Guardian Genius 140 – Paul

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The special instructions seemed vaguely familiar, and after a bit of searching I found that the idea of the definition applying to the answer of a different clue was used a couple of years ago in Genius 116, which by coincidence I also blogged. However, that one had some extra complications that this one didn’t, and this one had the extra feature that all the answers began with one of the letters W H A M (seven of each), that letter being “not further defined in the clue” (I think that’s a slightly confusing instruction – perhaps “not indicated…” would have been clearer). I don’t know whether Paul intended some kind of tribute to the 1980s pop duo, or if there’s some other significance to the use of the word.

Anyway, the interchanged definitions meant that this was the kind of puzzle that was had to get started on, but it speeded up as things went along, and as far I as recall it didn’t feel too hard as Genius puzzles go. In the explanations below I’ve indicated the definition and its source after each answer, and highlighted the definitions in the clues in blue. Thanks to Paul for another enjoyable challenge.

Across
8. MACAROON (13D: biscuit) Diseased, a marsupial preserved? (8)
A + ROO in CAN
9. HOUSE (12A: Place) River god (5)
The River OUSE (of which there are several in England)
10. WHET (20A: Stimulate) The soup — is there more? (4)
THE*
11. ART STUDENT (22A: One learning to be creative) Repugnance not trusted, nothing less repulsive (3,7)
(NOT TRUSTED)* less O
12. HERMES (9A: god) Place smaller message boxes (6)
Hidden in smallER MESsage boxes
14. MALARIAL (8A: Diseased) Everyone accepting some music is curative (8)
ARIA in ALL
15. WHITMAN (19D: Poet) Mozart possibly a killer (7)
HIT MAN
17. MEDICAL (14A: curative) Sound of sea in ideal novel is not literal (7)
C (“sea”) in IDEAL*
20. WHIPLASH (2D: Possible result of a sudden jerk) Stimulate joint with something hairy (8)
HIP + [eye] LASH
22. ANDREW (4D: prince) One learning to be creative, sketched by woman, finally (6)
[woma]N + DREW
23. HYPOTHESIS (26A: Proposition) Grass is behind shop yet to be renovated (10)
(SHOP YET)*+ IS
24. MASK (24D: Hide) Question a confusing situation (4)
ASK
25. AXIOM (22D: Saw) Nothing in formula recalled as a science (5)
O in MIX<
26. HEIRLOOM (21D: keep it in the family) Proposition by Romeo — Juliet’s heartbroken? (8)
Anagram of ROMEO + the middle lettesr of juLIet
Down
1. HASHEESH (23A: Grass) Rupture — remains to bandage paper cut (8)
SHEE[T] in ASH
2. WAFT (6D: Float) Possible result of a sudden jerk to the back (4)
AFT = at or to the back of a ship
3. MORASS (24A: a confusing situation) Sex or dope (6)
OR ASS
4. ANATOMY (25A: science) Refusal to accept queen’s partner is a prince (7)
TOM (male cat, as opposed to a queen) in NAY
5. WHAT ELSE (10A: is there more?) In which notable people care not for the Webbs’ university? (4,4)
HATE + LSE (London School of Economics, founded by Sidney and BeatriceWebb (among others)
6. WUNDERKIND (15A: Mozart possibly) Float less than generous? (10)
UNDER-KIND
7. HERNIA (1D: Rupture) Prime number initially consumed by rising river (6)
R in AIRE< – again there are several rivers called Aire, in Yorkshire, France, Switzerland and Australia
13. METAPHORIC (17A: not literal) Cook it with peach or biscuit (10)
(IT PEACH OR)*
16. ANATHEMA (18D: Curse) In Arizona, the main American city (8)
Hidden in arizoNA THE MAin
18. AVERSION (11A: Repugnance) Curse different story (8)
Another VERSION is a different story
19. WHO’S WHO (5D: In which notable people) Poet with 9 on show, perhaps (4,3)
HO[use] + SHOW*
21. HEYDAY (7D: Prime) Stain brought up, always keep it in the family (6)
DYE< + AY
22. AUSTIN (16D: American city) Saw American money (6)
US TIN
24. MALE (3D: Sex) Hide the drink (4)
ALE

7 comments on “Guardian Genius 140 – Paul”

  1. Thank you for the blog, and to Paul for an enjoyable challenge. This was my first attempt at a Genius puzzle and I enjoyed the experience. As you say, it was hard to get going, but once the four starting letters had been discerned progress was a lot quicker!

  2. Thanks for the explanations. Paul is perhaps my favourite setter, and we normally enjoy having a crack at the Genius, but I have to admit I was completely defeated by this, unable to make a single entry.

    I found – as did Andrew – the instruction re the letter being “not further defined in the clue” ambiguous – was it (as it turned out) just omitted from the wordplay, or was it also (as it apparently says) also ignored in the definition ? This added a layer of doubt and confusion to an already complex set-up which proved too much for my feeble brain. Disappointing…

  3. Thanks Andrew. I was in bed recovering from flu when I tackled this and almost gave up before getting the first solution – 17a. But that gave me the first letter of both 14a and 19d, so I already had two of the group letters. Everything went in very quickly from there, which made me feel much better ? Thanks Paul

  5. I started with the A’s – ART STUDENT, AUSTIN and ANDREW. I was held up for ages by having the wrong grid. The originally published grid had an extra white square at the end of 9a), and 25a) started one square to the left of where it should have.

    Great fun though, albeit totally mind-blowing trying to keep all the information in your head at the same time.

    DuncT @3 & 4: a colon followed by a closing bracket (with an optional hyphen in the middle – :) or :-) – or should do it for you 🙂 🙂

  6. It took me several days to make a start on this, as I also hadn’t understood the instructions properly. Once I realised that “not further defined in the clue” meant that the wordplay gave the solution, but without its initial letter, then it all went together without too much trouble.

  7. I’m a bit late to the blog this month as I was away for a week.

    I enjoyed the puzzle and for a LONG time was certain that 10A was going to be WHAM. That threw me for a while. I found this easier than Brummie’s puzzle last month.

    Thanks to Andrew and Paul

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