Toughie No 1145 by Myops
Scotland’s Future?
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment *****
Another terrific puzzle from one of my favourite setters.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.
Across
1a Dimmer switch’s left on … turn down (6)
{SLOWER} – the left-hand letter of Switch followed by a verb meaning to turn down, as in to turn down the heat
5a On street beside square most experienced truckers pull over here (4,4)
{REST STOP] – a two-letter word meaning on followed by ST(reet), S(quare) and an adjective meaning most experienced
9a Self-centred say nothing first about following current line (10)
{EGOISTICAL} – the Latin abbreviation for “say” or “for example” followed by O (nothing) and the three letters that look like the abbreviation of first then the two-letter Latin abbreviation for about after the symbol for electric current and finally L(ine)
10a In Scots’ eyes Adam’s second garden (4)
{EDEN} – a Scottish word for eyes around the second letter of A D am
11a Greek articles about what makes Great Britain UK (8)
{ATHENIAN} – the single-letter indefinite article, the definite article and the two-letter indefinite article around the two-letter abbreviation for the part of the UK that is not in Great Britain
12a Alternately false/true: then smart (with some self-interest?) (6)
{ASTUTE} – the alternate letters of fAlSe TrUe ThEn
13a Father‘s quatrain scheme (4)
{ABBA} – a biblical term for God the Father is also the notation for a type of quatrain, known as an envelope quatrain
O thou, new-year, delaying long,
Delayest the sorrow in my blood,
That longs to burst a frozen bud
And flood a fresher throat with song
15a Report 7 June 1944 perhaps and remedy English obsession? (4,4)
{IDÉE FIXE) – sounds like (report) what the day after D-day (6 June 1944) might have been if the letter had been changed to the next one in the alphabet followed by a remedy and E(nglish)
18a Fans of Morecambe probably do this too (8)
{LIKEWISE} – split as (4,4) this could be what Eric Morecambe’s fans do with regard to his partner
19a Labour leader speaking of reverses in branch meeting (4)
{NODE} – the first name of the current leader of the labour party followed by a two-letter word meaning speaking of all reversed to give the point of intersection of two branches
21a Ingenious outcome of air.org (6)
{ADROIT} – an anagram (org) of AIR and DOT (.) – some might say this is indirect, but in this context the period is always spoken as dot
23a Foot — a name associated with eccentric leader in a bygone age (8)
{ANAPAEST} – this metrical foot is derived from the A from the clue and N(ame) followed by the initial letter (leader) of Eccentric inside the other A from the clue and a bygone age
25a Some define Edinburgh as a destitute state (4)
{NEED} – hidden (some) inside the clue
26a Using verb endings in Latin I formed imperfect tense (4-6)
{NAIL-BITING} – an anagram (formed imperfect) of the final letters (endings of usinG verB, IN LATIN I
27a East German stood for office in US clutching Colorado voting tablet … (8)
{OSTRACON} – the German for east followed by a US verb meaning stood for office around the abbreviation of C(olorad)O gives a tablet used for voting in ancient Greece
28a … but old mate in Communist Party chose last time (6)
{EXCEPT} – an old mate or former partner followed by the final letter of chosE inside the abbreviation for the Communist Party and followed by T(ime)
Down
2d Falling short of contract or promise to marry when penny is 7 (5)
{LIGHT} – drop (when … the answer to 7 down) the P(enny) from an engagement or promise to marry
3d Rare service misread, I agree, at first wide (9)
{WAITERAGE} – an archaic (rare) word for service is derived from an anagram (misread) of I AGREE AT preceded by (first) W(ide)
4d Keep turning up insignia Territorials will hide (6)
{RETAIN} – hidden (will hide) and reversed (turning up) inside the clue
5d Thinking again of a sonnet I record with independent bent (15)
{RECONSIDERATION} – an anagram (bent) of A SONNET I RECORD with I(ndependent)
6d Recovered and after mounting left in V&A to be framed by French artist (8)
{SALVAGED} – the reversal (after mounting in a down clue) of L(eft) anside V A all inside a French Impressionist
7d Exhausted? S-shut up! (5)
{SPENT} – the S from the clue and a verb meaning shut up or confined
8d Devo plus — extra moves for Scotland to be thus? (9)
{OVERTAXED} – an anagram (moves) of DEVO plus EXTRA
14d Failing to see new elevated purpose in heaven (9)
{BLINDNESS} – N(ew) and the reversal (elevated in a down clue) of a purpose all inside a word meaning heaven or ecstasy
16d Article in broadsheet on cast with play touring isle ‘such … as dreams are made on‘ (9)
{FANTASTIC} – the two-letter indefinite article inside the two-letter abbreviation for a broadsheet newspaper followed by an anagram (with play) of CAST around (touring) I(sland)
17d All metrification, if a later muddling is ignored, could be in one poet’s style (8)
{MILTONIC) an anagram (could be) of (AL)L M(ETRIF)IC(A)TION after the assorted letters (muddling) of IF A LATER are dropped (ignored)
20d Halfpenny: Welsh character who’s busy chasing Scots’ ball (6)
{BAWBEE} – this Scottish word for a halfpenny is derived from W(elsh) and a character who is typically busy preceded by (chasing) a Scottish word for ball
Not this Halfpenny!
22d Dominicans‘ instruction? (5)
{ORDER} – two definitions
24d Dawn French for one is in short superlative (5)
{SUNUP} – the French for one inside the abbreviation (short) for SUP(erlative) – Chambers Dictionary has the enumeration as (5) and Chambers Thesaurus as (3-2)
A real treat. Did you know that “Scotland’s Future” is an anagram of fraudulent costs? Someone sent me that one.
Cracking stuff, just a pity he only appears every 3 months, favourites today were 18a 20d and 21a thanks to Myops and to Big Dave for the review.
A lovely piece of work from a master.
Favourites were 11a, 18a and 28a – and my “clue of the year so far” award for 21a.
Dave you need “Greece” or maybe “Egypt” at the end of the explanation of 27a [shows I read the reviews!]
Many thanks to Myops and BD.
Thanks – it was there, but somehow disappeared.
Yes, this was a great but fair Friday Toughie, including several words which I had to look up, such as 3d, 27a and 20d. It was the best but toughest Myops puzzle which I’ve encountered. There were plenty of clever clues, but 23a was particularly ingenious. Brilliant !
I had to admit defeat with 23A, 28A 3D and 20D unresolved, but that’s OK. I thoroughly enjoyed the battle and learned a couple of new words into the bargain. Many thanks to Myops, and to BD for the excellent review.
Loved it, needed lots of help but got there in a very happy way. Last in 27a. 21a a standout clue by an absolute mile, brilliant. Thank you Myops and BD
21a was my favourite too.
Pure dead brilliant!! Thanks to Myops and BD.
There were a couple that had me beat, which, having read the review, I might have cracked with fresh eyes at a later time.
Many thanks to Myops for an excellent, strenuous workout, and to BD for the elucidation.
I managed a bit more than half of this challenging puzzle under my own steam, but had to draw on 3 of BD’s hints to get anywhere near completion. Even then, 13, 23 and 27 across defeated me and l await enlightenment from the published solution. On the basis that l very rarely beat a 5*-rated crossword, l agree with that assessment. My thanks to Myops, and to BD for the hints.
My thanks for the far owre kind comments and Big Dave’s, as ever, masterly review are heartfelt – and humble: I was simply “thinking again of a sonnet” and strayed.
damn and blast, I didn’t have the nerve to hint that there was a Nina. Good ole Milton on his blindness. A brilliant puzzle now just confirmed, as BigBoab would say, pure dead brilliant :}
We needed a bit of research to confirm a few of the Scottish words – een, ba, bawbee. but managed to get a completion. Superb cluing, still chuckling over the homophone in the first half of 15a. Great fun.
Thanks Myops and BD.
i admit I was defeated……but only just by four…..i threw the paper in the bin….the one beside the door,
I started off with great panache ……the words …..they just flew in………but closer to the finish-line I knew I could not win…….
The setter has undone me…….. and really by a word…..
T’was one I did not recognise…….waiterage……..absurd.
I
A tour de force. Outstanding puzzle.
A braw puzzle for me too ,although aged somewhat in the solving process .
Cheers Mynos for the satisfying challenge and to BD for the adroit review .
That was as good as it gets. Thought 11a was brilliant. Thanks to Myops and BD for an excellent review.