A Puzzle by Radler
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.
A typical Radler test of the cryptic grey matter – the answer being to solve as far as you can and then leave it to cogitate, looking at it on and off, until you have a completed grid
Across
1a Swedish girl, legs apart, getting end away (6)
ASTRID: With a leg on each side without the final letter
4a Spooner's trendy company ready for business (8)
CASHFLOW: How the Reverend might say a trendy company
9a,10a,8d,18d,26d Taking bets, he slips and double votes for Mum to lead Will's relations (6)
MAKING THE BEAST WITH TWO BACKS: An informal name for a mother ‘leads’ or goes before an anagram (slips) of BETS HE, a double number and seconds or votes for – the Will being Shakespeare who used the phrase in his play Othello
12a Other site periodically covers precedents (4,5)
TEST CASES: The even letters of oThEr SiTe and a synonym for covers or encloses
13a Unfortunately archer's initial miss fails to reach target (4)
ALAS: The initial letter of Archer and a young lady (miss) without its final letter (fails to reach target)
14a Bond villain 007 fully accommodates (5)
NOOSE: Hidden in (accommodated by) villaiN 00 SEVEn
16a Thinker at work say, worried etc (9)
INTELLECT: At work, a synonym for say and an anagram (worried) of ETC
19a Reference online women's group advisor about restricting sleep (9)
WIKIPEDIA: An abbreviated organisation for women, a slang/informal name for a sleep and a reversed (about) advisor
21a Certainly not after debt collector got me (5)
DUNNO: A definite refusal goes after a person who demands payment (debt collector)
23a Relinquish rank or broadcast to anyone listening (4)
CEDE: A homophone (to anyone listening) of to sow or broadcast
24a Small capsule containing liquid source of bouquet (5,4)
STINK BOMB: The abbreviation for Small and a capsule ‘containing’ some liquid used in writing or printing and the ‘source’ of Bouquet
28a What benefit is doing requires second, maybe seconds (8)
HELPINGS: What a benefit is doing and the abbreviation for Second
29a Decorative art of man given tablets (6)
MOSAIC: A decorative art or relating to the man who was given the tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written
30a Stuff nuclear! Concerned with smells from gas? (8)
NONSENSE: An abbreviation for Nuclear, a simple way of saying concerned with and a homophone (from gas) of smells or aromas
31a Nice one! And the square section if not (6)
UNLESS: The French (as used in Nice) word for one and their word for the, followed by abbreviations for square and section
Down
1d Sing how yodellers do with Bill on top (5)
ADMIT: An abbreviated advertisement goes on top of the German (a language used by yodellers) word for with
2d Develops an aptitude for playing at Stoke (5,2)
TAKES TO: An anagram (playing) of AT STOKE
3d Order from Greece for Bond perhaps (5)
IONIC: Double definition, the second one relating to chemistry
5d What's left after burning bacon without reading recipe? (5)
ASHES: Some slices of bacon without the abbreviation for Reading and Recipe
6d "Hi old bean, fancy footwear like this?" (9)
HOBNAILED: An anagram (fancy) of HI OLD BEAN
7d How lake may be lost over time (7)
LEAKAGE: An anagram (lost) of LAKE and a period of time
11d Spotted edges, at the edges, spotted (6)
ESPIED: The ‘edges’ of EdgeS and spotted or marked
14d/27d Let me see duck pecking mother (3)
NOW THEN: An informal or dialect word for nothing and a mother that pecks
15d Former president gave permission for Radler's bad language (9)
EXPLETIVE: The usual two-letter former, an abbreviated president, a simple way of saying gave permission and how our setter would say Radler’s
17d Sad start hosting charity event (6)
TRAGIC: A nervous twitch (start) ‘hosting’ a charity event
20d Cycling couple patrolling around sea for French government (7)
KREMLIN: “cycle” a verb meaning to couple or join together and put them round the French word for sea
22d Recent delivery note put away, keeps many years (7)
NEONATE: The abbreviation for Note, consumed food (put away) into which is inserted (keeps) a long period of time (many years)
24d Utter scale of which Italian bridge? (5)
SIGHS: A homophone (utter) of the scale of something
25d Essentially nickname allowing one out (5)
KNOWN: The middle letters (essentially) of nicKName allOWing oNe
We know what to expect from Radler, i.e. a very enjoyable struggle and this one doesn’t disappoint. Many thanks to him for the entertainment.
I got the long phrase from the checkers and definition and gave up trying to justify the wordplay.
Lots of top clues got a tick from me including 1a (LOL), 29a, 31a, 1d, 5d, 14/27d (pecking mother – brilliant) and 20d.
There is a typo in 14a.
Well, I tried, but I’m well and truly beat. Thanks to Radler, but I’m off to put a damp towel round my head.
It seems a long time since we last had the pleasure of wrestling with a Radler production and we had forgotten what an absolute pleasure they are.
We certainly had to work hard but sooo satisfying to eventually have all the devious pieces safely in their places. We’re not even going to try to pick a favourite from so many excellent clues.
Many thanks Radler.
I’m still battling but refuse to be beaten – just yet!
Defeated in the end by the debt collector and the quote from Othello. Ah well, there’s always next time! Top clues for me were 29a plus 11, 14/27 & 24d. Think your hint for 11d needs a tweak, Sue.
Thanks to Radler for the challenge which you won and to CS for the review.
Well, I did get it all in the end but ewas held up a long time by the long entry, ‘Othello’ being one Shakespeare play I’m not familiar with although I guessed ‘Will’ referred to Shakespeare and I was able to check the phrase in the BRB. Last in was 29ac after a nice penny-drop moment.
Thanks, Radler and CS
My thanks, as ever, to CS for her review
Thanks as well to everyone who had a go at the puzzle. I have been reliably informed that my next one is much less difficult
The advice from CS at the top of the review is a good summary of how I eventually completed the grid. I nearly had to follow her long-standing advice about giving up after the 3rd look, but my 3rd look last night carried me over the line! That’s not to say my parsing was ‘perfect’, I didn’t consider a homophone in 30a and only saw the ‘Essential’ bit of ‘nickname’ without discerning how the following words also contributed to my answer. The ‘debt collector’ was new to me, and the long clue was my last one in, requiring all checkers and some inspired parsing to reveal a description of ‘relations’ which I hadn’t come across, inscribed in a play with which I am not familiar! Despite my parsing imperfections, it was very satisfying to overcome the challenge set by Radler. The clues I enjoyed most were 24 across, and then 1, 7, 11, 14/27 & 20 down.
Thank you, Radler, I’ll look forward to your next puzzle and, if it is less difficult, maybe achieving 100% parsing…? Also my thanks to CS for her good advice and parsing pointers.