Guardian 26,514 by Rufus

by

The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26514.

I thought that the crop of cryptic definitions – and there are eight of them – here was on the weak side for Rufus. There seemed to be more envelope clues than normal for him.

Across
1 AFFAIR
A very strong atmosphere of romance (6)

A charade of ‘a’ plus FF (‘very strong’) plus AIR (‘atmosphere’).
5 PASTORAL
Famous symphony, also part variation (8)

An anagram (‘variation’) of ‘also part’. The symphony is probably the most famous, Beethoven’s Sixth, but coud be by Vaughan Williams, Glazunov or Rawsthorne.
9 TUG-OF-WAR
Tight contest in which the winners manage to pull back (3-2-3)

Cryptic definition.
10 RITUAL
Ceremonial trial rearranged about the middle of January (6)

An envelope (‘about’) of U (‘the middle of JanUary’) in RITAL, an anagram (‘rearranged’) of ‘trial’.
11 EARNED INCOME
Returns from work (6,6)

Cryptic definition.
13 MAGI
They were wise, putting the scholar before the soldier (4)

A charade of MA (‘the scolar’) plus GI (‘the soldier’).
14 USEFULLY
Exploit at length for a beneficial purpose (8)

A charade of USE (‘exploit’) plus FULLY (‘at length’).
17 ESPECIAL
Particular pieces muddled by a learner (8)

A charade of ESPECI, an anagram (‘muddled’) of ‘pieces’ plus ‘a’ plus L (‘learner’).
18 DUCK
Try to avoid the lowest possible score (4)

Double definition.
20 BATTING ORDER
It shows the priorities for strikers (7,5)

Cryptic definition.
23 SKI RUN
Potential risk one in France may take in winter (3,3)

Acharade of SKIR, an anagram (‘potential’) of RISK, plus UN (‘one in France’), with an extended definition (although ‘France’ is not the only place to find ski runs, which I think weakens the clue as an &lit).
24 IN THE END
Mean to arrest man, eventually (2,3,3)

An envelope (‘to arrest’) of HE (‘man’) in INTEND (‘mean’).
25 TENNYSON
Poet writes new sonnet about New York (8)

An envelope (‘about’) of NY (‘New York’) in TENSON, an anagram (‘new’) of ‘sonnet’.
26 DETEST
Dislike of French cricket (6)

A charade of DE (‘of French’) plus TEST (‘cricket’).
Down
2 FOUL
Use the wrong sort of tackle, perhaps (4)

Cryptic definition.
3 AT ONE TIME
Formerly together (2,3,4)

Double definition.
4 REWARD
One who picks the winning ticket goes up for the prize (6)

A reversal (‘goes up’ in a down light) of DRAWER (‘one who picks the winning ticket’).
5 PERPETUAL MOTION
It goes on all the time (9,6)

Cryptic definition.
6 SARDINES
Fish cooked as diners required (8)

An anagram (‘cooked’) of ‘as diners’; ‘required’ is just along for the ride, but reads into the cryptic interpretation of the clue as well as the surface.
7 OPTIC
Scotch governor? (5)

Cryptic definition: an optic (originally a trade name but now generic) of the device in the neck of a spirit bottle which measures out a shot.
8 ALARM CLOCK
An eye-opener for many every day (5,5)

Cryptic definition.
12 RAMSHACKLE
Dilapidated hamper has butter over it (10)

A charade of RAM (‘butter’) plus SHACKLE (‘hamper’).
15 UNDERFELT
It’s intended to make one’s pile last longer (9)

Cryptic definition (‘pile’ being that of a carpet).
16 WINNINGS
Spoils Worcestershire opener’s time at the crease (8)

A charade of W (‘Worcestershire opener’) plus INNINGS (‘time at the crease’).
19 EDITED
It’s found in a rediscovered deed and revised (6)

An envelope (‘found in’) of ‘it’ in EDED, an anagram (‘rediscovered’) of ‘deed’.
21 TURIN
Modern city can split round ancient one (5)

An envelope (’round’) of UR (‘ancient city’) in TIN (‘can’).
22 ANTS
Social workers write article on good man arising (4)

A charade of AN (‘article’) plus TS, a reversal (‘arising’ in a down light’) of ST (‘good man’).
completed grid

42 comments on “Guardian 26,514 by Rufus”

  1. I stayed up to get the first post after completing. As with many I suspect Rufus supplies 99% of the Guardian cryptic side can complete – this one quite quickly. Fun

  4. Good Rufusian diet including a few clues to irritate his critics, such as UNDERFELT – you really needed some crossers to get this. Me too re OPTIC. Thanks to Rufus and PeterO.

  6. The optic didn’t detain me for long and I enjoyed the crossword, as I always do a Rufus Monday one.

  8. Did this crossword in clue order and managed all but five on the first pass. But Rufus has the knack of making me feel pleased with myself rather than patronised. Back to work with a smile.

  9. As quick as I’ve ever done Rufus; tiny delay on UNDERFELT but that was it.

    Rather a lot of cricket: 18a, 20a, 26a, 16d. Heavens, for Rufus that’s practically a theme.

  10. Thanks Rufus and PeterO.

    I could not fathom out OPTIC; I suppose muffin could since he was lauding Scotch in the Prize Puzzle blog on Saturday, and obviously Izzythedram would have no problem with it.

    I did like RAMSHACKLE and UNDERFELT.

  11. Thanks Rufus & PeterO.

    This went in steadily, giving a broad grin for OPTIC. A previous clue by Rufus for ‘drawer’ was: ‘Prize returned to person picking the winning ticket.’

    I also liked the UNDERFELT – I wonder what Paul might have used for a clue. 😉

  12. I confidently entered perpetuum mobile at 5d, which held me up. Apart from that, optic had me stumped. Enjoyable nonetheless, thanks Rufus and PeterO!

  13. Quick and enjoyable solve on the train back to London from Scotland – unlike Friday which took half the journey.

    I think the malts discussed on Saturday are too posh to be dispensed upside down with an optic.

  14. Well, unless the cryptic definitions lead unequivocally to the answer, they’re insufficient as clues. Old hat stuff throughout, as poor old Rufus fulfils his ‘brief’. Other papers do this as well, you know, Dac and Phi in their slots, but whatever it can be a little tiresome week in week out. Even Araucaria got to me once or twice in that way. ðŸ™

  16. I find it tiresome to get the same old same old week in, week out too, especially if there isn’t a brief involved.

  17. All pretty straightforward except my last two (OPTIC and UNDERFELT), both of which I felt were a bit obscure to be clued as cds without any wordplay to fall back on.

    Thanks to Rufus and PeterO

  19. Quite an easy solve but enjoyable nonetheless. I had no trouble with OPTIC and I also thought there was a cricketing theme which rather surprised me as I’ve never noticed one in a Rufus puzzle before. Coincidence perhaps?
    Thanks Rufus.

  20. I saw pile=carpet quickly enough but just couldn’t remember what the stuff was called – underlay would have been more familiar. As for the optic – I’m sure I’ve seen that in a previous crossword but I still didn’t remember it, and it was the best guess for the crossers.

  21. For my first entry I confidently put “PERMANENT RECORD” in 5d, and immediately confirmed it with PASTORAL in 5a, so that held me up for a while. But it was fairly plain sailing once I realised that was wrong and corrected it.

    Thanks Rufus and PeterO

  23. Could someone expand on “foul” for me, please? I can see why it means an illegal tackle in, say, rugby, but that’s just a straightforward definition. What’s the cryptic one?

    Thanks.

  24. It’s Monday; it’s Rufus; it’s meant to be ‘easy’; it’s full of cds and dds; I liked it; but others, as is well known, don’t.

    Thanks to S&B. (Although the setter can have a harsh word from me for having so many cricket references today … I don’t want to be reminded about our national team, thank you very much.)

  26. Thanks, PeterO

    Sometimes Rufus’s Monday puzzles take me a surprisingly long time to complete, because the CDs and DDs don’t spring immediately to mind. This was not one of those.

    As Trailman and K’sD have also remarked, I was struck by the number of cricketing references. Gave me a slight pang of nostalgia for the days when most cryptic crosswords were replete with them. Eheu fugaces….

  27. PeterO, that must be why I spent so long on it before realising my ‘error’, 50 years since I lived in an English speaking country if, according to mrpenney, 7 years in Jamaica cannot be counted.

  28. Alistair @23

    I share your perplexity; if I had been in a grumpier mood, I might have labelled the clue simply “Definition.”. I suppose that Rufus was trying to make you think of ‘tackle’ in the sense of equipment. This comes as an afterthought, and even if I had gone with that sense initially, I think the intended trick so clearly telegraphed that most experienced solvers would see through it directly – after all, Rufus is known for his liberal hand with the CDs.
    However, Rufus can come up with some very effective clues, and, given his still considerable output, his overall quality is generally high – I see the force of the point made by Van Winkle @8. But for myself I would be happier with fewer and better CDs.

  29. As Kathryn’s Dad says quite apt to have all the cricket related clues on the day of the whimpering exit. Very enjoyable puzzle I thought, mainly because I completed in record time (25 minutes). Very rapid for me.

  30. By the way, there’s a butter=ram in today’s Rufus, a little butter=kid in last week’s, and a ram=butter in Moley’s Quiptic today. Is someone starting a goat farm?

  32. I’ve just had another look at 3d. Why does AT ONE TIME mean “together”? “At one”, yes, but I don’t see how “time fits in.

  35. Muffin @32

    “At one time” = “simultaneous” = “together”

    Usual Rufus fare. A mix of loose DDs and CDs, laughably easy clues with the odd reasonable clue.

    Too brief to be described as fun.

    Thanks to PeterO and Rufus

  37. muffin @32

    Perhaps “at the same time” would be more natural (“Don’t all speak at the same time”), but I think ‘at one time’ would fit as well there.

  39. Thanks too, PeterO.

    (For anyone curious, in my deleted first post, I described where I was sitting as I solved it.)

  40. Perhaps I’ve been led astray by Paul but was momentarily tempted to enter ‘underwear’ for 15dn

    I had some spare time this morning and bought the Independent to see what the crossword was like. I never thought I would be in the “too easy” camp but it proved to be a quick solve. I mention this because of the comment @ 14 by a contributor who had nothing but praise for the Indy despite (in my opinion) some iffy clues while, as usual, he reserved his grumpiness for the Guardian.

  41. Thanks Rufus and PeterO

    My fastest Rufus by far as well – found them all basically write-ins, except for going with PECKING ORDER first at 20a.

    Still like to see his puzzles nonetheless.

  42. There’s always a lot to do of a Monday … so good to get Rufus done and dusted nice and early and a small feeling of confidence before the week starts steadily going downhill …

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