A Puzzle by Dynamite
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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 Dynamite. There was good progress following their first crossword but when a clue went astray, it tended to do so in a big way. For the next crossword, I would like to see more clues like 14a and fewer or none like 11a. Two particular points to to watch are repeating wordplay indicators and the use of link words between the definition and the wordplay. The commentometer reads as 7.5 / 31 or 24.2%
Across
1a Starts to sulk – unrefined crossword clue etiquette spoils setter’s achievement (7)
SUCCESS: The initial letters (starts to) of the third to ninth words of the clue.
5a Demand obscured by insincere question (7)
REQUEST: The answer is hidden (obscured by) in the final two words of the clue.
10a Schedule for a male, e.g., giving a speech (6)
AGENDA: The A from the clue followed by a homophone (giving a speech) of gender (male, eg). Whilst you can use wordplay for definition, you should not use definition for wordplay.
11a Historical story has to start with rivals removing their coats (8)
ARCHIVAL: A three-letter word for the plot line of story followed by the initial letter (to start) of has and the inner letters (removing their coats) of rivals. A short essay follows! First, I don’t think that the first three letters of the solution are a valid synonym for a story. Secondly, there is a repetition of start as an initial letter indicator (see 1a). Thirdly, “their coats” implies that two or more words have their outer letters removed.
12a Harm horse, docking tail (3)
MAR: A four-letter word for a horse with the final letter removed (docking tail).
13a Bring talked-about Stephen King novel (6)
CARRIE: A homophone (talked about) of carry (bring).
14a Majority snubbed accepted publication (8)
BULLETIN: A four-letter word for the majority of something with the final letter removed (snubbed) followed by a phrase (3,2) meaning accepted or admitted.
15a Take firkin containing fermented drink (5)
KEFIR: The answer is hidden (containing) in the first two words of the clue.
16a Dawn‘s entrance (9)
THRESHOLD: Double definition.
19a Mindset with Pro- instead of Anti- regularly fosters resilience (9)
FORTITUDE: A three-letter word meaning pro replaces the odd letters (regularly) of anti in an eight-letter word meaning mindset. Perhaps produces father than fosters would be better as a link word between the wordplay and the definition.
21a Maiden from brothel slips into celeb’s car, creates an air of uncertainty (5)
LIMBO: The initial letter (maiden from) of brothel inside (slips into) a four-letter word for the type of car that might carry a celebrity.
24a Extensive view of Latin American country filled with gold (8)
PANORAMA: A six-letter Latin American country contains (filled with) the two-letter heraldic term for gold.
26a Bisque with first ingredient substituted for lobster’s tail turned blue (6)
RISQUE: The bisque from the clue with the first letter (first ingredient) replaced by the final letter (tail) of lobster. The cryptic instruction in the clue does the reverse as it implies the lobster’s tail is replaced by the first letter. There is also the repetition of tail to indicate the last letter. Finally, turned as the link word between the wordplay and the definition does not really work.
27a Parasite nearly causes spasm (3)
TIC: A four-letter word for a type of parasite with the final letter removed (nearly). I know it is sometimes used, but as personal preference, I do not like cause as a links word between the wordplay and the definition.
28a Prefer, after excitement, to be realistic (8)
LIFELIKE: A four-letter word meaning prefer after a four-letter word meaning excitement. I am not convinced that the first four letter of the solution are a synonym for excitement.
29a Weirdly, Brian Blessed originally founded travel company (6)
AIRBNB: An anagram (weirdly) of BRIAN followed by the first letter (originally) of Blessed. I don’t like founded as the link word. Wordplay founded definition does not quite work.
30a By all accounts those ten years were rotten (7)
DECAYED: A homophone (by all accounts) of decade (ten years). Another short essay follows. First, I think that the “those” is superfluous in the clue. Secondly three homophones is probably one too many, particularly where they are all in the across clues. Finally, were is not a good link word between the wordplay and the definition. “Rotten ten years by all accounts” would work much better.
31a Needing to deploy at regular intervals into arena (7)
RELYING: The even letters (at regular intervals) of deploy inside (into) a four-letter word for an arena. Another short essay follows. First, the structure of the clue gives definition to wordplay. You can have wordplay to [find] definition, but not the other way around. Secondly, there is a repetition of regular/regularly as an alternate word indicator (see 19a). Finally, there is a repetition of into as a containment indicator (see 21a).
Down
2d Next in line to get test score improvement (7)
UPGRADE: A two-letter word meaning next in line followed by a five-letter word for a test score.
3d Tory with guile is what, ultimately? A swindler (3, 6)
CON ARTIST: A three-letter word for a Tory followed by a three-letter word for guile, the IS from the clue and the final letter (ultimately) of what.
4d Mashed bananas are derided (6)
SHAMED: An anagram (bananas) of MASHED. Are does not work as the link word as the clue resolves ungrammatically to wordplay are definition.
6d Did a great job at making spreadsheets? (8)
EXCELLED: Pun on the name of the Microsoft spreadsheet program.
7d Join nude procession – repulsive! (5)
UNITE: A seven-letter word for a procession without the outer-letters (nude) with the letters reversed (repulsive).
8d After sauna, cut line for King Charles, say (7)
SPANIEL: After a three-letter word for a sauna (or where one might be found) add an anagram (cut) of LINE.
9d Angrily bashed carroty bread and rice, for instance (13)
CARBOHYDRATES: An anagram (angrily) of BASHED CARROTY.
17d Musical with arrangement becomes a whole new show? (9)
HAIRSPRAY: A four-letter name of a 1960’s hippy musical followed by a five-letter word for an arrangement of flowers.
18d “Vitalise!” – Original cry from Frankenstein (3, 5)
IT’S ALIVE: An anagram (original) of VITALISE. Coming after the letters to be rearranged, original would be better as originally.
20d Shimmering, faceted topaz popular among the French (7)
OPALINE: The inner letters (faceted) of topaz followed by a two-letter word meaning popular inside (among) the French masculine singular for the.
22d Depressed sister on cheap wine (3, 4)
BLUE NUN: A four-letter word meaning depressed followed by a three-letter name of a religious sister. On does not work as a link word as you have wordplay on definition. Also watch the enumeration. This should have been (4, 3).
23d Shopping centre‘s games room (6)
ARCADE: Double definition.
25d After work, time for musical theatre (5)
OPERA: After a two-letter abbreviation for work add a three-letter word for time. There is a repetition of after as positional indicator (see 8d).
That had us working quite hard and there are still a few where we haven’t completely sorted the parsing. 14a gets our vote for favourite.
Thanks Dynamite.
Ps. The enumeration for 22d is shown as (3,4) when it should be (4,3).
Good fun – thanks Dynamite.
Some more detailed f/b below, that I noted as I solved.
Cheers,
Tim/Encota
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8d Is there something better than ‘cut’ for anagram indicator?
10a does ‘giving a’ really work?
12a ok
13a ok
15a I always like using ‘bottles’ as the indicator in drink-related hidden clues, for its verb-disguised-as-a-noun properties. eg “Looking for fermented drink? Take firkin bottles (5)”. There’ll be much better
21a good surface
24a good
26a ok
22d 4,3 not 3,4
20d does ‘faceted’ work here? probably!
25d ok; bit of an old chestnut but fine
27a ok
23d two meanings perhaps a bit similar (same root/ headword?)
29a nice surface & cleverly deceptive letter pattern
30a Is ‘those’ required, cryptically?
5a good. another hidden
Welcome back to Rookie Corner, Dynamite. Although I have quite a lot of scribbles on my page, the good news is that there were considerably fewer than I had for your debut offering!
There were some link words between wordplay and definition which didn’t work for me: “fosters” in 19a, “causes” in 27a (perhaps creates would have been better?) and “founded” in 29a; and also a couple of dubious anagram indicators: “cut” in 8d and “original” in 18d.
Other specifics:
11a – I can’t parse this.
16a – the two definitions are “same-sidey”.
21a – “from brothel” is unnecessary padding.
26a – should be “substituted by” not “… for”.
31a – although I think I can see your intentions, I don’t think this clue works as written.
2d – I can’t quite parse this one.
8d – I don’t think “spa” and “sauna” are synonymous.
20d – I’m not sure about “faceted” but it is certainly inventive.
22d – as mentioned by others, the enumeration is wrong.
Well done, Dynamite, on a producing a promising cryptic crossword and thank you. You’ve made a big step in the right direction, and I look forward to seeing your continuing progress next time.
Thanks too in advance to Prolixic.
Apologies, Dynamite, my comment about 21a is completely nonsensical. For some unfathomable reason my brain was trying to insert an M into LIBO!
An enjoyable puzzle – thanks Dynamite.
I can’t parse the first bit of 11a.
Top clues for me were 14a, 3d and 20d.
I look forward to further puzzles from you.
Hello again, Dynamite.
Like RD, I had considerably fewer annotations beside the clues this time around, so that has to be good news. Also, the surface readings were pretty solid on the whole and the grid was a 15 x 15 one, so more positives!
There were repetitions, unfortunately – “regularly”/”at regular intervals” to select alternate letters and, less vitally, “after” as a positional indicator. 23d was rather “same-sidey”, as was 16a, to a lesser extent. 10a is “definition for wordplay” (i.e. the wrong way round) and “to” in 31a is necessary padding for the surface but it should also form part of the wordplay. It doesn’t.
A couple of style recommendations; try to avoid two adverbs ending “-ly” in the same clue, as in 29a, and try not to have homophone indicators placed ambiguously in the centre of a clue. Although in the case of 13a the answer is obvious, that doesn’t always apply.
Many thanks for an enjoyable puzzle to solve and well done on the improvement since last time.
Welcome back, Dynamite, not entirely sure of all my parsing but it was plain to see that you’ve improved quite a lot since submitting your debut puzzle.
I’ll leave it to our experts to give you more valuable feedback but the top three for me were 14a plus 3&6d.
Hope to see another puzzle from you very soon.
Good to see you again, Dynamite.
I had no problems solving most of the puzzle, but a couple of clues took longer to sort out than the rest put together. This is not to say that I didn’t enjoy it because I most certainly did! In fact, I found it rather entertaining.
Top picks for me are 14a, 19a, 24a, 3d, 6d and 20d.
I can’t parse the beginning of 11a.
I’m very much looking forward to Prolixic’s expert examination and assessment.
Many thanks Dynamite, and well done!
Thanks, Dynamite. We found the western half easier to solve than the eastern half. We need to check in with Prolixic tomorrow to better clarify some answers. We look forward to your next one.
Thanks to everyone for the feedback, and to Prolixic for the detailed review!
Glad to see that this puzzle went down better than my first attempt, and that this time my own favourite clues also got a thumbs up from many commenters.
The biggest recurring problem by far seems to be that I don’t quite grasp the importance of cryptic grammar fully. Would be very grateful if anyone could share some tips on improving this, or any documents that explain how to do so!
The enumeration on 22d was absolutely a blunder, and for 11a I definitely should have double checked that the intended meaning of ARC = STORY (or storyline) was actually in a dictionary (it’s not, my mistake).
The constructive criticism is really helpful though, so thanks again to everyone who took the time to solve. Hopefully some of the clues made you smile!
If you go to this page https://crypticcrosswords.net/puzzles/rookie-corner/ and scroll right to the bottom of the page there is a link to download a pdf of Prolixic’s “A brief guide to the construction of cryptic crossword clues” which I know other setters have found extremely useful
Many thanks for the review, Prolixic, your words of wisdom often make me realise exactly where the fault lay in a clue that I instinctively knew didn’t work. I’m sure that Dynamite will strive to eliminate errors in his future puzzles.