Toughie No 3381 by Musaeus
Hints and tips by ALP
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ***
We’ve not seen Musaeus (only the third I’ve blogged) for a while, so this is a welcome return. Pretty straightforward but just enough, I think, to merit an extra half-star, if only for 10a’s “flaky” synonym and 5d’s (Chambered) definition. All yours.
Across
1a Maiden to draw upon? (4)
MUSE: M[aiden] + draw upon/employ. Nice &lit.
3a Award for one in respectable address – like a judge? (5)
SOBER: (An example of/for one) honorary award in(side) an abbreviated title/address EDIT: As Gazza points out, this is clearly AWARD for/replacing the usual “one” in the unabbreviated title/address. AWARD wouldn’t even need an indicator. Doh. Sorry about that.
6a Head for top of St Paul’s, say (4)
DOME: I read this is a double definition with a synonym of “head” and/or what’s on top of St Paul’s. But you could, I think, also read as an &lit. Dealer’s choice!
8a Fare is new in Europe since I worried about university (8,7)
NOUVELLE CUISINE: “New” in a European language (ie, French) + SINCEI, worried, containing/about the usual “university”.
9a Satisfy French and prepare fish, for example (6)
FILLET: Satisfy/complete + the French “and”.
10a Song‘s flaky with fake adult line (8)
MADRIGAL: Flaky or crazy (US?) + (to) fake/doctor + the usual “adult” and “line”.
11a Knocking out contents of sedan during rip-off (8)
SEDATING: [S]EDA[N] inside/during rip-off/con.
13a Roofer‘s rebuke and what starts it (6)
SLATER: (to) rebuke/reprimand + R[ebuke].
15a Canon‘s man avoiding tactical ruse (6)
OEUVRE: Tactical ruse/stratagem, minus “man” from the clue.
17a Hellish watchdog backing unmistakable second-class record (8)
CERBERUS: Unmistakeable/certain + second-class (grade) + the abbreviation for “record”, all reversed/backing.
19a Sure strange term for access code? (8)
USERNAME: SURE, strange, + term, as noun or verb.
21a What Homer sometimes did is agreed (6)
NODDED: Double definition. What Homer sometimes did (does?) and/or (physically) agreed.
22a How is Prohibitionist contrary to expectations? (7,3,5)
AGAINST THE GRAIN: How one might describe a Prohibitionist (being anti spirits, etc).
23a Dogs possibly seen in Paisley (4)
ISLE: Lurker, hidden in the last word.
24a Check motor, close to clapped-out (5)
AUDIT: The usual German motor + [clapped-ou]T.
25a Perhaps fair time in charge (4)
FETE: The usual “time” in charge/rate.
Down
1d Bloke pressing current party over policy (9)
MANIFESTO: The usual “bloke” + (electric) current + party (usually as suffix) + the usual “over”.
2d Mean group will engulf large island (7)
SQUALID: Group/team engulfs/contains the usual “large” and “island”.
3d Patience is reassessing editorials once the day’s passed (9)
SOLITAIRE: E[D]ITORIALS, reassessed, ie with (the) D[ay] passed.
4d Busy sort and right fool handled pot (4,3)
BEER MUG: (Busy as a) *** + R[ight] + fool/sap.
5d Honest foundation stripped of leader (5)
ROUND: A synonym of foundation/floor, minus its first letter.
6d Is taste in fruit to vanish? (9)
DISSIPATE: “Is” from the clue + taste/sample, inside (palm) fruit.
7d Ordinary nun made to be different (7)
MUNDANE: NUNMADE, different.
12d It’s up in unfavourable market (9)
ADVERTISE: “It” is reversed/up in(side) unfavourable/disadvantageous.
13d Firm is straight with popular bloke (9)
STRINGENT: The abbreviation for “straight” + the usual “popular” and “gent”.
14d On edge over northern church’s home (9)
RESIDENCE: On/concerning + edge/wing + the usual “northern” and “church”.
16d Sensing fluttering flags (7)
ENSIGNS: SENSING, fluttering.
17d Had copyright worked up (7)
CHEATED: C[opyright] + worked up/excited.
18d Source of dismay in repeat struggles? (3,4)
RED TAPE: D[ismay] in REPEAT, struggling. Another fine &lit.
20d Confused in the main? (2,3)
AT SEA: Double definition. Need I say more? Er, no.
Six anagrams, 2/3 &lits and a few gimmes made for a fairly brisk and enjoyable solve. I especially liked 8a, 13a, 15a, 6d and 18d. What did you make of it?
I usually very much enjoy Musaeus’s puzzles, so was surprised on coming here to find this was from him – I thought it some way below his usual standard. Slightly heavy on anagrams for my taste. With two left I filled in 21a with reluctance, having felt from the off that ‘nodded’ was the answer but the first part of the clue seems to make no sense, whether with the Springfield or Greek Homers – given Musaeus’s background I presume it’s the Greek one, but who knows? Or is/was it a pigeon?
1a just doesn’t do it for me, likewise 18d: d in an anagram of repeat is fine, but the overall clue as definition of ‘red tape’ doesn’t for me come close. 8a was obvious once a couple of checkers appears (the u & first l) but was similarly dissatisfying with the vague “Europe” – most of the 44 states would not use ‘nouvelle’ for new, but I guess M was painted into a corner by having French in the next clue. OTOH nicely concise throughout and plaudits for many, with podium places to 3a, 22a and 23a.
Thanks to Musaeus & ALP.
The phrase ‘Even Homer nods’ is said to someone who’s made a mistake, meaning that even an expert is sometimes fallible.
Thanks Gazza, a new one to me, somewhat esoteric and rather unfairly placed on a double unch.
I don’t accept unfair because of positioning of letters with regard to unches, double or otherwise. Every clue to me is stand alone, help from crossing solutions is a bonus. Try solving a puzzle without a pencil, or sometimes without a grid!
I should have been more detailed in the blog, MG. My apologies. It’s an expression I was well aware of but it probably warranted more explanation. I was clearly too busy making a howling hash of 3a!
No apologies required old chap, after all you so willingly parse every clue (which is not required of us) and produce such a good blog week after week!
Cheers MG. I must have nodded off there myself. But not in a Homeric way!
Curious puzzle which I have to say didn’t really ‘float my boat’. Certainly seemed to be a strange choice to use ‘sure’ in the answers to consecutive clues – 17&19a – and I’m slightly surprised that the editor didn’t suggest a re-write of one of them.
As to which Homer was known for nodding, I have no idea, although Mr G informs me that the wretched Mr Simpson has narcolepsy.
My favourite was the dismay caused by 18d.
Thanks to Musaeus and also to ALP for the review.
Type ‘Homer’ and the solution into Google and you get the reference explained several times. No mention of The Simpsons. Nice to have a classical allusion in a puzzle, but I wouldn’t have known what it meant a few years ago either. Thanks to compiler and blogger.
A pleasant puzzle – thanks to Musaeus and ALP.
I tried to justify ‘disappear’ for a while in 6d until 10a made it impossible.
I thought that 3a required the award to replace the ‘one’.
Top clues for me were 1a, 3a, 21a and 12d.
re 3a – yes, that’s also how I parsed it.
Thanks Gazza, you’re clearly right. I’ve duly amended, ta.
I agree re the parsing of 3a but would like to suggest the “respectful” would be more appropriate than “respectable” in the clue.
A strange mixture with some excellent clues and some decidedly odd, particularly the Homeric reference.
3a was my favourite.
Thanks to Musaeus and to ALP.
This was definitely fitting for a Tuesday Toughie which eased us gently into the week. I liked several clues including 3, 19,and 22A and 4, 6, and 12D.
Many thanks to ALP and Musaeus.
Blimey – I just got “submission failure” after trying to post my usual – could be my antiquated browser or the nut behind the wheel. So try again:-
Straightforward stuff for a Tuesday. Favourites were 3a [and I agree with Gazza re the parsing]] and 15a. Liked all the music this week, especially Amy Lee/Evanescence and the unorthodox sitar.
Thanks to Musaeus and ALP.
I rather enjoyed this, don’t think I’ve met Musaeus before, but I can’t find a way to type diphthongs…
My favourites were 3a, 22a and cotd 6d. Thanks Alp and Musaeus
Ah, found it Musæus!
Blimey I found that hard going but with no finishes last week all the pleasure was in the completing. I also put disappear in which held me up for ages. Needed the hints to parse a few. Favourite was 3a. Thanks to Musaeus for the mental beating and ALP.
Couple of days late but just popped in to say enjoyed the puzzle (hard but completed with no letter reveal & loved the Muse cover.
Thanks both