NTSPP – 242
A Puzzle by Radler
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.
A review of this puzzle by Prolixic follows
Our thoughts and condolences are with Radler following the death of his father. This crossword would have been set some time ago but it makes the answer to 25d and the quotation in the clue all the more poignant. I thought that this was one of Radler’s easier crosswords – possibly helped by the generous number of anagrams in the grid.
Across
1 Groom pinned to target (3,5)
END POINT – An anagram (groom) of PINNED TO.
5 Followers make mistake, heading the wrong way (6)
PUPILS – Reverse (heading the wrong way) SLIP UP (make a mistake).
10 August‘s unlimited target revised by 4th of September (5)
GREAT – An anagram (revised) of the inner letters (unlimited) of [T]ARGE[T] followed by the fourth letter of September.
11 Wise man, or possibly a bit of a lad (9)
WOMANISER – An anagram (possibly) of WISE MAN OR.
12 A funny lot with true struggles worse luck (13)|
UNFORTUNATELY – An anagram (struggles) of A FUNNY LOT TRUE.
14 Your setter leaves for the kitchen (5)
THYME – A word sum of the old world for your followed by a word indicating the setter of the crossword.
15 Stole kiss, amorously meeting man (9)
NECKPIECE – … A type of scarf or wrap. A word meaning kiss amorously followed (meeting) another word for a man on a chessboard.
18 Check Jack stocking Socialist Worker (9)
RETARDANT – A three letter word for a sailor (Jack) goes inside (stocking) a word for a socialist followed by a worker insect.
20 Card game custom, breaking packs (5)
OMBRE – The answer is hidden (packs) inside CUSTOM BREAKNG
22 Be conceivably distressed: hear talk about a family (8,5)
ALKALINE EARTH – …Be is the chemical symbol for beryllium, an example of the answer. An anagram (distressed) of HEAR TALK goes around A LINE (a family).
26 Doctor on trial, a hospital drug supplier (9)
INHALATOR – An anagram (doctor) of ON TRIAL A H (Hospital).
27 European scam to avoid sleep succeeded twice (5)
SWISS – Remove the ZZ (avoid sleep) from SWIZZ (scam) and follow this with S S (the abbreviation for succeed twice).
28 Exit, such as on ship (6)
EGRESS – An abbreviation for such as or for example followed by a two letter word meaning on or about and the abbreviation for steamship.
29 No longer frigid, Fleur’s back in raunchy fun zone (8)
UNFROZEN – the final letter (back) of Fleur in an anagram (raunchy) of FUN ZONE.
Down
1 Abused drugs, act follows like a tart (3,7)
EGG CUSTARD – A two letter abbreviate for like or for example followed by an anagram (abused) of DRUGS ACT.
2 Big sea, small fish – prepare latter for chippy (4,3)
DEEP FRY – Another word for the big sea followed by another word for a small fish.
3 Fur coat? Ring gets wife’s attention (9)
OUTERWEAR – A ring on a archer’s target followed by the abbreviation for wife and another word for attention.
4 Old coin buried below recently discovered island (3,6)
NEW GUINEA – A word for recently discovered followed by (buried below) the name of an old coin.
6 Arm parts of Arab states surrounding Lebanon’s borders (5)
ULNAE – UAE (Arab states) around the outer letters (borders) of L[EBANO]N.
7 Pen: scribble line round with it (2,5)
IN STYLE – An anagram (scribbled) of LINE goes around another word for a pig pen.
8 You bet bank (so the saying goes) (4)
SURE – A homophone (so the saying goes) of SHORE (bank).
9 Man originally called a woman (4)
EMMA – How phonetically you would say the first letter (originally) for Man followed by the A from the clue.
13 Hide clothes for slappers (10)
LEDERHOSEN – A cryptic definition for the type of leather trousers worn be Germans.
16 Escape copper at early closing boozer, hide inside (3,3,3)
CUT AND RUN – The chemical symbol for copper followed by a word for a boozer or sot with the final letter removed (early closing) inside which you add a word meaning hide or hit.
17 Fellow’s in favour, admitting one kid has to go (9)
PROFESSOR – A three letter word meaning in favour followed by confessor (one admitting) with the con removed (kid has to go).
19 Cold drink placed before the Girl Guide (7)
TEACHER – TEA (drink) followed by C (cold) and HER (the girl).
21 British Queen Elizabeth admitting love for French musician (7)
BERLIOZ – The B for British followed by ER (queen) and a diminutive form of Elizabeth with an O (love) inside (admitting).
23 Takes out craft, second having sunk (5)
KILLS – Skill (craft) with the S moved to the bottom (second having sunk).
24 Fresh coffee – short of tea we’re told (4)
LATE – Remove one of the Ts (Tea we’re told) from LATTE (coffee).
25 14 said 21’s 10 19 that 12 23 all its 5 (4)
TIME – A homophone (said) of THYME (expanded, the clue reads “Thyme said Berlioz’s great teacher that unfortunately kills all its pupils”
My condolences to Radler on his loss.
My condolences to Radler and thanks for another super puzzle. The surfaces are great and it has some very cleverly disguised anagrams. It’s difficult to pick favourites from so many enjoyable clues but I’ll go for 22a, 6d and 13d.
Our condolences too Radler.
A really good puzzle. Certainly challenging enough for us with well disguised word play to untangle. 22a and 13d were the last two to yield. Just the thing for a wet Sunday morning here. Enjoyed it.
Thanks Radler
Definitely challenging! I still have several unsolved clues on the RHS and a couple of answers that at this point seem a bit iffy. Onward!!
Oh, my! What a terrific puzzle! I finally finished at 9 PM EST after picking it up and putting it down all evening (One does have to eat and watch Call The Midwife!). There are two I will need the review for. I unraveled the content for 22A but don’t understand the definition. 9D was the only word that fitted, and I did check the grid to verify it, but again I have no idea why it should be that. Having led a sheltered life, I also needed to google my answer for 20A to check it. 13D was the last one in and has to be my favorite, because I just hooted when I solved it. But I also loved 5A, 14A and 18A. Many thanks to Radler for the workout and the fun. Looking forward to the review tomorrow.
Never mind. As soon as I had posted, a light bulb went off for 22A, confirmed by a look at my handy-dandy print out of the relevant chart. Then the wordplay for 9D “called” to me as well.
9d. The first three letters sound like (called) the first letter (originally) of MEN, then ‘a’ from the clue is how we justified it.
Me, too, when I eventually worked it out. Pesky 4-letter answers!
Here I am, enthusing about the puzzle to Mr. Expat and how clever it was and explaining how some of the clues worked, and he’s looking at me like ” You really need to get out more!”
Saved this one for today and really enjoyed it, despite having to admit to needing a lot of hints.
Made me sad that clicking onto to Prolixic’s revue immediately gave me all the answers – wanted to just get extra ‘hints’.
22a would never have entered my head – despite having realised it was an anagram.
20a – is that really a card game!
25a – I get the quotation but still don’t see why time is the answer – where was the question?
Thank you Radler – I enjoyed giving it a go and appreciate only too well what you must be going through at the moment.
Where are the usual suspects this weekend? Only four commenters so far. Is the weather particularly nice and they’re all out and about and making the most of it, I wonder? Maybe they will turn up later in the week. It would be a shame that such a terrific, albeit very challenging, puzzle did not generate more conversation.
Must admit, although I don’t often have time to venture into NTSPP territory, I thought there would have been more contributions on the blog.
I would at least have expected Kath to tell me why I was being so thick over 25a – maybe our mainstays are having an end of hols. party somewhere?
Just had a thought – maybe they’re all watching that balls and sticks thing!
Comment that could only be made by one who spent a great deal of her life married to a professional golfer!!!
Condolences to Radler, did this tonight while watching football. The best puzzle I have done for a long while. It put up a struggle and I had to check the quote on google. Favourite clue 13d, as I will be donning a pair at Oktoberfest on Thursday.
Apologiies to Radler, just checked my post and the smiley is completely inappropriate. I can’t delete the smiley but would appreciate if BD would do so. Sorry.
Done