A Puzzle by Rahmat Ali
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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.
Our thanks to Rahmat Ali for this week’s Rookie crosswords. The overwhelming majority of the clues were fine but there were still one or two rough edges meaning that the commentometer reads 2/28 or 7.1%.
Across
7a The Spanish artist sneaking into parties in Golden City? (2,6)
EL DORADO: The Spanish word for the followed by a repeated two-letter word for party that includes the abbreviation for Royal Academician (artist).
9a Copies not featuring old king (6)
XERXES: A seven-letter word meaning copies (from the company that produces photocopiers) without (not featuring) the abbreviation for old.
10a Queen isn’t commonly whimsical (6) (6)
QUAINT: A two-letter abbreviation for queen followed by the common way of saying is not.
11a Get the better of errant tutors including arts master (8)
OUTSMART: An anagram (errant) of tutors includes the abbreviation for master of arts.
12a New Yorkers‘ loose breeches? (14)
KNICKERBOCKERS: Double definition.
15a Half of this is for Egyptian goddess (4)
ISIS: The final half of the word this followed by the IS from the clue.
17a Get rid of quiet desire (5)
PURGE: The musical abbreviation for quiet followed by a four-word for an desire.
19a Jewish prayer ignoring a son of Noah? (4)
SHEM: A five-letter word for a Jewish prayer without (ignoring) the letter A
20a After indolence exercise pleasant idleness (5,3,6)
DOLCE FAR NIENTE: An anagram (exercise) of AFTER INDOLENCE. For exercise to work as an anagram indicator, it needs to go before the letters to be rearranged.
23a Church service, for example, receiving venerable offspring? (8)
EVENSONG: The abbreviation for “for example” includes (receiving) the abbreviation for venerable and a three-letter word for a male offspring.
25a Pulchritude of Beast’s sweetheart? (6)
BEAUTY: Double definition.
27a Partly retains it unaltered at original location (2,4)
IN SITU: The answer is hidden (partly) in the second to fourth words of the clue.
28a One style instigating hatred? (8)
AVERSION: The letter representing one followed by a seven-letter word meaning style.
Down
1d Clue, we’re told, is the centre of attraction (4)
CLOU: A homophone (we’re told) of clue.
2d Signs belt (6)
ZODIAC: Double definition.
3d Farah and Flo, possibly exhibiting a magic spell (4)
MOJO: The first name of Farah and the surname of Flo.
4d Recherché quote about bull proceeding north (6)
EXOTIC: A four-letter word meaning quote about a two-letter word for a bull all reversed (proceeding north).
5d Proclaims US President in touch with aliens (8)
TRUMPETS: The name of the current US president followed by the abbreviation for extraterrestrials.
6d Review blasted secret port (10)
RETROSPECT: An anagram (blasted) of SECRET PORT.
8d An oaf spotted in Belgium? (7)
ANTWERP: The An from the clue followed by a five-letter word for an oaf. I think that somewhere in Belgium is better than “spotted in Belgium” as the definition.
13d What smells heavenly, almost grand, when plunging headfirst? (10)
NOSEDIVING: A four-letter word for the organ of smell followed by a six-letter word meaning heavenly with the final letter removed (almost) and the abbreviation for grand.
14d Knight wearing a clean uplifting garment (5)
BURKA: One of the single-letter abbreviations for knight inside (wearing) the A from the clue and a three-letter word meaning clean all reversed (uplifting).
16d Very impressive spindle spun by daughter? (8)
SPLENDID: An anagram (spun) of SPINDLE followed by the abbreviation for daughter.
18d Raise some children? No blessing! (7)
ENNOBLE: The answer is hidden (some) in the final three words of the clue.
21d Mass departure from the Second Book? (6)
EXODUS: Double definition. Really both have the same root. Where you have a double definition, there should be a degree of separation from one another.
22d Ill-treated? Please pass by (6)
ELAPSE: An anagram (ill-treated) of PLEASE.
24d Delighted with German boy (4)
GLAD: The abbreviation for German followed by a three-letter word for a boy.
26d You once stayed in Somerset House (4)
THOU: The answer is hidden (in) the final two-words of the clue. If stayed is the hidden word indicator, in the sense of restrained, it would need to be stayed by rather than stayed in.
Another enjoyable pangram from this setter. A couple where we needed to check our thinking in BRB and plenty to keep us smiling throughout the solve.
Thanks Rahmat Ali.
Happy Easter, now also blessed Shrove Tuesday and thank you so much once again, 2Kiwis, for enjoying solving my puzzle and finding plenty to keep you both smiling through the solve.
Very well done, Rahmat Ali. This pangram (again!) was a pleasure to solve. I have only a few minor comments:
– Nearly half the clues contain a question mark, mainly at the end. The majority of these are unnecessary.
– I think 20a needs an Italian indicator, e.g. “… in Rome”.
– I got held up in the middle of the grid having originally entered the plausible answer “pitch” for 17a.
– I don’t think you need “spotted” in 8d.
My top picks were 7a, 9a, 4d, 5d & 13d.
Thank you, Rahmat Ali, and thanks too in advance to Prolixic.
Happy Easter and thank you so much once again, Rabbit Dave, for finding my puzzle a pleasure to solve. I agree with you that spotted was not needed in 8d. However, for 20a, in light of the BRB’s acceptance of the Italian phrase, I maintained that referencing a particular Italian city was unnecessary.
As always, really enjoyed your pangram crossword, Rahmat Ali. Many thanks. Some new words for us and like Rabbit Dave didn’t understand ‘spotted’ in 8d. Lovely start to Bank Holiday Monday. We look forward to your next one. Thank you also to Prolixic.
Happy Easter and thank you so much once again, Hilton, for enjoying my crossword as always. For your kind information, I have already sent my next one.
Welcome back Rahmat Ali and thank you for the puzzle.
8a seems unsatisfactory to me for a couple of reasons; as others have said “spotted” jars as a link work and if it’s meant to be part of the definition that also seems inadequate. To define a place I believe you need “somewhere in…” at the very least. Talking of link words, I didn’t like “stayed” in 26d either. For me, “exercise” as the anagram indicator following the fodder in 20a doesn’t work, but these were my only main quibbles.
I would like to see a non-pangram puzzle from you one of these days, just for a change. Is that a possibility?
Happy Easter and thank you so much once again, silvanus, for solving the puzzle as also for mentioning that to define a place, “somewhere in …” at the very least, as more particularly in 8d, would have suited better. Incidentally, my previous puzzle was a non-pangram. I have already sent my next puzzle and, for your kind information, it is a non-pangram, too. Again, I am happy to keep in mind that most of my future puzzles should be non-pangrams.
Relieved to see that I wasn’t alone in having entered ‘pitch’ into 17a! Couple of entries I needed to verify and I wasn’t convinced that they enhanced the solve but it’s obviously the setter’s choice. My favourite was probably 7a.
Thanks to Rahmat for another pangram.
Happy Easter and thank you so much once again, jane, for solving the pangram puzzle that I should have avoided compiling. As mentioned earlier, my immediate previous puzzle was a non-pangram and the next one that I have already sent and most of the puzzles that I will be sending in future to RC will be non-pangrams.
My sincere thanks to Prolixic for his splendid review which was as usual a great learning for me; this time I was particularly enlightened by his explanation of 21d and 26d.