A Puzzle by Ferret
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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.
After a commendable debut crossword a few weeks ago, I was hoping for great thinks from this second crossword. Unfortunately, this crossword had more errors than the previous one and quite a few loose synonyms. The commentometer reads as 7.5/30 or 25%.
Across
1a Step in sand, need less grabbing sensation? (4,3,7)
PINS AND NEEDLES: The answer is hidden (grabbing) in the first five words of the clues.
10a Sack the joint! (5)
ELBOW: Double definition. I don’t think that the first definition works as it would require “out” after the solution.
11a Realistic about Middle Eastern desk (4,5)
WORK TABLE: An eight-letter word meaning realistic around (about) the middle letter of Eastern. Not all editors would accept middle eastern to indicate the middle letter of a word as the cryptic grammar requires middle of to be valid.
12a Lethal Weapon star (7)
POLARIS: Double definition, the first being a nuclear missile and the second the North Star.
13a Reason to forget a name is troubling (7)
AMNESIA: An anagram (troubling) of A NAME IS. I am not sure that the solution is a reason to forget something, more the reason why you forget something.
14a According to spooner, borrowed stimulant (5)
TONIC: A Spoonerism of ON TICK (borrowed). Spooner should be capitalised.
16a Angry vicar hits curator (9)
ARCHIVIST: An anagram (angry) of VICAR HITS.
19a Slap notice on screen (9)
EYESHADOW: A three-letter word meaning spot followed by a six-letter word meaning screen or shade something. Some editors will require the use of A on B to mean that A follows B.
20a Minor actor occasionally exits in time (5)
EXTRA: The even letters (occasionally) of exits in a three-letter word for a period of time.
22a Wide smile from start to finish, before drink calls (5,2)
RINGS UP: A four-letter word for a wide smile with the first letter moved to the end followed by a three-letter word meaning to drink.
25a Former employee on Scottish island (7)
RETIREE: A two-letter word meaning on followed by a five-letter name of a Scottish island.
27a Working classes beginning to have repeated complaints about election (3,6)
HOI POLLOI: The first letter (beginning to) of have followed by a two-letter repeated for a complaint would a four-letter word for an election. I think that the two-letter word for a complaint is really a two-letter word for a call for attention.
28a Cut around unknown soft growth (5)
POLYP: A reversal (around) of a three-letter word for cut followed by a letter representing an unknown amount and the abbreviation for soft or quietly.
29a Ensemble gets in proper practice (5,9)
DRESS REHEARSAL: A five-letter word for a set of clothes (ensemble) followed by a four-letter word meaning gets or catches inside a four-letter word meaning proper. Avoid repeating wordplay indicators. In as a containment indicator was used in 20a.
Down
2d I’m a prick to accept British unfairness (9)
IMBALANCE: The IM from the clue followed by a five-letter word meaning to prick around (to accept) the abbreviation for British.
3d Drain small jug (5)
SEWER: The abbreviation for small followed by a four-letter word for a jug.
4d Four ways to endure Sun’s setting? (9)
NEWSSTAND: Four cardinal points of the compass (ways) followed by a five-letter word meaning to endure or tolerate something.
5d Most common opera (5)
NORMA: A six-letter word meaning common with the final letter removed (most). For the cryptic grammar to work, it would need to be most of or mostly.
6d Old mate, I have accepted a great deal that is far-reaching (9)
EXTENSIVE: A two-letter word for a former partner (old mate) followed by the three-letter contraction of I have includes (accepted) a three-letter word meaning a great deal. Avoid repeating wordplay indicators. Accept was used as a containment indicator in 2d. I am not convinced that the word required for a great deal is not really a great deal.
7d Makes smoother blues mix (5)
LUBES: An anagram (mix) of BLUES.
8d Royal house, conflict in order to make Restoration (7)
STEWART: A three-letter word for a conflict in a four-letter editorial order to make a restoration. There is another repetition of in as a containment indicator. Also, the archaic spelling of the royal house should be been indicated in the clue.
9d Meal for Kitty Brewer? (6)
TEAPOT: A three-letter word for a meal followed by a three-letter word for a kitty of money. The for in the clue is redundant and should have been omitted. It is there purely for the surface reading.
15d Choose sin over harmonies (9)
COHESIONS: An anagram (over) of CHOOSE SIN.
17d Fear murder after care of dependent (9)
COWARDICE: A three-letter American word meaning murder after the abbreviation for care of and a four-letter word for a dependent. The American use of murder should be indicated in the clue.
18d Confound Ian, Teri and Al amongst others (5,4)
INTER ALIA: An anagram (confound) of IAN TERI AL.
19d Death rate dropping at work provided path of least resistance (7)
EARTHED: An anagram (work) of DEATH RATE without (dropping) the AT. I think that the anagram indicator is one that needs to go before the letters to be rearranged.
21d Beer on behalf of old city (6)
ALEPPO: A three-letter word for beer followed by the abbreviation for on behalf of and the abbreviation for old.
23d Setter found in part of church green (5)
NAIVE: The single letter pronoun for the setter inside (found in) a four-letter word for part of a church. A fourth repetition of “in” as a containment indicator.
24d Beat up, return to college (5)
PULSE: A reversal (return) of the UP from the clue followed by the abbreviation for London School of Economics (college). For the cryptic grammar to work, the reversal indicator needs to be returning.
26d Plant again; turn; soak (5)
TOPER: A reversal (turn) of a five-letter word meaning plant again. The cryptic grammar does not work here. As an imperative instruction, turn needs to come before the letters to be reversed.
Although I had a completed grid before I’d finished my muesli, there were a large number of clues that caused my brow to furrow before I sorted out the wordplay. There are a few where I have issues but I’ll leave them for Prolixic to sort out. For some reason, I didn’t enjoy this one as much as your first Rookie Corner crossword
I have written RD by two clues – 17d definitely needs an ‘American’ indicator and 7d says ‘chiefly North American or Australian – so he won’t be keen on that one either. I think 8d might need some sort of indicator that we need the old name of the dynasty. Given that so few letters are written these days, I wonder how many people will remember, like me, writing the ‘on behalf of’ when the letter dictator was not in the office? The memory certainly made me smile
Thanks Ferret and, in advance, to Prolixic
I certainly remember that, Sue, takes you back in time, doesn’t it?
Welcome back to Rookie Corner, Ferret, with another enjoyable puzzle, although I did find this one considerably more challenging than your first. CS is correct about 17a; that meaning of ice is definitely American and so needs an indicator. However, regarding 7a, I disagree with the BRB. I first came across “lube” when working for a British paint company in 1968.
I have just a few comments:
14a – Spooner should be capitalised.
8d – The Royal House is no longer spelt this way, and hasn’t been for donkey’s years.
9d – Although this is a clever idea, I think “for” is surface padding.
26d – I’m not 100% sure, but I think this could be ambiguous. (Well, in any event, I initially entered the answer the wrong way round!)
I have a lot of ticks on my page: 10a, 12a, 25a, 29a, 5d & 23d.
Very well done and many thanks, Ferret. Please keep them coming. Thanks too in advance to Prolixic.
Hi RD,
I did exactly the same as you for 26d. It’s not ambiguous though. For the clue to arrive at TOPER, the verb needs to be “turns” or “turned”. “Turn” as an imperative instruction cannot go after the word it is changing, only before it.
I enjoyed this – thanks Ferret.
I liked the well-hidden 1a as well as 12a, 28a, 29a, 4d and 23d.
Thanks for the puzzle Ferret, I enjoyed it. Favourites for me were 27a, 2d and 4d.
I’ll echo RD’s comments about 26d – I also wrote it in backwards at first.
Thanks again, and in advance to Prolixic.
Welcome back, Ferret, with a puzzle that successfully derailed me in a couple of places. At least I didn’t fall into the 26d trap so that was a bonus!
My favoured clues were 1,10,12&25a. I’ll be very interested to read Prolixic’s remarks about a couple of clues but thank you for bringing us another submission.
Thank you, Ferret. We enjoyed your puzzle. Favourites were 1a, 26d and 19a. We look forward to your next one.
Welcome back, Ferret.
Very much a curate’s egg of a puzzle, some excellent clues like 25a and 27a but quite a few others which were either too ambitious or where the cryptic grammar is flawed, e.g. 6d, 19d, 24d and 26d. The latter would work perfectly if the answer was REPOT, which, like RD, I entered originally, but it doesn’t work for TOPER. The solution to 14a can be clued many different ways, but a Spoonerism is the least satisfactory option, I’d suggest. “In” was repeated as an insertion indicator.
I have far more crosses or question marks than ticks on my printed page, which is disappointing. Prolixic will give you his invaluable clue-by-clue review later, please digest it carefully, particularly with regard to eliminating the cryptic grammar errors.
Many thanks, Ferret.
Thank you all for talking the trouble to complete my humble effort and for sharing your expertise. It is all of great help and is really appreciated. I will take all of it on board and will try to improve for next time.
I had realised my error on 26d (TOPER) that many of you identified after I’d submitted it. I thought it was ambiguous, but realise now that it’s even worse than that and the clue can only lead to the wrong answer! The issue in 8d (STEWART/STUART) was identified by my friend who checked it, but I was so excited about getting conflict and restoration into the wordplay that I ignored his sage advice and decided that even if they aren’t Stewarts, they should be…probably not a sound strategy for quality clueing. Lesson learned!
I’m looking forward to receiving the feedback from Prolixic tomorrow.
Thanks to Prolixic for the in depth comments. All the comments are so helpful and a timely reminder of how much I have to learn.
This one has been a much needed salutary lesson. Some shaky knowledge and lazy work was at play here, also perhaps a little overconfidence after some positive comments from last time.
Only as good as your last innings they say, so back to the nets for me to put in some much needed work on my forward defensive. I’ll try to come back better and put a few runs on the board very soon!
Thanks again to all!
Many thanks for the review, Prolixic. It sounds, from his comment, as though Ferret will take note and act upon of all of your comments, so I look forward to seeing a much improved offering from him next time.