A Puzzle by Faz
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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 commendable debut in the Rookie corner for Faz (I wonder if this pseudonym is a little to close to Fez, another Rookie corner graduate who is now a nationally published setter as Cranberry).
Faz has given us a crossword that was enjoyable to solve but one, where you looked in more detail at the clues, there were a lot of rough edges that need to be addressed in future crosswords. The big no-no was the indirect anagram in the first clue. There were some repetitions of wordplay and some areas where the cryptic grammar of the clues did not quite work. Nine anagrams was on the high side but I have seen worse, even in nationally published crosswords.
The fact that the crossword was enjoyable despite the infelicities in the clues suggests that Faz has a lot of potential to produce much better crosswords. The commentometer reads as 8.5/28 or 30.5%
Across
1a Eccentric conductor lets rip, gaining qualification (6,2,4)
MASTER OF ARTS: An anagram (eccentric) of MAESTRO (conductor) followed by a five-letter word meaning lets rip (as in flatulence). Indirect anagrams (where the solver has first to guess the required synonym and then make an anagram of it) are not acceptable.
10a New pitch for online money store (7)
NEOBANK: A three-letter word meaning new followed by a four-letter word for pitch or slope. I cannot find evidence of this being a word in the published versions of the three main dictionaries. There was one reference in the on-line OED but I don’t think that this is sufficient to include it in a crossword as you should use words supported by the main published dictionaries.
11a Deadened after Premier left, then anger causes offence (7)
UMBRAGE: A four-letter word meaning deadened with the first letter removed (after premier left) followed by a four-letter word meaning anger. I am not a huge fan of causes as a link word as I do not think that the wordplay causes definition.
12a Headmasterly instruction, when terror is held in (5)
ENTER: The answer is hidden (is held in) in the third and fourth words of the clue. Looking at the cryptic grammar of the clue, you have definition wordplay is held in. This is rather stilted and would be better with as definition is held in wordplay.
13a Bird able to bewilder is a spontaneous improviser (2-6)
AD-LIBBER: An anagram (to bewilder) of BIRD ABLE.
15a Overrefined person holding publicity back; the exploitative type (10)
PREDACIOUS: An eight-letter word for an overrefined person includes (holding) a reversal (back) of a two-letter abbreviation for publicity.
16a Found wife tasting cheese (4)
FETA: The answer is hidden (found) in the second and third words of the clue. I don’t think that found on its own works as a hidden word indicator. You need found in for this to work.
18a Endless dark approaching (4)
NIGH: A five-letter word meaning dark with the final letter removed (endless).
20a Bachelor is without Uriah, the source of family shame (5,5)
BLACK SHEEP: The abbreviation for bachelor followed by a five-letter word meaning is without and the surname of the character Uriah in David Copperfield. As Uriah is a definition by example of a person called Heep, this should be indicated.
22a Scots cry ‘missing ye’, in interminable moment for poetic style (8)
TROCHAIC: A Scottish cry (3,3) without (missing) the YE inside (in) a five-letter word for a moment with the final letter removed (interminable).
24a Revolutionary note going back on tree (5)
ALDER: A three-letter word for a revolutionary and a two-letter musical note all reversed (going back). Try to avoid repeating wordplay indicators. Back was used a reversal indicator in 15a. I don’t think that on works as a link word (wordplay on definition).
26a Souvenir needing attention, not damage (7)
MEMENTO: A two-letter word repeated that may be used to indicate that you need attention followed by an anagram (damage) of NOT.
27a Curbs in regard to fashionable offence (5,2)
REINS IN: A two-letter word meaning in regard to followed by a two-letter word meaning fashionable and a three-letter word for an offence.
28a Bill was German, he made trucks carelessly (8,4)
DEUTSCHE MARK: An anagram (carelessly) of HE MADE TRUCKS. A bill is an American term for one of their banknotes, I does not work as an indication of a German banknote.
Down
2d Champion beer around Post Office way (7)
APOSTLE: A three-letter word for beer around the abbreviations for post-office and street (way).
3d Hardwood surrounds injured bear, time to stop (3,5)
TEA BREAK: A four-letter word for a type of hardwood around (surrounds) an anagram (injured) of bear.
4d Dissolute person, they’re not on the level (4)
RAKE: Double definition, the second being a term for a slope. Perhaps the “they’re” could have been omitted.
5d Measure virus, vow by UN and church (5,5)
FLUID OUNCE: A three-letter word for a virus followed by a marriage vow, the UN from the clue and the abbreviation for Church of England. I am a lone voice here, but having married more people than I can count, the vow in the marriage service is “I will”, not “I do”.
6d Religious leader gets endless chatter (5)
RABBI: A six-letter word meaning chatter with the final letter removed (endless). Try to avoid repeating wordplay indicators. Endless was used in 18a. Also gets as a link word does not word in the case of definition gets wordplay. Wordplay gets definition would work.
7d Quiet stroll becomes awkward shuffle (7)
SHAMBLE: A two-letter imperative instruction meaning quiet followed by a five-letter word meaning stroll.
8d Children’s tale opens on a teen coup, I’m confused (4,4,1,4)
ONCE UPON A TIME: An anagram (confused) of ON A TEEN COUP IM.
9d Leaders in the wings – wigs visible (5,8)
HEIRS APPARENT: A five-letter word for wigs followed by an eight-letter word meaning visible. You need a homophone indicator as the word in the solution is a homophone of the word given by the wordplay.
14d All in one mix, and with you French around it’s wicked (10)
VILLAINOUS: An anagram (mix) of ALL IN I (ONE) with the French word for you around it. Try to avoid repeating wordplay indicators. Around was used as a containment indicator in 2d.
17d Mice pass bizarrely, the stuff of daydreams (8)
ESCAPISM: An anagram (bizarrely) of MICE PASS.
19d Smartened up, I’m told, spread by the sea (7)
GROOMED: A homophone (I’m told) of grew (spread) followed by the three-letter abbreviation for the Mediterranean.
21d Customer sure messed up support for terminal (3,4)
END USER: An anagram (messed up) of SURE after (support for) a three-letter word for a terminal.
23d At the back, over posh, a practitioner of Indian religion (5)
HINDU: A four-letter word meaning at the back followed by the single-letter representing posh.
25d Headless tramp found under bridge (4)
ARCH: A five-letter word meaning tramp without its initial letter (headless). Given the not too infrequent news stories of persons being beheaded, try to avoid using headless when referring to a person.
Welcome to Rookie Corner Faz although a search of MyCrossword suggests that this is not your first puzzle. A very enjoyable challenge unfortunately spoiled by the indirect anagram in 1a but the ‘lets rip’ part did raise a smile.
Smiles for 11a, 20a, 3d, 5d, and 9d.
Thanks again and thanks in advance to Prolixic.
Such a pity to encounter an indirect anagram in the very first clue but we did continue on and really enjoyed solving the rest of the puzzle.
Thanks Faz.
Welcome to Rookie Corner, Faz, with a promising debut which I enjoyed solving.
Apart from the indirect anagram in 1a, already mentioned by earlier commenters, 14d comes close to being a partial one as it involves converting one to I for the anagram fodder.
I have a few other comments:
16a – I think you need “found in” to indicate the lurker rather than simply “found”.
26a – I’m not sure that you can use “damage” as an anagram indicator. “Damaged” would be OK.
28a – The answer is not a bill.
4d – “They’re” is unnecessary.
My top picks were 18a, 22a, 27a, 7d & 9d.
Well done, Faz, and thank you. I look forward to your next submission. Thanks too in advance to Prolixic.
Welcome to Rookie Corner, Faz. Thanks for an enjoyable puzzle.
I counted nine anagrams which is a bit on the high side.
My ticks went to 10a, 22a and 27a.
Do take note of Prolixic’s invaluable advice and come back with another puzzle.
Welcome and thank you Faz, for an enjoyable and largely accessible puzzle.
I agree with Gazza that 9 anagrams (albeit some are partial) is rather on the high side – that’s pretty much one third of the clues and restricts your room for employing variety.
You have shown a lot of nice ideas but in general need to work on your crossword grammar, and also your surface reads.
In addition to clues as commented on above, unless I’m missing something I think you need a homophone indicator in 9d.
I look forward to your next puzzle, Faz, and thanks once again. Thanks also to Prolixic
Welcome, Faz.
Yes, lots of good ideas, but an indirect anagram in the first clue is a very inauspicious start. A surfeit of anagrams, a missing homophone indicator and some unconvincing surfaces meant I didn’t enjoy the solving process as much as I had hoped. “Endlessly” was repeated as a last letter deletion device and “headless” is best avoided as a first letter remover when referring to a human being. I thought that were several clues that could have been improved with just a little more polish and TLC, so I hope your next submission will be even better.
Many thanks, Faz.
Always nice to see a new face making an entrance, a warm welcome to Faz. I note from a previous comment that this isn’t your first foray into the realms of setting so it was a pity to see that you still have much to learn when it comes to producing decent surface reads. Prolixic tends not to deduct marks for this in beginners but striving to perfect them will stand you in good stead for the future. You obviously have some good ideas, showcase them to the best of your ability.
Please pay close attention to the detailed review which you will be given and I look forward to seeing you back here with another puzzle.
Dear all,
many thanks indeed for the warm welcome, and many apologies for the bad error in 1a. (I’m afraid this was my 3rd puzzle, so no excuses.)
I really appreciate all the feedback, including the specific points – it’s fantastically useful and I’ll study everything in detail. It is truly generous of you to share this critique.
Best regards, Faz
Welcome to the blog, Faz.
Thank you, Faz. We really enjoyed solving your puzzle and we definitely look forward to your next one, hopefully in the near future. As solvers we also learn from the knowledge freely offered in this brilliant site.Thanks also in advance to Prolixic.
Thank you Faz for the puzzle and Prolixic for the review.
Prolixic, you aren’t quite a lone voice re the supposed marriage vows in 5d: after a backpage crossword used the phrase, I invited comments from anyone who had actually said it in a marriage service. I thought perhaps some overseas correspondents or those married not in a Church of England service might have said it — but nobody claimed to have done so.
Yes indeed, huge thanks to Prolix for these very helpful explanations, which I’ll absorb and work on.
(On the marriage vow, I was married in a registry office 33 years ago, so can’t pretend to recall the precise words – however in the example document online from Kensington & Chelsea (rather more glam than Hackney, where I was spliced), the response to ‘Do you take…’ is ‘I do’.)
Thank you all for a brilliantly useful service!
sorry for name confusion – the comment above is from Faz….