A Puzzle by Shabbo
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It is almost six months to the day since we last had an NTSPP from Shabbo – this one has a theme
Across
1a Union production ending in tears reportedly (7,4)
WEDDING CAKE: Something produced to celebrate a union; it is usual made up of layers that are a homophone (reportedly) of tears
7a Smart group of soldiers having since retired (5)
MENSA: Some soldiers and a reversal (retired) of a synonym for since
8a Consequences of pursuing arithmetic in Harvard? (9)
AFTERMATH: Pursuing the American spelling (as used in Harvard) of another name for arithmetic
10a Remove tail from tortoise cooked in an Italian dish (7)
RISOTTO: An anagram (cooked) of TORTOISe without the ‘tail’
11a Muslim leader reportedly ahead in restructure (5-2)
SHAKE-UP: A homophone (reportedly) of a Muslim leader and another word for ahead
12a Savings account about to revert to Jewish patriarch (5)
ISAAC: An abbreviated savings account and a reversal (to revert) of the abbreviation for about
13a Tough times when south wind is occasionally wintry (9)
AUSTERITY: A literary name for the south wind and the occasional letters of wInTrY
16a Outlaw abuses road speed (9)
DESPERADO: I often wonder if these days the only place one is likely to encounter this outlaw is in a crossword. An anagram (abuses) of ROAD SPEED
18a Blow over with enthusiasm (5)
GUSTO: A sudden blast of wind (blow) and the cricket abbreviation for Over
19a In Sweden rude treatment is guaranteed (7)
INSURED: IN (from the clue) the IVR Code for Sweden and an anagram (treatment) of RUDE
22a Explain peculiar arrangement with setter retiring (5,2)
CLEAR UP: An anagram (arrangement) of PECULiAR without the I (setter retiring)
23a Getting aunt and niece mixed up say (9)
ENUNCIATE: An anagram (mixed up) of AUNT and NIECE
24a Active soldier consuming beer? On the contrary (5)
AGILE: Some beer consuming an American soldier
25a Blacksmith's Scottish welding site? (6,5)
GRETNA GREEN: The welding here refers to the joining together of a couple, traditionally conducted in this Scottish place by a blacksmith
Down
1d Footballer bites back at extreme measures (9)
WINGSPANS: A footballer and a reversal (back) of speaks tartly in sudden irritation (bites back)
2d Serious sex appeal about playing cards outside (7)
DRASTIC: An anagram (playing) of CARDS goes outside a reversal (about) of one of the terms for sex appeal
3d Very soon sailor will turn up with a lady friend (9)
INAMORATA: An informal expression meaning very soon and a reversal (will turn up) of a sailor
4d Stage set for tech entrepreneur (5)
GATES: An anagram (set) of STAGE
5d Generation embracing mixed race landholding (7)
ACREAGE: A generation ‘embracing’ an anagram (mixed) of RACE
6d Warm English coffee? Not essentially (5)
ELATE: The abbreviation for English and a type of coffee without the middle letter (not essentially)
7d Drunken admirer's enthusiasm for a blissful existence? (7,4)
MARRIED LIFE: An anagram (drunken) of ADMIRER and enthusiasm
9d Fortunate pair of newlyweds? (5,6)
HAPPY COUPLE: A synonym for fortunate and a pair of something
14d Whisky, say, good for a substantial meal during Covid? (6,3)
SCOTCH EGG: Another name for whisky, the abbreviation meaning for example (say) and the abbreviation for Good. During the pandemic, there was quite a debate as to whether this food item could be considered to be a substantial meal
15d Infusion of drunken Tories in pub (9)
INSERTION: An anagram (drunken) of TORIES inserted into a pub
17d Fear a chemist is harbouring otalgia (7)
EARACHE: Hidden in the first two words of the clue
18d Pineapple or pomegranate syrup is unfashionable (7)
GRENADE: The definition is an informal name for a type of weapon – a pomegranate syrup without the usual two-letter ‘fashionable’
20d Small breather is suspended (5)
SLUNG: The abbreviation for Small and something used to breathe
21d Tired and depressed artist appearing for nothing (5)
DRAWN: An abbreviated artist replaces the O (nothing) in a synonym for depressed or miserable
A super puzzle with a neat theme – many thanks to Shabbo.
There are masses of ticks on my printout including 1a, 8a, 1d, 3d, 14d with my favourite being 18d.
This was a wonderfully light and enjoyable themed puzzle.
Isn’t “is” in 13a surface padding? ‘s (for has) might have been better.
I had lots of ticks and 1a, 8a, 12a, 5d, 9d & 18d being my top picks.
Many thanks to Shabbo and please do try to find time to continue submitting NTSPP puzzles when you can.
Thanks, Shabbo, very enjoyable puzzle on this sunny (at last!) afternoon. We look forward to your next one, hopefully in the near future.
Is the theme indicating cause for celebrations in the Shabbo family? Perhaps not if 25a was the venue…! I wasn’t previously aware of the “over the anvil” tradition in 25a, but I am now so I have learned something new. Memories of ‘Covid rules’ have also been jogged that I would have been quite happy to have left undisturbed. All my favourites today were in the across clues – 8, 13 and 18. I did note a fine collection of anagram indicators in the puzzle that could usefully be added to ‘bubbly’, ‘criminal’ and ‘dodgy’ in BD’s ‘Little Guide to Cryptic Crosswords’
My thanks to Shabbo and to our reviewer, in due course.
Very enjoyable entertainment for a sunny and breezy afternoon. Embarrassed to say I looked at 7a for an age before the penny dropped. So no point in me seeking membership. I’m giving cotd to 16a, one of my favourite Eagles songs. Thanks Shabbo and to the reviewer.
A very enjoyable solve with a theme even I couldn’t fail to spot.1a&d got both sets of clues off to a cracking start but I’m with Gazza (once the parsing penny dropped with me) in having 18d as the pick of a fine bunch.
I hadn’t appreciated 19a was synonymous with guaranteed but see that it is listed & given tutti-gate over in the SPP comments I’ll leave it at that.
Thanks to Shabbo & hoping your next puzzle in the DT is due soon.
Really good fun to solve. Agree with Gazza that 18d is the pick of a very good bunch.
Thanks Shabbo. You’ll have to tell us what inspired the theme.
First time I’ve even looked at the NTSPP and found it very enjoyable. Took me ages to reconcile the “tears” in 1a, but the penny did finally drop. “Tough times” at 13a is my COTD, but had to confirm post solve that the south wind was correct.
Thanks to Shabbo.
2*/4*
A nice puzzle for Saturday morning after the back-pager.
Theme was good too.
Favourites 7a, 8a, 22a, 1d & 14d
Thanks to Shabbo & reviewer
Very enjoyable puzzle. It was plain sailing till I got held up in the NE by entering lucky as the first word for 9d but once over that hurdle it all fell nicely into place.
Lots of ticks but 1&8a plus 1 ,14&18d stood out. Many thanks Shabbo for a fun solve
A magnificent puzzle by Shabbo that was highly entertaining. Although 12a was easy by definition, I failed to understand the gain of the first letter in 12a and how the loss of the last letter of 8a is connected with Harvard (now suddenly I got the reason that it is located on the other side of the pond). I also got stuck on 6d for a very long time and that was the last clue I solved. However, there were many clues that I particularly liked in this puzzle such as the ‘tying the nuptial knot’ border clues in the first place and then, chronologically, 10a, 13a, 19a, 22a, 24a, 1d, 3d, 14d, 18d, 20d and 21d; the best being 18d. Tonnes of thanks to Shabbo and in advance to the reviewer.
Thank you all for your kind comments.
I wrote the puzzle in June last year, so a lot of the puzzle was new to me as well!
As regards the theme, I recall that it just kind of fell into place. There is no significant event in the Shabbo family that I am aware of.
I have checked with the current Mrs Shabbo and it seems that we are still married. The two kids are single and the oldest granddaughter is 14, so hopefully no trips to Gretna Green in the immediate future.
Thank you Sue for the blog.