NTSPP 711 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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NTSPP 711

by crypticsue  

A Puzzle by Alchemi

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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.

As I said to Mr CS over lunch, what a shame Alchemi won't know how much I (and hopefully others) enjoyed his final NTSPP. It has a theme based on two different men with the 1a surname. I have highlighted the links to each of them in different colours

Across

1a Writer of Shoestring keeps bird (8)
LAWRENCE: A string on a shoe 'keeps' a small bird

5a 1A was of assistance initially with no-good airbag exploding (6)
ARABIA: The initial letter of Assistance and an anagram (exploding) of AIRBAg (no good)

9a Range of glassware for some ointment (8)
VASELINE: Split 4,4, this could be a range of a particular type of glassware

10a Form small group of fanatics to take power (6)
SCULPT: The abbreviation for small and a group of fanatics into which is inserted (to take) the abbreviation for Power

12a Heard regret at Heath's election defeat was eradicated (6,3)
ROOTED OUT: A homophone (heard) of a verb meaning to regret, the informal way we referred to Mr Heath, the Prime Minister, and not in [power] (election defeat)

13a &16. What 1A wrote of 2, as pills never work (5)
SEVEN PILLARS: An anagram (work) of AS PILLS followed by OF (from the clue) and the solution to 2d

14a 1A's partners for 1D working aboard ship (4)
SONS: The usual two-letter 'working' aboard an abbreviated ship

16a See 13 (7)

19a Argument about book on Scotland's own atmospheric phenomenon (7)
RAINBOW: An argument goes about the abbreviation for Book, which itself goes after the Scottish word meaning own

21a Fusses about whisky mixer (4)
SODA: A reversal (about) of some fusses

24a City synthesised by UK lab (5)
KABUL: An anagram (synthesized) of UK LAB

25a Plant radar soon breaks down (6,3)
AARON'S ROD: An anagram (breaks down) of RADAR SOON

27a Did you say Charles is blowing up? (6)
NUKING: This sounds like a possible description of Charles III

28a Among Milanese, a plebiscite backs local cheese (3,5)
BEL PAESE: Hidden in reverse (backs) in milanESE A PLEBiscite

29a 1A's 21D is choice by journalist (6)
PLUMED: Something choice and an abbreviated journalist

30a Told knackered rowing crew to work overtime (4,4)
STAY LATE: A homophone (told) of an adjective meaning no longer fresh and a rowing crew

Down

1d Fans of half an ODI (6)
LOVERS: A One Day International cricket match has 100 series of six balls bowled. Half an ODI would be the Roman numeral for 50 and the same series

2d Tooth, maybe Norman (6)
WISDOM: A tooth or the surname of Norman the actor and comedian

3d The Spanish rest at Greenwich? (5)
ELLIE: The Spanish definite article and a verb meaning to rest. I had to look up the solution and Greenwich and found that she was the writer or co-writer of  "Da Doo Ron Ron", "Be My Baby", "Then He Kissed Me" "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", "Chapel of Love", "Leader of the Pack", and "River Deep – Mountain High" among others. I didn't know her name but what a splendid collection of ear worms, both back in the day and now!

4d Tories cross some deep gorges (7)
CANYONS: Some abbreviated members of the Tory Party 'cross' an adjective meaning some

6d Guaranteed ice cubes get very smelly (4,5)
ROCK SOLID: An informal term for ice cubes and an adjective meaning rank-smelling

7d Possibly Colman's new filling for bun from South America (8)
BOLIVIAN: The forename of the actress (possibly Colman) provides a new filling for BuN

8d Similarly fashionable surprise (8)
ASTONISH: Split 2,3,3, this verb meaning to surprise could read as being similarly fashionable

11d Finish second, then first (4)
STOP: The abbreviation for Second and a synonym for first

15d Lean bacon cooked after due consideration (2,7)
ON BALANCE: An anagram (cooked) of LEAN BACON

17d Bankrupt character pretending to start getting smashed (6,2)
BROKEN UP: Bankrupt or without funds, a dialect word meaning character, one; and the start to Pretending

18d Kim Basinger's first tutu spun in far-off place (8)
TIMBUKTU: An anagram (spun) of KIM B (Basinger's first) and TUTU

20d Question bowler, maybe, following wicket (4)
WHAT: A type of headgear (bowler maybe) following the abbreviation for Wicket

21d Instrument of resistance writer put outside (7)
SERPENT: A synonym for put goes 'outside' the symbol for Electrical Resistance and a writing instrument

22d Cooked a woman (wife of 1A) (6)
FRIEDA: Cooked over high heat and A (from the clue)

23d 1A, say, before chasing a stick (6)
ADHERE: The initials by which 1A is known and a poetical word meaning before go after (chasing)A (from the clue)

26d Vote against stocking very soft babywear (5)
NAPPY: A vote against 'stocking' the musical instruction to play very softly

20 comments on “NTSPP 711”

  1. What a pleasant surprise to find that Alchemi had left us a final puzzle in his long series of excellent NTSPPs. Many thanks to him for this very enjoyable journey.
    I was held up in the North-west by initially putting the wrong letter at the start of my 12a answer and I had to check up on the 3d Greenwich of which I’ve never heard.
    Lots of top-rate clues including 30a, 2d and 23d with my favourite being 1d.

  2. Thank you Alchemi for this and all your puzzles and the cranial exercise they initiated. Caffeine was an accompaniment this morning, not a necessity.

    To start with I had to wait for an e-search on 22d to determine 1a. Then it took a while for the penny to drop on the fact that 1a was being used ‘twice’.

    I also needed to e-search 3d to confirm the singer – never heard of her until today.

    Not quite convinced by the 30a homophone.

    Smiles for 10a, 27a, 28a, and 20d.

    Thanks again and thanks in advance to Cryptic Sue.

    1. 3d was probably better known as a songwriter, particularly working with Phil Spector on tracks like Da-Doo-Ron-Ron and Be My Baby. My favourite song that she co-wrote is this memorable offering:

  3. Very sad to be solving Alchemi’s last compilation, he’s brought us some excellent puzzles and a fair few head-scratching moments over the years! This was definitely at the easier end of his spectrum but he still has the last laugh on me because I’m sure I’ve missed some nuance in 7d.
    Top three here were 10&19a plus 23d.

    Many thanks and rest in peace, Alchemi.

  4. What a lovely, albeit poignant, surprise to find this wonderful puzzle in today’s NTSPP slot. Happily for me, I was familiar with most of the required GK and I learnt a new word: very smelly in 6d, and a new meaning for the answer to 21d.

    I had a plethora of ticks with the outstanding 1d taking first place.

    What a shame there will be no more from this wonderfully entertaining setter.

  5. I agree with all regarding the joy of engaging with another Alchemi puzzle – always precise in clueing, always full of amusing moments and always satisfying to solve. Coincidentally, I had just enjoyed solving Alchemi’s NTSPP-285, so it was a pleasant surprise to find a new puzzle from a favourite setter. As others have noted, there were some challenges to be overcome in either the wordplay or definitions, but all were accessible and quickly confirmed by Collins etc. As a fellow cricket enthusiast, 1d was my first clue to be solved and also my clue of the day; but it was just one of many fine clues.
    Thank you once again, Alchemi.

  6. What a privilege to have one last puzzle from a setter who held us baffled and amused so many times.
    Thoroughly enjoyed the solve and discovering all the references to 1A in different incarnations.
    Many thanks to all those who made it possible to have this opportunity.

  7. I too have enjoyed the battle of minds with Alchemi often in the past, and I have saved this to try later
    Thanks to all who have made this possible one more time

    1. Still got a few to do in the NE (7d is isolated in a sea of lights)
      I have to stop and prepare for the Sunday Toughie but will return to this later
      Totally agree this would be right up Robert’s street and thoroughly enjoyed trawling Wikipedia for info
      The cheesy reverse lurker is my favourite so far

  8. A wonderfully themed last puzzle. Not a huge fan of DH & there were a couple of featured novels that I’ve not read & had quite forgotten so it wasn’t as easy for me as for others. Jane you weren’t the only one who missed Olivia – doh. I’d not heard of Ellie G either.
    Kept thinking how much Robert would have loved this one. Think I need to go into the archives & root out some more Alchemi puzzles.
    Thanks to all

  9. A beautiful puzzle. I was his test solver, but well worth doing this one again. He really was superb at managing a theme.

  10. A lovely play on the two Lawrences and I was only short of knowledge when it came to Colman but was able to bung it in. Very elegant cluing indeed.

  11. Lovely puzzle with fabulous theming … some of which needed Googling for confirmation but I feel educated too now! Many thanks

  13. A lovely puzzle and some great clues, It took PostMark’s comment to bring the second 1a to mind and I found the means to solving the NE and learned a lot from Mr Google
    Such a shame we will not see more of Alchemi, like Huntsman I think I will trawl the archives for more
    Thanks to CS for explaining some of my bung-ins

  14. Thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle, just as I did the earlier ones. Agree it is a shame we won’t be able to solve any more. RIP Alchemi.

    Old crossworders never die,
    They fill in the ‘lights’ in the sky

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