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:
I think that ALP has hit his stride producing a good balance of clues both simple and complex, but not overengineered, and with plenty of humour. Trichologists will have less work to do after today’s crossword. With only a handful of comments, the commentometer reads as 2.5/32 or 7.8%.
Across
1a Spooner’s keen cow is one grass-munching machine! (9)
LAWNMOWER: A Spoonerism of mourn (keen) lower (cow).
6a Heavyweight champ swinging both ways in solid defence (5)
ALIBI: The name of the well-known heavyweight boxer followed by a two-letter word meaning bisexual (swinging both ways).
9a Worthwhile sea bathing ritual (7)
MERITED: A three-letter word for a sea around (bathing) a four-letter word for a ritual.
10a Batman and Robin’s coup de grâce averts Strange (7)
SERVANT: An anagram (strange) of N (the final letter (coup de grace) of Robin) AVERTS. Whilst I like the inventiveness of coup de grace, as a finishing stroke, a coup de grace is what brings about the end of something, it is not the end itself.
11a Jason’s sheepskin coat on Only Fools & Horses channel lasts in the imagination (6,6)
GOLDEN FLEECE: A six-letter word for a coat after (on) the Channel that shows re-reruns of Only Fools and Horses and the final letter (lasts in) of the imagination. Perhaps a little too much of an overlap between coat and the solution. Knowing the TV channel on which the series is repeated might be a stretch for overseas and some UK solvers.
14a Outlawed Nicaraguan rebel group (10)
CONTRABAND: Split 6, 4 this would describe the Nicaraguan rebel band.
16a Gaffe that could make Starmer stammer (4)
TYPO: Cryptic definition of a typing error.
18a Commercials on the radio for tots (4)
ADDS: A homophone (on the radio) of ADS (commercials).
20a TV launches products to put some bounce in the bedroom! (3,7)
BOX SPRINGS: A three-letter word for a TV followed by a seven-letter word for launches.
23a Fabulous advice lands a stash of loot (8,4)
ALADDINS CAVE: An anagram (fabulous) of ADVICE LANDS A.
27a Amber Heard’s US trials (7)
TOURNEY: A homophone (heard) of TAWNY (amber). The definition suggests a plural answer but the solution is in the singular.
28a Foul play close to goalie leads to this nail-biter (7)
PENALTY: An anagram (foul) of PLAY E (close to goalie) TN (leads to this nail-biter).
29a M&S sandwiches to scoff in game? (5)
MEATS: The M and S from the clue around (sandwiches) a three-letter word mean to scoff.
30a About time to quit typecasting poor Africans (9)
EGYPTIANS: The abbreviations from about and time are removed from TYPECASTING and you make an anagram (poor) of the remaining letters.
Down
1d Dose of lethal amphetamine hit hard (4)
LAMP: The answer is hidden (dose of) in the third and fourth words of the clue.
2d Sketch, maybe drawn outside, is ruined (3-4)
WAR-TORN: A three-letter word describing a sketch or other drawing with a four-letter meaning drawn or haggard around it (outside).
3d Hemingway’s heroes possibly turned to drama before heading for Spain (8)
MATADORS: An anagram (turned) of TO DRAMA followed by the initial letter (heading) of Spain.
4d Extend women’s club room (5)
WIDEN: The abbreviation for a women’s organization noted for jam and Jerusalem followed by a three-letter word for a room.
5d Murmurs of cattle theft on Sierra (9)
RUSTLINGS: An eight-letter word for cattle-theft followed by the letter represented by Sierra in the NATO phonetic alphabet.
6d American gluttony’s accepted (6)
AGREED: The single-letter abbreviation for American followed by a five-letter word for gluttony.
7d One publication with pretty, topless pictures (7)
IMAGERY: The letter from one followed by a three-letter word for a publication and a four-letter word meaning pretty without the first letter (topless).
8d Little India in Athens? (4)
IOTA: The Greek letter for I (India).
12d Battle axe? (5)
SCRAP: Double definition for a fight and to dismiss or axe.
13d Show off squash shot (5)
BOAST: Double definition.
15d Sort of claret once drunk by old poet (5,4)
BLOOD TYPE: An anagram (drunk) of BY OLD POET.
17d Neighbourhood coffee shop wraps reportedly flop (8)
PRECINCT: A four-letter name of a coffee shop around a homophone (reportedly) of SINK (flop). As the coffee-shop is more noted for sandwiches and ready-meals, describing it as a coffee shop is a little misleading.
19d Count 15? (7)
DRACULA: Cryptic definition for a count who feasts on blood.
21d New article from Macron is a short read (7)
NOVELLA: A five-letter word meaning new followed by the French feminine singular of the (article from Macron).
22d Henry, pushed for time, consumes ribs (6)
TAUNTS: A six-letter word for consumes with the H (Henry) replaced by a T (time). Try to avoid repeating wordplay indicators (T for Time was used in 30a). The synonym for consumes I think not quite right. Whilst in the past tense, I was consumed by / haunted by guilt, works, this is one of those occasions where the same sense does not apply to the present tense of consumes.
24d Container round baby’s bottom absorbing pee (5)
NAPPY: Reverse (around) the three-letter container and follow with the final letter (bottom) of baby into which you add (absorbing) the letter that phonetically is spelled as pee.
25d Scotland Yard’s rocked up to make arrest (4)
STEM: Reverse (rocked up) the three-letter description for the police at Scotland Yard with the ‘s maintained.
26d Extra‘s parting words (4)
BYES: Double definition.
We enjoyed the challenge of deciphering what we thought were clever clues although there were a few, 27a and 22d for example, where we’re not sure of all the wordplay.
Specially appreciated the chuckle we got from the 1a Spoonerism.
Thanks ALP.
That’s much better, ALP! I was able to complete this without a headache and I enjoyed the solve. I think you had the difficulty level about right for the top half, but I did find some of the bottom half very tough.
I have only a very few comments:
11a – this seemed over complicated to me when I eventually managed to work out the parsing.
2d – I’m not entirely convinced that “drawn” is synonymous with “worn”.
22d – I struggled with the parsing of this. If I’ve got it right, you need “consumes” to be a synonym for “haunts”, which I think is a bit of a stretch.
24d – I can’t see anything at all cryptic about this clue.
I had a lot of ticks: 1a, 16a, 27a (very clever – and thanks for the US indicator!), 30a, 4d, 12d, 13d, 21d & 26d.
Many thanks, ALP, and well done on the significant improvement. Please keep them coming like this. Thanks too in advance to Prolixic.
24d a reversed container and the bottom of baby ‘absorbing’ P
Ah! Thanks, Sue. In this house we don’t recognise calling single letters by unnecessary names.
RD, 24d. Isn’t this an all-in-one clue (ALP will probably tell me I’m wrong – again)? The whole clue is a definition (rather straight but somewhat obscure/unconventional/cryptic) and it contains good word-play as described by CS above.
As if I ever disagree with you, Jose!! You’re absolutely right – it’s an all-in-one /&lit. The only trouble, of course, with such clues is that, as RD suggested, they can end up looking like a quickie.
Aye, happen you’re reet.
RD, 22d. I’m struggling with the parsing too. But I’m pretty sure that the definition is the last word in the clue and the answer doesn’t begin with H.
Start with a verb meaning consumes or preys on and push out the abbreviation for henry in favour of the abbreviation for time.
Yes, of course. It’s easy when you know how. Thank you.
Jose, I assumed that this clue starts with a word beginning with H and replace it (Henry) with T (time). My concern is that “consumes” is too much of a stretch for the source H-word.
Yes, I got the answer from the clue definition but couldn’t quite fully suss the wordplay. I do think the two words are synonymous (enough) in the sense of obsessed/preoccupied.
Belated thanks for this RD. Forensic and helpful, as ever. I certainly see your point about stretch (sorry about that) and 11a was rather self-indulgent, to say the least. Delighted – and frankly astonished –that you approved of 27a. There is NO way I wasn’t indicating that. I’m over the moon to hear that you think I’m perhaps (finally!) heading in the right direction. Greatly appreciated.
An enjoyable accompaniment to my breakfast. The top half was considerably friendlier than the bottom and some of the parsing did take a bit of muttering to ‘see’ your intentions. I have one clue I still can’t parse
Thanks to ALP and, in advance, to Prolixic
Great puzzle with laughs galore – thanks ALP.
Like others I found the bottom trickier than the top and the homophones don’t work for me.
The 13d squash reference was new for me but the BRB knew it.
Lots to like including 11a, 20a, 7d, 12d and 22d.
Thanks Gazza, that is extraordinarily generous. I did start with good intentions but my inner Hyde clearly kicked back in after half-time. It’s very hard to get some homophones past you, I know! Ta lots.
Completed with the aid of two letter reveals down south. Enjoyed the solve but there are a good few where I’ve yet to peg the why so will need to return to it this evening. 1,14,20&23a particular likes
Cheers ALP
Excellent puzzle, ALP, thank you and very well done. The parsing of 22d & 27d eludes me for now but all else was tightly-written, clear and straightforward, with for me the SE half slightly more testing than the NW half. Great Spoonerism, 11a close to the podium (which featured 28a, 30a & 3d), excellent surfaces throughout. I’d be surprised if Prolixic (to whom thanks in advance) had much to comment on here.
Many thanks for this, MG. Much appreciated. I love your optimism but I fear I’ll still get a bit of a spanking tomorrow! Still, I seem – so far, at least – to have got away with “coup de grâce”. That’s certainly been a lovely surprise. All best.
It was a bit of a stretch to parse that one, but “final blow” just about works to give the ‘n’ for the fodder, in my view. Good luck with the headmaster’s report tomorrow!
Welcome back, ALP. Sorry to say that I’m still struggling when it comes to discerning your thought process in several clues, eg 11a, so will eagerly await the words of wisdom from Prolixic. Top clue for me was 1a with a smile for 13d.
Thank you for bringing us your latest submission.
Thanks for the puzzle ALP, very nice.
Favourite clue is a toss-up between 1a and 16a – laughed out loud when I got both of those. Ticks for 9a, 29a and 12d too, amongst others.
There’s a few I haven’t parsed yet, and there’s definitely a few synonyms that are a little bit iffy for me – mostly the ones Rabbit Dave has already mentioned.
Thanks again, and in advance to Prolixic.
Welcome back, ALP.
Definitely your best puzzle to date, in my opinion, some very inventive and humorous constructions. Interesting to see that today’s back-page setter, Robyn presumably, also included a Dracula-related clue. The Spoonerism in 1a is one I used some time ago, but your wordplay and definition is equally good, if not better. I think “from” would have been a better link word than “on” in 11a, and I share some of the reservations about certain synonyms, but overall this was excellent. Well done, sir!
Huge thanks, silvanus. I’m sorry I hadn’t clocked your original Spooner – I did check to see if it had been done before (I was convinced that it must have been) but I failed to find one. And I take everyone’s “stretch” quibble very much on the chin, and to heart. Hopefully, at least, I’ve shown that I DO listen. A bit! Ta lots.
Many thanks for the puzzle, Alp, very enjoyable but we did struggle to parse some answers and we needed to reveal a couple of letters to finish – so thanks in advance to Prolixic for his words of wisdom. Favourites are 1a, 23a and 21d. We look forward to your next offering.
I’m delighted to see this puzzle getting the positive response that it deserves, ALP. Reining in the difficulty without sacrificing wit and invention is no mean feat. My favourites were: 1a, 6a, 9a, 2d and 15d. Thanks ALP and, in advance, Prolixic.
Huge thanks, Coot. How very lovely. I might have a nice cup of splosh and read that again over an emergency biscuit!
Many, many thanks to Prolixic. Invaluable and enlightening as ever. Interesting about “trials” for competition/tourney as Chambers does stipulate “often in plural”. I woud have much preferred to use the singular as in “trial in Virginia” but I thought I was playing safe. That’s a shame. I do take the point about Pret/coffee but I didn’t want to repeat the already-used “sandwiches”. I completely missed the repeated “time” though and that was certainly a mistake. Re “consumes”, could you not say “grief consumes/haunts him”? I’d say it’s arguable. But I will, of course, take this all on board. Huge and humble thanks, too, to all those who gave me another shot and made such kind and helpful comments. Much appreciated. And for anyone wanting to see how it should be done, Prolixic, AKA Zenas, is on Toughie duty today. It’s annoyingly good!
Many thanks for the review, Prolixic, which I’m sure will hearten ALP. I did have to smile at your comment about coup de grace – I think ALP was congratulating himself over getting away with that one!
I noticed ALP was mentioned in dispatches twice (this RC and the Toughie review), so having enjoyed lots of his comments on weekend puzzles I thought I would investigate further. I am very glad I did so as this was a really good solve with fine surfaces and some entertaining and misleading trickery going on. My page is littered with ticks and the only very minor quibbles I could dredge up were the ‘coffee shop’ (not renowned as such?) and ‘US trials’, the latter solely because I don’t think it needs a ‘US’ qualifier. However, to my ear, it is jolly good homophone. My podium places went to 20a, 23a and 30a, but there were a further 10 clues that ran them close. I liked the tidy 8d, the clever 11a, the 28a &lit – I could go on! Oh, yes – and I enjoyed ‘Spooner’s keen cow’.
Thank you and hearty congratulations, ALP. That was a really good puzzle. As a bonus I have discovered from the above comments that Zenas is a compiler well known to us all. No wonder then that I enjoyed Toughie 3329 and the challenge posed therein. I shall make a point of looking out for Zenas in future!
That is such a charming and generous message, Spartacus. Thank you. You’re certainly not alone in questioning “coffee shop” but I think US trials did need some form of indicator as tourney means either a mediaeval tournament or a modern American one. And there’d have been hell to pay from RD if I’d left one out! I remain mildly irked though because it looks as though I could have got away with my original and much-preferred “trial in Virginia”. And that does make me slightly sad! Delighted to hear that you enjoyed Zenas’ toughie. It was a good ‘un for sure. Huge thanks again.