A Puzzle by Chalicea
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid
I must have known I would need to warm my brain up for another of Chalicea’s expeditions to the hidden nooks and crannies of the dictionary this week when I borrowed Susie Dent’s “Guilty by Deception” from the local library on Thursday. Highly recommended if , like Susie, me and, presumably Chalicea, you are a lover of words generally, especially lesser-known ones, and/or crime fiction. Today's "Chalicea words" weren't in the book as far as I can tell, but there are lots of other splendid forgotten words she can use in future NTSPPs
Having drafted the blog post yesterday afternoon, I now find that there is apparently a ghost theme; I have no idea what and as the sun is shining and the wind chill isn't as bad as in recent days, I'm certainly not spending my Sunday morning indoors looking for it
Across
1a Wife's 'ex' is maybe partly displaying this discriminatory behaviour (6)
SEXISM: Hiding (partly displaying) in the first four words of the clue
4a Over-lenient parent, one who gives the game away (7)
SPOILER: Double definition
9a Unusually fair person who has inherited Scottish property (4)
FIAR: Not sure it is an anagram (unusually) when you only swap the two middle letters
10a Inconceivably coming to grief, I simply sob (10)
IMPOSSIBLY: An anagram (coming to grief) of I SIMPLY SOB
11a For example, initially giant container, or just a small one? (6)
EGGCUP: The abbreviation meaning for example, the initial letter of Giant and a container
12a Cross, cold, little mongrel coming back; I prevent from causing further trouble (8)
CRUCIFIX: The abbreviation for Cold, a reversed (coming back) mongrel dog, I (from the clue) and a verb meaning to prevent from causing further trouble
13a Denounce expert with piece of writing (9)
PROSCRIPT: An abbreviated expert and a piece of writing gives us a verb when the definition is a noun
15a Gulp about worn-out horse (4)
PLUG: A reversal (about) of the first word in the clue
16a With no limits cheat odd top dog (4)
HEAD: The inside letters (with no limits) of cHEAt oDd
17a Irrigate sweet potatoes, plants from Madagascar (5,4)
WATER YAMS: A verb meaning to irrigate and some sweet potatoes
21a Male can fool around - a silly fellow (8)
MOONCALF: An anagram (around) of M (male) CAN FOOL
22a Almost the winner for just a short moment? (6)
SECOND: Double definition
24a Fruit to ban and hide in the ground, we're told (10)
BLACKBERRY: Boycott or ban and a homophone (we’re told) of hide in the ground
25a Wine's past it, lacking power and taste principally (4)
ASTI: pAST It ‘lacking’ the principal letters of Power and Taste
26a Lady of dazzling beauty; she breaks things maybe (7)
SMASHER: Double definition
27a Animal attendant to glance furtively at contrary bear from time to time (6)
KEEPER: A reversal (contrary) of glance furtively at followed by the even (from time to time) letters of bEaR
Down
1d Whisky and soda with crushed ice for individual who goads (7)
STINGER: There’s a recipe for this cocktail on the interweb; the name can also be given to someone who goads
2d Some mixer I consumed - rather dry! (5)
XERIC: Hidden in some of miXER I Consumed is an adjective meaning dry or lacking in moisture
3d Drinker holding large mule (7)
SLIPPER: Someone drinking in small quantities into which is inserted (holding) the abbreviation for Large
5d Pay initially very large amount for marsupial (6)
POSSUM: The initial letter of Pay, the abbreviation meaning very large and an amount
6d One twit with one friend at first (9)
INITIALLY: The Roman numeral for one, a fool (twit), the Roman numeral for one and a friend
7d Malevolent spirit left relatives trapped in work unit (3-4)
ERL-KING: The abbreviation for Left and some relatives ‘trapped’ in the CGS Unit of Work
8d Place mats prof reorganised for orbiting satellite (5,8)
SPACE PLATFORM: An anagram (reorganised) of PLACE MATS PROF
14d Curved structures of orchids with graceful columns of flowers (9)
SWANNECKS: Double definition
16d Stink about old (awfully old) thug (7)
HOODLUM: A strong unpleasant smell (stink) goes ‘about’ the abbreviation for Old and an anagram (this time, only moving one letter?!) of OLD
18d Troublesomely tensely designate in times long gone (7)
ENSTYLE: An archaic word meaning to call or designate is an anagram (troublesomely) of TENSELY
19d Keep tabs on type of lizard (7)
MONITOR: Double definition
20d Unruly mob struggle losing ground at first (6)
RABBLE: Remove the first letter of Ground from the start of a verb meaning to struggle
23d Confine temporary accommodation with tents around river (5)
CRAMP: Temporary accommodation supplied with tents goes around the abbreviation for River
The first clue to attract my attention was 1d which led me to consider that there might be a boozy theme but that does not appear to be the case. So, if there is a theme I can’t see it. Nevertheless, an enjoyable, but not so Floughie, challenge from Chalicea.
Smiles for 11a, 24a, 26a, 2d, and 14d.
Thanks to Chalicea and in advance to CS.
Well… that served to expand my vocabulary by at least six words in a rather tougher challenge than i’d expected when i saw the setter’s name. I liked 11a and 5d.
i had always thought that the key ingredient of a 1d was the crème de menthe.
Thanks Chalicea,
I agree with Serendipity both about the degree of difficulty and the number of “Not Heard Of” words. I also agree with him that a 1d is a cocktail of crème de menthe and brandy, with which both WIkipedia and the BRB concur.
9a must be a candidate for the weakest anagram ever but, on the plus side, it made it simple to guess the answer (which was one of my NHO words).
Does 13a work? The definition is a verb and the answer is a noun.
Thanks to Chalicea for the entertainment.
I suspect there is a theme but I can’t see one.
Crikey. Who upset Chalicea? Seriously though this was a tough but fair challenge incorporating a number of new words that I wonder if we shall see their like again? 18d took me an age until sense prevailed. Thanks to Chalicea for the workout. I’m now off to wrap a damp towel round my fevered brow.
We had our reference books to hand and they did have some work to do during the solve but we were still finally beaten by the worn out horse at 15a (we wanted the horse to be a GG).
Always a pleasure to tackle puzzles from this setter.
Thanks Chalicea
I’m sorry Chalicea this just wasn’t one for me. I just got a bit fed up with words I’d never come across (6 in total) & started to reveal letters. Never heard of the orchids either – I’d have got it quicker with a reference to snooker equipment.
Thanks anyway though.
Chalicea here. Sorry Huntsman – indeed there was a ghost theme and attempting to fit in ten to a dozen examples tends to lead to the use of a few fairly obscure words. I try to clue those generously but will have to be a bit more ‘Floughie’ with the next one I set.
No! Please don’t pander to these cruciverbal lightweights. A bit of a challenge never hurt anyone, so please continue with your usual level of difficulty.
Guilty as charged Phil – I am a cruciverbal lightweight & certainly don’t deserve (or expect) any pandering to.
Sorry CS, the devices appear in a list in Mrs Bradford’s Crossword Solver’s Dictionary (- devices – sorry for the spoiler but if you didn’t see it no-one will) I’m including a far more obvious one in one I’m working on now.
Being late to post gives me an opportunity to find the theme I failed to spot when solving – but despite the hint I’m still really none the wiser…
My top picks from each direction were 11 Across and 3 Down.
Like others have noted, there were several unfamiliar words in the puzzle, but I did manage to figure them them all out and then find them in the dictionary. One of these was my last one in – the 15a worn-out horse, where my PDM was, “It couldn’t just be the first word backwards could it…?” Like 9a, the simplest clues can sometimes tie you in knots
My thanks to Chalicea and to CS.