NTSPP 786 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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NTSPP 786

by StephenL  
  • A Puzzle by duncanjwitham

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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.

A warm welcome to Duncanjwitham who makes his debut in the NTSPP with an impressive puzzle full of inventive clueing and excellent surface reads, so thanks to him.

 

Across

1a Tell, among others, bloke to follow show of respect (6)
BOWMAN: An action that indicates respect and a synonym of bloke.

4a This suggests pet is avoiding the usual trails (3-5)
OFF-PISTE: Reverse anagram. Nice.

10a An occupation with creased sheets? (7)
ORIGAMI: Cryptic definition, the sheets being paper

11a More tense around arena, both sides conceded four in Germany (7)
NERVIER: Remove the outer letters from aRENa and reverse the result (around/both sides conceded) and add the German word for four. Excellent

12a Flat number 2? (4)
EVEN: Double definition

13a Sense Oscar being dished out for indelicacy (10)
COARSENESS: Anagram (dished out) of SENSE OSCAR

15a Monster academic paper submitted (6)
DRAGON: An academic or fellow around a down-market newspaper. Not entirely sure about submitted as an insertion indicator but I guess it's justifiable

16a Rules Murray's second hits out of bounds, causing argument in court (7)
LAWSUIT: A synonym of rules, U (Murray's second) and the inner letters of hITs

20a Avoid boxing, got broken arm (7)
SHOTGUN: A synonym of avoid or ignore “boxing” an anagram of GOT. Well disguised definition

21a Son frequently gets temper (6)
SOFTEN: The abbreviation for Son and an adverb meaning frequently

24a Financial deterrent is working to stop noise problem (6,4)
POISON PILL: IS from the clue and the usual preposition for working “stop” a noise (of a gun maybe) Add a problem or misfortune

26a Somewhat unoccupied, with time to worry (4)
FRET: All but the last letter of a synonym of unoccupied and the abbreviation for Time. Not sure about “somewhat” as a last letter deletion indicator. This is a charming rendition of my favourite Blur song. Reputedly David Bowie's so I'm in good company.

28a Some millionaire bigwigs returning from Spain or Portugal (7)
IBERIAN: Hidden and reversed. Shame to follow somewhat directly with some.

29a Two on staff giving important speech (7)
KEYNOTE: Two elements of a musical staff

30a Wears uniform (8)
FATIGUES: Double definition, one a verb, the other a noun

31a Wandered back from shops with no clothes on (6)
SNAKED: The final letter of shops and an adjective meaning without clothes

 

Down

1d Satisfactory finale from Alice in Chains, they keep volumes up (8)
BOOKENDS: An abbreviated satisfactory or fine and the final letter of AlicE inserted into some chains. The volumes are read. Excellent

2d With chair regularly appearing damp, lifted dust cover up (9)
WHITEWASH: A charade of the abbreviation for With, the regular letters of cHaIr, a reversal (lifted in a down clue) of damp or moist and some dust

3d Regrettably one abandons secret identity (4)
ALAS: Remove the letter that looks like the number one from a pseudonym or secret identity

5d Gloomy amusement arcade's closure official (8)
FUNEREAL: A synonym of amusement, the final letter of arcadE and a synonym of official or concrete

6d Twisting a narrative (10)
PERVERSION: A three-letter word for a in the sense of “6 a dozen” say and a narrative or account

7d Look happy when cycling a long way (5)
SMILE: A generic long way with the final letter cycled to the front

8d Exit ship after, say, berg discovered coming back (6)
EGRESS: The usual say, and the usual ship follows the inner letters (for the third time!) of bERg which are reversed. I'm fine with coming back as a reversal in a down clue but some editors don't like it

9d Deep hole concerning, getting climbing equipment (5)
PITON: A deep hole and a preposition meaning concerning

14d Putting off job, calling hotel, leaving (10)
POSTPONING: A job or position plus a synonym of calling with the abbreviation for Hotel removed

17d Trick lone bats, making couple (9)
INTERLOCK: Anagram (bats) of TRICK LONE

18d Expectation of American pressure during hearing perhaps (8)
SUSPENSE: An abbreviated American and the abbreviation for Pressure inserted into something of which hearing is an example

19d Full-length novel contended with lack of leader in Chile (3-2-3)
END-TO-END: Anagram (novel) of cONTENDED.

22d Joint second: foxtrot featuring extravagant flip (6)
SPLIFF: The abbreviation for Second and Foxtrot “feature” an anagram (extravagant) of FLIP. Nice.

23d Double 50 entered, when added it makes 99? (5)
FLAKE: A synonym of double in the sense of alike but not the same with an insertion of the Roman numeral for fifty. The solution refers to what's added to an ice cream to make a 99.

25d IT author admitted turning amateurish (5)
INEPT: IT from the clue contains a reversal of a synonym of author as a verb

27d That man sung song (4)
HYMN: A homophone (sung) of a pronoun meaning that man. Fun.

 

 

13 comments on “NTSPP 786”

  1. Fairly gentle and very enjoyable – thanks to Duncan.
    Top clues for me were 2d, 7d and 23d with my favourite being 4a.

  2. The bottom wasn’t as gentle as the top, and I got in a bit of a muddle in the SW corner

    Thanks to Duncan and, in advance, to StephenL

  3. It’s been quite a while since your well-deserved promotion from Rookie Corner, Duncan, but this NTSPP debut was well worth waiting for.

    It was, as Gazza says, fairly gentle and very enjoyable. I had ticks by almost every clue with 4a, 16a, 30a, 31a, 23d & 27d the top of the pile.

    Many thanks. If possible, please don’t leave it so long before the next one!

  4. Thanks Duncan for an enjoyable NTSPP début. Caffeine required and I almost had to go for a second dose as, like CS, I had some trouble in the SW.

    Smiles for 20a, 24a, 31a, 25d, and 27d.

    Thanks again and thanks in advance to Stephen L.

  5. As others have found, the traps lay in the SW – didn’t occur to me to look for that type of joint and my knowledge of financial deterrents is minimal. Have enough trouble just understanding communications from my bank! I did investigate this one but it left my brain hurting………
    Top clues for me were 16&31a plus 5&23d.

    Thank you Duncan, a commendable debut in the NTSPP slot.

  6. We found this quite a bit trickier than most are reporting but certainly agree on the enjoyment. Favourite and last in was 16a.
    Thanks Duncan.

  7. Thanks for the comments everyone – glad you all seemed to enjoy it.

    I have to say, I thought this one was on the trickier end, and that’s certainly the feedback I had from my tester, but if I’m getting a mixture of gentle and tricky responses, I guess it’s about right?

    Rabbit Dave – the delay is mostly down to the length of the queue, this one was submitted back in December. The next one is pretty much ready to submit.

    Thanks everyone, and thanks in advance to StephenL.

  8. Found this tricky today with SW the hold up.
    Liked 7d & especially 23d … always liked those!

    Thanks to Duncan

  9. Late to this having been pleasantly occupied watching grandsons playing football in two separate matches. Happy as they both won! Thanks Duncan for an enjoyable puzzle with some really well constructed clues. I thought this was a well put together combination of accessible and tricky ones. Checkers from the accessible clues were definitely needed to enable me to solve some of the trickier ones. The NE corner held me up longest. I was unclear which way round 7d worked initially and I’m still struggling to parse a couple. Lots to like though.Ticks from me for 1, 4, 20 and 31 across 2 and 23 down. Many thanks again and to Stephen L in advance

  10. I found this fairly tractable, but didn’t know the financial deterrent; fortunately my wordfinder did. 16ac and 17dn took a bit of working out, too. Congratulations, though on your NTSPP debut, Duncan.

  11. Many thanks, Duncan. We really enjoyed your puzzle but had to reveal a couple of letters to get 24a, 22d and 23d. Then 25d and 30 across fell into place. We had the answer to 29a but needed to read Stepnen’s review to parse it – thank you Stephen. Favourites were 20a and 1a. We look forward to your next crossword.

  13. Very late to this but glad I got round to it as very enjoyable. The financial deterrent required a bit of post solve investigation but couldn’t be owt else really.
    Thanks Duncan & to Stephen for the review

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