NTSPP – 510 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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NTSPP – 510

by Prolixic  

NTSPP – 510

A Puzzle by Kelotoph

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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.

A review by Prolixic follows.

Today’s review comes to you from sunny Menton in the South of France where your reviewer is enjoying a few days R&R.  We had the bizarre experience of leaving Menton in bright sunshine and balmy temperatures and taking a bus up into the mountains to Tende where there was two inches of snow.  A warm welcome to any blog readers in the Cote D’Azur.

After a long interlude it was good to see Kelotoph back in the setters seat with his usual aplomb in creating a fun and accessible crossword.

Across

1 Money for old rope to fasten round prince’s middle (8)
SINECURE – A seven six letter word meaning to fasten around the middle two letters of prince.  Corrected – the bottle of red wine I shared over the meal before writing the blog was delicious but not conducive to counting letters!

5 Policeman shows love for a quiet artisan (6)
COOPER – A six letter word for a policeman has the first P (quiet) replace by an O (love).

9 Ivan ran amok to find state of bliss (7)
NIRVANA – An anagram (amok) of IVAN RAN.

10 This clue is reversed on stretching (7)
TENSION – The number of this clue followed by a reversal of is and the ON from the clue.

11 Acting to eliminate outbreak of gastritis (5)
DOING – A phrase (2,2) meaning to eliminate followed by the first letter (outbreak) of gastritis.

12 Parisian’s close to key TV role (9)
PRESENTER – A four letter French word meaning close followed by another name of the return key on a computer keyboard.

13 Bonds provided by a soffit nail I used (12)
AFFILIATIONS – An anagram (used) of A SOFFIT NAIL I.

17 Ancient shire broken up into estates (12)
INHERITANCES – An anagram (broken up) of ANCIENT SHIRE.

20 Take back what a devil may do to a poorly-exorcised soul? (9)
REPOSSESS – Double definition, the first what a bailiff may do and the second being the return of an evil spirit to a person who has had the spirit previously removed.

22 Type of music the French brought back for composer (5)
ELGAR – A three letter word for a type of music and the French masculine form of the definite article all reversed (brought back).

23 Another take on quiet Scottish umpire’s verdict? (7)
RESHOOT – A two letter word meaning on or about followed by a two letter word meaning be quiet and a three letter word indicating how a Scottish referee might say out.

24 Prepared a dry wine I consumed (7)
ATTIRED – The A from the clue followed bu the abbreviation for teetotal (dry) and a colour of wine with an I included (consumed).

25 Short swim for each river-dwelling bird (6)
DIPPER – A thee letter word meaning a short swim followed by a three letter word meaning for each.

26 Means of storing liquid: chamberpot; toilet (8)
JERRYCAN – A five letter word for a chamberpot followed by a three letter word for a toilet.

Down

1 See people at these formal gatherings? (6)
SYNODS – A cryptic definition of where people in a diocese (see) might gather in a formal council.

2 Fantasy land? Sounds more like Indian bread! (6)
NARNIA – A homophone (sounds) of NAANIER (more like Indian bread).

3/14 Coins given to gambler? That’s an improvement! (6,3,3,6)
CHANGE FOR THE BETTER – Cryptic definition

4 Having smeared paper with skin cream, gets another engagement (13)
REAPPOINTMENT – A an anagram (smeared) of PAPER followed by an eight letter word for skin cream.

6 Big cat seen in part of pound (5)
OUNCE – The word that represents 1/16th of a pound in the imperial measurement of weight.

7 Source of colours isn’t commonly found in lead oxide? Wrong! (8)
PAINTBOX – A four letter word commonly used for “isn’t” inside the chemical formula for Lead Oxide followed by the mark used to indicate a wrong answer.

8 Look, sir, a narrator is covering up what 14 did (3,1,4)
RAN A RISK – The answer is hidden and reversed (covering up) in the first four words of the clue.

10 Best part of Leo’s allotment? (3,5,5)
THE LION’S SHARE – An almost cryptic definition.

14 See 3

15 Faithfully reproduced scan somehow leaves morris dancer confused (8)
MIRRORED – Remove the letters in scan from MORRIS DANCER and make an anagram (confused) of the remaining letters.  The somehow indicates that the letters to be removed are not in order.

16 Develops fashions on horseback (6,2)
SHAPES UP – A six letter word meaning shapes followed by a two letter word meaning on horseback.

18 A bulb not left to turn into a fungus (6)
AGARIC – The A from the clue and a pungent form of edible blue with the abbreviation for left removed.

19 Poet‘s retreat that has no damp problem? (6)
DRYDEN – Split 3,3 this would indicate that a retreat or place of study is not damp.

21 Write music and make it groovy? (5)
SCORE – Double definition, the second meaning to inscribe a groove into something.\

25 comments on “NTSPP – 510”

  1. Quite gentle but very enjoyable puzzle – thanks Kelotoph.
    I won’t mention the horrorphone at 2d :D
    My ticks went to 1a, 10a, 23d and 3/14d.

  3. Not tricky but an enjoyable solve, which is the main aim (or should be, in my book). Although the homophones are cheeky, I liked 2d, 11a & 23a in particular
    Thanks for the entertainment Kelotoph

  4. Thanks Kelotoph. I enjoyed the solve, through I’m still pondering the parsing of 12A. 11A, 24A and 26A are my favorites.

  5. This was light but great fun, with accurate cluing and smooth surfaces, nicely spiced up with touches of humour.

    I wasn’t sure about “prepared” in 24a being a synonym of the answer, but a quick check in my BRB put me wise.

    There were plenty of great clues to pick from when choosing a favourite but the brilliant 2d gets the accolade.

    Many thanks, Kelotoph.This was a joy from start to finish.

  6. Have to admit to a few ‘umms’ along the way but I did enjoy much of this. The 3/14 combo and 19d took the honours here.

    Thanks to Kelotoph for an interesting solve.

    1. Reverse east and west to get what meant. I need a new compass! 1a hand 23a were lovely moments when seen
      I too am struggling with 24a. I will consult BRB to see if similar enlightenment to RD arrives.
      Thanks to Kelotoph

  8. I really enjoyed this one – not too difficult but enough to get the little grey cells working.
    Like Expat Chris I didn’t understand why 12a was what it was – thanks LBR.
    I think my 7d is right but I don’t quite get what the last word of the clue is doing.
    Gazza’s 2d ‘horrorphone’ made me laugh.
    I particularly liked 5, 11, 20 and 23a and 3/14 and 10d.
    With thanks for cheering up a grey chilly Saturday afternoon to Kelotoph and, in advance, to Prolixic.

    1. Hi Kath,
      With 7d I think you need the ‘common’ word for isn’t surrounded by the symbol for lead oxide. The last letter is what you would get marked on your paper by a teacher if you’d got something wrong!

    2. 7d has in it the chemical symbol for Lead Oxide plus what teacher puts on your homework when you’ve got your sums wrong.

  9. Thanks to Kelotoph a fun puzzle, well clued, not too difficult. 2d was my favourite, made me laugh. 7d very good too.

  10. Ah – thanks Jane and Gazza – being dim, again! I spotted the symbol for lead, which even I know, and just assumed the last two letters of the answer were the ‘oxide’. :roll:

  11. Good fun that kept us smiling all the way through. Last one to get sorted was 10a.
    Thanks Kelotoph.

  12. Well that was fun, completed in two sessions separated by kitchen duties and a very pleasant lunch meet-up.
    I really liked 23a, 1d, 2d (sorry Gazza), and the 3d/14d combo.
    Thanks Kelotoph.

  13. Thanks for the review, 12a was a bung in but now there is light. Like Kath I missed the “wrong” part of 7d for a while.

    1a A seven letter word meaning to fasten around the middle letter of prince. should be a Six letter word meaning to fasten around the middle pair of letters of prince. but you’re excused enjoy the R&R.

  15. Thanks for the review, Prolixic and everyone else for their comments. I’m sorry about the homophone in 2d, but I couldn’t resist it 😉.

  16. I loved this, thought it was clued with great imagination and with quite a few smile/penny drop moments.
    Would have made a great Monday or Tuesday back pager, my favourite clues included the great reverse lurker 8d along with the 3/14d combination plus 2 , 6 21d and 23a (for its highly original cluing).
    Thanks to both Kelotoph and Prolific.

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