Yesterday I was chuffed at finishing the puzzle in just over 29 min, and today I am super-chuffed with a 27m 43s time. I hope it’s a sign that I am getting back into "the Crosaire groove".
There aren’t any new words for me today, just a couple of word definitions that sound a little “odd” to me (e.g. 1A: HOBBY HORSE, 18D: EXAMINERS) which someone might help me with below.
My favorite clue today is 14A: ATTENDANCE, not only because it is a lovely clue-answer combination, but it comes right on the heels of yesreday’s delightful ABUNDANCE. Now we have dancing bakers doing a bun dance at ten. I do tend to get carried away …
Here are my answers. Please jump into the conversation using the comment box below, or send me an email. I’ve made commenting easier by eliminating the need to enter a verification word. Also, it’s now possible to make comments anonymously. Thank you all for your patience!
Across
1: HOBBY HORSE
I’ve always thought of a HOBBY HORSE as a child’s toy, traditionally a horse’s head on a broomstick. There seems to be an inference in the clue that the horses on a carousel or a roundabout are hobby horses too, and I am not so sure that’s true. Anyway, a HOBBY doesn’t qualify as “a living”.
UPDATE: As Tommy ponted out below, I should also have noted that "a-mount" is a HORSE.
6: SPIT
Yuck. Expect-oration is to the act of SPIT-ting.
10: LODGE
11: IN-A-NI-MATE
(IN) + (A) + Ulster (NI) + spouse (MATE) = no life (INANIMATE)
12: GOLD RING
13: IS-SUE
(IS) + legal action (SUE) = a child (ISSUE)
15: TR(OUNCE)
An ounce is a “light” weight, found at the end of the answer.
17: RE-TREAT
Buy another round, is to treat everyone again, RE-TREAT. Mine’s a pint bottle, thanks.
19: EXECUTE
21: PART-AKE
A bit (PART) + the end of “cake” (AKE) = Eat (PARTAKE)
22: DITTO … anagram of “I’d dot”
24: EPIDEMIC … anagram of “dim” and “piece”
27: NEGLI-GENT
Anagram of “in” and “leg” (NEGLI) + fellow (GENT) = not attending (NEGLIGENT). Devious enough, I would say.
28: CHESS
Check (mate) is the finish of a game of CHESS, which is played on a board, and check sounds like “cheque”.
29: EARS
There are EARS of corn, and EARS on a-head.
30: STERILISED
Not very cryptic.
Down
1: HE’LL
The chap (HE) + will, shortened (‘LL) = a hot place for one (HELL)
2: BAD FOR ONE
No good (BAD) + sounds like 41 (FOR ONE) = something that’ll do you no good (BAD FOR ONE)
3: YIELD
YIELD is to give in, and what you get out of an investment, or out of a chemical process perhaps.
4: OR-IF-ICE
The alternative (OR) + (IF) + frozen (ICE) = a hole, which sounds like “whole” (ORIFICE), and a very nice, tight clue.
5: STAGGER
A buck is a STAG, and if there was a term for something more like a STAG, it might just be STAGGER, which is to be about to fall. Very clever!
7: P(L)ANS
Fifty (L) in frying utensils (PANS) = schemes (PLANS)
8: THE WE-AT-HER
(THE) + us (WE) + (AT) + he girl (HER) = something that may not be fine, THE WEATHER. Awkward in the extreme!
9: S(IN)ISTER
(IN) with a nun (SISTER) around it = threatening (SINISTER)
14: AT-TEN-DANCE
At 10 p.m. (AT TEN) + the ball (DANCE) = how one is being at (ATTENDANCE). Lovely clue!
16: NEUROSIS
This is another old chestnut, and one which turned up just the other day. NEUROSIS sounds like “new roses”, some fresh flowers.
18: EX-A-MINERS
This one is a little loose, unless I am missing something. EX-MINERS formerly worked in the mine. Maybe if the clue had read “formerly worked in A mine, it might be a little better? Also, I guess EXAMINER is used here in the context of a court examiner (someone “trying”)? I always thought of an EXAMINER as someone questioning or investigating.
19: ELEMENT
20: PAINTER
Another artist without an RA in the answer … fooled again! Our artist this time is a PAINTER, and a PAINTER is the specific rope at the bow of a small boat or dinghy, used to tie it to something.
23: TI-GER
Reginald (REG) + (IT) = REGIT, which backwards is beastly and striped, TIGER.
25: EXCEL
To do better (EXCEL) before (LENT) is perfect, EXCEL-LENT.
26: USED
4 comments:
Hi Bill,
I too got through this one pretty quickly, though 22D painter was annoying me. I guessed it but hadn't any idea about the boat connection. My new meaning of the day!
Anyway, regarding 1A. Certainaly in my youth, 'the hobbyhorses' was the word used most commonly for the carousel. I think the 'not living' reference means they aren't live horses.
- barry
Hi Bill,
1A. a+mount=horse and 'not for a living' suggests to me ' not as a means of earning a living', i.e. as a hobby
15A The clue as given does not yield the (TR), replace Beast with Beat and it is good for me, or even insert beat between beast and thoroughly?
Barry,
Re 22D: PAINTER
I lucked out on that one because I spent my youth on boats, trying to make a few shillings.
Re 1A: HOBBY HORSE
I still don't remember the use of hobby horse at the fair, as you do. I did a lookup and found out something else though. A hobby horse was also known in England as a "cock horse", as in "ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross".
Hi Tommy, and welcome to the Crosaire blog. Thanks for jumping in.
Re 1A: HOBBY HORSE
You're right of course. I should have noticed the "a-mount" reference, so I've noted that above.
Re 15A: TROUNCE
I agree. This looks like a partial clue (which I find frustrating), and partial clues are so common here, given the vintage style of the Crosaire crossword. I tried substituting "beast" for "beat", but I still don't get the TR. And without the the "beat" you lose the reference to TROUNCE. As I see it, anyway.
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