVER (port) minus its starting letter D (‘unopened’) | ||
| 19 | FINE ARTS | Corresponds about familiar paintings and poetry etc (4,4) |
| FITS (corresponds) around NEAR (familiar) | ||
| 21 | CROSSPATCH | Ill-natured type to go over plot (10) |
| CROSS (to go over) + PATCH (plot) | ||
| 22 | HASH | Eats hot dish of meat and vegetables (4) |
| HAS (eats) + H (hot) | ||
| Falcon could even have stopped after the third word of the clue. | ||
| 24 | ROULETTE | Allowed to enter course for a game (8) |
| LET (allowed) inside ROUTE (course) | ||
| 26 | BARELY | Only just see behind counter (6) |
| ELY (see) coming behind BAR (counter) | ||
| 27 | SLOGAN | Hit hard with an advertising phrase that’s memorable? (6) |
| SLOG (hit hard) + AN | ||
| 28 | SIGNED ON | Working dogs – nine employed (6,2) |
| (DOGS + NINE)* | ||
| Down | ||
| 2 | RHONE | Extremely rash on European river (5) |
| R[as]H + ON + E (European) | ||
| 3 | PRESENT ARMS | Here members salute (7,4) |
| PRESENT (here) + ARMS (members) | ||
| Very efficient/effective clue. | ||
| 4 | CROSSBOW | Angry over crook bringing weapon (8) |
| CROSS (angry) + BOW (crook, as a verb) | ||
| 5 | LAND OF MY FATHERS | Taffy’s her old man, playing a patriotic song (4,2,2,7) |
| (TAFFY’S HER OLD MAN)* | ||
| 6 | STRIDE | Take long steps in street and trip (6) |
| ST (street) + RIDE (trip) | ||
| 7 | ASH | The result of burning this wood? (3) |
| Double definition | ||
| I could have taken ‘this’ as part of the second definition too but I didn’t. | ||
| 8 | TRENCHANT | Scathing, worker after cut (9) |
| ANT (worker) coming after TRENCH (cut) | ||
| 13 | TROJAN HORSE | Trap hard worker, hack (6,5) |
| Triple definition | ||
| 15 | LIVERPOOL | English city’s organ fund (9) |
| LIVER (organ) + POOL (fund) | ||
| 17 | IN THE BAG | Certain hat being used (2,3,3) |
| (HAT BEING)* | ||
| 20 | SPOT-ON | Accurate, boy receiving trophy (4-2) |
| SON ( boy) around POT (trophy) | ||
| 23 | SALVO | Volley in Oval’s out of place? (5) |
| (OVAL’S)* | ||
| 25 | LEG | On stage (3) |
| Double definition | ||
| How compact can a clue get? The first definition refers to cricket, the second one gives us ‘leg’ as part of (e.g.) a sports event. Nice bonus to see ‘stage’ having a different meaning within the surface. | ||