A Puzzle by Faz
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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 lot of my comments on Faz’s early crosswords related to repetitions of wordplay and the cryptic grammar of the clues not being quite right. After a welcome in improvement in later crosswords, old habits have reasserted themselves as the same issues resurfaced in this crossword. This is reflected in the commentometer reading 8/32 or 25%.
Across
1a Get aerated when coffee’s delayed? (9)
VENTILATE: A five-letter word for a large coffee (it is given as a definition in the OED though not Chambers or Collins) followed by a four-letter word meaning delayed.
9a Mercy – hesitant after couple of pints (7)
QUARTER: A two-letter word meaning hesitant after the measure equal to two pints. I think that the last two letters mean to express hesitation as an interjection rather than hesitant.
10a Housing before The Beatles? (7)
PREFABS: A three-letter prefix meaning before followed by a four-letter word for the Beatles. Whilst the Beatles were the Fab Four, I don’t think you can stretch that to the word used in the solution.
11a Frugal trim for fabric mesh (5)
SCRIM: A six-letter word for frugal (used rarely as an adjective according to Chambers) with the final letter removed. As an imperative, trim would work better before frugal.
12a Bumpy 3-D presentation is rubbish? Fire me, pal (6,3)
RELIEF MAP: An anagram (rubbish) of FIRE ME PAL.
13a Cats, for example, hit back – pinning us, and in control (7)
MUSICAL: A three-letter word meaning hit reversed (back) around (pinning) the US from the clue and the abbreviation for in control. Strictly, the abbreviation at the end of the solution is “in charge” or “in command”, not “in control”.
15a A sound remedy (5)
ATONE: The A from the clue followed by a four-letter word for sound.
17a Yell about nothing, nationalist friend (5)
CRONY: A three-letter word meaning yell around (about) the letter representing nothing and the abbreviation for nationalist.
18a Leftist is after software to replace humans, it’s been said (5)
AIRED: A three-letter word for a left winger after the abbreviation for artificial intelligence (software to replace humans). Try to avoid repeating wordplay indicators. Here after has been used as a positional indicator in 9a.
19a Angry due to the wretched increase (3,2)
HET UP: An anagram (wretched) of THE followed by a two-letter word for increase.
20a Aggravating bad risk? Next to nothing with me (7)
IRKSOME: An anagram (bad) of RISK followed by the letter representing nothing and the ME from the clue. Try to avoid repeating wordplay indicators. Nothing for O was used in 17a.
23a Forces complain near highways (9)
RAILROADS: A four-letter word meaning complain followed by (near) a five-letter word for highways.
25a Welsh an alternative way is terrible (5)
WORST: The abbreviation for Welsh followed by a two-letter word meaning an alterative and the abbreviation for street (way).
27a Student, starter on the payroll (7)
LEARNER: The abbreviation for a novice or starter followed by six-letter word for someone on the payroll. Perhaps the abbreviation for the starter is too same sided as it gives you the solution without the need for the second part of the wordplay.
28a Refined fellow, slippery one (7)
GENTEEL: A four-letter word for a refined fellow followed by a three-letter slippery fish.
29a Trick rural author? Rash! (9)
FOOLHARDY: A four-letter word meaning trick followed by a five-letter word for an author noted for his rural novels.
Down
1d Celebs surround royal, poisonous crawlers (6)
VIPERS: A four-letter abbreviation for celebs around (surround) the abbreviation for Queen Elizabeth. Perhaps surrounding would be better in the cryptic grammar as the clue otherwise resolves to A surround B for C.
2d Phlebotomy, perhaps, made from stitches? (10)
NEEDLEWORK: Double definition, the first being the process of taking a blood sample.
3d Probably bad, I read, supported by talk (1,4,3)
I DARE SAY: An anagram (bad) of I READ followed (supported) by a three-letter word meaning talk. Try to avoid repeating wordplay indicators. Bad was used as an anagram indicator in 20a. I don’t think that talk is synonymous with the final word of the solution.
4d A lot backing home of drink (5)
ASSAM: The A from the clue followed by a reversal (backing) of four-letter word meaning a lot. Try to avoid repeating wordplay indicators. Back was used as a reversal indicator in 13a.
5d English bon-mot goes above workers with a ton of gear (9)
EQUIPMENT: The abbreviation for English followed by a four-letter word for a bon-mon, a three-letter word for workers and the abbreviation for ton. I would omit the A from the clue. Some editors will not allow clues of the form wordplay of definition.
6d The people held in church (6)
MASSES: Double definition.
7d A big shot when vermin retreat (4)
STAR: A reversal (retreat) of a four-letter word for vermin.
8d Fell apart around strong drink, ran (8)
CRUMBLED: The abbreviation for around followed by a three-letter word for strong drink and a four-letter word meaning ran.
14d Shoemaker uses rope with confused new air (10)
CORDWAINER: A four-letter word for rope followed by an anagram (confused) of NEW AIR.
16d More beer, partner? (5,4)
OTHER HALF: A five-letter word for more followed by a four-letter word for a measure of beer.
17d Sportsmen’s women hold up punch for chat sessions (8)
CHINWAGS: The abbreviation for wives and girlfriends (sportsmen’s women) after (hold up) a four-letter word for punch. Perhaps holding up would be better than hold up in the cryptic reading of the clue as the wordplay otherwise resolves to A hold up B for C.
18d Move towards computerised fish? (8)
APPROACH: A three-letter word for software followed by a five-letter type of fish might fancifully indicate a computerised fish.
21d Gout setting in? It’s the beginning (6)
OUTSET: The answer is hidden (in) in the first two words of the clue. Even with the question mark, I don’t think in on its own works as a hidden word indicator when placed after the words holding the solution.
22d Butt-holder, when husband leaves, goes wrong (6)
ASTRAY: A seven-letter word for a smoker’s item (butt-holder) with the abbreviation for husband removed. I don’t think that goes wrong correctly defines the solution.
24d Fool giggles when back inside a chilly home (5)
IGLOO: The answer is hidden and reversed (when back inside) in the first two words of the clue. Another use of back as a reversal indicator.
26d Split owner’s income (4)
RENT: Double definition.
A competently put together puzzle that was a real pleasure to solve.
Lots of ticks on our pages but we’ll award top spot to 8d.
Thanks Faz.
Thanks Faz for another entertaining puzzle.
A couple of comments:
I am not sure that the second part of 10a is an accurate term for the Beatles.
Assuming I have parsed 1d correctly, I cannot find a single letter abbreviation for Royal in the usual sources. There are obviously many two and three letter abbreviations where the first letter is R for Royal but that does not usually mean that it can be used on its own.
Smiles for 1a, 12a, 15a, 29a, 2d, and 16d.
Thanks again and thanks in advance to Prolixic.
Isn’t the royal our sadly departed Queen?
Hmm, for me that would be somewhat indirect – royal to Queen to R(egina).
ER as in Elizabeth Regina – surely not indirect, she was definitely one of the ‘Royals’.
Although there were a lot of good clues here, Faz, I didn’t feel that you had made the level of progress that I would have hoped for since your previous submission. I had a lot of scribbles on my page and some of your surfaces didn’t make much sense.
1a – I am utterly puzzled by the derivation of the first five letters. I can’t find anything in Chambers or Collins which links them with coffee.
10a – I agree with Senf about “Fabs”
11a – I don’t think you can place “trim” after the word to be truncated.
13a – I can’t find any justification for IC meaning “in control”. “In command” or “in charge” would have been fine.
25a – You need “most terrible” to make the definition work.
27a – If I am parsing this correctly, you are using “starter” = L, which is too similar to the definition “learner” = L.
3d – I am not convinced that “talk” and “say” are synonymous. Can you provide an example?
18d – Does “app” really mean “computerised”?
21d – I don’t think “in” after the fodder works as a lurker indicator.
22d – The cryptic grammar wordplay goes definition doesn’t work.
On the plus side, there were a lot of good clues with 28a, 29a, 6d, 16d & 26d my top picks.
I hope you can build on the positive elements and eliminate the niggles for your next submission.
Many thanks, Faz. Thanks too in advance to Prolixic.
Re 1A, the first five letters are a Starbucks drink size!
Yes, and my apologies for that!
You are forgiven …
… this time
Hmm. Thanks for the clarification, deebee. It’s not somewhere I frequent.
Welcome back and Merry Christmas, Faz.
I think RD has summed up my feelings pretty well in his opening paragraph. In addition to his detailed points, I would add that “back/backing” was used three times as a reversal indicator, “bad” featured twice as an anagram indicator, and “nothing” was repeated to clue the letter “O”. My repetition radar was in danger of blowing a fuse!
5d is a “wordplay of definition” construction, i.e. the wrong way round and, for the cryptic grammar, I’d have been more comfortable with “surrounding” in 1d and “holding” in 17d. So, quite a large number of niggles overall, but I did like 28a and 29a.
Many thanks, Faz.
Welcome back, Faz. As RD has pointed out, there were a fair amount of clues which didn’t really work and surfaces that could have been improved. I wonder whether you’ve considered teaming up with another Rookie to check each other’s compiling, it may well pay dividends.
Top clues for me this time were 28&29a plus 1&16d.
Wishing you a merry Christmas and hope you’ll be back with a much improved puzzle in the New Year.
Initially, I had a bit of difficulty finding the right wavelength. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this, Faz.
I have a good number of ticks on my printout, including 9a, 18a, 28a and 29a; 8d, 14d and 22d.
Many thanks to Faz. Well done for continuing to appear in the Rookie Corner. Follow Prolixic’s expert advice and I’m sure you will progress.
Many very appreciative thanks to Prolixic in advance.
Wishing you a very happy Christmas and everything of the best for the coming year.
It took us a while to get started but once on the way we really enjoyed your puzzle. Thank you, Faz. Favourites 12a, 20a and 17d, but more ticks on our sheet. Merry Christmas and we look forward to your next one. Thanks also to Prolixic.
Many thanks for another of your painstaking reviews, Prolixic, which I’m sure our Rookie compilers really appreciate. The rest of the BD community have also learned a lot from them!
I wish you all the very best for Christmas and hope you get to spend some quality time with your family.
Very many thanks to Prolixic for such a thorough dissection, and to all kind commentators, particularly Rabbit Dave and Silvanus for their very clear analyses. Lots of lessons, aaargh and thank you, and here’s to my learning them! A merry Christmas to all!