After the slog of the big Christmas crossword, this was a welcome relief – a fun and fairly quick solve, lots of excellent clues as you can always expect from Paul.
Happy New Year to everyone, especially the regular commenters on these blog posts!
Across
1. Very hot month — bother! (7)
FEBRILE
FEB = “month” + RILE = “bother”
Definition: “Very hot”
9. Happy band, unhappy (5)
UPSET
UP = “Happy” + SET = “band”
Definition: “unhappy”
10. Fall guy, git kidnapping primate, shot (9)
SCAPEGOAT
SCAT = “git” around APE = “primate” + GO = “shot”. The bit that confused us here was SCAT = “git”, but I think they can both be used as an imperative roughly equivalent to “go away!”
Definition: “Fall guy”
11. Person about to accept Sumerian shop is a bloomer (5-2-3)
FLEUR-DE-LIS
SELF reversed = “Person about” around UR DELI = “Sumerian shop”
Definition: “bloomer”
12. Cash for spending a penny, we hear? That’s the game! (4)
LUDO
LUDO sounds like “loo dough”, or “Cash for spending a penny, we hear?”
Definition: “That’s the game!”
14. A figure hugging tree then dull? Yes! (11)
AFFIRMATIVE
A + FIVE = “figure” around FIR = “tree” + MAT = “dull”
Definition: “Yes!”
18. Woman on the throne admitted to lowest act, unfortunately, in the smallest room (5,6)
WATER CLOSET
ER = “Woman on the throne” in (LOWEST ACT)*
Definition: “the smallest room”
21. Somewhat discreet, in the shade (4)
TINT
Hidden in “discreeT IN The”
Definition: “shade”
22. While nowhere to be seen, I take seat in building (2,8)
IN ABSENTIA
(I TAKE SEAT IN)*
Definition: “While nowhere to be seen”
25. Guardian setter after a pay increase almost getting nothing — that’s tedious! (9)
WEARISOME
WE = “Guardian”, followed by ME = “setter” after A RIS[e] = “a pay increase almost” + O = “nothing” +
Definition: “tedious”
27. The doctor of poetry, not entirely a classical hero (7)
THESEUS
THE + SEUS[s] = “doctor of poetry not entirely” (referring to Dr. Seuss)
Definition: “a classical hero”
28. Jumper with clothes for TV show (3,4)
TOP GEAR
TOP = “Jumper” (as in things you wear on your torso) + GEAR = “clothes”
Definition: “TV show”
Down
1. Slip on yellow top that’s soft (6)
FLUFFY
FLUFF = “Slip” + Y[ellow] = “yellow top”
Definition: “soft”
2,26. Sure to inhale dope, the mad dog (6,5)
BASSET HOUND
BOUND = “Sure” around ASS = “dope” + (THE)*
Definition: “dog”
3. Unite a trio of redheads, furious with enmity (10)
INTERMARRY
(ARRRENMITY)* (The anagram fodder is: A + RRR = “trio of redheads” + ENMITY, and anagram indicator “furious”)
Definition: “Unite”
4. Follow leaders in extremely nail-biting situation, until exhausted (5)
ENSUE
First letters of E[xtremely] N[ail-biting] S[ituation] U[ntil] E[xhaused]
Definition: “Follow”
5. Europeans taking siestas up, one on deck doffing cap (9)
SPANIARDS
NAPS = “siestas up” + I = “one” on [c]ARDS = “deck doffing cap”
Definition: “Europeans”
6. Top ten record astonishingly’s beginning to climb (4)
APEX
X = “ten” + EP = “record” + A[stonishingly] = “astonishingly’s beginning” all reversed
Definition: “Top”
7. 11 encapsulating old capital, but it’s lacking for native American (8)
IROQUOIS
IRIS = “[FLEUR-DE-LIS]” around O = “old” + QUITO = “old capital” but without IT (“it’s lacking”). Quito is the current capital of Ecuador, so I think the “old” just refers to it having a history that can be traced back to the first millenium (and apparently a very well preserved historic historic city centre). Update: thanks to NeilW for pointing out that I’d just missed out an O, so the “old” needs no further explanation.
Definition: “native American”
8. Gas ring not working, blocked by end of pipe (8)
NITROGEN
(RING NOT E)* – the anagram fodder is RING NOT + [pip]E = “end of pipe”
Definition: “Gas”
13. Naval bruiser chewed thistle in a roll (10)
BATTLESHIP
(THISTLE)* in BAP = “roll”
Definition: “Naval bruiser”
15. Criminal, if loose, untreated? (9)
FELONIOUS
(IF LOOSE UN)* – you have to split “untreated” to get “treated” as the anagram indicator and “un” to be added to the fodder
Definition: “Criminal”
16. Couple of idiots identifying the house sparrow? (4-4)
TWIT-TWAT
TWIT and TWAT both can mean “idiot”
Definition: “house sparrow”
17. Ancient individual breaking leg (5,3)
STONE AGE
ONE = “individual” in STAGE = “leg”
Definition: “Ancient”
19. Adjust fastener held by Greek character the wrong way (6)
ATTUNE
NUT = “fastener” in ETA = “Greek character” all reversed (“the wrong way”)
Definition:
20. Duck with you on land, might you say? (6)
GANDER
There’s clearly a homophone here – could it be “you gander” sounding like “Uganda” or “land”?
Definition: “Duck”
23. French port where British don’t work (5)
BREST
B = “British” + REST = “don’t work”
Definition: “French port”
24,5across. Pole in this building with Irish infestation? (4,7)
FIRE STATION
IR = “Irish” in FESTATION – clever construction
Definition: “Pole in this building”
Thanks, mhl. As you say, a stroll in the park after the week before!
An O is required before QU[it]O in IROQUOIS so the “old” is not redundant.
22 I parsed as I NAB (SEAT IN)*
Thanks mhl. A bit hillier than Paul’s amble yesterday, and as full as ever with witty challenges. Loved the Sumerian deli (though on my visit to Ur, nary a shop in sight).
A gander is not a duck.
Yes, surely a gander is a goose, not a duck.
copmus & Phil Page
I too queried duck=gander but a gander is a male goose and, according to Chambers, a goose is “any one of a group of birds of the duck family, intermediate between ducks and swans”.
@Gaudfrid- thanks but I’m still not buying it- especially from such an esteemed (if somewhat overworked) setter such as Paul.
Whether you agree that duck = goose or not (I don’t), 20d needs an anser.
Thanks Paul and mhl
I’m on the side of “a gander isn’t a male duck”. There’s a perfectly good name for a male duck – DRAKE. The Anatidae comprise ducks, geese and swans – see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatidae
(I like your pun, NormanLinFrance.)
I thought TWIT TWAT was awful as well. It’s not in any of my dicitonaries, and took some finding with Google. I put TWIT TWIT, as I thought, in current usage, that “twat” was unlikely, and TWIT TWIT sounds a bit like “tweet tweet”, the noise that sparrows make. There wasn’t anything to suggest that the “couple of idiots” had to be different. The critical letter was unchecked, which made it worse.
Should this blog have been posted yet? My paper copy of last Saturday’s Guardian gives me until Thursday 8th to submit my entry for a prize.
G Larsen
I take your point but the PDF version on the Guardian website has the usual “entries by Friday” and the full solution is also available on that site.
Gaufrid
Thanks. Someone has nodded off at the Guardian. I can save myself the price of a stamp.
By the way, I agree with those who think GANDER and TWIT-TWAT are below par, surprisingly so from this setter.
16dn is woefully obscure considering the wordplay doesn’t lead unambiguously to the answer, and 20dn is just plain wrong. Neither clue should have made it past the editor, IMHO.
Chambers (groan) gives twit-twat the house sparrow, perhaps they have just added it!
Coolie @13
Which edition of Chambers? It’s not in mine, or my SOED either.
The OCED gives duck, any waterbird of the family Anatidae, i.e. swans, geese and ducks (see muffin @8), so I suppose the clue is fair enough.
NormanLinFrance, I like your anser!
Sorry, that was meant to be Cookie @13 and @15.
Hi, muffin, Chambers’s Twentieth Century Dictionary on line (first time I have consulted it).
Hi Cookie
I thought someone might have been impersonating you!
[Hi, muffin. Shouldn’t think anyone could be bothered to. However, rather surprised the system accepted my post! Only mention this because the other day “H———–‘s mum” posted a message which Gaufrid(?) quickly removed (you probably saw it). That prompted me on New Year’s Day to comment on a post by Peter Asplinwall, it did not sound like him, but he had been bottling home brew!]
[Apologies Peter Asplnwall, I have spelt your name incorrectly @18]
I thought this a bit iffy in parts. I did get GANDER but I don’t like it and TWIT TWAT is awful-so ,for that matter,is TWIT TWIT which was my answer. I am old enough to remember when TWAT meant something rather ruder than “idiot”. Paul can do better than this even in his smuttier moments. I thought the rest was fine.
Cheers All
Thank you Paul and mhl.
I managed to do nearly all of this Prize Puzzle last Saturday. I was not sure of FLUFFY and put TWIT-TWIT. I could not complete some of the parsing and failed to get INTERMARRY.
At first GANDER annoyed me, but now I accept it and also, grudgingly, TWIT-TWAT.
Favourites were SCAPEGOAT, FLEUR-DE-LIS, AFFIRMATIVE, FIRE STATION, WEARISOME better stop here.
Peter @20
Is that use of “twat” no longer current?
Muffin@22 Well it isn’t in our house!
Cookie@19 Don’t worry I’ve been called worse. It was me on New Year’s Day and I was only bottling the homebrew; the effect comes later. Mind you, I suppose the fumes could have got me!
[Peter Asplnwall @23. I grow Chasselas wine grapes. The fumes at times, especially bottling, had quite an effect. I have stopped now that I have grandchildren, the new systemic vine sprays are too dangerous.]
Cookie@24
I was joking. I’ve been exposed to homebrew fumes for many years with no apparent ill effects although this could account for my lack of grandchildren!
[Peter @ 25
Interesting that <b?you breathing homebrew fumes affects your offspring’s (or offsprings’) fecundity. Do the epigeneticists know about this?]
[the <b? was an misprinted attempt at bold]
Thanks all
Favourites were 20, 24 d.Last in was 12ac !!
[Muffin, I nearly commented in Chifonie’s Dec 30 puzzle on the redheads, in the ‘ménage ŕ trois’ at 3d, in this puzzle. I had forgotten this was the Prize one. If I had I would have been in trouble again.]
As always with Paul’s puzzles, I enjoyed this but like others I couldn’t cope with 16dn. I had it as “twit twit” because that would be a couple of idiots making a vague “tweet tweet” noise but why a HOUSE sparrow as opposed to a tree sparrow or a hedge sparrow??
All fairly straightforward, though like Peter AsplnWall and Jovis I had TWIT-TWIT and didn’t bother to look it up. Didn’t worry too much about GANDER since that had to be right.
Thanks and happy new year to Paul and mhl
beery hiker @ 31
You say “Didn’t worry too much about GANDER since that had to be right.”
Problem is – it isn’t!
I share everyone’s reservations about TWIT-TWAT; at best it should have been TWIT-TWIT.
Jovis @ 30;
Hedge Sparrows are not really sparrows and they certainly don’t tweet-tweet. Look at their plumage and fine, pointed insectivorous bill. They are no more sparrows than ganders are ducks!
muffin @32 – I agree entirely that the clue is factually incorrect, what I meant was that it was easy to see what was intended…
The family Anatidae is named after the type genus Anas (many of the common ducks), hence it is known as the duck family even though it includes geese and swans.
The family Rosaseae is named after the type genus Rosa (the hedge rose etc), hence it is known as the rose family even though it includes plums, cherries, apricots…
It is just a scientific convention, so quite correct.
Cookie @ 35
They are ducks, geese and swans – distinct sub divisions within the family.
A gander is in the goose division, not the duck!
I know, muffin. Paul should somehow have brought the concept of family into the clue! En plus, a duck is a female and a gander a male.
Also, I can’t imagine calling a plum a rose!
And just try and apply my argument to the family Hominidae!