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.
Welcome back to Iguess. I think that this was tougher than his previous crosswords perhaps because of the use of some less common synonyms in the clues. Although the overall standard was high, unfortunately, there were more errors than in previous crosswords which, even if minor ones, have pushed up the commentometer to 3.5/32 or 10.9%.
Across
1a Performer’s getting out of practice? (10)
ESCAPOLOGY: Cryptic definition of the type of act performed by Harry Houdini. Not sure that “practice” is necessarily the right word in the cryptic definition – maybe getting out of turn would be better.
6a Ordinary, routine story at an end (4)
OBIT: The abbreviation for ordinary followed by a three-letter word meaning routine (as in “He’s doing his ‘I’m in charge here ???/routine’”)
10a Jewellery totally exposed body (7)
BANGLES: A four-letter slang word meaning totally (as in “she’s ????/totally out of order”) followed by a five-letter word for body with the outer letters removed (exposed).
11a Entrance a mum’s heart by making cakes (7)
GATEAUX: A four-letter word for an entrance followed by the A from the clue, the middle-letter (heart) of mum and a single letter meaning by or times.
12a Medical professional ahead of schedule admits one with a cheerless demeanour (8)
DREARILY: The abbreviation for doctor (medical professional) followed by a five-letter word meaning ahead of schedule around (admits) the letter representing one.
13a Catch one capturing dictator (6)
CAESAR: A homophone (catch) of seizer (one capturing).
16a Fix shower after stripping joint on door (7)
INGRAIN: A four-letter word for a meteorological shower after a five-letter word for a joint on a door without its outer letters (stripped).
18a Send back bill, has to force emotional situation (5)
DRAMA: A reversal (send back) of the abbreviation for advertisement (bill) including (has) a three-letter word meaning to force. Has is a very weak containment indicator and a stronger one would be preferrable.
20a Money secured 50% of business (5)
WONGA: A three-letter word meaning secured or gained followed by half (50%) of a four-letter word meaning business.
21a Evacuate old Greek island (7)
EXCRETE: A two-letter prefix meaning old followed by a five-letter name of a Greek island.
23a For example, Mr Spooner’s gratuitous images (6)
PREFIX: A Spoonerism of free (gratuitous) pics (images). I think the clue would have been better (and the definition still worked) if Rev. had been used in place of Mr.
24a Country background test (8)
PASTORAL: A four-letter word meaning background followed by a four-letter word for a type of test.
27a Soothing liquid from drop of eucalyptus trees? (7)
EYEWASH: The initial letter (drop) of eucalyptus followed by the names of two three-letter trees.
29a Shape old graffiti artist’s signature adopted by criminal (7)
OCTAGON: The abbreviation for old followed by a three-letter name of a graffiti artist’s signature inside (adopted by) a three-letter word for a criminal.
30a Flipping love to regret currency (4)
EURO: A reversal (flipping) of the letter representing love or nothing and a three-letter word meaning to regret.
31a Porridge eaten by base for ruler’s unit? (10)
CENTIMETRE: A four-letter word for a prison sentence (porridge) inside (eaten by) a six-letter word for a base.
Down
1d Fixes electronic Nintendo console recieving award (6)
EMBEDS: The letter representing electronic followed by the two-letter name for a Nintendo console all around the abbreviation for an honour or award. The spelling of receiving is incorrect.
2d Public toilet scam seen regularly in tourist city (11)
CONVENIENCE: A three-letter word for a scam followed by the even letters (regularly) of seen inside a six-letter name of an Italian tourist city noted for its canals.
3d In general, opposite from South to North? (5)
POLAR: The answer is hidden (from) and reversed (South to North) in the second and third letters of the clue.
4d See dollars when moving this? Unlikely! (4,6)
LOSS LEADER: An anagram (when moving) of SEE DOLLARS.
5d Mad about a joke (4)
GAGA: A reversal (about) of the A from the clue and a three-letter word for a joke. I don’t think that about really works as a reversal indicator when placed before the letters to be reversed.
7d Supporting underwear product line with 40% off (3)
BRA: A five-letter word for a product line with the final two letters removed (40% off). Having used 50% off in 20a, perhaps different wordplay would be better here.
8d Financial incentive to try holiday (3,5)
TAX BREAK: A three-letter word meaning to try or vex followed by a five -letter word for a holiday.
9d Ride moves rapidly upwards with flashing LED (8)
STRADDLE: A five-letter word meaning moves rapidly reversed (upwards) followed by an anagram (flashing) of LED. I am not convinced that the definition and the solution are directly synonymous.
14d Fellow left to the audience represses performance anxiety (5,6)
STAGE FRIGHT: The abbreviation for fellow inside (represses) the direction that is to the left of the proscenium for the audience.
15d Rough criticism a book published (10)
KNOCKABOUT: A five-letter word for a criticism followed by the A from the clue, the abbreviation for book and a three-letter word meaning published.
17d Bum starving lacks nutrition ultimately, adopting a serious quality (8)
GRAVITAS: An anagram (bum) of STARVING without (lacks) the last letter (ultimately) of nutrition around (adopting) the A from the clue.
19d Somehow I cope with wet bikini? (3-5)
TWO-PIECE: An anagram (somehow) of I COPE WET.
22d Drop school sports taking breather (6)
PLUNGE: The two-letter word for school sports includes (taking) a four-letter organ of the body used for breathing.
25d Carry minute sacred object (5)
TOTEM: A four-letter word meaning carry followed by the abbreviation for minute.
26d Vocal way to get rid of trainer potentially (4)
SHOE: A homophone (vocal) of SHOO (way to get rid of).
28d Note interpreter‘s concerned with trips, travelling around America (3)
EAR: A reversal (trips) of a two-letter word meaning concerned with around the single letter abbreviation for American.
Looking back at the previous Rookie Corner puzzles from Iguess, I found that, for the first one, I had written
“At the end of the first read through, I had only written six solutions into the grid. When I had a completed left side but very little on the RH side, I decided that the only way to get on was to reveal quite a few letters.”
The opposite applies today – The right hand side was completed long before I revealed lots of letters to finish the LH side and I will await Prolixic’s review with interest as there are several I can’t parse. Thanks to him and Iguess
Quite tough but very enjoyable – many thanks to Iguess.
I found some of the synonyms a bit stretched (and there are two I don’t fully understand) but this is a very impressive puzzle (ignoring the typo in 1d).
My ticks went to 1a, 11a, 27a, 2d, 8d, 14d and 22d.
Welcome back to RC, Iguess, with another accomplished puzzle which was very enjoyable although I did find it tougher than your previous submission.
When I finally arrived at a full grid, I had several clues with question marks by them. However, after taking a break and revisiting the puzzle, I think I have now satisfactorily parsed everything. My only two comments remaining are that the surface for 31a, whilst not terrible, does seem a little bizarre, and in 1d remember “I before E except after C (most of the time!)”
Picking a short list of the best clues from such a good selection is too daunting a task. I suspect another very low score on the commentometer beckons.
Many thanks and very well done. More like this soon please.
Hello again, Iguess.
I also found this to be considerably chewier than your last puzzle and therefore I didn’t enjoy it quite so much, unfortunately.
Once again, there is little to fault technically, I’d suggest, but I would certainly recommend limiting the sort of constructions used in 20a and 7d to one per puzzle. If Spooner is to be given a title at all (and I don’t really see the need for one here), I’d much prefer Revd. to Mr.
My podium consists of 13a, 16a and 2d.
Many thanks and congratulations on producing another very good puzzle, Iguess.
Silvanus, I took Mr to be part of the definition. I agree Rev might have been preferable.
Yes, please ignore my parenthesised comment, of course a title is certainly necessary in this instance!
A bit dodgy I thought
That was tough and although I’ve now got a completion, I’m not at all sure that I’ve got everything correctly parsed. I shall await Prolixic’s review with great interest. Top marks here went to 2d which injected a much needed flash of humour into the puzzle.
Thanks to Iguess for this latest submission to the Corner.
Many thanks for the puzzle, Iguess, quite a challenge for us and we did have to reveal some letters to complete the crossword. We also need Prolixic’s review to parse a few answers. Favourites were 11a, 4d, 8d and14d. Thanks in advance to Prolixic.
Many thanks for the review, Prolixic. I was in complete ‘guess’ territory when it came to the 6a routine, the 10a totally exposed body and the Nintendo console so your input was much appreciated. I do hope that Iguess tones it down a little on his next outing.
Many thanks to Prolixic for the insightful review and to all for the encouraging comments. I’m glad that I had correctly scoped the puzzle was trickier than previous, but I hope to be back soon with something a little more refined and less chewy upon my next appearance. Still kicking myself now for the omission of the ‘Rev’ idea in for the Spoonerism’s surface!). Thanks again