A Puzzle by ALP
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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.
A review by Prolixic follows:
Welcome back to ALP. Four-fifths of this crossword was excellent. The remaining fifth strayed over the fine line between genius and madness. I think that Silvanus hit the nail on the head with some of the good ideas being overworked into the clues to the detriment of their construction often requiring leaps of faith on the part of the solver. If you are having to worry over clue like a dog with a bone to get it to do what you want it to do, it is a sign that you need to step back and rethink the idea. The commentometer reads as 6.5/30 or 21.7%
Across
1a I’m a Manx Rocket racing round Los Angeles! (11,4)
EXCLAMATION MARK: An anagram (racing) of IM A MANX ROCKET around the abbreviation for Los Angeles.
9a Energy will come from wind, chiefly offshore (5)
GUSTO: A four-letter word for a sudden blast of wind followed by the first letter (chiefly) of offshore.
10a Where The Last of Us is … (5,4)
MORSE CODE: The communication protocol where the letter S (the last of us) is represented by …
11a … going with Sky Atlantic’s ultimate chiller (3-3)
AIR-CON: A two-letter word meaning going after (with) a three-letter word for sky and the final letter (ultimate) of Atlantic. I think that a positional indicator to show that the first part of the wordplay goes after the second part would be helpful here. Going after… would work.
12a Drug endemic rampages across India (8)
MEDICINE: An anagram (rampages) of ENDEMIC around the letter represented by India in the NATO phonetic alphabet.
14a Serve time for a little bit (3)
DOT: A two-letter word meaning serve followed by the abbreviation for time.
15a Sore biceps are sure signs of lifting badly, etc? (7,4)
SMOKING GUNS: A seven-letter word meaning sore followed by a four-letter slang word for the biceps. This is one of those clues where the idea was too doggedly pursued. As an initial point, the grammatical structure of the clue does not work as you have wordplay are definition. Also, getting from sore (a noun) to smarting to the word required in the solution gives to many steps. Chambers gives the word required in the clue as an intransitive verb which is then being clued by a noun, which is far from ideal.
17a Vogue journalist backs writer to impress newspaper (11)
INDEPENDENT: A two-letter word meaning vogue followed by the abbreviation for editor (journalist) reversed (backs), a three-letter word for something used to write and a four-letter word meaning to impress or make an impression in something. I am not convinced that vogue on its own, means fashionable or in. Vouge is a noun. In its adjectival form, you need in vogue, which does not work in the surface reading of the clue.
20a Excite French woman in Dibley? (3)
REV: Double definition. I am not convinced that excite is a direct synonym. Whilst rev-up means to increase the rate of revolution, that is not the same as excite.
22a Dancing On Ice pro is a cheesy Italian! (8)
PECORINO: An anagram (dancing) of ON ICE PRO.
24a Acting dame, no longer with us? (6)
ABROAD: The abbreviation for acting followed by a five-letter American word for a dame. An indication that the American term is being used would be helpful here.
26a Diesel drivers flip over vintage Jaguar? (9)
CARNIVORE: The first name of the actor Diesel and a name for a drivers organisation all reversed (flip over) followed by an archaic (vintage) three-letter word meaning over. Diesel is being used as a definition by example and should be indicated. The grammatical construction of the clue AB flip might be better as AB flipped as it is the solver who has to do the flipping! In relation to the archaic spelling of over, you have a two-stage process of needing to know the poetical contraction of o’er and then get from this to the archaic spelling of the poetic form. Whist is works, it over-complicates the clue. Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean that you should!
27a King wears spoof kilt? (5)
SKIRT: The abbreviation for king inside (wears) a four-letter word for a spoof.
28a Spooner’s trademark could be a problem in Oxford? (4,2,3,6)
SLIP OF THE TONGUE: Double definition, the second presumably a problem with shoes (Oxford).
Down
1d Lanarkshire men playing football finally as well as the auld enemy (7)
ENGLAND: The final letters of the first four words of the clue followed by a three-letter word meaning as well as.
2d Actors deserved to get cut (9)
CASTRATED: A four-letter word for a group of actors followed by a five-letter word meaning deserved.
3d Randy‘s Uptown Girl’s cover coming out (7)
AMOROUS: A nine-letter word meaning uptown or chic without (coming out) the outer letters (cover) of girl. Uptown is only given in the on-line Collins dictionary and is shown as being an American English term and is not given in the main version dictionary. I would be wary of using definitions that are only found on-line and, in any event, the American provenance should be indicated.
4d Salcombe’s oddly overlooked summit (4)
ACME: The even letters (oddly overlooked) in the first word of the clue.
5d Batch of Jacob‘s Cream Crackers (in the end) is right: a first! (10)
ISRAELITES: A five-letter word meaning cream and the final letter (in the end) of crackers with the IS from the clue, the abbreviation for right and the A from the clue before it (first).
6d Born to grind on in poverty (7)
NEEDING: A three-letter word meaning born and a four-letter word meaning to grind on or reiterate to a tedious degree.
7d Top-notch oil must be used for this (5)
AIOLI: A two-letter indication of top-notch followed by an anagram (must be used) of OIL.
8d Can screws save climber? (7)
KEEPERS: A four-letter word meaning save followed by a three-letter word for bitter vetch (climber). Another clue where there are too many stages for the solver to get to the solution. Of the many possible climbers you have to know that bitter vetch is a climbing plant and then that the unusual name for the plant is the word required in the solution.
13d “Low reveal” trousers exposed sandy bum (4-3-3)
DOWN-AND-OUT: A four-letter word meaning low and a three-letter word meaning reveal include the inner letters (exposed) of sandy.
16d Moving higher, run-scorer Joe in 1’s number three spot (9)
UPROOTING: A two-letter word meaning higher followed by surname of the cricketer Joe, the in from the clue and the third letter of the solution to 1 down. An indication that it is the clue to 1 down and not 1 across is required, though this would break the surface reading.
17d Minx plays Consequences (7)
IMPACTS: A three-letter word for a minx followed by a four-letter word meaning plays.
18d Tory journo Michael censored in the North for lines in columns (7)
PORTICO: The surname of the former Conservative minister and now TV presenter Michael with the first letter (in the North) of censored replacing the double abbreviation for line.
19d Sauce of broadcast forced Democrat and Republican to walk (7)
TABASCO: An anagram (forced) of BROADCAST without (to walk) the abbreviations for Democrat and Republican.
21d One who watches Dita Von Teese? (7)
VEDETTE: Double definition. Another clue where just because something can be done does not mean that it should. You have a double definition with an unusual word for a soldier and then an American burlesque actress who I suspect most people would have had, like me, to Google to discover her identity and that she is also an example of the solution.
23d Boy soldier from Tennessee joins the Welsh Guard? (5)
CORGI: A three-letter exclamation meaning boy followed by the American (from Tennessee) abbreviation for soldiers. I think that Welsh Guard works as a definition of the dog but putting the “the” in there makes the definition wrong. The dog is not “the” Welsh guard but “a” Welsh Guard.
25d Eminem’s missing in upset that may go viral (4)
MEME: Remove (missing) the IN from the clue from the first word of the clue and reverse (upset) the remaining letters.
I looked back to see what I’d said about ALP’s first Rookie Corner appearance and what I said then applies this morning too “I took a while to get on your wavelength and found parts of the crossword very tough indeed. I did reveal some letters to get finished and don’t understand the parsing of several clues”.
This time I’d add that a certain Rabbit won’t be at all happy about 24a. I did like 1a but then I’m always fond of a sneaky punctuation clue
Thanks ALP – take note of Prolixic’s wise words (thank you to him in advance) – and come back with another crossword in due course
Sorry ALP. This was way too tough for me – as hard as your previous RC offering which I also failed to finish. Several of the answers that I did get I failed to parse, so I’m afraid I found this a rather frustrating exercise.
I would say however that most of the few answers that I was able both to solve and to parse were very good, e.g.: 1a, 22a, 28a, 17d, 18d & 25d.
Thanks anyway but PLEASE dial back the difficulty next time. Thanks too in advance to Prolixic. I look forward to his decryption of a lot of clues.
“ Thanks too in advance to Prolixic. I look forward to his decryption of a lot of clues”
So does he!
Oh blimey, that sounds ominous!!
I now have rational explanations for all the clues. Whether they match your intended explanations, time will tell.
Ha, I have way more faith in your explanations than mine! I “look forward” to your take *trembles*
I think it should be mandatory for all Rookie setters to provide parsing explanations with their submissions. If Telegraph Toughie setters are required to do that (and we are), it should also be the case for setters here, especially when the puzzles are extremely difficult to decipher!
That’s an excellent idea, I couldn’t agree more. It sounds like it’s too late as Prolixic has managed to sort my chaff but I have explanations ready to go. If Prolixic would still like them, they’re his!
I am truly sorry, RD. I would hate anyone to think that I don’t listen. Honestly, I do. But clearly not hard enough! I really did try – and evidently failed – to make it gentler. If my next one isn’t sufficiently dialled down (and I will walk through fire to ensure that) you have my permission to shoot me. From what Sue (“very tough indeed” – oh no!) has said, it’s probably best if you didn’t manage to crack 24a, so at least I’ve dodged a bullet there! Huge thanks, as ever, for your patience and grovelling apologies for causing yet more frustration.
Thanks very much for your reply, ALP.
24a was one I did manage to solve. I didn’t like it but didn’t mention it as it was the least of my concerns!
Ha! I’m wishing I hadn’t mentioned it now – I could have continued to bask in ignorance! But Sue is, of course, never wrong. She did predict you’d hate it..
Crikey, this was tough. It’s always ominous to come to RC in the morning to find no overnight comments and I soon realised why!
I found that concentrating on the bottom of the grid paid dividends and at one stage I had the whole of the bottom half filled with a completely bare top. Getting 1a helped at the top and I eventually filled the grid but there are three down clues I can’t fully parse.
There are some cracking clues here and I particularly liked 1a, 10a, 26a, 1d, 2d, 5d and 16d.
Many thanks to ALP – I’m off to have a lie-down now,
Cripes, I’ve done it again, haven’t I? Walking wounded everywhere. With apologies, enjoy your lie-down!
Sorry ALP, this was not for me. It seems that, from the comments so far, my decision of ‘retiring before getting hurt’ was justified.
The apologies are all mine. Fourth time lucky!
I was full of hope after you appeared to have taken on board the words of wisdom from Prolixic et al regarding your previous puzzle, ALP, but it seems that little has changed and a lot of the ideas in your head are still getting lost in translation when it comes to setting them down on paper. Sadly, there is often little help to be garnered from the surface reads, either!
Best clues for me in this one were 22&28a plus 17&18d and I freely admit to using a few reveals to achieve completion.
Thanks, ALP, but please remember that even the most supportive solvers will only allow you so many strikes before ruling you out!
Thank you Jane, I was actually thinking summat very similar – my nine lives are now well and truly gone!
Welcome back, ALP.
Anyone who is able to solve (and parse) this unaided deserves my utmost admiration. I really like the invention and thinking behind a number of the clues, but several are way too ambitious, in my opinion, requiring large leaps of faith to arrive at the solutions. 10a is just one example, it wasn’t alone. By the way, “flip” in 26a doesn’t work, for the cryptic grammar it needs to be “flipped” or “flipping”. My favourite clue (from those I could solve and understand fully) was 22a.
I’m reluctant to suggest a significant reining in of your obvious enthusiasm for complex wordplay, but I think at times you seem to get a little carried away with certain ideas to the exclusion of analysing whether they are fair to the solver or not. If you are determined to continue in the same vein as today, then you need to prepare yourself for similar reactions and, over time, to see fewer solvers willing to tackle your puzzles. I don’t want you to feel discouraged, as there is much to commend here, but you really do need to dial down the difficulty level.
Thank you, ALP.
Thank you, silvanus. That is more than fair – extremely generous, in fact. Thank you, also, for the “flip” tip. Duly noted. Yes, I do get “a little carried away”, to say the least. And no, I am absolutely determined NOT to continue in this vein. I fully realise tolerance can only last so long and that train has more than left the station. Having promised now each time to be gentler and repeatedly not delivered, I will nervously make the same promise again – but really mean it this time. I will and must dial it down. Incredibly helpful, as ever, and far from the merited savagery that I expected! Sincere thanks.
Well, I have finished this but it was a big struggle and there’s a few parsings I don’t fully understand. I did rather enjoy it though – in a somewhat masochistic (the general meaning I hasten to add) sort of way; a battle of attrition. So, thank you ALP. I’d call it a sort of maverick/very quirky/unconventional Toughie type puzzle with maybe a few technical issues. But there are plenty of very good clues in there. 1a is excellent – a great anagram with a punctuation mark as a definition. And I really like 28a – not a Spoonerism, just a reference to him by name! So, now I’ll take 3 or 4 paracetamols and go and join Gazza in his lie-down
What a delightful comment, Jose. Thank you. I love the “maverick/quirky/unconventional” tag. I’ll take it! Ta lots for battling through my nonsense. I’m smiling just thinking of you and Gazza lying down together. What a chucklesome image that i!
PS. I found 10a (probably my favourite) one of the more straightforward/easier clues – the wordplay is basically saying: where S is three dots = the answer. A cracking clue!
Oh, I’m so pleased to hear you say that. Thank you. 10a got a thumbs down from silvanus – and the man knows his onions – but I thought it was eminently gettable. Good man, that’s very cheering. Ta.
Gosh. I set off at a gallop but slowed down big time. That really was tough, ALP, but thank you. Highlights for me were – A: 1, 10 (podium), 12, 17, 22, 27 & 28 (COTD – super clue); D: 1, 2, 17, 19, 25.
I needed some reveals for the last few, and plenty of e-dictionary assistance for another half-dozen. If you drew a diagonal from top left to bottom right, then everything to the SW of that line and a few to the NE went in ok, but the rest was a struggle. That which I liked I really liked. But that which I didn’t … well, as has been said above, I look forward to seeing the parsing & do not envy Prolixic having had to do so.
15a makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever, likewise 26a (biffed), 8d, & 21d (a good question, answered by Google: not me!);
20a – surely rev up to excite, not just rev
24a – American indicator?
3d – I cannot find support in the BRB for “uptown” = “glamorous”, unless I have mis-parsed the clue.
5d – I can see where you are going but this doesn’t work for me – and reads awkwardly
6d – is there meant to be a homophone here (grind/knead), or if born is ne or nee, I cannot see how this works
23d corgi as a joiner for the Welsh Guard is … different.
I enjoy the freshness and wit in your puzzles, and very much look forward to your next submission, but do focus on the feedback from Prolixic and others.
Thanks once again – and to Prolixic
6d was one of the ones I couldn’t initially parse (now all sorted (I think) with help from the BRB). Ding apparently means ‘to reiterate to a wearisome degree (i.e. grind on)’.
Huge thanks MG, a forensic examination of my many flaws! And it’s hard to quibble. But I will try to address your typically cogent points.
15a smoking = smarting (as per Chambers), ie sore. Lifting badly, etc = stealing, etc. I was worried about this. Rightly, as it happens!
26a (Vin) Diesel + RAC (drivers) flip (should be flipped, apparently, though I still don’t quite see why!) + ORE (archaic/vintage o’er/over, as per Chambers). And then a def by example. Another one that kept me up at night.
8d (ers = bitter vetch/climber, Chambers) My ignorance of plants is all but total but this is actually one that even I knew. So I figured it must be well-known. Erm, perhaps not!
21d – my wife is sort of French so I was lulled into thinking this was a universal word. Again, perhaps not. But I’d just read an interview with Dita in the Times and this word was in the standfirst so I figured it was OK. And it is pretty much the first word that comes up when you Google her. I was clearly wrong to assume that you were a burlesque man!
20a – rev, according to the BRB, is “often” used with up, but not always. And if you ‘rev the engine’ you excite it, no?
24a – re “broad” (and this was pushing it, no question, not least in terms of good taste) as I understand it, it can mean woman in the UK. But in the US it means something rather more unfortunate, hence my decision not to include an indicator.
3d – not supported by Chambers, you’re right, but it is supported by Collins. Possibly cheeky of me.
5d – I totally accept your point but I just couldn’t resist!
6d – NEE + ding (to grind/bang on, as per Chambers). Oh, I see Gazza’s cracked it!
23d – yes, I see what you mean by “different” but “corgi” has been clued so many times that I felt honour-bound to at least try to be a tad fresh.
Seriously, thank you. You’ve taken a lot of time and effort and I hugely appreciate it. You’ve been more than kind, too. And yes, I will, as ever, listen to Prolixic (et al) but – hopefully – also learn this time!
I was a bit baffled by 21d at first, then realised it must be a DD because I knew the answer as a mounted sentry and googling the woman performer I found the second meaning (a def by example) – she’s described as an American v*****e. And that one was new to me. A fine clue!
Thank you (& Gazza) for your explanations. I am enlightened!
However I’m still unconvinced by rev/excite or the corgi I’m afraid, and an issue for me – and I stress me, etc, as it is my general ignorance at fault – is that when faced with clues requiring specific cultural knowledge it can be immensely frustrating if one does not share that cultural knowledge and cannot understand an answer, even if correctly “biffed”.
Subsequent to reading your explanation I realised I was vaguely aware of the name Vin Diesel, but on googling the name, only “Saving Private Ryan” is familiar to me from a quick scan of his list of works. Likewise only googling the strange three words in 21d to find out what they meant gave in turn the French-derived answer – two obscure references as a DD feels rather unsporting.
15a still doesn’t work for me I’m afraid – the old A=B & B=C but A ≠ C; and since lifting and stealing are synonyms, ‘badly’ feels like padding.
From a solver’s perspective I do think that at this stage in the “learning to set a cryptic crossword” process the focus should be on getting the basics right consistently in every clue, rather than making the puzzle overly challenging or being overly experimental.
All this aside, ALP, I genuinely look forward to your next puzzle, and I found a lot in this one that I really enjoyed. Thank you again.
All very fair, MG. I have to say you had me Googling as I had no idea Vin Diesel was in Saving Private Ryan. He is, I would say, better known for the Fast & Furious series. And I can only applaud all the more if you’ve managed never to see one! Good man, and thanks again.
A slow start. …. And then even slower! What a relief to read that CS had to reveal letters! We knew then that we would need to do likewise but that didn’t stop us battling on. We loved 1a and 1d but we do have several that we were unable to parse. More, please, ALP but please be kinder to us next time.
You’re an absolute pro for battling on. Hats off and thanks. I fear I’ve misjudged the difficulty … yet again. I’m clearly not as quick a learner as I thought I was. On pain of exile, my next one will be gentler!
Started to reveal letters with 8 clues unsolved & with the parsing of a number of those solved not fully understood. Threw in the towel at the 5th letter reveal & revealed all. Too tough for me & by a margin. I did like 1&28a plus 13d & 15a prompted me to play a bit of Robert Cray.
Thanks ALP but be gentle next time please.
Oh dear, sorry about that. But at least it prompted some Cray – so I’ve done one good thing!
Brilliant! Many thanks, Prolixic. “Strayed over the fine line between genius and madness” are words that will forever stay with me. As will “just because you can do something, doesn’t mean that you should”. How very, very true. Sincere thanks for the many spot-on pointers. And huge thanks to all who gritted teeth and pulled hair. Lessons (I think and hope) FINALLY learned!
Many thanks for the review, Prolixic, and the explanations of the parsing issues that I couldn’t sort out for myself. I do hope ALP sticks to his word when it comes to his next compilation!