Our own Tommy Moran has also just published his SunWeb6 crossword for our puzzling pleasure, and I’ll be having a go at that first thing in the morning.
As a reminder, the Sunday slot is open for anyone who wants to post his or her own, original crossword. Just contact me and I will help you with the mechanics of compiling and posting.
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Jump directly to today’s solution.
Jump directly to the explanations of today’s clues.
Across
1 Network man (3,3)
4 This bean can make the drink toxic (8)
10 Use a touch of diplomacy with the French island (7)
11 Like balls, of course (7)
12 A retiree with no TV in Ireland? (4)
13 BOA (5,5)
15 The cost is not in ... not in the clergy (6)
16 No, is Sue going to rest and lie about? (7)
20 Ed took a long walk after the Italian 3k's (7)
21 Wonder why the Spanish went after Marvin? (6)
24 Like this "click true" (10)
26 Might Clare kill Vera with this? (4)
28 "Let out, then in", a term I'd use loosely (7)
29 Make it less painful, and I hear you'd go again (7)
30 Making us stay, Ed weds after this (8)
31 See part of the play, with you and me planted somewhere dry (6)
Down
1 Not off. Exactly! (2,3,3)
2 He paints, and around Xmas, he likes to 25-down (9)
3 There's no welcome around this part of America (4)
5 To hum is to disparage? (3-5)
6 That I am of the cloth is not relevant (10)
7 Put back around fifty, and one from Amsterdam (5)
8 Keep moving, lest Ed have a senior moment (6)
9 Don't use the three-ply, is one answer (5)
14 The big nark is loopy (7,3)
17 The greatest possible degree, for even George (5,4)
18 Erect something moving, in and on, the sly (8)
19
22 The French Army might exhibit this decor. PS: It's lively (6)
23 Leaders cause tears, moving from east to south (5)
25 Speak now, or after we've eaten (5)
27 Guilty maybe, but this sure is a nice state (4)
Here is each clue alongside its answer, with an explanation of the link between clue and answer. I hope it all makes sense! As always, I welcome feedback via comment and/or email. I’m particularly interested in hearing about clues that were too obvious or easy, and clues that were annoying or perhaps caused frustration. But, I’ll listen to all suggestions on how to make my puzzles more challenging and more fun!
Across
1 Network man (3,3)
OLD BOY
A man (OLD BOY) may be part of the OLD BOY network.
4 This bean can make the drink toxic (8)
ABSINTHE
“This bean” can make (an anagram) ABSINTHE: a drink that can be toxic.
10 Use a touch of diplomacy with the French island (7)
TACT-ILE
Use diplomacy (TACT) with the French island (ILE) = TACTILE: pertaining to “touch”.
11 Like balls, of course (7)
DIMPLED
Balls on a golf “course” are DIMPLED.
12 A retiree with no TV in Ireland? (4)
EIRE
A R-e-T-i-r-E-e without television in Ireland (RTE) = EIRE: Ireland.
13 BOA (5,5)
BLOOD TYPES
A, B and O are all BLOOD TYPES
15 The cost is not in ... not in the clergy (6)
OUT-LAY
Not in (OUT) not in the clergy (LAY) = OUTLAY: the cost.
16 No, is Sue going to rest and lie about? (7)
STER-ILE
Rest about (STER) and lie about (ILE) = STERILE: having “no is-sue”.
20 Ed took a long walk after the Italian 3k's (7)
TRE-KK-ED
The Italian 3 (TRE) k’s (KK) after comes Ed (ED) = TREKKED: took a long walk.
21 Wonder why the Spanish went after Marvin? (6)
MARV-EL
After Marvin (MARV) the Spanish (EL) = MARVEL: wonder.
24 Like this "click true" (10)
SPOONERISM
“Click true” should be “trick clue” … it’s a SPOONERISM.
26 Might Clare kill Vera with this? (4)
ALOE
In Clare (KILL-ALOE) – kill (KILL) = ALOE: as in ALOE “vera”.
28 "Let out, then in", a term I'd use loosely (7)
READMIT
“A term I’d” use loosely (an anagram) = READMIT: let out, then in.
29 Make it less painful, and I hear you'd go again (7)
RELIEVE
You’d go (leave) again, ‘re-leave’, “I hear” as RELIEVE: make it less painful.
30 Making us stay, Ed weds after this (8)
TUESDAYS
Making “us stay, Ed” (an anagram) into TUESDAYS: after which come Wednesdays (“weds”).
31 See part of the play, with you and me planted somewhere dry (6)
C-ACT-US
See (C) part of the play (ACT) with you and me (US) = CACTUS: planted somewhere dry.
Down
1 Not off. Exactly! (2,3,3)
ON THE DOT
Not of (ON) “.” (THE DOT) = ON THE DOT: exactly!
2 He paints, and around Xmas, he likes to 25-down (9)
DEC-ORATOR
Around Xmas (DEC) he likes to ORATE (ORATOR) = DECORATOR: he likes to paint.
3 There's no welcome around this part of America (4)
O-HI-O
There’s no (O) welcome (HI) around (O) = OHIO: this part of America.
5 To hum is to disparage? (3-5)
BAD-MOUTH
In an anagram (BAD) “to hum” (MOUTH) = BAD-MOUTH: to disparage.
6 That I am of the cloth is not relevant (10)
I’M-MATERIAL
That I am (I’M) of the cloth (MATERIAL) = IMMATERIAL: is not relevant.
7 Put back around fifty, and one from Amsterdam (5)
TU(L-I)P
Put back (TU-P) around fifty (L) and one (I) = TULIP: from Amsterdam.
8 Keep moving, lest Ed have a senior moment (6)
ELDEST
Keep moving (an anagram) “lest Ed” = ELDEST: the senior.
9 Don't use the three-ply, is one answer (5)
REPLY
T-H-r-E-e-p-l-y, don’t use THE = REPLY: is one answer.
14 The big nark is loopy (7,3)
BARKING MAD
The “big mark” is BARKING as an anagram (MAD) = BARKING MAD: is loopy.
17 The greatest possible degree, for even George (5,4)
LEVEL BEST
For even (LEVEL) George (BEST) = LEVEL BEST: the greatest possible degree.
18 Erect something moving, in and on, the sly (8)
S(ECRET)LY
In the sly (S-LY) “erect” something moving (ECRET) = SECRETLY: on the sly.
19
CLUELESS
CLUELESS, because there is no clue perhaps?
22 The French Army might exhibit this decor. PS: It'll be lively (6)
ESPRIT
The Army uses the “French” expression ESPRIT de corps (“decor.PS”). And to have ESPRIT is to be lively.
23 Leaders cause tears, moving from east to south (5)
T-S-ARS
Moving from east to south, exchanged E for S, in t-E-ars = TSARS: leaders.
25 Speak now, or after we've eaten (5)
OR-ATE
Or (OR) after we’ve eaten (ATE) = ORATE: speak.
27 Guilty maybe, but this sure is a nice state (4)
PLEA
A nice state (PLEA-SURE) – sure (SURE) = PLEA: guilty maybe.
6 comments:
Hi Bill,
for the very first time I have done well. All but two, and although I had fitted SPOON in I never made the connection, TSARS crossed my mind but I couldn't reconcile the east to south, a clever construction in both. I have to admit those two are my favourites today.
I see you are using the deletion and insertion techniques very well.
I am looking forward to cracking one soon.
Well done on having a nice balance of types of clueing and confounding me, for quite a while.
Tommy
You are sticking with the Irish influences which I like.
Hi Bill and Tommy
Enjoyed today's WEB very much.....though I don't think I was any faster than last week Bill...took a few breaks and managed some AHA moments each time I came back to it...and...eventually...I did achieve TANTARA status (though that's a Crosaire chant...we'll have to find one for WEB)!
SPOONERISM was my favourite....excellent clue that took a while to figure out...a totally new departure for me in terms of "clue type"...but it was fabulous when I got it!
In fact Bill, your puzzles are much more varied in that respect than Crosaire...or maybe I'm so familiar with Crosaire now that I don't even realise the variety there...anyway, you employed so many techniques that I'm not familiar with, it's no wonder it took me longer... and the family are still howling for their dinner!
There were lots of quirky things that I liked today:
BARKING MAD - don't know how you buffs would describe this clue in terms of "clue type"....BIG NARK is BARKING (gone mad!) and BARKING MAD is loopy....lovely!
BOA - mmmmm....constrictor, tight, plain tight, plain types....bloody 'ell...it's blood types!
TREKKED - clue was very nicely constructed so in fact it was a fairly short walk to the solution!
'Keep moving' to indicate the anagram in ELDEST....but I'm running out of headspace to store all your little indicators!
DIMPLED - mmmm....for tea or tee today?....nice bit of lateral thinking!
There were others I enjoyed...SECRETLY and READMIT were clever anagrams....OLD BOY should have come easier...but was the last one in for this old girl! Liked the deletion clues REPLY and EIRE....though I must admit it was only after reading your solutions that I 'got' the RTE bit! TSARS was the other guess...I knew it had to be right from the across letters but again didn't twig the 'moving from east to south' part fully til I read your solutions....so luck was on my side today!
Off now to have another go at Tommy's....there's an expression 'all to one side like the town of Fermoy'....well I AM FERMOY Tommy!(if you see this!)...only missing one solution on left side....oh but the right hand side! Can't open your comments page...have peeked (blindfolding myself from the solution) and know there's one comment there.....probably from you Bill!....and you probably finished it over a leisurely cup of Barry's! To be honest I think it'll take more than a cup of Barry's to help me finish....I think I'll need Miracle Tea! I'll do my LEVEL BEST (another lovely clue Bill!)and let you know the outcome later Tommy!
Anyway, I'm off...thanks again Bill....hope you dug those flower beds yesterday and are getting some time to relax today!
Liz
Bill and Tommy
Me again....forgot to mention that the printout today was great...so thanks to both of you!
Liz
Hi Tommy,
Thanks for having a go at the WEB puzzle today. The feedback (as you well know!) is so very important.
Well, it's good to know that you like the clues you don't get! That's a good sign, because missing an answer, and then not getting the "aha" moment when you see the explanation, that's just frustrating. I get that feeling sometimes with the "obscure" words M. Crosaire uses from time to time.
Sorry you haven't been able to solve a WEB puzzle yet, Tommy. I think part of the problem is that I am experimenting with different types of clues and haven't come up with a "style" yet. That was Dr. Moley's diagnosis, and I think she is right on the money!
Compiling crosswords is still a lot of fun, so I'll stick at it for a while!
Liz,
I'm really glad that you managed to solve the puzzle. That's always the goal. Now I just have to dial things in so that you can do so in a reasonable amount of time!
Delighted you liked SPOONERISM. I came up with that up in Tahoe while chatting with my wife about crosswords. I got the basic idea, and then spent 20 minutes coming up with a clue. I originally had "Like this clown due" for "Like this down clue" but put the answer in an across spot by mistake! I didn't spot the error until the crossword was finished, so had to scramble to come up with "Like this 'click true'". I was very, very mad at myself!
Regarding anagram indicators, it is sooooo difficult to come up with something new that isn't too obvious. M. Crosaire usually doesn't bother with anagram indicators, but I think they're only fair to the solver, so I put them in 95% of the time.
Thanks for taking time to do the puzzle, and a special thanks for giving the great feedback. Don't be afraid to take me to task for frustrating clues. I can take it!
Sitting here in the back garden in 40C heat. I had to give up half way through the flower bed, so hopefully will finish tomorrow. Cold drinks, a Michael Crichton novel, and some puzzling. That's the order of the day :o)
Thanks again, Liz.
Hi Bill
I think your WEB puzzles take me longer because of the amount of clue types....when I 'get' them I wonder why it took so long ...possibly on the lines of what Moley said; you're still playing around re style so it requires the solver to don more 'thinking caps' than necessary for puzzles set by someone who has arrived at an established style, employing a smaller repertoire of identifiable clue types?........if you know what I mean!
But it's fun!
Liz
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