A Puzzle by Chalicea
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.
I wasn’t expecting a Chalicea puzzle to be as tough as this nor to have to spend as much time as I did checking things in the BRB. Ten solutions form part of a theme which can be defined in two ways.
Across
1a Tree splints now and then in hollow under the fireplace (3-3)
ASH-PIT: A type of tree and the even (every now and then) letters of sPlInTs
5a Most perceptive when initially taking university exam (8)
ASTUTEST: A synonym for when, the initial letter of Taking, the abbreviation for University and an exam
9a Bygone tup I smoked and sliced - highly seasoned meat (8)
PASTRAMI: A synonym for bygone, a male sheep (tup) and I (from the clue)
10a The hollow shaky tree may do this (6)
TEETER: The outside (hollow) letters of ThE and an anagram (shaky) of TREE
11a Unexpectedly Herculean power of little Irish sprite (10)
LEPRECHAUN: An anagram (unexpectedly) of HERCULEAN and the symbol for Power
12a Dock entrance is difficult (4)
SILL: ‘S (is) and an adjective meaning difficult
13a First eagerness locally for crispness in newly-baked cake (4-4)
FIRE-EDGE: Filled in from the checking letters and then checking the BRB definitions the first one being as the clue says and the other a dialect (locally) word for crispiness in a newly-baked cake
16a Senseless prattle of German holding one second-class book (6)
GIBBER: A three-letter abbreviation for German ‘holding’ the Roman numeral for one, the letter indicating second-class and the abbreviation for Book
17a Involve oneself dramatically in clothing, say, needing no fastening (4-2)
STEP-IN: Double definition
19a Growing older, admitting recalled sin and confessing long ago (8)
AGNISING: Growing older ‘admitting’ a reversal recalled) of SIN
21a In Glasgow a little scruffy dog essentially fawning (4)
CURN: A Scottish word for a little – a scruffy dog and the essential letter of fawNing
22a Garbled gloomy note regarding insects (10)
ENTOMOLOGY: An anagram (garbled) of GLOOMY NOTE
25a Trouble returns in truncated collection of papers relating to child (6)
FILIAL: a verb meaning to trouble is reversed (returned) and inserted into a collection of papers without the final letter
26a Large-scale disruption on high, hot base lava making a comeback (8)
UPHEAVAL: An adverb meaning on high, the abbreviation for Hot, the letter that is the base of the natural system of logarithms and a reversal (making a comeback) of LAVA
27a High church may become so inflamed with anger (8)
INCENSED: The first definition remains me of the christening of one of our great-nephews. The preceding service had used so much of the stuff that you couldn’t actually see down the nave to the font!
28a Latest estimates reflect cause of sickness (6)
TSETSE: Hidden in reverse in the first two words of the clue
Down
2d Comment unfavourably on list of candidates (5)
SLATE: Double definition
3d Look narrowly round heart of British prison cell (5)
PETER: A verb meaning to look narrowly goes round the ‘heart’ of BriTish
4d Partly entrance-denying in an abstracted state (7)
TRANCED: Hidden in the second and third words of the clue
5d Keep up discussion of a barrier involving information technology (7)
AGITATE: A (from the clue) and a barrier into which is inserted the abbreviation for Information Technology
6d One who is instructed, mostly, to constantly worry producing copper and zinc alloy (7)
TUTENAG: Almost all of someone instructed and a verb meaning to constantly worry
7d Surprisingly sees best southern antelopes (9)
TSESSEBES: An anagram (surprisingly) of SEES BEST followed by the abbreviation for Southern
8d Pod, pulse and one without the other (5,4)
SHELL BEAN: A verb meaning to pod (a pea perhaps) and a type of pulse
14d Trespass, straying into ruins (9)
INTRUSION: An anagram (straying) of INTO RUINS
15d Dear one-time partner expressing thoughtfulness (9)
EXPENSIVE: A former partner and expressing thoughtfulness with sadness
18d Sharp pointed implements almost unnecessary (7)
NEEDLES: Almost all of a synonym for unnecessary
19d Amaze technician initially taken in by a noise (7)
ASTOUND: The initial letter of Technician ‘taken in’ between A (from the clue) and a noise
20d Speed in US city not oddly tests precocious young girl (7)
NYMPHET: An abbreviated measure of speed inserted between a US city and the even (not oddly) letters of tEStS
23d Abandon holidays (5)
LEAVE: Double definition
24d Rudely slags industrial material (5)
GLASS: An anagram (rudely) of SLAGS
My goodness! For me, that was something of a brain mangler with no discernible theme. 7d might be an anagram but that is the first time I have come across that particular antelope and I would imagine that I won’t see it again. I can’t see it becoming the ‘Serengeti’ of the antelope world but I suppose that could happen.
Smiles for 10a, 2d, 15d, and 19d.
Thanks Chalicea and thanks in advance to CS.
Not my favourite puzzle from our lady setter, probably down to the number of answers for which I needed recourse to the reference books. Top clue for me was 11a with 26a & 15d taking the lesser places.
Thanks to Chalicea for the challenge.
Unusually for me with this setter, I’m sorry to say this puzzle didn’t appeal to me. There were far more than the number of obscure definitions (including both parts of a double definition in the case of 13a!) that we have come to expect from Chalicea.
The answers to 2d & 8d were unindicated Americanisms although to be fair, for the former, the BRB states esp N American.
I expect there is a theme, but nothing immediately obvious has jumped out at me.
Thanks to Chalicea and in advance to CS.
I reckon there are a few words for Terence’s List in this one! I enjoyed the challenge though, especially on a damp Lancashire afternoon. Just about to put some bread in the oven, I wonder if it will come out with a 13a?
Thanks to Chalicea and in advance to Cryptic Sue.
Much harder work than we are used to from this setter but we know to keep our reference books nearby when we see her name as setter. We enjoyed the solve and the learning experience.
Thanks Chalicea.
Much the same reaction for me as Senf’s comments … that was a toughie from the normally, relatively gentle, Chalicea offerings. Yikes!! No idea if there was/is a theme.
Favourites 11a, 27a, 28a, 5d & 19d
Thanks Chalicea & CS
Yes, pretty tough. I did get almost all of it but needed to reveal letters to get 12ac and 21ac, and I’d never heard of the antelope at 7dn – not one of the usual crowd (nyala, eland, etc). Didn’t look for the theme after such a struggle.
Thanks, Chalicea and CS.
It appears I’m not alone in having found this Chalicea puzzle somewhat trickier than usual! In fact I gave up with 12a and 13a unsolved as I reckoned they were likely to be amongst the several answers needing e-research to confirm the definition, and I wasn’t making any headway on the wordplay involved. Along the way I did enjoy 10a and 28a, but overall didn’t have as much fun solving as I might normally expect with this setter. Like exit I didn’t even think to look for the customary theme, which I would not have found anyway!
My thanks to Chalicea for posing the challenge, and my thanks to CS for providing the tow required to reach the destination.
Many thanks for the review, CS. Turns out that I had got all the correct answers, with copious help from the BRB and Mr G, but the ‘theme’ was very tenuous to say the least! Hope this doesn’t mark a new trend in Chalicea’s puzzles.
So sorry to have caused so many friends to struggle. Of course, you don’t have to spot the hidden theme in one of mine. However, it will certainly be more evident in the one I am working on at the moment. Many thanks CS as always.