NTSPP – 058 (Review)

Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 058

A puzzle by Radler

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Welcome back to Radler with another of his tricky but rewarding puzzles.  I found this one took longer to solve than normal.  In part this was because the device of having a central isolated grid meant that the grid was cornery and meant it was more difficult to get cross-checking letters.

Radler’s puzzles are at the more difficult end of the NTSPP spectrum.  Although there is come complex wordplay in the clues, looking through them, there are some straightforward ones as well.  Maybe one of the reasons that they are more difficult to solve is that you are never quite sure which is a straightforward clue and which is a complex one!

Across

1a Under adjusted balance not put right (9)
{UNREDREST} – A word for not put right comes from an anagram (adjusted) of under followed by a word meaning balance (as in remainder).  The spelling of this word is given in Chambers as an alternative for the more usual spelling.

6a Not as many as four walls housing Welsh female (5)
{FEWER} – A word meaning not as many as comes from the outer letters (Walls) of four inside which you put the name of the female of the species of animal of which several are found in Wales.

9a See red when drug found on retired copper (7)
{EXPLODE} – A word meaning to see red comes from a phrase (2-4) that might be used to describe a retired policeman followed by the letter used for Crosswordland’s most popular recreational drug.

10a Edited true broadcast about old country (7)
{ETRURIA) – This old country (now a part of Italy) comes from an anagram (edited) of true followed by a word meaning broadcast reversed (air).

11a Scores draw with Sunderland’s header (5)
{PULLS} – A word meaning scores (in the sense of getting more than friendly with someone you fancy) comes from a word meaning draw (as in tug) followed by the first letter (header) of Sunderland.

13a Almost all of Winter’s squally wind (5)
{TWINE} – A word meaning wind (as in turning rather than the weather) comes from an anagram (squally) of winter after first removing the last letter (almost all of)

14/23a 19 e.g. 28 30 & 29d 1d (5,5)
{GREAT DANES} – Put together the answers to 28 30 & 29d 1d and you get the names of two famous countrymen who might also describe an example of the answer to 19.

16/21a Get the better of barefaced phoney? F-off! (8)
{OVERTAKE} – Word meaning get the better of comes from a word meaning barefaced (or open and candid) followed by a word for phoney with the initial F removed.

17a Oath such as Bill provides (4)
{EGAD} – A word used as an oath (mild to say the least) comes from an abbreviation for such as (or say) followed by a word for a bill or poster advertising something.

18/12a 25 7 5? (7,7)
{CENTRAL HEATING} – A synonym for the answer to 25 7 gives the second word of the answer.  Take the position of the letter represented by the answer to 5 in that word to give you the first word of the answer.  The whole thing also is a synonym for 25 7.

19a Gutted, goes after to make tracks (4)
{DOGS} – A word meaning tracks (as in follows) comes from a word meaning to make followed by the outer letters (gutted) of goes.

21a See 16

23a See 14

24a Constituent of Daiquiri shot and Whiskey (5)
{IRISH} – A type of Whiskey is hidden inside (constituent of) the words Daiquiri shot.

26a A standard time away from each other (5)
{APART} – A word meaning away from each other comes from the letter A followed by a word meaning standard followed by an abbreviation for time.

27a Ruin of Norman, taking turn with unmarried man outside (7)
{DEBAUCH} – A word meaning ruin comes from the French (Norman) for of followed by a four letter abbreviation for bachelor inside which is placed the letter U (turn – as in a U-bend).

29a It’s essential to be nearly circular in shape (7)
{CRUCIAL} – A word meaning essential comes from an anagram (in shape) of circular after removing the last letter (nearly).

31a Gloomy surroundings for opening of Gray’s Elegy (5)
{DIRGE} – Another word for an Elegy comes from a word meaning gloomy around (surroundings for) the first letter (opening of) Gray’s.

32a Preserve from decaying, meantime keeping cold (9)
{MINCEMEAT} – A form of preserve (used principally in pies at Christmas) comes from an anagram (decaying) of meantime inside which is placed (keeping) an abbreviation for cold.

Down

1d American people’s exhibit of devout evangelicalism (3)
{UTE} – The name of a Native American peoples hidden inside (exhibit of) devout evangelicalism.

2d Check on what’s in pod? (7)
{REPULSE} – A word meaning check (as in stop) comes from a word meaning on (or about / concerning) followed by an example of a type of vegetable that may be found in a pod.

3d Gives up medicine (5)
{DROPS} – A double definition.  A word meaning gives up (or lets go) also means a type of medicine.

4d Spud’s bud’s clock (3)
{EYE} – A word meaning clock (as in observing something) comes from the name given to a bud seen on a potato (spud).

5d American football supporter’s shirt (3)
{TEE}  – A supporter for the ball used in American football also describes the shape of a form of casual shirt.

6d Top and bottom (5)
{FIRST} – A double definition.  A word for bottom (as in the gear you are in when you start driving) also means top.

7d See 25

8d Another change rated two men differently (11)
{REAMENDMENT} – A word meaning another change comes from an anagram (differently) of rated men men.  Note the use of two men to indicate that the word appears in the anagram twice.

11d      Having satisfied thoughts defiled, muddied with porn (5-6)
{PROUD-MINDED} – A phrase meaning having satisfied thoughts comes from an anagram (defiled) of muddied porn.

12d See 18 Across

14d 22 6s of 20, 2, 9, 10, 27 (5)
{GREED} – A word having the same meaning as the answer to 22 comes from the first letters (see the answer to 6d) of the answers to 20, 2, 9, 10 and 27.

15d 11a 26a 4 3 (5)
{TEARS} – A double definition.  The phrase given by the answers to 11a and 26a has the same meaning as a description of 4d 3d.

20d Comparatively slick equality campaigner took a year out (7)
{GLIBBER} –  A word meaning comparatively slick comes from a phrase that might describe someone who campaigns for the equality of those in same sex relationships from which the letters A and Y (year) have been removed.

22d I crave a bundle – because of this? (7)
{AVARICE} – An anagram (bundle) of I crave a gives a description of the deadly sin that leads to such cravings.

25/7d Parliament struggle with ex leader of Lib Dems Party (12)
{HOUSEWARMING} – A party given when you move to a new home comes from a simple charade of a word for Parliament, a word for a struggle and the first name of a former leader of the Lib Dems.

26d Pervert corrupted because old community rejected (5)
{ABUSE} – A word meaning pervert comes from an anagram (corrupted) of because after first removing the old abbreviation for the European Community.

28d An hour in the morning for breakfast? (3)
{HAM} – Something that may be eaten for breakfast (in my experience more on the continent than in the UK) comes from an abbreviation for Hour followed by the abbreviation for morning.

29d Scrap metal? (3)
{CAN} – A word for scrap (as a verb) has the same meaning as a word for metal (as in a tin ***).

30d Constraint of half a message (3)
{LET} – A word meaning constraint (as in without *** or hindrance) comes from half of a word meaning a message (of the written paper variety).

Remember that the setters of the Not The Saturday Prize Puzzle welcome constructive comments (good and bad) so let us know your thoughts on the crossword.

Favourite clue for me today was 9a.

Sorry no pictures today.  I am a bit under the weather with a bug and am going to retire and lie down for a bit.

Until the next time.