Well, it’s Phiday again, and he seems to be getting tougher these days. Last week’s offering seemed more tricky than usual, and this one also took us longer than expected.
Although Phi denies it, there is a Nina here! 6ac and 21d are words we haven’t come across before, we hadn’t heard of the art style in 8d either and a couple of the definitions Phi used were a little obscure and needed checking. Is there more going on? There is a connection between 16ac and 19ac but we can’t see any other connections.
| Across | ||
| 1 | Observed to secure information back in web-savvy locations | |
| NETCAFES | SEEN (observed) round FACT (information) reversed or ‘back’ | |
| 6 | Divinity only half apparent in spring festival | |
| HOLI | HOLI |
|
| 9 | First in work? Begin, losing little time | |
| OPENER | OP (work) + EN |
|
| 10 | Workshy, though not initially deficient | |
| LACKING | ||
| 11 | Smoother excellent line feed in river | |
| NAILFILE | AI (excellent) LF (line feed) in NILE (river) | |
| 12 | Smallish creatures not caught in smallish pictures | |
| INSETS | INSE |
|
| 13 | Negligence in Spain, with plenty refusing American backing | |
| INEFFICIENCY | IN E (Spain) + |
|
| 16 | Resort period: ocean bathe almost entirely free | |
| DAYTONA BEACH | DAY (period) + an anagram of OCEAN BATH |
|
| 19 | Note a mark of injury in autosport | |
| NASCAR | N (note) + A + SCAR (mark of injury) | |
| 20 | Metal treatment involving tritium, just a little | |
| TINCTURE | TIN (metal) CURE (treatment) round or ‘involving’ T (tritium) | |
| 22 | Live outside Spanish resort, disdaining American mix | |
| AMALGAM | AM (live) round or ‘outside’ MAL |
|
| 23 | Publisher is a person at court? | |
| ISSUER | IS SUER (a person at court) | |
| 24 | Frothy, made from milk, taking day | |
| AIRY | ||
| 25 | Artist friend filled with determination | |
| MAGRITTE | MATE (friend) round or ‘filled with’ GRIT (determination) | |
| Down | ||
| 2 | Clarifies the history of some mountains? | |
| EXPLAINS | A bit of Geology required here – some mountain ranges were once plains before being formed by tectonic action – they were EX PLAINS | |
| 3 | Get rid of a length of waterway | |
| CANAL | CAN (get rid of) + A + L (length) | |
| 4 | They’ll have some more hopefully expecting a further delivery | |
| FERTILITY DRUGS | We’re not too happy with this clue – it seems (to us) to be a rather iffy cryptic definition – people taking FERTILITY DRUGS will be hoping for a successful pregnancy and delivery. | |
| 5 | Traduced composer’s story conveyed in a variety of airs | |
| SALIERI | LIE (story) in an anagram of AIRS – anagrind is ‘a variety of’. Traduced refers to the fact that he is largely famous for being Mozart’s rival and possibly murderer. Until we looked it up, we had forgotten that the play and film Amadeus, revived this legend. | |
| 6 | This really sees length cut before arrangement? | |
| HAIRSTYLE | Cryptic definition – an anagram of THIS REAL |
|
| 7 | Supporter took in ambassador | |
| LEGATE | LEG (supporter) + ATE (took in) | |
| 8 | Modern art style is out for use in coating front of palace, possibly | |
| ACTION PAINTING | This took some sorting, but we think it is: AINT (‘is out’) in an anagram of IN COATING + P (first letter or ‘front’ of palace) – anagrind is ‘possibly’ | |
| 14 | Leaders of finance identify record implicating University College regarding trust funds | |
| FIDUCIARY | F I (first letters or ‘leaders’ of Finance Identify) + DIARY (record) round or ‘implicating’ UC (University College) | |
| 15 | Decay entering stone is most disturbing | |
| SCARIEST | CARIES (decay) in or ‘entering’ ST (stone) | |
| 17 | Most suitable reduced period in work reduced minutes | |
| OPTIMUM | TIM |
|
| 18 | Spiced meat is served up after a flight’s boarded | |
| SALAMI | IS reversed or ‘served up’ round A LAM (flight) – we hadn’t come across ‘lam’ as a synonym for ‘flight’ before | |
| 21 | Month in Jerusalem? Part of August is right | |
| TISRI | Hidden in or ‘part of’ AugusT IS RIght | |
Thanks to Phi and bloggers,
Yes, Fridays have been pretty tough for the last few weeks. I liked the non-Nina. The only other connection I can see is that the race at 16 is the 9 of the 19 series. Phi a “good ole boy”? I don’t think so.
Thanks again for a good challenge and the as ever helpful blog.
I think 8d is “AIN’T IN” (i.e. is out) inside anagram of COATING and P.
Agree, tough one this week.
Agree that Phi seems to be upping the difficulty level lately. Couldn’t get the congrats message until changed FA(musical note)SCAR to NASCAR; not sure I’ve heard of either.
I think 8D is AINT IN (“is out) in COATINGP[alace]*.
Thanks to Phi and Bertandjoyce.
I’m pleased to learn that others are finding Phi more difficult lately as I thought it was just me. I am also delighted that I noticed the Nina about there not being a Nina!
Thanks to Phi and B&J
I thought I’d wander in from the Guardian side of the building today and see what the “Phiday” fuss is about. I’m glad I did, it was worth the trip just for EXPLAINS. I missed the nina until I read the blog – maybe it’s a nod to Magritte’s “Ceci n’est pas une pipe”?
Thanks Phi and Bertandjoyce, I’ll go back to my seat now.
Thanks, both.
Definitely a tough one, although I did spot the non-message. I think Brendan (or Virgilius) did the same thing a few years back. Clever stuff.
Couldn’t really understand FERTILITY DRUGS, but there was much to enjoy elsewhere. Thanks to the setter. And maybe Cyborg has a point with the Magritte reference.
Good weekend to all.
Nice one, Phi, if a bit tougher than some. But having spotted the nina I was a bit disappointed to find that, paradoxically, there wasn’t one!
And thanks, B&J for the blog.
I agree that this was another tough Phi puzzle. I spotted the non-nina and it helped me finish in the NW where I had been finding the puzzle particularly chewy. I needed all the checkers before I saw FERTILITY DRUGS, and you can count me as another who entered HOLI and TISRI from the wordplay with fingers crossed.
My Google Translate still throws up various attempts at Magritte’s famous phrase about his painted pipe – but I coul get anything the right length for a perimeter so I settled for a briefer English version, which also allowed Magritte to ‘sign’ the bottom of the puzzle.
I know nothing about getting harder. The last few puzzles were completed in the run-up to and over Christmas (in fact I observe a tradition of completing a puzzle on New Year’s Eve, and this is 2014’s). Perhaps having a little more time and alcohol contributes?
Yes – I too didn’t find this as clear cut as I had come to expect with a Phuzzle. In fact, I must confess that it was only the [non-existence of a] Nina that gave me HOLI! And it took a while to get properly started. Some great clues…I was a tad surprised that NETCAFÉS n’était pas deux mots! We live and learn. Enjoyed. Thanks Phi – and bravi B and J!
Just occurred – could NETCAFÉS be a play on Nescafé? (and have I just woken to the obvious?!)
As someone pretty new to the world of crosswords, I find them all very hard! It probably took the best part of 8 hours to complete while driving to Oldham and back, and even then I had to guess a couple. I particularly liked EXPLAINS, but FERTILITY DRUGS didn’t really click. Very satisfying to complete and some very clear and helpful explanations from Bert and Joyce.