A Puzzle by Catnip
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
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.
Welcome to Catnip who has set us an accomplished and challenging crossword. Looking at the MyCrossword site, this is not his first foray into the world of setting crosswords. Apart from one minor point (a little like Craig Revel Horwood’s thumb sticking up) this was technically excellent. The commentometer reads as 0.5/26 or 1.9%. As an early Christmas present, I think that Catnip’s talents are better suited to the NTSPP.
As this is my last blog before the big day, may I wish everyone a very happy and peaceful Christmas season.
Across
1a Left group from work before social (6,5)
LABOUR PARTY: A six-letter word meaning work or toil before a five-letter word for a social event.
9a Suspect a French test (7)
UNSOUND: The French masculine singular for A followed by a five-letter word meaning to test or probe something.
10a Truce broken after heartless live address by Don? (7)
LECTURE: An anagram (broken) of TRUCE after the outer letters (heartless) of live.
11a Whirlpool set off alerts inside old American dam (9)
MAELSTROM: An anagram (set off) of ALERTS inside an old American word for a mother or dam.
12a Retraction of underwhelmed review welcomed by film’s subject (5)
THEME: A three-letter word expressing an underwhelmed review opinion of something inside (welcomed by) a two-letter name of a film all reversed (retraction).
13a Caught headless grub (4)
TUCK: A five-letter word meaning caught with the first letter removed (headless). Although this clue works, I would caution against having a clue that could work either way unless you have checked carefully that there are no solutions that work the other way. In this case, if there were a five letter word for grub that means caught if you remove the first letter, solvers would feel aggrieved that the clue is ambiguous.
14a Extremely polite date, Claire isn’t off-and-on (10)
COURTLIEST: A five-letter word meaning to date someone followed by the even letters (off-and-on) of Claire isn’t.
16a Old Queen to strike obnoxious cow close to Florence (10)
ERMINTRUDE: The regnal cipher of the former queen followed by a four-letter word meaning to strike a coin and a four-letter word meaning obnoxious or impolite.
19a Heroin consumed by green parrot (4)
ECHO: The abbreviation for heroin inside (consumed by) the three-letter word meaning green.
20a Returning craft carrying top quality half crown (5)
TIARA: A three-letter word for a craft or skill is reversed (returning) and includes (carrying) a two-letter word meaning top-quality.
21a Stenographer somehow got away with ordering a swift drink (9)
SHARPENER: An anagram (with ordering) of STENOGRAPHER after removing (away) an anagram (somehow) of GOT. Oddly, perhaps, this meaning of a swift drink is not in any of the main UK dictionaries (I have checked Chambers, Collins and the shorter OED). However, it is a relatively well known slang term.
23a Like a sucker, Catnip’s left in denial of old age (7)
NAIVELY: A short way of saying Catnip has inside an old way (of old age) expressing a denial.
24a Cross the ocean primarily to seize treasure (7)
TANGELO: The initial letters (primarily) of the ocean include (to seize) a five-letter word for a person who is a treasure.
25a America not bothered about term of English grammar? (5,6)
STATE SCHOOL: A six-letter word for America followed by a four-letter word meaning not bothered around the final letter (term) of English.
Down
1d Stock market tips including name copied inaccurately (6,9)
LISTED COMPANIES: A five-letter word meaning tips or leans over includes an anagram (inaccurately) of NAME COPIED. I think that the definition works. An organization can be referred to by its constituent members such as MPs voted/The House of Commons voted.
2d Depression apparent in Royal Navy? (5)
BLUES: The colour that may have royal or navy in its description.
3d Bear east entering rocky ground (7)
UNDERGO: The abbreviation for east in (entering) an anagram (ground) of ROCKY.
4d Former college band brought back vinyl? (7)
POLYMER: A four-letter word for a former college followed by a reversal (brought back) of a three-letter name of a band.
5d Performances of bum touring Italy and Sweden (8)
RECITALS: A six-letter word meaning of the backside around (touring) the IVR code for Italy and followed by the IVR code for Sweden.
6d Berry strain that may be impossible to discover (3,5,3,4)
YOU NEVER CAN TELL: Double definition, the first being a song by Chuck Berry.
7d Problem with German joining international conference (6,7)
SUMMIT MEETING: A three-letter word for a maths problem and the German for with followed by a seven-letter word meaning joining.
8d Retired Arab boosts signal quality for entertainment hub? (9,4)
RECEPTION ROOM: A reversal (retired) of a four-letter name of a North African under (boost) a nine-letter word for signal quality.
15d God arrived away from prying eyes (2,6)
IN CAMERA: Split 2, 4, 2 this may indicate the arrival of an Egyptian god.
17d Possibly wave to Bob, caught leaving secretly in disguise (7)
RESTYLE: An anagram (in disguise) of SECRETLY after removing (leaving) the abbreviation for caught.
18d Radical African nation imports sparkling wine (7)
DRASTIC: The IVR code for the Democratic Republic of Congo includes (imports) a four-letter word for sparkling Italian wine.
22d Somewhat plump Antonio for Twelfth Night performance? (5)
PANTO: The answer is hidden (somewhat) in the second and third words of the clue.
Thanks Catnip and welcome to Rookie Corner. That was quite a challenge and after about halfway through I had to resort to progressive ‘entering and checking’ something that I don’t really like doing because solving becomes guessing (revealing in disguise) but I did avoid ‘openly’ revealing.
Smiles for 1a, 16a, and 7d.
There are a number of parsings that elude me so I will wait for the wisdom of Prolixic.
Thanks again and thanks in advance to Prolixic.
Welcome to Rookie Corner, Catnip, with an accomplished and challenging puzzle. It took quite a bit of work to complete it and get everything parsed, but it was well worth the effort. Your surface readings were commendably smooth and your clueing accurate throughout. I’ll wager this was not your first attempt at setting a cryptic crossword!
I thought a couple of your synonyms were rather stretched: “tips” in 1d and “of bum” in 5d; and “old” in 11a seems unnecessary. As far as I can see, the required meaning for 21a is in neither Chambers nor Collins.
I had plenty of ticks with 1a, 16a, 19a, 23a, 25a & 6d my top picks.
Very well done and thank you, Catnip. More like this soon please! Thanks too in advance to Prolixic.
Welcome to Rookie Corner, Catnip with what I suspect is not your first crossword
A nice mix of the friendly and challenging, my top favourite has to be the cow close to Florence
Many thanks and, in advance, to Prolixic
A warm welcome to Catnip who’s given us a top-notch puzzle which I enjoyed a lot. As others have said this surely can’t be his/her first.
I have lots of ticks on my printout including 16a, 23a, 25a, 8d and 15d.
More like this please.
Take a bow, setter. This puzzle was of a very high standard indeed, with excellently disguised definitions and sublime wordplay. No quibbles, suggested improvements or any issues from this solver, if I were a Strictly judge my “10” paddle would be raised, without question.
I have an unusually large number of ticks on my printed page, with 16a, 25a and 17d receiving double ticks. In fact “Possibly wave to Bob” in 17d would make many experienced setters jealous, I promise you.
I hope you’ll return with another puzzle to be savoured soon. Merry Christmas and many congratulations, Catnip.
I thought this an absolutely wonderful puzzle, thank you, Catnip. A 21a was certainly enjoyed during the solve!
There are two parsings I shall be interested to read tomorrow, but my only question marks really were the definition in 1d, and 18d where I thought using the initials rather than the country name (in full or short) a little unfair.
Some superb clues, great surfaces. COTD 16a, with 15d, 16d, 2d, 21a all coming close.
More, please!
Thank you, and in advance also to Prolixic
I was encouraged to have a go at this puzzle by the comments of my learned friends above. I am so glad that I did!
Ticks all over the place – my notes show applause is due for 9a, 16a, 20a, 24a, 1d, 4d, 6d and 17d, but I probably could have ticked most of the clues.
Very good indeed. You should be very proud in particular of the praise from Silvanus, who started in Rookie Corner and has risen to be the DT’s top setter in my humble opinion.
Great stuff. I would be amazed if you are not promoted to NTSPP immediately.
Happy Christmas.