A Puzzle by Dabrite
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.
As usual, the setter will be delighted to receive feedback from you, the solvers. We do ask that you remember that for most setters this is a new experience, so please only offer constructive criticism.
Having made an impressive improvement in their previous crossword, I regret that this crossword represents a regrettable step backwards in terms of the clues. The Commentometer reads 6.5 / 29 or 22.4%.
Across
9a See lion go ape and coin new word (9)
NEOLOGISE: An anagram (ape) of SEE LION GO. I don’t think that ape on its own works as an anagram indicator. Go ape means to become crazy but this would mean that the go was doing double duty as part of the anagram indicator and as part of the letters to be rearranged.
10a Sub-normal member of wolf pack? (1-4)
U-BOAT: Definition of a German submarine.
11a No early bird told Porky about dead president (3-4)
LIE-ABED: A four-letter word meaning have told a fib around a three-letter diminutive name of a former US president.
12a Mosaic to illustrate surfer (7)
BROWSER: Mosaic is the forerunner of Netscape that once dominated viewing the internet. It is an example of the software and those who use it. This is somewhat obscure.
13a The Master sounds like a sardonic tiger (5)
HOBBS: A homophone (sounds like) of Hobbes (the sardonic tiger in the cartoon strip Calvin & Hobbes). To have both the definition and the wordplay referring to more obscure people / characters is not ideal.
14a Tomato Relish & Crab for one (4,5)
LOVE APPLE: A four-letter word meaning relish followed by a five-letter fruit of which crab is a variety.
16a Corrupt and brutal regime’s place where things mysteriously disappear (7,8)
BERMUDA TRIANGLE: An anagram (corrupt) of AND BRUTAL REGIME.
19a Measure how long it takes to undo zips when you’re having fun? (4,5)
TIME FLIES: Cryptic definition and straight definition. I think that the zips is doing double duty as part of both sides of the definition.
21a Refined oil behind outstanding Garlic Sauce à la Provençale (5)
AIOLI: An anagram (refined) of oil after (behind) a two-letter word meaning excellent.
22a Lifeguard swimming around ignoring you and me is signal that something is wrong (3,4)
RED FLAG: An anagram (swimming around) of LIFEGUARD after removing (ignoring) the letter that sounds like U and the single pronoun representing me. As a homophone of you is removed, this should be indicated.
23a Islamic militia not the first to go after head of clan, a man of degraded bestial nature (7)
CALIBAN: The name of the Islamic militia group without its first letter (not the first) after the first letter (head) of clan.
24a Briefly vague about a fruit (5)
GUAVA: An anagram (about) of VAGUE after removing the final letter (briefly) followed by the A from the clue.
25a Daft essay resulting in annual religious celebrations (5,4)
FEAST DAYS: An anagram (resulting in) of DAFT ESSAY. I don’t think that resulting in works as an anagram indictor.
Down
1d Expression of relief about upcoming scheme to help illiterate (10)
ANALPHABET: A two-letter word expressing relief about a reversal (upcoming) of a four-letter word for a scheme followed by a four-letter word meaning to help. Try to avoid repeating containment indicators such as about that was used in 11a.
2d Fall between Mike and Oscar (8)
NOVEMBER: An autumn month that is also a letter in the NATO phonetic alphabet between M and O.
3d Couples the French left to make reservations (6)
DOUBTS: An eight-letter meaning couple without the French masculine singular form of the.
4d Drawn to a certain type of public house? (4)
TIED: Double definition.
5d Vegans, grazers and 12s (10)
HERBIVORES: Triple definition of those who do not eat meat. This is a straight definition there is no cryptic element to it.
6d Self-medication initially cheers up a couple of robots (8)
AUTOMATA: A four-letter word meaning self and the first (initially) of medication a reversal (up) of a two-letter word meaning cheers and the a from the clue. Try to avoid repeating wordplay indicators with the same root such as upcoming in 1d and up in this clue.
7d Bob and son taking books back to youth centre to get money for lottery (4-2)
TOSS-UP: The abbreviations for shilling and son after a reversal (back) of books followed by the middle letter (centre) of youth and the abbreviation for pence (money). I don’t think that the “taking” is strong enough to indicate that the Bob and Son come after the reversal of the books.
8d Some of the bastards at The Sun, say (4)
STAR: The answer is hidden (some of the) of bastards. The at does not work as a link between the wordplay and the definition.
14d Having done with offal, given alternative (7,3)
LEAVING OFF: An anagram (alternative) of OFFAL GIVEN.
15d Peeping Tom or Nosey Parker perhaps spy on funny man with cape (10)
EYEWITNESS: A three-letter word meaning spy followed by a three-letter word for a funny man and a four-letter word for a cape or headland.
17d After riotous fun, I am willing to accept first-class return, not unlike Regan (8)
UNFILIAL: An anagram (riotous) of FUN followed by a three-letter contracting meaning I am willing around (to accept) a reversal (return) of a two-letter word meaning first class. Perhaps having AI used twice with similar meaning is not ideal.
18d Small on-line non-profit up before the judge, a cardinal (8)
GROSBEAK: The abbreviation for small and the three-letter domain name for non-profit organisations reversed (up) before a four-letter word for a judge. Another repetition for the use of up as a reversal indicator.
20d Check-up giving Charlie the bum’s rush is mean (6)
MEDIAL: A seven-letter word for a check-up without the letter represented by Charlie.
21d Spear-thrower at large once again (6)
ATLATL: The at from the clue and the abbreviation for large with the letters then being repeated.
22d Overhauled air force inside European capital (4)
RIGA: A reversal (overhauled) of the AIR from the clue with the abbreviation for gravity (force) inside.
23d Spooks love a salutation and valediction (4)
CIAO: The three-letter abbreviation for the American security service followed by the A from the clue.
By gum, that was tricky. It took quite a while with the LH side being completed long before the right, finishing in the NE corner
There was a fair amount of GK required – I did know both parts of 13a, and 23a (English O-Level) but not 21d. I have question marks by several clues but I did like 19a which really made me smile when the penny dropped
Thanks Dabrite – If it had been nicer outside, I would probably have given up rather than persevering to the end – and, in advance, to Prolixic
The lack of overnight comments on the Monday Rookie puzzle usually means that it’s either very poor or pretty tough. This fell into the second category and it took me a fair old time to get a full grid ending up in the SE corner where Google was called into assistance (I’m looking especially at the spear-thrower).
There were some entertaining clues here and I liked 19a, 3d, 4d and 15d.
Many thanks to Dabrite but please return with something a little less tough.
Thanks for the puzzle Dabrite. Like the previous commenters, I found it pretty tough. More than anything, it was the general knowledge I struggled with – 13a in particular, I’ve never heard of either end of the double definition. 1d, 4d, 17d, 18d, 21d all involved some GK I didn’t have, probably a few others too. 12a I did happen to know the required bit of GK, but I suspect many people won’t.
I’m not convinced by “resulting” as an anagram indicator in 25a, unless there’s some alternative usage/pronunciation I haven’t twigged.
I liked 19a and 3d, and the anagram for 16a is a good spot.
Thanks again, and in advance to Prolixic.
Welcome back, Dabrite.
After five appearances now in Rookie Corner I would have expected there to be far fewer flaws than I spotted in today’s puzzle. The two GK elements in 13a asked too much of the average solver in my opinion and “about” as a containment indicator, “up” as a reversal indicator and A1 (outstanding/first class) were all repeated. “Go” in 9a is doing double duty (“ape” on its own is not an anagram indicator) and surely 25a needs something to tell the solver to jumble the first two words. I’m struggling to find anything cryptic about 5d and the lurker in 8d had padding aplenty. I had several other reservations but I’ll just add that the anagram count was definitely on the high side. My favourite clue, from a small number of ticks, was 16a.
There were some clever ideas but overall, frankly, I was disappointed that you have not “kicked on” yet and there are still so many niggles appearing. Thank you for the puzzle, Dabrite.
I’m not entirely sure whether you set puzzles for solvers to enjoy, Dabrite, or just to demonstrate your level of knowledge but they do tend to come across as being skewed towards the latter. I did have to resort to some outside assistance to parse the last few but hope the Nina is perhaps indicative of a change of tactic in future offerings?
I did think the anagram in 16a was cleverly constructed but had a lot of ‘hmms’ elsewhere.
Thank you for your efforts, I look forward to reading what Prolixic has to say about it all.
Nina? Ah, I missed that!
That really was rather sticky in places. I would say my GK is reasonable but biffed 12a (Mosaic), 13a (both bits) and 21a (ancient Mexican / Native American is pushing my boundaries), while there were a few too many elements where the instructions were a bit unclear, lacking or misapplying anagram indicators, or repetitive. 19a is very amusing and I laughed, but on reflection I’m not entirely convinced that “measure how long it takes to undo zips” is sufficiently synonymous with “time flies” – what about when the fly is / flies are not moving at all? That could be a very long time indeed!
OTOH there was so much to like – 14a, 16a, 22a, 2d, 5d, 16d, 23d and more. And a very good Nina, which I do hope does not mean we won’t see you again?
Anyway, many thanks Dabrite, and in advance also to Prolixic.
We struggled to finish and we had to reveal letters in the end. 13a, 21a, 23a, 1d and 21d were new words to us. Please, Dabrite, something less tough next time. Thanks in advance to Prolixic and thanks also to Dabrite.
Beyond my pay grade, i’m sorry to say.
I did get about half, of which 19A was my fave.
Tried this yesterday but didn’t get very far. A second attempt today helped me get a little further but much of the RH side need reveals to get me home. The number of unfamiliar words used in the grid coupled with some rather over-wordy clues made for a very challenging solve. I’m still baffled by some and shall await the wisdom of Prolixic to unravel all the parsing. I thought the anagram at 16a was very well worked and I did smile at 19a, although, like Mustafa G, I’m not wholly convinced by the synonym.
Thanks Dabrite for the challenge and adding to my vocabulary!
Many thanks for the review, Prolixic, particularly for the explanations of 12&13a which had completely defeated me. Such a pity that Dabrite has slid back down the commentometer’s scale.