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.
I think that Rahmat has cracked it! This crossword had the final polish and flourishes that have been lacking in previous crosswords, and it was much improved as a result. The commentometer reads as 1/30 or 3.3%. I think that promotion to the NTSPP is therefore in order.
Across
7a Orange agent travelling across Ireland (9)
TANGERINE: An anagram (travelling) of AGENT around (crossing) a four-letter Irish name for Ireland.
8a Despicable person initially lied – one under suspicious examination (5)
LOUSE: The initial letters of the last five words of the clue.
10a Off-the-wall question to irritate Yankee? (6)
QUIRKY: A two-letter abbreviation for question followed by a three-letter word meaning to irritate and the letter represented by Yankee in the NATO phonetic alphabet.
11a Save applying tar in front of a road (4,4)
SALT AWAY: A four-letter word for a sailor (tar) before (applying … in front of) the A from the clue and a three-letter word for a road.
12a Editorial boss? (6)
LEADER: Double definition.
14a Most prudent is accepted by Occident (6)
WISEST: The IS from the clue inside (accepted by) a four-letter word for Occident.
16a A flat perhaps at Lebanese port? (4)
TYRE: Double definition. I am not too keen on “at” as the link word between the two definitions.
17a Two-way tracking device (5)
RADAR: A tracking device that is palindromic (two-way).
18a Spotted in trip on yonder animal? (4)
PONY: The answer is hidden (spotted in) in the third to fifth words of the clue.
19a President’s mother cooked corn (6)
MACRON: A two-letter word for mother followed by an anagram (cooked) of CORN.
21a Quixotic worker to go wrong at first (6)
ERRANT: A three-letter worker insect preceded by (at first) a three-letter word meaning to go wrong.
24a A Greek heathen I annoy partly (8)
ATHENIAN: The answer is hidden (partly) in the third to fifth words of the clue.
26a Social outcast’s half-wild dog? (6)
PARIAH: Double definition.
27a Heard a former spouse take permanent possession (5)
ANNEX: A homophone (heard) of AN EX (former spouse).
28a Maryland city needs Indian cooking to a great extent (9)
BALTIMORE: A five-letter word for a style of Indian cooking followed by a four-letter word meaning to a great extent.
Down
1d Yes! In Germany, a rising star is god (5)
JANUS: The German word for yes followed by a reversal (rising) of a three-letter word for a star.
2d Offend gravedigger, heartless and stripped, shaken (8)
AGGRIEVE: An anagram (shaken) of [G]RAVE[D]IGGE[R] (heartless meaning to remove the middle letter and stripped to remove the outer letters).
3d Pleaded when victimised, as reported (6)
PRAYED: A homophone (as reported) of PREYED (victimized).
4d Wildebeests chanted about (4)
GNUS: A four-letter word meaning chanted reversed (about).
5d Service admitting soldiers in quagmire (6)
MORASS: A four-letter word for a church service includes (admitting) the abbreviation for other ranks (soldiers).
6d Hired killers of two donkeys at home with daggers ultimately (9)
ASSASSINS: A three-letter word for donkey repeated followed by a two-letter word meaning at home and the final letter (ultimately) of daggers.
9d Naked grey beast swimming up the Nile perhaps (6)
FLOWER: The inner letters (naked) of grey and a four-letter animal that may be grey all reversed (swimming up). I would be inclined to leave out the swimming in this clue or change it to going up.
13d Bird without part of crest (5)
RIDGE: A nine-letter name of a bird omitting (without) the PART from the clue. Some editors will not allow wordplay of definition.
15d Complicated article on New Testament covered by Times mag (9)
BYZANTINE: The single letter indefinite article and the abbreviation for New Testament inside (covered by) a two-letter word meaning times and a four-letter informal word for a magazine.
17d Concerning black French impressionist? (6)
RENOIR: A two-letter word meaning concerning followed by the French word for black.
18d View gold entering Central American country (8)
PANORAMA: The heraldic word for gold inside (entering) the six-letter name of a Central American country.
20d Eastern guide keeping cannabis cigarette (6)
REEFER: The abbreviation for Eastern inside (keeping) a five-letter word meaning guide.
22d Fame of salesman from Utah? (6)
REPUTE: A three-letter word for a salesman followed by a three-letter word the name of a group of Native Americans from Utah. I think that from Utah to designate a group of people from there is too imprecise, even with the question mark.
23d Revolutionary bears cavalry sword (5)
SABRE: An anagram (revolutionary) of BEARS.
25d Yannick in the rescue vessel? (4)
NOAH: Cryptic definition of the surname of Yannick the footballer that is also the name of an ark builder.
Another most enjoyable pangram from this setter. Our favourite was 9d but we had plenty of other good clues to choose from.
Thanks Rahmat Ali.
Thank you so much once again, 2Kiwis, for finding my puzzle ‘another most enjoyable pangram’.
This pangram provided a light and enjoyable start to the cruciverbal week.
My only question relates to 20d. I accept that “guide to” can be synonymous with “refer to”, but does that mean that “guide” is synonymous with “refer”?
Well done, Rahmat Ali, and thank you very much for the entertainment.
20d. I think that guide = refer is OK in the sense of direct or direct the attention of someone to.: To get official confirmation I would refer/guide/direct you to the Road Traffic Act 1988.
Thank you so much once again, Rabbit Dave, for your kind comment that ‘this pangram provided a light and enjoyable start to the cruciverbal week’.
A very entertaining RC puzzle. I guess one or two technical issues will be deteced by others, but for me this was RA’s best one so far. Plenty of really good clues here and I’ll pick 7a – a very neat clue which I got from the definition and parsed it after and it threw me a little because there’s an anagram of Eire in the answer, another name for the island of Ireland.
Thank you so much once again, Jose, for finding this puzzle as my best one so far.
Thanks RA I enjoyed that. Lots of neatly put together clues like 10a which went in quickly as the def/ans was still in my short term memory after Saturday’s Quicky. Was not aware of the wild dog, and I’ll wait for the Prolix explanation for a couple of others.
Looking forward to your next.
Thank you so much, Tater, for finding my puzzle enjoyable.
Many Thanks, Rahmat Ali.
I must admit that I needed an atlas to solve my two favourite clues: 16a the Lebanese port and 28a the Maryland city.
Thank you so much, stanXYZ, for liking my puzzle.
Many thanks for the review, Prolixic, now let’s see if our setter can hold his own in the NTSPP slot!
Thank you so much, jane, for your kind comment.
Congrats to Rahmat Ali on the promotion.
Maybe you would like to have another crack at a puzzle for the Birthday Bash (31st Jan 2026). I would certainly like to blog it if you do.
Thank you so much, Sloop John Bee, for your congratulations! I would love to have another crack at a puzzle for the upcoming Birthday Bash.
Thank you so much, Prolixic, for your excellent review and the glad tidings. I have always meticulously read your reviews and come across valuable teachings. Now, I will try to remember that some editors will not allow wordplay of definition. I agree with you also for 9d in which swimming up should have been replaced with going up because swimming could best be used as an anagram indicator.
Very, very late to comment as we have only just returned from holiday but so pleased to read that you have been promoted to NTSPP. Congratulations Rahmat Ali! We always enjoy your puzzles.