A Puzzle by Zorro
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.
A warm welcome to Zorro who makes his debut in the NTSPP spot with a very entertaining puzzle innovatively clued throughout. Thanks to him
Across
1a Stop developing operating system if restricted by limitations of security (6)
OSSIFY: A computer operating system plus IF from the clue inside SecuritY
4a Plough, e.g. neglected farm sites with no trace of furrows (8)
ASTERISM: fARM SITES*
9a Can't let off accountant that's beaten up bearer of large bill (6)
TOUCAN: Remove the letters that make up can't from accountant and anagram the result. Very amusing
10a One with long muzzle downing soldiers from the colonies? (8)
ANTEATER: Cryptic definition, the soldiers being insects
12a Plant spruce, pine, palm or plane, say, in French arboretum at first (7)
VERBENA: A grammatical term for what plant etc could be, the French for in plus A(rboretum). Smart
13a Serious row overheard after a case of unfaithfulness (7)
AUSTERE: A plus UnfaithfulnesS plus a homophone of a synonym of row in the sense of a level
14a Abase oneself like a bad violinist? (3,3,6)
BOW AND SCRAPE: Cryptic definition
18a Punch flambé? Blimey! (6,1,5)
STRIKE A LIGHT: Another semi cryptic definition, punch being a verb
21a Zorro's published in Church Times? A fanciful idea! (7)
CHIMERA: An abbreviated “Zorro is” inserted into CHurch and a long or distinct period
23a Zorro returns, having set off after pub ban (7)
EMBARGO: A first person object pronoun reversed plus a pub plus a synonym of set off
24a Boxed in by reversing Cadillac, I'm initially hostile (8)
INIMICAL: Hidden (boxed in by) and reversed
25a Force lock with tip of screwdriver first (6)
STRESS: A lock of hair follows S(crewdriver)
26a After-hours pint in The Bird? (8)
NIGHTJAR: Whimsically split 5/3 we could have a late drink
27a What's essential to smackhead? He requires fix (6)
ADHERE: Nicely hidden (what's essential to)
Down
1d An autumn month in Rome: hail for eight days (6)
OCTAVE: An autumn month and a word for hail typically used by Roman gladiators
2d Queen and I welcomed by certain gentleman (6)
SQUIRE: An abbreviation for Queen plus I from the clue “welcomed” separately by a synonym of certain. Not sure if this works without an indication as such.
3d Skeleton set up with effort (9)
FRAMEWORK: Synonyms of set up as in con and effort/toil
5d Incompetent motorist coming from golf club after dessert, we hear (6,6)
SUNDAY DRIVER: A golf club follows a homophone of a type of dessert
6d Number top to bottom levels (5)
EVENS: Cycle the first letter of a number to the end
7d Dropping gown initially, throw off nightwear to get naked (2,3,3)
IN THE RAW: NIgHTWEAR* Very smart
8d Promoter's notice on crooked tree (8)
MARKETER: Notice or indicate plus TREE*
11d 72 hours climbing, etc., in the Rockies? (4,4,4)
YADA YADA YADA: An American (in the Rockies) term for etc. A reversal of 24 hours X 3.
15d Shared accommodation for boys and girls separated by custom (9)
COHABITED: A custom inside an abbreviated co-educational (school)
16d Delivery note is CC'd erroneously, omitting date (1-7)
C-SECTION: Another anagram where we have to eliminate a letter/letters from the fodder....NOTE IS CCd*
17d Travelling at sea, sailors heard to perform shanties? (8)
CRUISING: A homophone of a group of sailors plus verbally perform
19d Band on The Wall featuring Mason's work? (6)
FRIEZE: A nice cryptic definition that benefits from one being familiar with the band Pink Floyd. Nice play on Mason.
20d Rodent swallowing bit of sea foam (6)
MOUSSE: A rodent outside the initial letter of Sea
22d Poet beginning to experience uphill struggle (5)
ELIOT: The initial letter of Experience plus a reversal of a synonym of struggle
Gentle and enjoyable – thanks to Zorro.
I thought that we were getting a pangram but I can’t find an X. I presume that is deliberate because an X could easily have been included (in 6d for example).
The clues I liked best were 12a, 23a, 3d and 11d.
I didn’t even notice it was a near-pangram! If I had, perhaps I would have squeezed in an X somewhere.
Welcome to Saturday lunchtime with what I thought was just right for a lunchtime solve. My favourites were 10a, 12a, and 11d
Thanks Zorro and, in advance, to Stephen
No caffeine required! Thanks Zorro and well done on your first NTSPP after ‘escaping’ from Rookie Corner.
Smiles for 1a, 10a, 26a, and 17d.
Thanks again and more of the same please and thanks in advance to Stephen L.
Perfection! This was a joy to solve from start to finish. I have ticked almost every clue.
Like Gazza, I was expecting a pangram which didn’t quite materialise. I don’t think proXimal has patented the x-less pangram, Zorro, but you might want to get a good lawyer! 😉
My one question for those who know much more about these things than I do, should 2d say “Queen and I separately welcomed …”?
Very well done and thank you, Zorro. More like this would be much appreciated.
RD – you are probably correct about ‘Queen and I’; as written it does suggest that they are consecutive, which would only be true if the U was not an essential part of the synonym for certain.
Very nicely done, Zorro, although I did need to reveal a letter to get 11d. Top answers for me were 10,18&26a plus 15&19d.
Your promotion was well deserved.
A very enjoyable puzzle from Zorro with some great surface readings; e.g. 1d, which duly makes it onto my Down podium alongside 11d and 17d. My Across podium is made up of 9a, 10a and 14a. 12a was a contender and would have made it if the first of the four trees had been left off the list – for me, this word ought to be accompanied by ‘up’, although Collins notes it can be used without ‘up’ in America. I was surprised to learn a new word in 4a – I might have expected to come across this before. Last one in was 19d which I had to read a few times to convince myself of my answer. Overall, a very pleasant way to while away some time sitting in the garden after having enjoyed a long walk in the sunshine.
My thanks to Zorro and, in advance, to StephenL.
That was excellent. 11d genuinely made me laugh out loud. Other favourites were 10a, 12a and 17d.
Thanks for the puzzle, and thanks in advance to StephenL.
11d was something that was new to us but did manage to guess correctly. Appreciated being led astray by 12a so will make that our favourite. An enjoyable Sunday morning solve for us.
Thanks Zorro.
Thank you, Zorro. We enjoyed the solve. 4a was a new word to us, not helped by thinking of the wrong plough! Doh moment later! 12a baffled us also. Otherwise very good fun. Favourites were 13a, 5d and 17d. We look forward to your next one. Thank you also to StephenL. Now to continue the missed crosswords whilst away recently.
Many thanks for the review, Stephen. It will not surprise you that I know little about Pink Floyd but 19d went on my tick list anyway!
Hi Jane
(Nick) Mason is/was the drummer in Pink Floyd who of course had an album called The Wall.
I was never a fan of Pink Floyd, and it would have helped to know that as I did have to ‘read a few times to convince myself of my answer’! What is, in fact, a clever clue construction makes more sense to me now
Well – one lives and learns, although I was quite happy with the stone mason creating the answer – thank you.
Thanks very much to all who had a go at my crossword and took the time to leave a comment, and also to StephenL for his review. It’s good to know which clues you enjoyed (or didn’t!).