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.
Much like Faz’s first crossword, there was a lot to admire in this crossword but as you scratch beneath the surface, there were still a lot of rough edges. Silvanus has mentioned working on the surface readings of the clues. That is an important point to work on as your skills setting clues develops. However, the main point to think about in future crosswords is to reduce the large number of repetitions of wordplay indicators that were present in this crossword. These account for the greater part of the commentometer reading of 6.5 / 28 or 23.2%.
Across
1a A fearful person to frighten poet, losing head (6)
COWARD: A three-letter word meaning to frighten followed by a four-letter descriptive word for a poet without the initial letter (losing head).
4a Hears curt insult, strain is really showing (8)
EFFUSIVE: A homophone (hears) of EFF YOU (curt insult) and SIEVE (strain).
9a Cracking a trail rope (6)
LARIAT: An anagram (cracking) of A TRAIL.
10a Fruity stimulant said to come from VW enthusiast (5,3)
BETEL NUT: A homophone (said to come from) BEETLE (VW) followed by a three-letter word for an enthusiast.
12a The standard way in fashion or manners (4)
NORM: The answer is hidden in the final three words of the clue.
13a Curtains torn without a top guide (10)
INSTRUCTOR: An anagram (torn) of CURTAINS after removing (without) the letter A followed by a three-letter word for a top. I don’t think that the final three-letter word is given by top as a synonym.
15a Delicately accommodates mad queen’s following (12)
SUBSEQUENTLY: A seven-letter word meaning delicately includes (accommodates) an anagram (mad) of queen.
18a Unfashionable worker’s creative output is best (12)
OUTMANOEUVRE: A three-letter word meaning unfashionable and another meaning a worker followed by a six-letter word for a person’s creative output.
21a Observer spots stewin’ drunk held inside (10)
EYEWITNESS: A four-letter word for spots includes (held inside) an anagram (drunk) of STEWIN. As the spots can mean sees as well as central dots, the clue feels as though the wordplay is too similar to the solution.
22a Filth, vulgar without end (4)
CRUD: A five-letter word meaning vulgar without the final letter (without end). Without has been used to indicate the removal of a letter in 13a so a different deletion indicator should have been used. This is one of those clues where there are other possible solutions: muck and dirt are two equally valid solutions.
24a Avenge after a very loud scare (8)
AFFRIGHT: A five-letter word meaning avenge after the A from the clue and the musical abbreviation for very loud.
25a Northern soccer club shortly holding the French dance (6)
BOLERO: The shortened form of Middlesborough includes (holding) the French masculine singular form of the. As you have used held as a containment indicator in 21a, a containment indicator with different root word (held / hold) should be used here.
26a Terminated by rich, gone too far (8)
OVERRIPE: A four-letter word meaning terminated followed by a four-letter word meaning rich.
27a Democrat with retracting sword point to get more intense (6)
DEEPEN: The abbreviation for Democrat followed by a reversal (retracting) of a four-letter word for a fencing sword and concluding with a compass point.
Down
1d To settle innards is ecstacy (8)
COLONISE: A five-letter word for part of the digestive system (innards) followed by the IS from the clue and the abbreviation for ecstasy. Note the correct spelling of ecstasy.
2d Keep away from dress, it’s a clothes store (8)
WARDROBE: A four-letter word meaning keep away from followed by a four-letter word for a dress.
3d Wander in Cairo, amused (4)
ROAM: The answer is hidden in the final two words of the clue. Both here and in 12a, “in” has been used as the hidden word indicator. A different one should in one of the clues.
5d Swift gin fizz on the Cape, a moment of transience (12)
FLEETINGNESS: A five-letter word meaning swift followed by an anagram (fizz) of GIN and a four-letter word for a headland or cape. I think that having “the Cape” makes the indicator too specific to refer to a generic headland. Perhaps adding a definition by example indicator would help “on the cape maybe a moment of …”
6d Above all, lacks guidance about peer (10)
UNEQUALLED: A five-letter word meaning lacks guidance around a five-letter word meaning peer.
7d That’s around $1000, fool – it’s light (6)
IGNITE: The abbreviation for “that is” around the single letter for grand ($1000) and a three-letter word for a fool.
8d Total fury goes after hospital department (6)
ENTIRE: A three-letter word for fury after the abbreviation for a hospital department. After was used as a positional indicator in 24a. A different way of indicating the position should have been found.
11d Potter’s way to gain advantage? A high hand on vessel (3-9)
ONE-UPMANSHIP: A three-letter word meaning A followed by a two-letter word meaning high, a three-letter word for a hand or worker and a four-letter sailing vessel. The solution refers to a title of a book by Stephen Potter
14d Adornment from old boyfriend – endless argument follows, I hesitate (10)
BEAUTIFIER: A old four-letter word for a boyfriend followed a four-letter word for an argument without the final letter (endless), the I from the clue and a two-letter word meaning to hesitate. As you have used without end as a deletion indicator something other than endless should be used here as they have the same root.
16d Rave with pole dancing in vault (8)
OVERLEAP: An anagram (dancing) of RAVE POLE.
17d Expel special needs scripture scholar, then confess (4,4)
SEND DOWN: The abbreviation for special educational needs followed by the abbreviation for doctor of divinity (scripture scholar) and a three-letter word meaning confess. You need special education needs to indicate the abbreviation in the solution.
19d Look after returning expert, without a tail – use a little craft (6)
PEDALO: A two-letter word meaning look after a reversal (returning) of a five-letter word for an expert without the final letter (a tail). Another repetition of without to indicate a deletion and of after to indicate position. Also the solution is a little craft, not to use a little craft. I am usually lenient with surface readings but this one is particularly bad.
20d I’m taken with it (6)
SELFIE: Cryptic definition of a type of photo.
23d Small opening from top or elevation (4)
PORE: The answer is hidden (from) in the final three words of the clue. Perhaps three hidden word clues are too many unless one of them is a reversed hidden word.
Thanks Faz for a real headscratcher that was probably more challenging than your first Rookie. About halfway through I had to resort to using the ‘Check’ facility after I entered an answer in the grid and quite a few were incorrect on the first attempt.
Smiles for 10a, 12a, 1d, 8d, and 20d.
Thanks again and thanks in advance to Prolixic.
Welcome back to RC, Faz, with an enjoyable puzzle which contained a mixture of straightforward and very challenging clues.
I originally put “dirt” as a plausible entry for 22a with a comment alongside it that it was “same-sidey”. However, it turned out that this answer was incorrect.
This is a good improvement from your debut offering, and I have only a few minor comments:
12a – “The” and “way” are unnecessary and could simply be removed
13a – I don’t think “tor” and “top” are synonymous
17d – SEN stands for special educational needs
19d – “use” is surface padding
My top picks were 4a, 10a, 18a, 11d & 20d.
Well done and thank you, Faz. Thanks too in advance to Prolixic.
I found this tricky in places but an enjoyable puzzle – thanks to Faz.
For the medals I’ve selected 10a, 17d and 20d.
Very tricky in several places. I started over breakfast and then left it while I went out for a while. I’ve just had another look and ended up revealing lots of letters to finish. Like Gazza I liked 10a and 20d
Thanks Fez and, in advance, to Prolixic
Faz! Confusing isn’t it?🤔
After 56 years of touch typing, my fingers do tend to automatically insert a word they know
Apologies to Faz
No apology needed, Fez got there first! (‘Faz’ was a school nickname, but I’m thinking of trying ‘Caperer’ instead….)
Just don’t go for ‘Cranbarry’!
Thanks for the puzzle Faz. I found it quite tricky in places but enjoyed it. I had the same issue with 22a as Rabbit Dave, and there are probably other alternative answers here too – muck/mucky came to mind.
Favourites for me were 4a,10a and 20d.
Thanks again, and in advance to Prolixic.
Welcome back, Faz.
Like others, I found this quite tough in places and, if anything, I thought that the surfaces were even less convincing than last time. The worst offenders were possibly 9a, 1d, 2d, 8d and 19d. 22a might not be “same sidey” but I think 21a is. As before, “endless”/”without end” was repeated as a last letter deletion indicator and also “held”/”holding” appeared twice as a containment device. Three lurkers is possibly one too many, if none are reversed and there was certainly some unnecessary “padding” in a few of the clues. At least there wasn’t an indirect anagram on this occasion!
I think the biggest issue here definitely concerns the surfaces. Prolixic will rightly cut you some slack in that area, especially at first, but for you to make real progress I would definitely put that at the top of your list when producing your next puzzle.
Many thanks, Faz.
Definitely challenging! We needed to reveal letters to complete the crossword so we shall tune in to Prolixic tomorrow for explanations. Thank you Faz and in advance to Prolixic.
Many thanks to Prolixic for the detailed analysis, and to Senf, Rabbit Dave, Gazza, crypticsue, duncanjwitham, silvanus, and Hilton for your helpful feedback. I very much appreciate all your time and expertise in making these critiques. Apologies that it wasn’t up to scratch this time, and I’ll pay close attention to the issues you raise, thank you!