Double-Crossword by Madcap
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.
Madcap provides this weekend's alternative exercise in lateral thinking with a clever puzzle. Several of the clues or solutions refer to double-crossing
Across
9a Listed quickly and staggered away (6,3)
REELED OFF: Put together synonyms of staggered or lurched and away.
10a University working in harmony (5)
UNION: An abbreviated university and an adverb meaning in operation
11a Editor's re-write is means to dampen inflammatory activity (7)
STEROID: Anagram (re-write) of EDITOR’S
12a Hot broth available! (2,5)
IN STOCK: Hot in the sense of fashionable and a liquid food.
13a Test was in the morning? (4)
EXAM: Cryptic definition
14a Right, is diva extraordinary with art? Or a crafty worker on the fiddle? (10)
STRADIVARI: Anagram of the abbreviation for Right plus IS DIVA plus ART.
16a The worst place to stop? (3,4)
THE PITS: Double/cryptic definition one informal, the other referring to a race perhaps.
17a Eponymous detective from ITV Central, a work set around Greater Glasgow principally (7)
TAGGART: Put together the middle letter (central) of ITV A from the clue and a synonym of work into which is inserted the initial letters of Greater Glasgow
19a Evangelical case by treacherous Tremayne is fundamental (10)
ELEMENTARY: Put together the outside letters of EvangelicaL and an anagram (treacherous) of Tremayne
22a Man with love for one in a spot (4)
MOLE: The gender or sex of a man (I think that's right, who knows these days) with the indefinite article replaced with an abbreviation for love
24a This delivery apparently provides what is needed to make gel! (3,4)
LEG SPIN: A reverse anagram in which the fodder is part of the solution. Here's the greatest exponent of the art
25a Custodian is low life - a regressive degenerate (7)
CURATOR: A word for a despicable person usually associated with a canine, A from the clue and a reversal of a synonym of degenerate as a verb
26a It's about 8 and time to poke rekindled coal (5)
OCTAL: An insertion of T(ime) into an anagram of COAL. Is it fair to write eight here as a number? I'm not sure
27a Mrs Bucket's bloomers? (9)
HYACINTHS: Double definition, one based on the TV series.
Down
1d What 18 does when the party opposite looks more attractive (7,3,5)
CROSSES THE FLOOR: Cryptic definition.
2d Break promise about bill resulting in 18 (8)
RENEGADE: A word meaning default on placed around an abbreviated bill in the sense of publicity
3d Dipstick is stuck in convertible Mondeo (5)
LEMON: Hidden (is stuck in)
4d Dishes of spicy fruit (3,5)
HOT DATES: Piece together a synonym of spicy and a type of fruit seen on a palm tree
5d Teetotallers drinking French and Italian coffee - primarily, it's a continental thing! (6)
AFRICA: An abbreviated group supporting those with a drink problem placed around abbreviations for FRance and Italian and the first letter of Coffee
6d Parisian who supports 2s (9)
QUISLINGS: The French word for who plus some supports… for a broken arm maybe
7d Growth in cheek rising per second (6)
LIPOMA: A synonym of cheek or impudence plus a reversal of a synonym of per and an informal second or short time
8d Duplicitous rat - she's sneaking! (5,2,3,5)
SNAKE IN THE GRASS: Anagram (duplicitous) of the following three words for a nice extended definition.
15d Explode plane with pipe bomb (9)
PINEAPPLE: Anagram of PLANE and PIPE
17d It seems 2 makes taco! (8)
TURNCOAT: If we split the solution 4/4 we have an opportunity to make a reverse anagram.
18d MP's left mate and sat with opps after conversion? (8)
APOSTATE: Remove MP’s from the MATE SAT OPPS and form an anagram of what's remaining.
20d Beefy's first out for score below 100 (6)
EIGHTY: Remove the initial letter from a synonym of beefy. I really like this one with it's reference to one of my sporting heroes, a man I had the great pleasure of meeting in New Zealand.
21d 20 of these make 8 (6)
TENTHS: The solution of 20 times by the solution required here will give you 8.
23d Sod in about-face traps one when identifying fifth columnists here, for example (5)
FRUIT: A reversal of a sod or piece of earth around the letter that looks like the number one. The solution here refers to what's in the fifth column of the crossword!
A most enjoyable lunchtime diversion, thank you Madcap
Lots to enjoy with all the double-crossers, My particular favourite has to be 23d – wordy but so clever
Thanks in advance to SL
Caffeine and some e-help required but quite enjoyable. Some parsings that are elusive so I will read the review with interest.
Smiles for 12a, 16a, 27a, 4d, and 8d.
Thanks Madcap and thanks in advance to SL.
Most enjoyable. Thanks to Madcap and SL in due course.
COTD for me was 15D
In spite of generally finding them very tough, I’ve always enjoyed Madcap’s puzzles in both the Rookie Corner and the NTSSP slots. I thought he must have turned over a new leaf today when the first three quarters fell into place like a hot knife going through butter. Then I encountered the SE corner, which was another kettle of fish entirely. Despite the considerable head scratching needed in order to finish, I really enjoyed the challenge.
23d was my last one in courtesy of the very cunning “fifth columnists”. 21d was the last one I parsed taking quite a while to twig what the “20” referred to and therefore why the clue didn’t say “2” instead of “8”.
7d was a new word for me but fairly clued. With a lot of ticks on my page from which to pick, my podium selection is 8d, 20d and 23d.
Many thanks to Madcap for a fun diversion, and, in advance, presumably to SL.
As always with this setter, his puzzle was easy until it wasn’t! Still a couple that I’m not sure I’ve parsed correctly, no doubt SL will clarify tomorrow. Rosettes awarded to 12,16&27a.
Thanks to Madcap for making the old grey matter work hard.
Many thanks to Madcap for a very entertaining NTSPP.
Having only scraped a pass in O’level maths many moons ago I was pleased to have solved 21d …
… and after much investigation I have finally uncovered the “fifth columnists” in 23d!
I was scratching my head over my maths until I read RD’s comment about 21d – one of several good misleads in a nicely-constructed puzzle from Madcap. I ticked many fine clues but particularly enjoyed 18d, 20d and 23d. I didn’t watch ‘Traitors’ on TV but I enjoyed all the ones I found here.
Thanks, Madcap! And thanks in advance to StephenL (?).
Very entertaining – many thanks to Madcap.
Like others I’ve awarded the gold medal to 23d for the penny-drop moment. Silver and bronze go to 12a and 21d.
Incidentally, 26a and 21d made me think of Zandio’s recent comment (which surprised me at the time):
By the way, I’m sure you already know this, but whenever we use a figure for a number under 32, it refers to the clue number. On the other hand, if we write the number out in full, then it is a clue rather than a clue number — so ‘nine perhaps’ may give ‘square’, and ‘nine’ may give ‘IX’. But ‘9’ can only give a clue number.
Certainly had to work hard for the last few and although we got 23d from checkers and wordplay haven’t yet twigged how it all works. Maybe a brisk beach walk will help the thought process.
Thanks Madcap.
Didn’t need the brisk walk after all. Writing the above caused the penny to drop.
Great puzzle. Beaten by 23d, which I only twigged after revealing the first letter & still haven’t pegged the why. Thanks Madcap.
Look at the solutions in the fifth column of the crossword
Many thanks for the review, SL, and for explaining how I should have parsed 23d – I was too hung up on theme components!
As an occasional contributor I try to have a look at each week’s puzzle and, if I have time try to solve (with various degrees of success). When they are tough – and this was way beyond me – it would be very useful to have the “reveal all” button, rather than have to click through one letter at a time. I do at least like to see if I can work out the parsing once I know the answer, before reading the blog …. Could that be introduced?