A Puzzle by Rahmat Ali
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
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 the Rahmat Ali corner with his third appearance in a month. He is improving with each crossword though there are still some ragged edges to focus on. There lots of nice clues here. My run away favourite was 29a. The commentometer reads as 3/30 or 10%.
Across
1a One top team’s data processed to get standard fare (4,3,8)
MEAT AND POTATOES: An anagram (processed) of ONE TOP TEAMS DATA
9a Artist seclusion promoting unusual delight (4,5)
RARE TREAT: The two-letter abbreviation for an artist followed by a seven-letter word for a period of seclusion. I think that promoting is not quite the right link word. Perhaps “giving” would be better.
10a One grand toilet in White House? (5)
IGLOO: The letter representing one and the abbreviation for grand followed by a three-letter word for a toilet.
11a As a joke, Victor replaces Juliett and Bob lays out cash (7)
INVESTS: A phrase (2,4) meaning “as a joke” with the J (Juliett) replaced by a V (Victor) followed by the abbreviation for shilling (bob). When used in the NATO phonetic alphabet, Juliett has only the one T.
12a Dance, perhaps, is boringly traditional (6)
SQUARE: Double definition.
15a Digs daughter with spirit sneaking into records (8)
LODGINGS: The abbreviation for daughter and a three-letter type of alcoholic spirit inside (sneaking into) a four-letter word for records.
16a Alien backs no school (4)
ETON: The abbreviation for extraterrestrial (alien) followed by a reversal (backs) of the NO from the clue. To maintain the cryptic grammar, I think you need backing rather than backs.
19a First-class railway, well-ventilated (4)
AIRY: The two-letter abbreviation for first class followed by the abbreviation for railway.
20a Owner, too, upset a few (3,2,3)
ONE OR TWO: An anagram (upset) of OWNER TOO.
23a Extremely small Greek character embraced by tiny child (6)
MINUTE: One of the letters of the Greek alphabet (character) inside (embraced by) a four-letter word for a tiny child.
24a Academic at university has moment for scandalous British politician (7)
PROFUMO: A four-letter word for an academic followed by the abbreviation for university and a two-letter word for a moment.
26a Former Hyderabad ruler in amazing comeback (5)
NIZAM: The answer his hidden (in) and reversed (comeback) in the fifth word of the clue.
28a Commoners vote amidst calls for attention (3,6)
HOI POLLOI: A four-letter word for a vote inside (amidst) a three-letter and a two-letter word representing calls for attention.
29a Warrior monk’s profit in American sci-fi movie? (6,2,3,4)
RETURN OF THE JEDI: Cryptic definition of the name of the film.
Down
1d Stratocracy of Roman poet with jurisprudence? (7,3)
MARTIAL LAW: A seven-letter name of a Roman poet followed by a three-letter word for jurisprudence.
2d Appeared to have rice cooked for so long in Venice (11)
ARRIVEDERCI: A seven-letter word meaning appeared followed by an anagram (cooked) of RICE.
3d Part of chart is ticked showing creative skill (8)
ARTISTIC: The answer is hidden (part of) in the third to fifth words of the clue.
4d Put on clothes on time when training horses (8)
DRESSAGE: A five-letter word meaning put on clothes followed by a three-letter word for time.
5d Baronet plunging into river is dim-witted (6)
OBTUSE: The two-letter abbreviation for baronet inside (plunging into) the four-letter name of a North Yorkshire river. Try to avoid repeating wordplay indicators. Into was used 15a, even if used with sneaking in that case rather than plunging here.
6d Unclothed ladies you reportedly kiss goodbyes in Nice (6)
ADIEUX: The inner letters (unclothed) of ladies followed by a homophone (reportedly) of you and the letter representing a kiss.
7d Bird of wise lineage at first (3)
OWL: The initial letters (at first) of the second to fourth words of the clue.
8d Hence, allow Aussie coward (4)
SOOK: A two-letter word meaning hence followed by a two-letter word meaning allow.
13d Repeating a little, our chopped up French stew (11)
RATATOUILLE: An anagram (chopped up) of A A (repeating a) LITTLE OUR
14d Ad of girl sitting on old party car (4,6)
ANNO DOMINI: A three-letter girl’s name followed by the abbreviation for old, a two-letter word for a party and a four-letter model of car. As a convention, you cannot falsely put a word into lower case.
17d Ultimate goal of confused, inept don (3,5)
END POINT: An anagram (confused) of INEPT DON.
18d Dull doctor lacking verbal expression? (8)
MONOTONE: The abbreviation for medical orderly (doctor) followed by a phrase (2,4) meaning lacking verbal expression.
21d Adder’s season (6)
SUMMER: Double definition, the first mathematical.
22d Tenor right away grasping church music (6)
TECHNO: The tenor from the clue without (away) the R (right) around (grasping) the abbreviation for church.
25d One-pound note’s a big lie (4)
ONER: Double definition. It is unfortunate that the first three letters of the solution also appear at the start of the clue.
27d Spot unknown and the other (3)
ZIT: A letter representing an algebraic unknown followed by a two-letter word for sex (the other).
Another really enjoyable puzzle in this pangram series. Just a couple where we had to go to BRB for confirmation. We wonder whether the clue for 14d is acceptable but we enjoyed it enough to make it our favourite.
Thanks Rahmat Ali.
Thank you so much, 2Kiwis, for finding my puzzle really enjoyable. After I had sent my puzzle, I realised that I should not have played with the definition of the clue for 14d.
Thank you, Rahmat. Really enjoyed, even getting the film despite not being into films/TV. Like the Kiwis, 14d my favourite.
Thank you so much, jan, for really enjoying my puzzle and kudos for getting the answer to the clue of 29a despite not being into films or TV.
Hello again to the pangram king! I really enjoyed this and the particularly good news is that you have addressed the various concerns raised about your previous two offerings.
I have always spelt the plural of “adieu” with an X, but the BRB confirms that an S is also acceptable.
My only comments are:
24a – “at” looks like surface padding
14d – the definition needs to be AD, which wouldn’t work as part of the surface
My top picks are: 10a, 11a & 19a.
Many thanks and well done, Rahmat. Thanks too in advance to Prolixic.
Thank you so much, Rabbit Dave, for really enjoying this puzzle as also your compliments, though I consider myself a pangram tyro. I am aware of the two plurals of adieu in the BRB, but in my writings, I have always had the fascination for choosing the spelling of the plural that is used in the country of origin and I was happy that it worked well in the clue of 6d. Finally, I agree with what you say about 24a and 14d.
Another pangram from this setter, but this time one with far fewer apparent errors. Sadly, I don’t think 14d will be ruled to be acceptable, otherwise it would have been on my list of ‘favourites’. As it is, 10&19a share the rosettes between them.
Thanks to Rahmat – I’d still like to see a non-pangram puzzle from you at some stage.
Thank you so much, jane, for liking particularly 10a and 19a. Next, I assure you that my next puzzle won’t be a pangram.
Really enjoyed this pangram, thank you Rahmat Ali. 14d took us a while and we needed to check our answer for 26a, word unknown to us. Favourites were 10a, 15a and 2d. We look forward to your next one. Thanks in advance to Prolixic.
Thank you so much, Hilton, for really enjoying the pangram. I hope to send my next puzzle soon.
Welcome back, Rahmat. Thank you for ensuring that Rookie Corner is not empty, without your submissions that might well be the case.
I must congratulate you on producing a much, much better puzzle this time, with far fewer flaws and better surfaces. Credit where credit’s due.14d is a good idea but, as others have said, the definition needs to be AD, not Ad, unfortunately. I think the definition in 4d isn’t quite right either. My joint-favourite clues were the culinary pair of 2d and 13d.
Many thanks and well done on the significant improvement shown, RA.
Thank you so much, silvanus, for congratulating me on producing a much better puzzle this time that has come to me as an encouragement. I hope to send my next puzzle soon.
Thank you Rahmat, for your best puzzle yet – I really enjoyed it. Surfaces and grammar showed tremendous improvement, and there were some great clues. Big tick to 29a, with many others throughout. Well done!
Thanks also in advance to Prolixic
Thank you so much, Mustafa G, for finding this puzzle of mine as the best so far and which you really enjoyed. I hope to send my next puzzle soon.
Many thanks for the review, Prolixic. I was slightly surprised that you were happy with 4d but it’s certainly apparent that our setter has made an improvement. Shame about 14d, it would have been a good clue if it had worked.
My sincere thanks to Prolixic for your review which is always a great learning for me as also for your other nice comments that come to me as a great encouragement.