A Puzzle by Tater
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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.
Tater returns! A lot of good clues but a few where the cryptic grammar did not quite work. The notable feature of the grid was two clues with triple unchecked squares, something that should always be avoided. The commentometer reads as 3.5/32 or 10.9%.
Across
1a Coat drunken journalist discarded (7)
PLASTER: A nine-letter word meaning drunk without the abbreviation for editor (journalist).
5a Sought after old Ford (7)
POPULAR: Double definition.
8a Transports paintings say carried by exhausted camels (5)
CARTS: A three-letter word describing paintings inside (carried by) the outer letters (exhausted) of camels.
9a British say get prize for wildflower (9)
BUTTERCUP: The single letter abbreviation for British followed by a five-letter word meaning say and a three-letter word for a prize. I think for the cryptic grammar to work here, get needs to be getting otherwise the instructions read A B get C for D.
11a Means of saving time and ink used by HMSO e.g. (13)
ABBREVIATIONS: Cryptic definition with definition by example.
13a East Kent region adopts poor quality housing development (6)
ESTATE: The abbreviation for east followed by the area of England where Kent is located around (adopts) a three-letter word meaning poor quality. Poor quality would require the adjective to be part of the solution but the noun is required.
16a Satire De Niro is adapting (8)
DERISION: An anagram (adapting) of DE NIRO IS. I think that for the cryptic grammar to work, adapting needs to go before the letters to be rearranged.
18a Carelessly puts down fast food (8)
PANCAKES: Double definition, the first being a bad landing for an aircraft. I am not sure that the second part of the definition is fast food. You would eat them on Shrove Tuesday before the Lenten fast begins.
19a Brunel for one working with southern partnerships (6)
UNIONS: A three-letter abbreviation for an educational establishment of which Brunel is an example followed by a two-letter word meaning working and the abbreviation for southern.
24a Key VAR decision perhaps helping analysis (13)
CONSIDERATION: A musical key followed by a six letter decision that could be made by VAR and a six-letter word for a helping.
26a Bury cafe – refurbished meeting place (9)
INTERFACE: A five-letter word meaning bury followed by an anagram (refurbished) of CAFÉ.
27a Bass fiddle occasionally taken apart (5)
ASIDE: The even letters (occasionally) in the first two words of the clue.
28a Top, top bodyboarder! (7)
SURFACE: Split 4,3, this would be someone every good as using a bodyboard.
29a Calls for copper to lock-up named criminal (7)
DEMANDS: The abbreviation for detective sergeant (copper) includes (to lock-up) an anagram (criminal) of NAMED.
Down
1d Best get rid of ground breaking piece of equipment (7)
PICKAXE: A four-letter word meaning best followed by a three-letter word meaning to get rid of.
2d A chap from Zagreb holding bottle at first and tumbler (7)
ACROBAT: The A from the clue followed by the nationality of someone from Zagreb around (holding) the first letter of bottle.
3d Sense when surrounded by abstainers at start of Eid (5)
TASTE: A two-letter word meaning when inside (surrounded by) the abbreviation for teetotal (abstainers) and the first letter (start) of Eid.
4d Teachers having time for small talk (6)
RABBIT: A six-letter word for Jewish teachers with the abbreviation for time replacing the abbreviation for small.
5d Duchess maybe introduced by Raleigh? (8)
POTATOES: Cryptic definition of the vegetable brought back by Raleigh from the New World.
6d Devices for securing hair? (5)
LOCKS: Double definition.
7d Lines learned for complete understanding (5)
ROPES: Cryptic definition.
10d Passion in first book written up (7)
EMOTION: The abbreviated way of writing number one (first) and a four-letter word for a weighty book all reversed (written up).
12d Rent collector never collects (4)
TORN: The answer is hidden (collects) in the second and third words of the clue.
14d Listen to Jamaican dance music or rock? (4)
SCAR: A homophone (listen to) of Ska (Jamaican dance music).
15d Coach attendants with Her Majesty (7)
TRAINER: A five-letter word for attendants followed by the regnal letters for Queen Elizabeth.
17d Bequest medium leaves sanctuary (8)
HERITAGE: A nine-letter word for a sanctuary without the abbreviation for medium.
20d Leader of Oman to restrain judgement (7)
OPINION: The initial letter (leader) of Oman followed by a six-letter word meaning to restrain.
21d Regularly asks to arrest restricted offenders (7)
SINNERS: The even letters (regularly) in asks includes (to arrest) a five-letter word meaning restricted.
22d Execute order to take the lead (6)
BEHEAD: Written 2, 4 this might be an imperative command to be the leader of something.
23d Puts off trouble on board ship (5)
SAILS: A three-letter word meaning trouble inside (onboard) the abbreviation for steamship.
24d Provide for Greek character back in credit (5)
CATER: A three-letter letter in the Greek alphabet is reversed (back) inside the abbreviation for credit. Do not use the structure definition for wordplay.
25d Wake-up call as you’d expect from the postal service (5)
ALARM: A phrase 1,2 meaning in the style of (as you’d expect) followed by the abbreviation for Royal Mail (postal service).
An enjoyable solve with several areas that took quite a bit of sorting out. We’ll opt for 1a and 11a as today’s top clues.
Thanks Tater.
Thanks Tater. Unfortunately, what would have been a very enjoyable solve, to end my weekend of cruciverbalism, was somewhat spoiled by the double and triple unches. We sometimes see the former in DT back pagers but never the latter.
Smiles for 5a (even with the triple unch), 9a, 18a, 5d, 7d, and 24d.
Thanks again and thanks in advance to Prolixic.
Another enjoyable solve from this recently prolific RC setter with his third submission this month.
Are 18a really considered as “fast food” outside the USA?
Well done, Tater, and thank you for the fun. Please avoid triple unches at all costs in future.
Perhaps Shrove Tuesday?
Thanks for your comments and sorry for the unches, I would normally avoid them like the plague.
Was thinking of Shrove Tuesday.
The thanks should have been “to all”, and the 2Kiwis beat me to the reply because I was in bed using my phone which I haven’t done before and went into moderation.
My recent RC submissions were written some time ago, with much (minor) re-editing and the unches weren’t even noticed (like the apostrophes last week). Since then I exclusively use DT grids and specifically avoid any unches!
But the fast doesn’t start until Ash Wednesday, so the 8as on Shrove Tuesday are actually “pre-fast”.
Thank you to Tater for another enjoyable crossword. I have to say that I didn’t even notice the triple unches until I came here and read the comments
I am pleased to see that my thought that 18a referred to Shrove Tuesday was correct
Thanks in advance to Prolixic
The triple unches didn’t detract too much from the enjoyment of this very entertaining puzzle – thanks to Tater.
I’ve ticked lots of clues including 5a, 18a, 24a, 1d and 25d.
We didn’t notice the triple unches either. An enjoyable puzzle which did give us some sorting out in order to complete. Thanks to Tater and to Prolixic’s review. More, please, Tater.
Thanks again to all for your comments and Prolixic for the review.