I did this puzzle the Day After (… the Cambridge S&B). Either it was that or the fact that I solved only Independent crosswords the week before, but I thought this was perhaps as hard as Dante / Rufus can get. An unusual grid too – no less than eight words with 10+ letters.
Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | WICKET |
Gate catch, perhaps (6)
Double definition … … but tell me if it’s not. Cricket is my weakest point. |
| 4 | DISCOVER |
Detect Diana’s disguise (8)
DI’S (Diana’s) + COVER (disguise) |
| 9 | REMISS |
About to lose, being careless (6)
RE (about) + MISS (to lose) |
| 10 | ASSAILED |
Said sale was fixed and became aggressive (8)
(SAID SALE)* [* = was fixed] |
| 12 | RUDE |
Regretted, we hear, being discourteous (4)
Homophone (‘we hear’) of: RUED (regretted) I am not very keen on this kind of homophone clue where the indicator is in the middle. |
| 13 | PIANOFORTE |
Opera, if not comic, might be grand (10)
(OPERA IF NOT)* [* = comic] Grand piano, perhaps. |
| 15 | BOWLING ALLEY |
Where a strike will be the best option (7,5)
Cryptic definition |
| 18 | CARRY FORWARD |
Girl we hear presuming to transfer figures (5,7)
CARRY (homophone (we hear, again!) of CARRIE) + FORWARD (presuming) |
| 21 | CATHEDRALS |
Hardcastle is converted in several religious places (10)
(HARDCASTLE)* [* = is converted] |
| 22 | CLUE |
This may lead to the light (4)
Double definition |
| 24 | AUDITING |
Checking the accuracy of someone else’s account (8)
Cryptic definition |
| 25 | ENZYME |
Enemy Zulu leader going rounds causing ferment (6)
(ENEMY + Z[ulu])* [*= going round] |
| 26 | REASSESS |
About to start, seas break over ship, so reconsider (8)
RE (about, again!) preceding (to start?) {(SEAS)* around SS (ship)} [* = break] |
| 27 | BANDIT |
He’s lawless – a little grasping also (6)
BIT (a little) around AND (also) |
| Down | ||
| 1 | WARDROBE |
Brad wore working clothes (8)
(BRAD WORE)* [* = working] |
| 2 | COME DOWN |
Humiliating return from a summit meeting? (8)
Double definition One only ‘half’ , the other cryptic. |
| 3 | EASY |
Take it away from work (4)
Cryptic definition If you’re ‘away from work’ you will ‘take it EASY’. Nice clue. |
| 5 | IN SINGLE FILE |
Where unmarried person’s records go, one behind the other? (2,6,4)
IN (where …. go) + SINGLE (unmarried person) + FILE (records) |
| 6 | CHAUFFEURS |
Masters of the Rolls? (10)
Cryptic definition Hope you liked this one – I didn’t. Without crossing letters this is completely impossible to find. |
| 7 | VELCRO |
New love takes credit for providing a secure bond (6)
(LOVE)* around CR (credit) [* = new] |
| 8 | REDEEM |
Get your own back? (6)
Cryptic definition |
| 11 | FINGERPRINTS |
Only personal impressions but admissible as evidence (12)
Cryptic definition, perhaps But there is also a bit of a construction going on, e.g. ‘impressions’ = PRINTS. |
| 14 | CIGARETTES |
They are made ready to meet their match (10)
Cryptic definition |
| 16 | PARLEYED |
Spoke French for the sake of peace (8)
Cryptic definition I am afraid this one passes me by. That said, I have an idea what Dante means but it doesn’t really convince me. Anyone out there? |
| 17 | ADHERENT |
Supporter seen here and there, on the move (8)
(AND THERE)* [* = on the move] |
| 19 | ECLAIR |
Possibly made clear about one cream-cake (6)
(CLEAR)* around I (one) [* =possibly] |
| 20 | STADIA |
A way to lift opera in large arenas (6)
ST (a way, street) + ADIA (reversal (‘to lift’) of AIDA (opera)) |
| 23 | INCA |
Trendy accountant who lived in S America (4)
IN (trendy) + CA (accountant, chief accountant) |
16D I thought was a play on the French word for to speak ‘parler’ pronounced parley.
Was there a misprint in the clue for 25A ie should be ’round’ rather than ’rounds’?
Thanks to Sil and Dante
Thanks Dante and Sil
Enjoying the Dante / Rufus puzzles a lot more in recent times – and this no exception.
In 1a, to catch someone in cricket is one way to take a wicket.
I assumed that with 16d, that he was playing on the sound of the French ‘parlez’, without the “we hear”. 🙂
Agree with your reservations around CHAUFFEURS – almost a cd by example.
Last in was take it EASY.