A Puzzle by duncanjwitham
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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.
A Rookie crossword with a score of 0 on the commentometer is as rare as hen’s teeth. This is one of those exceptional crosswords where Duncan has achieved a perfect score and with it elevation to the realms of the Not The Saturday Prize Puzzle.
Across
1a Permitting time and money to be invested in support (7)
LETTING: The abbreviation for time and a three-letter slang word for money inside (to be invested) in a three-letter word for a support.
5a Hurt hip for starters, just utterly embarrassed (7)
INJURED: A two-letter word meaning hip or trendy followed by the initial letters (for starters) of just and utterly followed by a three-letter word meaning embarrassed.
9a It can punctuate deep sleep, male admitted (5)
COMMA: A four-letter word for a deep sleep includes (admitted) the abbreviation for male.
10a Where second in sprint comes first (9)
INITIALLY: Where the abbreviation for second appears in the word sprint.
11a With meal starting late, European discovered Greggs for seasonal treat (6,3)
EASTER EGG: A five-letter word for a sumptuous meal with the initial letter removed (starting late) followed by the abbreviation for European and the inner letters (discovered) of Greggs.
12a Prohibit working for tycoon (5)
BARON: A three-letter word meaning prohibit followed by a two-letter word meaning working.
13a It hurts after guys endlessly cat call (4)
MEOW: A two-letter word meaning it hurts after a three-letter word for guys with the last letter removed (endlessly).
15a Just eating these, mostly when nobody’s looking (2,3,3)
ON THE SLY: A four-letter word meaning just incudes (eating) the first four letters (mostly) of these
18a Band spinning first couple of records, one getting public exposure? (8)
STREAKER: A five-letter word meaning a band or line followed by the first two letters (couple) of records reversed (spinning).
19a Supplies clothing, new tie (4)
KNIT: A three-letter word for supplies around (clothing) the abbreviation for new.
22a Headline story: appeal for answer (5)
TITLE: A four-letter word for a story with a two-letter word sex appeal replacing (for) the abbreviation for answer.
24a Line on map led outing astray (9)
LONGITUDE: An anagram (astray) of LED OUTING.
26a Unscripted play opening with little troublemaker, mature at heart (9)
IMPROMPTU: A four-letter word meaning play with a three-letter word meaning a troublemaker before it (opening) all followed by the inner letters (at heart) of mature.
27a Fear doctor and drug bill (5)
DREAD: A two-letter abbreviation for doctor followed by the abbreviation for ecstasy (drug) and a two-letter abbreviation for a bill or advertisement.
28a Sports field noisy at last following moment for silence (7)
SECRECY: A three-letter word for a sports field and the final letter (at last) of noisy after (following) a three-letter for a moment or second.
29a Examine and seal any cracks (7)
ANALYSE: An anagram (cracks) of SEAL ANY.
Down
1d Hair occasionally kept in here? (6)
LOCKET: A four-letter word for a piece of hair and the even letters (regularly) of kept.
2d Working record hours, that man gets extremely wasted (9)
TIMESHEET: A five-letter word meaning hours followed by a two-letter word meaning that man and the inner letters (extremely wasted) of gets.
3d Suspect lacking in resemblance (5)
IMAGE: A seven-letter word meaning suspect or dream without (lacking) the IN from the clue.
4d Escort work, it’s great for tourists (9)
GUIDEBOOK: A five-letter word for an escort followed by a four-letter word for a written work of literature.
5d Daughter banned from cutting bit of cake (5)
ICING: The abbreviation for daughter removed (banned) from a six-letter word meaning cutting into cubes.
6d Prisoner escape – bother! Chance judge started it (9)
JAILBREAK: A three-letter word meaning bother or afflict and a five-letter word for a chance or opportunity all after (started it) the abbreviation for judge.
7d It’s for measuring people’s head (5)
RULER: Double definition.
8d Senior members longing to stop parties (6)
DOYENS: A three-letter word for a longing or desire inside (to stop) a three-letter word for parties.
14d Sad when sadness has departed? (9)
WOEBEGONE: A three-letter word for sadness followed by a dialect phrase (2,4) meaning has departed.
16d Crawler is natural at swimming (9)
TARANTULA: An anagram (swimming) of NATURAL AT.
17d Life on vacation, one certainly relaxing (9)
LEISURELY: The outer letters (on vacation) of life followed by the letter represented by one and a six-letter word meaning certainly.
20d Meth head left in charge, beginning to subvert rules of behaviour (6)
ETHICS: The last three letters (head left) of meth followed by the abbreviation for in charge and the first letter (beginning to) of subvert.
21d Push bike, by the sound of it (6)
PEDDLE: A homophone (by the sound of it) of pedal (bike).
23d Subject of photo too short on top (5)
TOPIC: A three-letter word for a photo with the first two-letters (short) of too before it (on top),
24d Cheeky slap round the mouth? (5)
LIPPY: Double definition, the second a type of makeup.
25d Letter after hotel chain diabolically furnished inside (5)
INDIA: The answer is hidden (furnished inside) the fourth and fifth words of the clue.
Took a lot of head scratching before we could justify 10a but think we now have it.
An enjoyable solve for us with plenty of clever wordplay to unravel.
Thanks Duncan.
A solver-friendly, clever and enjoyable crossword which I think might lead to promotion for Duncan
Thanks to him and in advance to Prolixic
An enjoyable puzzle – thanks to Duncan.
I particularly liked 10a, 22a and 3d with my favourite being the excellent 24d.
I really enjoyed this accomplished crossword, Duncan, which I thought was your best so far.
I expect I’m missing something, but I can’t quite make the wordplay for 14d work (even with the question mark).
My page was full of ticks, and I anticipate a very low commentometer score.
Many thanks, Duncan, and congratulations on a very fine puzzle.
Glad you enjoyed it.
For 14d, the second part is supposed to be treated as a whole phrase, rather than individual bits of wordplay, so I suppose it’s technically a double definition. Taken together “sadness has departed” should be synonymous with the answer (when split 3, 2, 4). I’m aware the has/be part is a bit slangy/dialectal, hence the question mark.
We really enjoyed this puzzle, thank you duncanjwitham. We still need to fully parse a couple – 10a especially. Favourites are 24d, 29a, 24a and 13a. We look forward to your next one and thanks in advance to the reviewer.
Flawless! The only potential improvement I could suggest would be that perhaps ” this” works better than “here” in 1d, but that’s more of a personal preference. Overall this was a quality puzzle that could easily grace the pages of a national newspaper, in my opinion. I found the top half slightly more challenging than the bottom, but I was very impressed by the surfaces, constructions and balance of clue types.
I echo Gazza in declaring 24d my favourite and I also echo Sue in believing that we are very likely to have a second successive promotion from Rookie Corner. Like ALP last week, it is very gratifying indeed to see someone improve with successive appearances and reach an extremely proficient standard.
Congratulations on an excellent puzzle, Duncan. Many thanks.
13a must be a dream word for setters, it seems that almost any spelling is acceptable although this is certainly one of the more universally accepted ones. I’m not convinced that 5d is actually a bit of cake, surely it’s a topping on same, but that was my only slight niggle in an otherwise very competent puzzle. Biggest ticks here went to 15&28a plus 8,14&24d.
Many thanks for another enjoyable Rookie Corner puzzle, Duncan.
What everyone else has said! The slight delay in publishing the puzzle was worth the wait.
Smiles for 1a, 10a, 15a, 27a, 3d, 4d, and 14d.
Thanks Duncan and thanks in advance to Prolixic.
Thanks for the review Prolixic and thanks everyone for your comments. Much appreciated.
Many congratulations on your zero commentometer score and your well deserved promotion, Duncan.
Many thanks for the review, Prolixic, and heartiest congratulations to Duncan on his promotion.
Just popped in a day late to say many congrats on the promotion. Really enjoyed the puzzle & deservedly a gold star from the likes of Silvanus no less. The parsing at 10a beat me & among a plethora of ticks the cheeky slap round the mouth was a cracking clue.
Many thanks.