Financial Times 16,491 by SLORMGORM

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It’s been a little while since my last Slormgorm. An interesting puzzle with quite a few write-ins and then some less natural connections (for me).

Overall an enjoyable challenge. Admittedly had to double check TAN as HIT, and (bunch in) SHOCK for TRESS, but both clear in Chambers. I particularly enjoyed 8d rat/Geldof, 11a Lincoln, 17a animal crossing placard and 22a boss? Many thanks to Slormgorm.

image of grid

ACROSS
1 Worry that the Queen’s ignored duty (6)
EXCISE
EX[er]CISE (worry), that ER (Queen’s) ignored

 

4 It’s a crop cultivated for fruit (8)
APRICOTS
(ITS A CROP)* (*cultivated)

 

9 Rigid structures one might see on 10 down, I’m told (5)
TENSE
“tents” (structures one might see on 10d, “I’m told”)

 

10 Awfully nice hat I put over fellow’s head (9)
CHIEFTAIN
(NICE HAT I)* (*awfully) over F (fellow)

 

11 A poor actor will need support in Lincoln? (7)
ABRAHAM
A HAM (a poor actor) will need BRA (support)

 

12 One publication that is covering new hit record (7)
IMAGINE
I + MAG (publication) + I.E. (that is) covering N (new)

 

13 It’s okay in Paris to have Spanish wine (4)
CAVA
ÇA VA (okay in Paris (i.e. French))

 

14 Insult bunch in shock to create this? (8)
DISTRESS
DIS (insult) + TRESS (bunch in shock)

 

17 Animal crossing placard? I might create that! (8)
DESIGNER
DEER (animal) crossing SIGN (placard)

 

19 Young animal found near area in country (4)
CUBA
CUB (young animal) found near A (area)

 

22 Salesman and male tucking into eggs brought over for the boss? (7)
EMPEROR
(REP (saleman) and M (male)) tucking into (ROE)< (eggs, <brought over)

 

24 Treasonous speech missing introduction creates issue (7)
EDITION
[s]EDITION (treasonous speech, missing introduction)

 

25 One tight young man quickly earned cash (1,4,4)
A FAST BUCK
A (one) FAST (tight) BUCK (young man)

 

26 High-ranking soldier punches vacuously abrupt spy (5)
AGENT
GEN (high ranking soldier) punches A[brup]T (vacuously)

 

27 Use hands to sort out parasol? (8)
SUNSHADE
(USE HANDS)* (*to sort out)

 

28 Swamp-like planet with hairy yeti-like leaders (6)
MARSHY
MARS (planet) with H[airy] Y[eti-like] leaders

 

DOWN
1 Knight to open a centre rebuilt for access (8)
ENTRANCE
N (knight) to open (A CENTRE)* (*rebuilt)

 

2 False Tory attempted to take in Vatican leader (9)
CONTRIVED
CON (Tory) + TRIED (attempted) to take in V[atican] (leader)

 

3 Be very angry if article is sat on by court (6)
SEETHE
THE (article) is sat on by SEE (court)

 

5 A real problem that Dracula might cause? (4,2,3,4)
PAIN IN THE NECK
Dracula being a vampire known to bite necks

 

6 Blow up stylish apartment with bit of explosive (7)
INFLATE
FLAT (stylish apartment) with [m]INE (bit of explosive)

 

7 I love to go around hugging chap from Muscat? (5)
OMANI
I + O (love) to go around; hugging MAN (chap)

 

8 A Rat? Bob Geldof could be described as one! (6)
SINGER
Double definition

 

10 A place to pitch upcoming grand dances (7,6)
CAMPING GROUND
(UPCOMING GRAND)* (*dances)

 

15 Lascivious behaviour causes sin unfortunately (9)
SAUCINESS
(CAUSES SIN)* (*unfortunately)

 

16 Part of a yacht seen in seas as well as river (8)
MAINSTAY
MAINS (seas) as well as TAY (river)

 

18 Small problem with resistance leader in nick (7)
SCRATCH
S (small) + CATCH (problem) with R[esistance] (leader) in

 

20 Hit show originally about old Americans (6)
TEXANS
TAN (hit) + S[how] (originally) about EX (old)

 

21 Nasty chap that spies must detain or bug (6)
CICADA
CAD (nasty chap) that CIA (spies) must detain

 

23 Simple idea containing bit of ingenuity (5)
PLAIN
PLAN (idea) containing I[ngenuity] (bit of)

 

13 comments on “Financial Times 16,491 by SLORMGORM”

  1. I parsed INFLATE as IN (stylish) FLAT (apartment) + E(xplosive).

    Really liked CHIEFTAIN & SAUCINESS but 9a just doesn’t work for me in the slightest.

    Thanks to Slormgorm and Teacow.

  2. I agree with Hovis. Also agree with teacow on what an enjoyable Monday crossword this was. I may be thick, but why is a Rat a singer? Thanks to Slormgorm and teacow.

  3. Hornbeam@2: Until I read your post I thought the clue a plain definition, then it occurred to me that “rat” is also a criminal who gives info to the police, which is also known as “singing”.

  4. Thanks for the blog, Teacow. I agree with your favourites, especially the brilliant SINGER [there’s no reason not to like Mondays when Slormgorm’s the setter 😉 ].

    I also liked the little gem CAVA.

    Many thanks for a fun puzzle, Slormgorm.

     

  5. Thanks Hovis @1 – I agree your parsing is better than mine for 6d.

    Also, as Eileen points out in @4, it might be worth elucidating for those not in the know that Geldof is the singer for the band The Boomtown Rats (famous hit “I Don’t Like Mondays”) which adds another dimension to this witty clue.

  7. Thanks Slormgorm and Teacow

    A puzzle that was certainly no ‘Monday-gimme’ in which I had to change my original STRETCH to SCRATCH and ELISION (dunno what I was thinking there!) to EDITION at the end of solve review.  Also lazily had put in the hidden ENSIGN initially at 1a.

    The excellent CAVA was my first one in and finished in the SW corner with EMPEROR, PLAIN and the very tricky TEXANS.

    Liked trying to remember which Arab country that Muscat was in, the ‘Geldof rat’  and the ‘bunch in shock’.  Agree that TENSE from ‘tents’ is a very stretched homophone in most dialects.

  8. Thanks Slormgorm for a crossword that hit my sweet spot — not a write-in but not impossible either. I ticked IMAGINE, DESIGNER, EMPEROR, and CICADA as favorites. I agree that CAVA’s a great clue. I could not parse TEXANS — thanks Teacow.

  9. We found this all very straightforward, completed in two passes and quite quickly.  We were a little doubtful about the homophone in 9ac, but we liked DISTRESS, CAVA and PAIN IN THE NECK among others.

    Thanks, Slormgorm and Teacow.

  10. Hi allan _c @

    I had my doubts too – but I said tense / tents to myself a few times and it works for me. 😉

  11. Eileen @10 The 9a homophone reminds me of an old joke — a patient in therapy told his psychiatrist that he had dreamt of a tepee and a yurt; his doctor replied, “you’re too tense.”

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