Toughie No 2249 by Petitjean
Hints and tips by Bufo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
It’s almost three years since the first posthumous Petitjean puzzle appeared and the legacy continues to live on. I didn’t think that this was quite as good as some of the previous ones but it was still an interesting though fairly straightforward solve. There was the odd definition that I wasn’t entirely happy with but they caused no real problems
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a / 4a What a cooped up hen might do — or its thoughtful owner? (4,1,3,3,2)
MAKE A RUN FOR IT: The cooped up hen might try to escape. The owner might construct an enclosure for it
4a See 1 Across
10a Having had more than enough of French composer getting extremely trendy (7)
SATIETY: The surname of a French composer called Erik + the first and last letters of TRENDY
11a Peter out with new date Wilde is relaxed to accept (7)
DWINDLE: Abbreviations for ‘new’ and ‘date’ inside an anagram (relaxed) of WILDE
12a List that won’t be found 5 Down (4)
HEEL: ‘To list’ is also part of the body not immediately 5 Down. I hope that’s OK
13a Assault hill held by Sergeant-Major (5)
STORM: A rocky hill inside the abbreviation for ‘Sergeant Major’
14a Nuances sporadically reviewed for study (4)
SCAN: A reversal of alternate letters of NUANCES
17a Lost bomb reportedly lethal, having missed area seemingly miles away (6-8)
ABSENT-MINDEDLY: ‘Lost’ + a homophone of a bomb (4) + ‘lethal’ (6) with the letter A (area) removed = ‘seemingly miles away’ or ‘inattentively’
19a Defective oily train was at halt? (7,7)
RAILWAY STATION: An anagram (defective) of OILY TRAIN WAS AT
22a Mistake empty port bottles (4)
TYPO: Hidden (bottled) in EMPTY PORT
23a Turner‘s endless state of agitation (5)
LATHE: A machine for turning wood or metal = a state of agitation with the last letter removed
24a What are the odds of that: eleven in cab? (4)
TAXI: The odd letters in THAT + the Roman numeral for eleven
27a Genius mixed balti I will have yen to finish (7)
ABILITY: An anagram (mixed) of BALTI I + Y (yen)
28a ‘Male Model’ a niche agency (7)
MACHINE: M (male) + an anagram (model) of A NICHE
29a Inveigh against management grade (8)
EXECRATE: A member of management (4) + ‘grade’ (4)
30a Test / paper (5)
ESSAY: Test/a written composition
Down
1d Top of pole? Telegraph, perhaps (8)
MASTHEAD: This word for the top of a pole on a ship is also something that is seen at the top of the front of the Daily Telegraph
2d More than one way to have these: on edge of seat or in litter (7)
KITTENS: If you have these you might e in a state of excitement or anxiety (on the edge of your sight). A pet might also have a litter of these
3d Interjection giving you an edge (4)
AHEM: A + an edge
5d Where drawing-pin might be found in US? (5,4,5)
UNDER ONE’S THUMB: The first part of the American term for a drawing pin appears as the last word of this answer
6d Parry with fencing sword (4)
FOIL: 2 meanings: parry/a sword used in fencing
7d Total extremist (7)
RADICAL: A word meaning ‘total’ or ‘thorough’ can also be a person who advocates thorough or complete political or social change
8d Square gentleman’s jewellery less quiet (3,2)
TIE IN: ‘To square’ = a gentleman’s jewellery item with the letter P (quiet) removed
9d Professional or my stats any less unreliable? (7,7)
SYSTEMS ANALYST: An anagram (unreliable) of MY STATS ANY LESS
15d Somewhat close-run? Clearly, it’s relative (5)
UNCLE: Hidden in CLOSE-RUN CLEARLY
16d Under-18 record raised? (This is on a bike) (5)
PEDAL: A reversal of a young male and a 7-inch record
18d Slim / suspect (8)
UNLIKELY: 2 meanings: slim or improbable/suspect or dubious
20d An award announced for tip off (7)
APPRISE: A homophone of an award for success
21d Inclination for penmanship (7)
ITALICS: A cryptic definition for inclined writing
22d Kid‘s afternoon service curtailed (5)
TEASE: ‘To kid’ is a service used to provide refreshment in the afternoon with the last letter removed
25d Worse than a thief? Half palliard? (4)
LIAR: A person thought y some to be worse than a thief is given by four consecutive letters of PALLIARD
26d Came out top (4)
ACME: An anagram (out) of CAME
This was a absolute delight to solve, probably more like a Tuesday Toughie than one for today, completed at a Toughie fast gallop – **/*****.
Stand out favourite – the 1a/4a combo.
Thanks to the holders of the Petitjean legacy and Bufo.
Straightforward solve today with no holdups. COTD 1A, **/***
I thought this was great fun – I got on hugely better than I did yesterday. I was still chuckling over the 1a/4a combination when I was closing in on finishing. What a treat to be still enjoying a Petitjean puzzle, and thank you Bufo.
Just a plea for an honourable mention for 28a – in my view an artfully misleading clue. Just how many puzzles can Petitjean have
stored in his locker? I wish somebody would tell us! Thanks to all
Welcome to the blog Marcus
Very little opportunity for crosswords this week but I had to find time for Petitjean. Lots to enjoy – I particularly liked 28a
Thanks to the legacy keepers and to Bufo
Now back to playing with the grandchildren
I loved it, as is usual with Petitjean puzzles. Thanks to his family and to Bufo for the blog.
The clues involved in the photo-finish for me were 1/4a, 12a and 5d.
Very enjoyable and not too tricky, though I did think twice about 18d and I didn’t see 26d for way too long.
Thanks to all who make this possible and to Bufo.
I love the Petitjean’s when they turn up. This was one of his easier ones and also lacked his usual mischief. Good fun, though. I will concur with most of you above by making 1a/4a my favourite.
This puzzle was ideal for me today. With visitors coming time was limited and, since I have struggled somewhat with the previous two RayT’s, I was not expecting to find time for the Toughie. Luckily the back pager seemed easy today and the toughie was fairly gentle without words or GK I don’t know (not strictly true as I have never come across “palliard” in the clue to 25d but the answer was a lurker). Some nice clues such as 1a and 5d to name but two and no need for dictionary or google
Thanks to our late setter and Bufo
another lovely petitjean puzzle, always a pleasure
thanks bufo
A very pleasant solve.
COTD, 1a/4a of course.
A real pleasure and privilege to have another great puzzle by this setter. Started chuckling with 1a and our smiles lasted right through the solve.
Thanks Petitjean and Bufo.
Tee-hee at 1a/4a.
Please can somebody give an example of how ‘agency’ and 28a can be interchanged? Thanks.
I thought political machine = agency. Didn’t satisfy me completely – best I could come up with.
Thanks, Ray.
S. Machine = an organized body of people that controls activities, policies, etc. Agency = one of the administrative organizations of a government. I think that shows they’re interchangeable. For example: The Drinking Water Inspectorate is the agency/machine that you need to contact.
Ah, OK. I’ve failed to notice that meaning of ‘machine’ before — thank you for the education.
Bit late to comment but I decided to give Friday’s back pager a miss and give this a go instead on the recommendation of a few of my fellow commenters and what a splendid decision it was. I almost got there, only needing the hint for 28 across, which for this strictly back page solver is something I’m rather chuffed about. Thanks to all.
4*/4* (back page rating)…..
liked 25D (worse than a thief? Half palliard?), once I had looked up what a palliard is/was.