A Puzzle by Gazza
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.
Always a great pleasure to have a Gazza puzzle to solve and blog and today’s clever and amusing offering didn’t disappoint. Many thanks to him.
Across
1a Openly hostile, a Dublin MP’s portrayed groping sports commentator familiarly (2,7,5)
AT DAGGERS DRAWN: A from the clue, an abbreviated Irish representative plus a synonym of portrayed go round an affectionate name for a cricket commentator
10a Home stereo occasionally skipped over start of record (5)
INTRO: The usual home plus sTeRiO. Very neat
11a ITV cast is cobbled together to make “Suffragettes‘? (9)
ACTIVISTS: Anagram (cobbled together) of the preceding three words
12a Intemperate party increased heckling in the House … (5-2)
BOOZE-UP: A homophone (in the house) of a form of heckling plus a synonym of increased
13a … claimed rioting numbers may have a point (7)
DECIMAL: Anagram (rioting) of claimed
14a Young swine’s pronounced culpability (5)
GUILT: Homophone (pronounced) of a young sow.
16a Cursed European crone has retired apparently (9)
BEWITCHED: The abbreviation for European and a crone sit within a place of sleep (retired apparently). Very smart
19a Learn to become a judge (3,2,4)
GET TO HEAR: Double/cryptic definition
20a Shy student hiding in grass (5)
SLING: The usual student inserted into a synonym of grass as a verb
22a After a beano journalist is mortified (7)
ABASHED: A from the clue, a Beano or a 12a and the usual journalist
25a Arrange lines on paper to make cheap toy (3,4)
RAG DOLL: Append a synonym of arrange plus two abbreviated lines to a derogatory name for a tabloid
27a Censure nit-picking review (9)
CRITICISM: Triple definition
28a Carol loves guzzling chocolate (5)
ROLLO: Hidden (guzzling). I think there’s a error here, obviously not one “large” enough for our setter.
29a Interfere and start a row (5,4,3,2)
STICK ONE'S OAR IN: Double/cryptic definition
Down
2d Skinny artist‘s first to support performance in Edinburgh? (9)
TATTOOIST: Crosswordland’s “first” below an annual military performance in Edinburgh. Very amusing
3d Came to dread keeping fit (5)
AWOKE: A synonym of dread or wonder around an informal fit or fine.
4d First of problems in applied algebra’s easy to understand (9)
GRASPABLE: An insertion of the initial letter of Problems into an anagram (applied) of ALGEBRA’S. Good spot.
5d Was a half-hearted informer admired? (5)
RATED: A verb meaning informed or tipped-off loses one of its middle letters
6d Where peace-loving types crossing French coast may be heading? (9)
DOVECOTES: Some birds associated with peace around a French word for coast gives some avian shelters
7d Jenny’s morning tea (5)
ASSAM: Jenny here is a female donkey. Append the abbreviated Latin morning. Neat
8d Cherished coffee maker finally expired (7)
NESTLED: A well-known coffee brand plus expireD.
9d Needed gear change here? (6)
KITBAG: A cryptic definition, the gear being clothes
15d One used to hunt for scraps of food (9)
TOOTHPICK: A (very good) cryptic definition.
17d Corrupt aircrews seizing Frenchman in combat violations (3,6)
WAR CRIMES: Anagram (corrupt) of AIRCREWS “seizing” an abbreviated title for a Frenchman
18d The plebs start to holler assertive calls to secure election (3,6)
HOI POLLOI: The initial letter of Holler plus two abrupt calls into which is inserted an election or vote. Another very neat clue
19d Charlie’s seduced by exotic angel’s looks (7)
GLANCES: Abbreviation for Charlie inserted into an anagram (exotic) of ANGELS
21d Pelt everyone in Trump’s gang (6)
GALLOP: Trump’s gang here is an affectionate abbreviated name for the Republican party. Insert a synonym of everyone
23d Wicked old politician enters defence (5)
ALIBI: An informal way of terming something wicked in the sense of good or great into which is inserted an informal politician. Not sure why we need “old” here though it may be the fact they’re now the Lib Dems
24d See fit European on TV (5)
DEIGN: A homophone (on TV) of a Scandinavian.
26d Foreign force a Yank set up (5)
GARDA: Reversal of A from the clue and a synonym of yank or pull.
A very enjoyable typical caffeine required Saturday morning challenge from Gazza.
Smiles for 25a, 29a, 7d, 15d, and 18d.
Thanks to Gazza and thanks in advance to Stephen L(?).
I was delighted to find an offering from Gazza in today’s NTSPP slot. This was less challenging than his puzzles can be but was hugely enjoyable as always.
My one query is 28a. I assume the answer must be Rollo, but the chocolate confection is Rolo.
My very long list of goodies is 1a (great start with a brilliant surface), 11a, 19a, 20a, 27a (TD), 29a, 7d, 9d, 18d, 21d & 24d.
Many thanks to Gazza and to whoever does the review.
RD – I agree on 28a. I forgot to mention it in my comment (honest).
Extra helpings of cartoons and now a puzzle – you really are spoiling us this week, Gazza! My only regret is that it seems you must never have bought any Rolos and therefore not been obliged to hand over your last one to a special ‘someone’.
So many excellent clues to savour and my picks are 12&29a plus 6&15d.
Many thanks – perhaps you also get to bring us your own review?
Succumbed to a couple of ‘reveals’ as not in the same league as those above, but thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and learning all the time. Thank you Gazza.
Lovely puzzle. It’s been so long since I had the choc (remember the ads though) that the extra L didn’t even register. Don’t think I ever knew that the gov’t bond was also an oinker so 14a (&9d) were the last 2 in & both head scratchers. Also needed to check the Dail MP abbreviation, though it rang a bell. Plenty of ticks on my virtual page – 1,10,12&29a together with 2,6,7,18&21d particular likes.
Many thanks Gazza.
This tested my solving skills but provided several satisfying moments as the pennies dropped. Started from the bottom up and made steady progress with the NW holding out longest. Needed to check the virgin sow and the Irish MP and of course Google was helpful as ever. Podium places for 13 and 29a with in top place 15d for the smile it brought. There could be many others though. Nothing wrong with having an overly large 28a!
Many thanks Gazza for providing an enjoyable puzzle and in advance to Steven L?
Had to concede defeat with six remaining and reveal the answers. That said I enjoyed the challenge, but it was just too good for me to complete unaided. Thanks to Gazza for the entertainment.
A super Saturday afternoon puzzle to compensate for the absence of rugby this weekend. Lots of ticked clues, but my podium places were awarded to 11, 20 & 29 in the Across direction and 3, 17 & 19 in the Down direction. The ‘Dublin MP’ was new to me, as was the ‘Young swine’, but both fell into place nicely. 24d included an unexpected homophone indicator, and the 28a chocolate was not as I remember it!
Gazza’s puzzles are always lots of fun – my thanks to him, and to our reviewer in due course.
It was good to have an extra puzzle to go at today. I thought it was on the Friday calibre with some clever clues.
It was a while before I put the alcohol in my Adidas bag but pleased to finish and get a congrats under my own steam.
Thanks Gazza
That was excellent – a nice step up in difficulty from today’s backpager, but not too brutal. Favourites for me were 13a, 3d, 7d and 21d.
Thanks Gazza.
Tougher than normal NTSSP this week for me. Struggled a bit to complete.
Favourites 13a, 29a, 4d, 15d & 21d
I agree the 28a answer has one too many letters, but has to be
Thanks to Gazza
The “Oh good” we said when we read who the setter was, was truly justified and we had an excellent solving experience. Lots of answers thrown in the pot for favourite including the name-drop in 28a but we eventually settled for the cryptic definition in 15d which had us searching for a double definition for ages.
Thanks Gazza.
First time I’ve tried an NTSPP. Very pleased I did too. More head scratching than today’s back pager. Thanks Gazza
Thoroughly enjoyed but we did need to reveal a few letters to finish. Favourite was 15d. We look forward to the review tomorrow to clarify one or two parsings. Thank you Gazza and in advance CS.
Many thanks to all who commented and to SL for the excellent review.
Apologies for the chocolate mess-up (it’s over L years since I tasted it!). I have investigoogled a bit to try to find some justification for the errant clue. This all I could come up with. Does that work? No, I didn’t think so.
rollo-2019
Thanks for the review Stephen & for the Jack White clip – can’t hear the song now without hearing an inebriated darts audience singing Oh Michael van Gergen.
Gerwen – bloody spellcheck.
Many thanks for the review, Stephen. Hate that use of ‘wicked’ but life moves on albeit where some of us refuse to follow. Thanks also to Gazza for the puzzle and for admitting to his spelling error!
An enjoyable and fairly quick solve. But I’m puzzled about 12ac – how is ‘in the house’ a homophone indicator? I took that to indicate where the heckling occurs, i.e. the House of Commons where Members of certain parties indulge in booing and other noises to show disapproval. And in that case there is no homophone indicator.
Hi exit. My intention was that ‘in the house’ (I deliberately mis-capitalised house to make the solver think of the Commons) is the homophone indicator with house meaning theatre.
A real treat to see my blogging boss on NTSPP duty and what a lovely puzzle.
No problem with the cricket commentator who, like a fine wine, just gets better with age.
Ticks all over the place with a podium comprising 29a, 2d and 15d.
Many thanks, Gazza and StephenL.