A Puzzle by Iguess
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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.
Congratulations to IGuess on continuing the excellence shown in their first crossword with an equally impressive second Rookie appearance. There were some minor comments but the commentometer is a commendably low 1.5/28 or 5.4%.
Across
7a Charm involves sex appeal and drink (6)
MOJITO: A four-letter word for charm includes (involves) a two-letter word for sex appeal.
8a Got on with his erratic gunfire (8)
SHOOTING: An anagram (erratic) of GOT ON HIS.
9a Taste of sour fruit: brand new gum flavour (9)
SPEARMINT: The first letter (taste) of sour followed by a four-letter name of a fruit and a four-letter word meaning brand new.
10a Evidence is a little twisted (4)
DATA: A reversal (twisted) of the A from the clue and a three-letter word meaning a little.
11a Disadvantage lottery fund (8)
DRAWBACK: A four-letter word for a lottery followed by a four-letter word meaning to support financially.
13a Scooby-Doo character captures a phantom at last trapped deceitfully (6)
FRAMED: A four-letter name of a character in Scooby-Doo includes (captures) the A from the clue and the final letter (at last) of phantom.
15a Considerable sort-out (4)
TIDY: Double definition, the first often followed by the word sum.
16a Diplomat on Galapagos exposes island nation (5)
TONGA: The answer is hidden (exposes) in the first three words of the clue.
17a Footballing offence, unsporting lunge principally? (4)
FOUL: The initial letters (principally) of the first four words of the clue.
18a Rust halved shower pressure (6)
STRAIN: The final two letters of rust followed by a four-letter word for a shower.
20a Reform NHS? I lose faith! (8)
HOLINESS: An anagram (reform) of NHS I LOSE. I don’t think that the solution is directly synonymous with definition faith.
21a Commercials on the radio for tool (4)
ADZE: A homophone (on the radio) of ADS (commercials).
23a Two graduates stepping in to change former school (4,5)
ALMA MATER: Two uses of the abbreviation for master of arts (two graduates) inside (stepping in) a five-letter word meaning to change.
25a Relieved agent left before master died (8)
REPLACED: A three-letter word for an agent followed by the abbreviation for left, a three-letter word meaning an expert or master and the abbreviation for died.
26a Lose heart in out of control strip (6)
RUNWAY: Remove the middle letter (lose heart) from a seven-letter word meaning out of control.
Down
1d Limit criminal’s exercise time (10)
CONSTRAINT: A four-letter word meaning criminal’s followed by a five-letter word meaning exercise and the abbreviation for time.
2d Inadvertent reveal of free gift (8)
GIVEAWAY: Double definition.
3d Broke flow in speech (4)
POOR: A homophone (in speech) of POUR (flow).
4d European city with feminine name provides place to stop during journey (4,2,4)
PORT OF CALL: A five-letter name of a city in Portugal followed by the abbreviation for feminine and a four-letter word meaning name.
5d Raise support at small football grounds (6)
STADIA: A reversal (raise) a three-letter word meaning support, the AT from the clue and the abbreviation for small.
6d Strong flavour repels insect (4)
GNAT: A reversal (repels) of a four-letter word for a strong flavour. As this is a reversal clue, you have to be careful about placing the reversal indicator between the wordplay and the definition as the clue can work either way. As the clue is structured, here it reads more naturally that the name of the insect is reversed. Perhaps “Insect strong flavour repelled” would be better.
8d Person unwilling to change article after briefly pushing scandalous information (5-2-3-3)
STICK-IN-THE-MUD: An eight-letter word meaning pushing with the final letter removed (briefly) followed by a phrase (3,3) for scandalous information. I think that the link between pushing and the word required in the solution is valid as you can push/stick your finger into something.
12d Turning up at 10:00 to disco? (10)
ATTENDANCE: The AT from the clue followed by the time 10:00 and a five-letter word for a disco.
14d Online search right happening to include essential component of contractual rider (10)
EQUESTRIAN: The abbreviation for on-line followed by a five-letter word for a search, the abbreviation for right and a two-letter word meaning trendy or happening that includes the middle letter (essential component of) in contractual.
17d Make small adjustments to penalty number (4-4)
FINE-TUNE: A four-letter word for a penalty followed by a four-letter word for a musical number.
19d Ancient one put energy inside valuable metal (3-3)
AGE-OLD: The article representing one followed by a four-letter word for a valuable metal the includes (inside) the abbreviation for energy). Try avoid repeating wordplay indicators from the same root such as in / inside for an insertion indicator.
22d Went climbing far down (4)
DEEP: A reversal (climbing) of a four-letter word meaning having urinated (went).
24d Report makes an impression on economist (4)
MARX: A homophone (report) of a MARKS (make an impression on).
Thanks Iguess for an enjoyable conclusion to my weekend of cruciverbalism. I did need a small amount of e-help to get across the finishing line but I would put that down to personal fatigue.
Smiles for 10a, 11a, 2d, and 17d.
Thanks again and thanks in advance to Prolixic.
Naturally, I missed that it was a pangram. Well done for that.
Away from so very late (for us) in getting a chance to do this one. So glad we did make the effort as we found it a very well put together enjoyable pangram.
Thanks and well done Iguess.
Thanks for the puzzle, Iguess! All the wordplay worked for me. There are some clues I’d describe as ‘old favourites’ here e.g. 6d, 21a, which is OK. If you are looking for areas to focus on to improve, then I’d suggest the surface reading of some of your obscurer clues. You have some really excellent surface readings such as 18a and 23a, which conjure up excellent images in their own right; in 26a and 14d the surfaces feel just a little strained. Don’t get me wrong, they are still good but could be better. I often use the “Could I drop this sentence into normal conversation down the pub without it being noticed” test: most of your clues pass with flying colours but a few would be tricky to get away with!
I look forward to your next puzzle and to seeing Prolixic’s views.
An enjoyable pangram to accompany my breakfast, thank you Iguess
Thanks in advance to Prolixic
Very well done, Iguess. I thought this was excellent with mostly very smooth surfaces (14d is a notable exception) and tight clueing all the way.
I found the NW corner slightly more challenging than the rest, and suspecting that a pangram was on the cards helped me finish.
My one query relates to 8d. I am not sure that pushing is synonymous with sticking.
Many thanks for the fun, Iguess, and please keep the puzzles coming. Thanks too in advance to Prolixic.
An enjoyable puzzle pitched at just the right level – thanks Iguess.
It’s impressive to produce a pangram with no obscurities (well, I did have to guess the Scooby-Doo character but that’s down to my shortcomings).
Top clues for me were 10a, 4d and 17d.
Could only remember Shaggy & Scooby so that one needed a check but otherwise a very enjoyable stroll. I’d had a quick peek (as I usually do with RC puzzles) to gauge from early feedback whether to give it a go so I had the advantage of knowing it was a pangram. Glad that I did as I thought it a highly competent submission deservedly well received by those above who know their onions.
Many thanks & look forward to your next one.
Nicely pitched and with a pangram that fitted in so smoothly that I was unaware of it until the solve was completed. I thought that the clue for 14d rather ran away with itself and a couple of synonyms didn’t convince me – that in 8d already mentioned by RD and also faith = holiness in 20a. Penalty point for one of my personal bugbears in 22d!
Favoured clues here were 11a plus 2,4&17d.
Thank you for bringing another of your compilations to the Corner, Iguess.
Welcome back, Iguess.
As others have said, this was a pleasure to solve and assembled in a very competent manner, with few obscurities and good constructions. I think you deserve a lot of credit for including comparatively few anagrams.
Just a couple of quibbles for me; “in”/”inside” was repeated as an insertion indicator, yes they’re slightly different words but I think they’re basically the same. Also, since “repel” in 6d is a transitive verb only, “repelled” rather than “repels” would have avoided any cryptic grammar issues.
Congratulations on producing an excellent puzzle. Many thanks, Iguess.
Thanks for the puzzle Iguess, very nice.
I liked 9a, 10a and 15a amongst others.
It’s an little unfortunate that the answer to 18a appears in the answer to 1d, almost right where they intersect.
Thanks again and thanks in advance to Prolixic.
We couldn’t match sticking with pushing and holiness didn’t seem the same as faith but otherwise a very enjoyable puzzle and pangram to boot. Thank you Iguess and thanks in advance to Prolixic. We look forward to more from you.
Many thanks for the review, Prolixic, much appreciated as always.
Thank you all for your kind comments and especially to Prolixic for the review. The sense of ‘pushing’/’sticking’ was indeed as Prolixic has identified. Feedback on a few more questionable synonyms, as well as some tweaking to surface readings acknowledged and appreciated!
Welcome to the blog, Iguess and thanks for the top-quality puzzle.