A Puzzle by Snowman
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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.
Welcome back to Snowman with another very good crossword. The across clues were particularly good but more niggling points arose with the down clues. Often this happens where you are approaching the finishing line and rush to complete the final clues or you have a mammoth setting session and begin to run out of steam towards the end. Taking a break and coming back to the crossword with fresh mind is helpful. Overall, there was an over-reliance on using the first or last letters of a word as part of the wordplay. The commmentometer reads as 3/32 or 9.4%.
Across
1a High time to acquire a winger (11)
HUMMINGBIRD: A seven-letter word meaning high (in the smelly sense) followed by a four-letter slang for time in prison.
7a Title ostiary used every now and then (3)
SIR: The even letters (used every now and then) in the second word of the clue.
9a Extensive popular German houses (5)
LARGE: The answer is hidden (houses) in the second and third words of the clue.
10a Enticing, devilishly genial nod (7,2)
LEADING ON: An anagram (devilishly) of GENIAL NOD.
11a Misfits that could be on mute? (3,3,3)
ODD MEN OUT: A reverse anagram where the solution read as a clue could lead to one mute.
12a Revolutionary group of stars discovered tradition (5)
USAGE: Reverse (revolutionary) the name of a group of stars without the first and last letters (discovered).
13a Fields needs an alcoholic drink – old whiskey, dash of soda (7)
MEADOWS: A four-letter word for an alcoholic drink made from honey followed by the abbreviation for old, the letter in the NATO phonetic alphabet represented by whiskey and the first letter (dash) of soda.
15a Principal characters in yet another Rob Newman story (4)
YARN: The first letters (principal characters in) of the fourth to seventh words of the clue.
18a Revise occasionally read Stephen King novel (4)
EDIT: The even letters (occasionally) of read followed by the two-letter name of a Stephen King novel.
20a Tyrants needing military stations to hold latest detail of soldiers (7)
DESPOTS: A six-letter word for military stations includes (to hold) the final letter (latest detail) of soldiers.
23a Right to abandon incongruous type of architecture (5)
IONIC: A six-letter word meaning incongruous without (to abandon) the abbreviation for right.
24a Actor having some bling refurbished (3,6)
MEL GIBSON: An anagram (refurbished) of SOME BLING.
26a Hard aggressive calls repeated to limit vote for the ordinary people (3,6)
HOI POLLOI: The abbreviation for hard followed by a repeated two-letter word for an aggressive call that includes (to limit) a four-letter word for a vote.
27a Finally found damask with a dark chianti shade (5)
KHAKI: The final letters of the third to seventh words of the clue.
28a Food portions reduced by 50% (3)
PIE: A six-letter word for portions with the final three-letters removed (reduced by 50%).
29a Trickery by greenmailer abruptly put right around first of December (11)
LEGERDEMAIN: An anagram (put right) of GREENMAILER without the final letter (abruptly) around the first letter of December.
Down
1d Henry and everyone in Normandy agree to eat medium cheese (8)
HALLOUMI: The abbreviation for Henry followed by a three-letter word meaning everyone and the three-letter French (in Normandy) word indicating agreement into which you include (to eat) the abbreviation for medium.
2d A red Mini set off at midday (8)
MERIDIAN: An anagram (set off) of A RED MINI.
3d Goddess in Italy confronts Frenchman (5)
IRENE: The IVR code for Italy followed by a four-letter name of some Frenchmen. I am not sure that confronts works particularly well especially in a down clue.
4d Head of GMTV permits grim type of humour (7)
GALLOWS: The first letter (head) of GMTV followed by a six-letter word meaning permits. I think that there has been an overuse of initial and last letters so far – with two acrostics with first and last letters and four clues where you take the first or last letter of a word.
5d Awkwardly snooze in Florence’s home, end of sofa missing (7)
INAPTLY: A three-letter word meaning snooze inside the country where Florence is found without (missing) the last letter (end) of sofa.
6d Coppers arrest misbehaving Iraqi after drinking basically unbelievable cocktails (9)
DAIQUIRIS: The abbreviation (plural) of Detective Inspectors includes (arrest) an anagram (misbehaving) of IRAQI around (after drinking) the first letter (basically) of unbelievable. In terms of the cryptic grammar of the clue, arresting would work better than arrest otherwise you have the construction A arrest B.
7d Remarkable yellow card? (6)
SIGNAL: Double definition.
8d Apple‘s cash setback (6)
RENNET: A reversal (setback) of an informal word for a ten pound note (cash).
14d Traditionalist keeps calm, first sign of hostility coming later (3,6)
OLD SCHOOL: A phrase (5, 4) meaning keeps calm with the H (first sign of hostility) moved down. As well as yet another take the first / last letter of a word, there is also the repetition of first as an initial letter indication (see 29 across).
16d Reduced foamy mixture otherwise called a Greek casserole (8)
MOUSSAKA: A six-letter name of a foamy food type (savoury or sweet) without the final letter (reduced) followed by the abbreviation for also known as (otherwise).
17d Young family member takes in United Nation’s capital city (8)
ASUNCION: A phrase (1, 5) for a young family member around (takes in) the abbreviation for United Nations. I think you need “A young family member” to indicate the first letter of the solution.
19d Delay comedians Vine and Giedroyc sharing mega joke without admitting source (4,3)
TIME LAG: The first names of the comedians Vine and Giedroyc with the letter M (mega) shared followed by a three-letter word for a joke without the first letter (admitting source).
20d Time-waster Nancy’s to go around one following bit of delay (7)
DALLIER: The French (Nancy’s) verb for to go around the letter represented by one all after (following) the first word (bit) of delay. There is a repetition of around as a containment indicator (see 29a).
21d Accident caused by chap’s navigational aid, according to Spooner (6)
MISHAP: A Spoonerism of HIS MAP (chap’s navigational aid).
22d Stimulate dictator’s understanding (6)
INCITE: A homophone (dictator’s) of INSIGHT (understanding).
25d Suspicion coming from phone call tip off (5)
INKLE: Remove the first letter (tip off) from a six-letter word for a phone call.
We thought this was a very competently put together puzzle that was a real pleasure to solve. We have ended up with so many ticks that it is just impossible to single out any one for special mention.
Congratulations and thanks Snowman.
What the 2Ks said
Thanks to Snowman and, in advance, to Prolixic
An enjoyably gentle puzzle – many thanks.
An enjoyable puzzle – many thanks to Snowman.
My favourite clue was the 21d Spoonerism.
Really liked this excellent RC puzzle. Fine clues provided a reasonanble challenge for me, and a very enjoyable solve. I’ve got what is probably another brain-freeze with 11a. Got the defininition/answer and anagram bit OK but can’r quite see how you get the “odd”. Have ticked a fair few and any one could be a favourite. If a back-pager: 3*/4*.
*Just sussed 11a, I think. Odd in the answer is acting as the anagram indicator for the fodder in the clue?
Thank you, Snowman. We enjoyed your puzzle, didn’t know the verb in 25d, only the related noun and the answer, without tip, meaning phone call. We look forward to your next puzzle and also to Prolixic’s review.
Welcome back, Snowman.
Like your debut puzzle a few months ago, this was another very accomplished crossword with few technical faults that I spotted. I enjoyed solving it a lot.
I did have a few quibbles though; there seemed to be an over-reliance on adding/removing first and last letters and I felt that using two French words in 1d and 20d respectively was probably one too many. The indefinite articles in the clues for 13a and 16d seem superfluous, whereas I think one is needed at the start of 17d. I’d much prefer to see a verbal reversal indicator in 8d. Your two best clues, in my opinion, were 11a and 14d.
Many thanks and congratulations on another fine puzzle, Snowman.
I enjoyed this one, Snowman, good to see that you haven’t melted away yet!
My top three were 4,21&22d.
Many thanks, looking forward to your next one.
Thanks to all for solving my puzzle and I am pleased to see that you all seemed to like it. I was interested to see what the view on toughness is, varying from Encota’s enjoyably gentle to Jose’s 3* for a back pager. I did think it was a bit harder than my debut, but had hoped it wouldn’t be a Toughie, so am relieved. Yes, Jose you are right about 11a. The “that could be on mute?” is intended to convey that there is a bit of trickery going on. I think I have seen this kind of clue more often in the Toughie, which contributed to my concern about difficulty. I was interested to see that Silvanus thought two French words are too much. Perhaps I should make a mental note of foreign influence from now on, but instinctively I feel that more than one foreign word has found its way into a number of puzzles. Possibly different languages, but I’m not sure about that. Also French has made a significant contribution to the English dictionary, so to me, the simpler words at least feel at home. Certainly, I think, Americanisms are abundant, which are not always indicated, which can be a bit tough depending on how much and what TV you watch, especially when the word is old. While I appreciate that I am the beneficiary of friends of the blog’s wisdom and I can only hope you try the crossword and so in no way expect a comment, that reminds me of Rabbit Dave, who didn’t comment today and I hope is doing well. And thanks to Jane for her well wishes, I nearly did melt in one of the recent heat waves!
RD is away for a week which will be the only reason why he hasn’t commented.
Thanks for the review Prolixic. Of course, you and Silvanus are correct about 17d. I am not sure what happened to the ‘a’ at the beginning. I intended one to be there, as is evidenced by the clue notation. Taking a break and coming back to the crossword with a fresh mind is a good suggestion.
Many thanks for the review Prolixic. Sounds as though Snowman has done quite a good job – well done to him!
Sorry this is such a late comment, Snowman.
Solving this was very enjoyable. On the whole, I thought the puzzle was rather good.
My top choices are 1d, 4d, 16d, 12a and 27a.
Many thanks for the entertainment, Snowman, and very well done! Prolixic has described this as ‘another very good crossword’. That is praise indeed.
Many thanks to Prolixic for the review.