A Puzzle by Chalicea
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid
Typical Chalicea – a themed puzzle with a chance to learn a couple of new words you will probably never need again
Across
9a Indeed for Spenser of the blackest black about Hell from time to time (7)
SOOTHLY: A very black colour goes ‘about’ the odd (from time to time) letters of HeLl
10a Have some of this wine m'dear or this type of sponge cake (7)
MADEIRA: A type of wine – the first definition refers to a Flanders & Swann song; or a type of sponge cake
11a BO in Texas dodgy food court intermittently (3,4)
BAD ODOR: An American spelling for BO – dodgy or not good and the intermittent letters of fOoD cOuRt
12a Rather odd university student organisation unable from time to time (7)
UNUSUAL: The abbreviation for the university student organisation inserted into the odd (from time to time) of UnAbLe
13a Purer nuns, curiously those who finish second (7-2)
RUNNERS-UP: An anagram (curiously) of PURER NUNS
15a Friend's high quality dining service (5)
CHINA: Cockney Rhyming Slang for a friend or a high-quality dinner service
16a About lecturer not given due recognition removed from place where suspended (7)
UNSLUNG: Not given due recognition goes ‘about’ the abbreviation for Lecturer
19a Might it bring all that's loathsome into sight? (4,3)
EVIL EYE: Cryptic definition
20a Spicy, pungent pod is sensitive to cold, we're told (5)
CHILE: Sounds like (we’re told) an adjective meaning sensitive to cold
21a Riotously greets age, producing a celebratory treat (6,3)
EASTER EGG: An anagram (riotously) of GREETS AGE
25a Concerning students' club coming together again (7)
REUNION: Concerning or on the subject of and a students’ club
26a Little Sam, you are, it's said, first class Japanese warrior (7)
SAMURAI: Really this clue should say Little Samuel, as otherwise we just lift the name from the clue and follow it with a homophone (it’s said) of you are and the usual ‘first class’
28a Try to equal or surpass flightless bird, one that is no more (7)
EMULATE: A flightless bird and deceased (one that is no more)
29a Blow up awful general (7)
ENLARGE: An anagram (awful) of GENERAL
Down
1d Circling orb is a line on weather map (6)
ISOBAR: An anagram (circling) of ORB IS A
2d Great river in Shakespeare's chamber pot (6)
JORDAN: Without a capital letter, this great river is a dialect and Shakespearean word for a chamber pot
3d Tea with last of cooked fish (4)
CHAD: An informal name for tea and the last letter of cookeD
4d Some lacy Prussian black fabric (6)
CYPRUS: Hidden in words two and three of the clue
5d Dye the colour of cardinal's robes; essentially primal blood-red historically (8)
IMPURPLE: The ‘essential’ letters of prIMal and the historical name for a blood-red pigment
6d Disc jockey one locally embraced by busy auxilliary (10)
ADJUNCTIVE: An adjective meaning busy ‘embraces’ an abbreviated disc jockey and a dialect (local) word for one
7d Detective Inspectors come together - to go different ways (8)
DISUNITE: Abbreviated Detective Inspectors and a verb meaning to come together
8d Tennis or soccer, say, could be this entirely new situation (4,4)
BALL GAME: A description of tennis or soccer or an informal ‘entirely new situation’
14d Non-sectarian clue came in differently (10)
ECUMENICAL: An anagram (differently) of CLUE CAME IN
16d Opened the wine and delivered a shot in Boston (8)
UNCORKED: A double definition, the second meaning being American
17d Sum, it's raised involving guile now and then, something acting as an incentive (8)
STIMULUS: A reversal (raised) of SUM ITS into which is inserted the even letters of gUiLe
18d For an Aussie to get one of these is to win approval (8)
GUERNSEY: A sleeveless Australian football shirt – also a phrase meaning to win approval and be selected for a team
22d Part of diagnosis terrified sibling (6)
SISTER: Hidden in part of words three and four
23d Wrongdoings of troublesome children not initially tolerated (6)
ERRORS: Troublesome children without the first letter of Tolerated
24d Old bread for sort of ground-dwelling fowl (6)
GUINEA: Double definition – bread here being slang for money
27d Some formality for member of India's gardener caste (4)
MALI: Hidden in forMALIty
Did you spot all ten hidden countries?
Something of a curate’s egg for me with some new words, 9a, 5d, and 6d, and new meanings/usages of words I did know, 2d, 4d and 18d. If there is a theme it is not apparent to me.
I was not aware that the shot delivery of 16d could apply in Lincs
Smiles for 10a, 19a, 8d, and the aforementioned 16d.
Thanks to Chalicea and, in advance, to CS.
This themed puzzle was very enjoyable. I did find it a bit more challenging than usual for this setter, but that’s fine. I was kept quite busy with reference books and came close to not finishing courtesy of 18d. However, the theme came to my rescue as one of the very few answers that fitted the checking letters was also a themed item. When I then looked that up in the BRB all become clear. I found 10 themed items in total.
Apart from 18d, some new things I needed to look up were: the variant spelling of chile in 20a; Shakespeare’s chamber pot in 2d; and the Indian caste in 27d.
I’m slightly puzzled by 10a. All I can think of is that it is a double definition with the two separated by a dodgy homophone with no homophone indicator.
I can’t parse 6d.
Many thanks to Chalicea.
RD – if you e-search ’10a m’dear’ you should find reference to a slightly risqué song by Flanders and Swann. So, I took it to be just a double definition.
6d – DJ from the clue and a dialect (locally) form of one (which I frequently use in the plural form in my Sunday preambles) all contained by a synonym of busy.
Thanks, Senf. I always forget that ” ‘un ” can mean one in English dialect as well as French. As for 10a, I think that requires GK which is beyond the pale, especially as”m’dear or” is close enough to be a stretched homophone of Madeira.
I can’t remember a time when if someone mentioned the drink, the Flanders and Swann song lyric wasn’t mentioned so I am quite surprised that you have managed to avoid it
Or is surely just there to link the second definition to the first
A reminiscence, at formal dinners, when I was serving HM, Madeira was offered as an alternative to Port for The Loyal Toast and, as the decanter for the alternative was passed around the table it was almost invariably accompanied by an interrogative ‘Madeira, m’dear’ from the passer.
Decidedly tough in places, but overall a great puzzle. I have ten themed answers. As I am sitting in 10a at present I would have a piece of the cake in question to celebrate completion, but it’s hard to find. Perhaps a glass of sercial before dinner.. now there’s a thought. Thanks to Chalicea and CS.
Enjoyable, but I am sadly stuck on 18d. Thanks to Chalicea.
I looked at the checking letters for 18d and the theme and then did quite a bit of investigoogling the solution and how it related to the clue
Thankyou, your suggestion of the theme & investigoogling has sorted me out.
Thanks CS for suggesting the investigoogling and looking forward to your review tomorrow. As I have said before, I am always hapy when solvers are enjoying my puzzles and pleased, too, to provide a bit of a challenge. Thankyou MrK.
A typo in your email address sent you into moderation
So sorry – I’m glad I was allowed in!
BRB and Mrs B had to work quite hard for us this morning and spotting the theme towards the end did help us know where to look to get our last answer, 18d.
Certainly a challenge but a most enjoyable one.
Thanks Chalicea.
Quite a challenge, especially as it was essentially four mini-puzzles with only one link between each. I did eventually work out 9ac but needed help for the gazunder. I did spot the theme, though. Thanks, Chalicea and CS
But 18dn stumped me; all that came to mind was ‘greenies’ but I couldn’t see how either pound notes or Australian environmentalists fitted the definition. Incidentally I had an 18dn sweater once, my mum knitted it for me – it had long sleeves and both front and back were the same so it was never back to front. I had it for years and when I grew out of it I passed it on to my son who had several years’ wear from it.
I also spent way too much time trying to make sense of greenies.
Completed most of this whilst sitting in the sun yesterday, but had to wait until this morning to do the online research necessary to reach the finish line. The theme was quite evident on this occasion, and gave me the confidence to pencil in 18d before obtaining e-confirmation. Other references confirmed the adverb for 9a, the variant spelling in 20a, the old slang in 2d, the fabric in 4d, the variant spelling in 5d, the auxilliary in 6d, the e.g. baseball hit in 16d and the Indian gardener in 27d! I rather think, CS. that it adds up to more than a “couple of new words you will probably never need again”
As CS has mentioned, I also thought 26a needed ‘Samuel’ as part of the wordplay. I failed to recognise the Flanders & Swann reference in 10a and thought it might be a triple definition including the ‘dodgy homophone’ that RD commented on. I particularly enjoyed the 16a clue about the ‘cancelled’ lecturer!
My thanks to Chalicea – I do concur, the puzzle was both enjoyable and challenging – and to CS for dotting the ‘i’s and crossing the ‘t’s.
Thanks for review CS. Using the definition of a country used on Pointless and with a
I would suggest that three of the ten highlighted answers are not ‘countries’ but one must always trust the judgement of Chalicea!
Interesting Senf. I imagine you are referring to islands – I suspect some of the regard themselves as ‘countries’ even if technically they are split between two who quarrel over them (as in the case of 4d) but I didn’t actualy stipulate ‘countries’ – could we say they are ‘homelands’?
I enjoyed this puzzle but I can’t fathom the theme if there is one.
Several new words as well for me including 5d & 6d and didn’t like the spelling in 11a.
Favourites include 10a, 15a, 20a & 4d
Thanks to Chalicea and CS
Places in the world
Thanks CS. That resolves Senf’s issue.