Answers to Crosaire No: 13886 - 1 Jul 09

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So, my wife and I were in one of our favorite restaurants this evening, for our anniversary. It’s a favorite of mine because it has a fabulous zinfandel that I can’t get anywhere else, and I had two glasses … and I walked out with two bottles under my arm as a gift from the proprietor. The point is, two generous pours, and you can solve the Crosaire puzzle in 13m 50s. I finally found the secret to success, and it’s in the bottom of a bottle. 13m 50s! My fastest ever without question. 13m 50s …
Today’s Crosaire Aria
11D: AWAKEN
“When I wake up in the morning light, I put on my jeans and I feel alright …”
That’s the opening lyric to a 1976 tune called Jeans On, that hit #3 in the UK charts. The song started out as an advertising jingle for Brutus jeans, and was sung by David Dundas, a true to form one-hit-wonder. Dundas, singing in this clip, was actually Lord David Dundas, son of the 3rd Marquess of Zetland, and was educated at Harrow. Well, regardless, I like the song …

The Clue of the Day
1A: Sounds as if the blooming frog will make a noise at us (6)
When you race through a puzzle quickly (did I mention? 13m 50s?) there’s unlikely to be a clue that sticks out. But, I did like this one, as it reads well, even though the “blooming” is a bit of a giveaway. The frog will make a noise, will croak, at us. This leads is to ‘croak us”, which sounds like CROCUS: something blooming. Quite nice …


The Lookup of the Day
7D: INHERE
INHERE, as one might expect, comes from the same root as inherit, and inherent. It also comes from the same root as the words cohere and adhere. Haerare is Latin, meaning "to stick", and inhaerare is "to stick in". To INHERE is to be inherent, to be an intrinsic part of, to stick to ...

Here are my answers. Please feel free to leave a comment below, or send me an email, especially if you notice something wrong with my reasoning.

Across
1: CROCUS
That frog will make a noise at us, ‘croak us’, sounds like CROCUS: something blooming. Nice clue …
4: OPEN FIRE
9: EM-ENDS
Me after being upside down (EM) it finishes (ENDS) = EMENDS: alters this.
10: DRAUGHTS
CHEQUERS on a board = DRAUGHTS: they get the wind up.
12: US-HER
Us (US) get her (HER) = USHER: to show us to our seats.
13: WILL SERVE
That will do, that WILL SERVE, as will a waiter.
15: PEA
The poor (PEA-SANTRY) – Santry (SANTRY) = PEA: pulse, a legume like a PEA.
16: RA’S-TA
The artists (RA’S) thanks (TA) = RASTA: to the cult, the Rastafari movement.
17: KITTEN
A tiny tom cat, perhaps.
22: A-DON-IS
A wise man’s ( A DON IS) = ADONIS: a gorgeous fellow.
24: TENT-H
Pitch it (TENT) to H (H) = TENTH: just a little bit.
27: TAR
Mark (TAR-GET) – get (GET) = TAR: something black.
28: IM(PUDE)NCE ... anagram of “dupe” in the “mince”.
31: ACHES
For the shore (BE-ACHES) – be (BE) = ACHES: these are painful.
32: DRAUGHTS
Drinks for playing DRAUGHTS! No comment …
33: TI-DIED
It to have turned back (TI) and passed away (DIED) = TIDIED: in order.
34: REST-O-RED
The remainder (REST) around (O) the red (RED) = RESTORED: perhaps put by (stored) again.
35: DE(ME)AN
The cleric around (DE-AN) me (ME) = DEMEAN: would it hurt.

Down
1: CHEQUERS
In America DRAUGHTS is called ‘checkers’, which sounds like CHEQUERS: a place for the premier of England, his/her home away from home …
2: ONE’S HOST
3: UNDER-PA-I’D
Working for (UNDER) Father (PA) I would (I’D) = UNDERPAID: not be getting enough.
5: PERI-L
The fairy (PERI) over fifty (L) = PERIL: danger.
We’ve met up with PERI before …
6: N(O)UNS
IN the good sisters (N-UNS) have nothing (O) = NOUNS: parts of speech.
7: IN(HE)RE
In Erin (IN-RE) if he (HE) = INHERE: it would come natural to him.
8: E-ASTER
Of the East (E) the flower (ASTER) = EASTER: is after being Lent.
11: AWA-KEN
Go away to Scotland (AWA!) Kenneth (KEN) = AWAKEN: rouse yourself.
14: LOT
A BIDDER bids on a LOT: there’s any amount of this.
18: TESTER
A TESTER might be trying something, and would do so on a TEST “bed”.
UPDATE: Moley caught the fact that my "bed" reference was off the mark (although correct!) as TESTER bed is a yope of bed with a canopy, that dates back to the Elizabethan period. And ... we've seen it before ...
19: EXTRA-DITE
The additional (EXTRA) tide (DITE) = EXTRADITE: get to where it came from.
20: IN T(HE IC)E
“He, I see” (HE IC) is in the answer, IN THE ICE: frozen stiff there. Is that it, or am I missing something as usual?
21: THE SU(DA)N
There’s the sun (THE SU-N) around the old man (DA) = THE SUDAN: African.
23: ONE
You, ONE, would be less than two.
25: BIDDER
One that wants to get (a) buy (sounds like “by”).
26: S(PEAR)S
In the ship (S-S) the fruit (PEAR) = SPEARS: long and ‘offensive’.

A Crosaire Aria from Britney Spears perhaps? I don't think so ...
29: DOG-GO
Make Fido (DOG) flee (GO) = DOGGO: as in lie DOGGO, to keep out of sight.
30: NITRE … anagram of “I rent”.