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Here's my latest Sunday offering. I really appreciate any feedback, via a comment or an email. Thanks for checking out the puzzle!
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.
Across
1 TURDUSTKEY (6,3,6)
8 Although not a hit, it's where young men can be found courting (4,6)
9 That tower's location is in Pennsylvania (4)
11 That's a lot of money lent into a bad arrangement (8,4)
14 The queens' wretched dog is in there ... my god! (7)
15 Went back to see about a hundred and two editors (7)
17 Utterly certain this was the first insect? (7)
19 Leonard's captured the German needed for 11-across (7)
20 Twice as much homework for you to do on the bus? (6-6)
23 Send something back in time (4)
24 A moving movie noted for its capital scenes by the River Plate? (10)
25 Feeling like a cartoon character with an idea? (15)
Down
1 And with a new organization did better than 1-across (4)
2 I moved from Spain to go across this (4)
3 Kerrygold can be weighed without limits (12)
4 Does this test defy a hearing in court? (7)
5 'E wasn't fat, or she would have married FDR (7)
6 We'll be sharper if geeks end up moving here (5-5)
7 See that rise to the east ... just past the Wye? (5)
10 It's wasn't a good idea to start a family while sick (3-9)
12 At my return, see a song from the villagers (1.1.1.1)
13 I'm holding, dear (as you ring after three in Italy)! (10)
16 It's a race around Ulster for the Danish (4)
18 A little Polish guy, legless, swimming in the pond (7)
19 I found no cat under fifty, Edward (7)
20 There's nothing extra needed to live here, to do well (5)
21 An entry in an A to Z about woodworking (4)
22 Whose wife did I read about in the Old Testament in the fifties? (3'1)
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 TURDUSTKEY (6,3,6)
DUSTIN THE TURKEY
You can see DUST-IN THE TURKEY if you look at the clue like this: TUR(DUST)KEY
8 Although not a hit, it's where young men can be found courting (4,6)
NEAR MISSES
Young men can found courting NEAR MISSES, and NEAR MISSES are not a hit.
9 That tower's location is in Pennsylvania (4)
P(IS)A
Is (IS) in Pennsylvania (P-A) = PISA: that tower's location.
11 That's a lot of money lent into a bad arrangement (8,4)
NATIONAL DEBT
"Lent into a bad" arrangement (i.e. an anagram) = NATIONAL DEBT: that's a lot of money.
14 The queens' wretched dog is in there ... my god! (7)
M(ER-CUR)Y
My (M-Y) in there is the queen's wretched dog (ER-CUR) = MERCURY: god.
15 Went back to see about a hundred and two editors (7)
RE-C-ED-ED
To see about (RE) a hundred (C) and two editors (ED ED) = RECEDED: went back.
17 Utterly certain this was the first insect? (7)
ADAM-ANT
This was the "first" (ADAM) insect (ANT) = ADAMANT: utterly certain.
19 Leonard's captured the German needed for 11-across (7)
LEN(DER)S
Leonard's (LEN-S) captured the German (DER) = LENDERS: needed for NATIONAL DEBT.
20 Twice as much homework for you to do on the bus? (6-6)
DOUBLE-D-ECKER
Twice as much (DOUBLED) homework for you to do (ECKER) = DOUBLE-DECKER: on the bus.
23 Send something back in time (4)
EMIT
Back (in) time = EMIT: send something.
24 A moving movie noted for its capital scenes by the River Plate? (10)
MONTEVIDEO
A moving (an anagram of) "movie noted" = MONTEVIDEO: noted for its capital scenes by the River Plate (MONTEVIDEO is the capital of Uruguay).
25 Feeling like a cartoon character with an idea? (15)
LIGHTHEADEDNESS
A cartoon character with an idea is usually drawn with a light-bulb glowing over his/her head. and LIGHTHEADEDNESS is a "feeling".
Down
1 And with a new organization did better than 1-across (4)
DANA
"And" with "a" new organization (i.e. an anagram) = DANA: did better than DUSTIN THE TURKEY!
2 I moved from Spain to go across this (4)
SPAN
"I" moved from SPA(I)N = SPAN: to go across this.
3 Kerrygold can be weighed without limits (12)
IM-MEASURABLE
Kerrygold (IM) can be weighed (MEASURABLE) = IMMEASURABLE: without limits.
For the non-Irish speaking solvers, Kerrygold is Ireland's famous brand of butter and IM is the Irish word for butter.
4 Does this test defy a hearing in court? (7)
TESTIFY
A hearing of "test defy" is TESTIFY: does this in court.
5 'E wasn't fat, or she would have married FDR (7)
'E-LEAN-OR
'E ('E) wasn't fat (LEAN) or (OR) = ELEANOR: she would have married FDR (famously, ELEANOR Roosevelt was the wife of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, FDR).
6 We'll be sharper if geeks end up moving here (5-5)
KNIFE-EDGES
"If geeks end" up moving here (i.e. an anagram) = KNIFE-EDGES: we'll be sharper.
7 See that rise to the east ... just past the Wye? (5)
Y-EAST
Just past the Wye (Y) to the east (EAST) = YEAST: see that rise.
10 It's wasn't a good idea to start a family while sick (3-9)
ILL-CONCEIVED
While sick (ILL) to start a family (CONCEIVED) = ILL-CONCEIVED: it wasn't a good idea.
12 At my return, see a song from the villagers (1.1.1.1)
Y.M.C.A.
At "my" return (YM) see a (CA) = Y.M.C.A: a song from the villagers (The Village People).
13 I'm holding, dear (as you ring after three in Italy)! (10)
TRE-AS-U-RING
After three in Italy (TRE) as (AS) you (U) ring (RING) = TREASURING: I'm holding dear.
16 It's a race around Ulster for the Danish (4)
DA-SH
It's a race (DA-SH) around Ulster (NI) = DANISH: for the Danish.
18 A little Polish guy, legless, swimming in the pond (7)
TAD-POLE
A little (TAD) Polish guy (POLE) = TADPOLE: legless, swimming in the pond.
19 I found no cat under fifty, Edward (7)
L-O-CAT-ED
Under fifty (L) no cat (O CAT) Edward (ED) = LOCATED: I found.
20 There's nothing extra needed to live here, to do well (5)
D-WELL
To live here (D-WELL) there's nothing extra (O) = DO WELL: to do well.
21 An entry in an A to Z about woodworking (4)
A-DZE
An A (A) to Z, zed, about (DZE) = ADZE: an entry about woodworking.
22 Whose wife did I read about in the Old Testament in the fifties? (3'1)
LOT'S
In the fifties (L-S) the Old Testament (OT) = LOT'S: whose wife did I read about (in the Old Testament).
10 comments:
Hi Bill
That was brilliant....TANTARA!!
Way past my bedtime....running commentary tomorrow....or I should say when I get up later today!
I can retire with a smile, it was so entertaining!
Liz
Liz,
I am so relieved :o) My puzzles seem to have been tantara-less for a few weeks now. I was beginning to believe I was an ogre!
Thanks again for having a go!
Hey Bill,
Fantastic puzzle. The best so far in my opinion. Had it all finished except one in under 30 minutes. A few comments on the clues:
DUSTIN THE TURKEY: Brilliant and a great Irish reference. LOve the pairing with DANA.
LIGHTHEADEDNESS: Very clever clue. I was trying to think of a cartoon character for so long until the bulb went over my head :)
TESTIFY: I put WITNESS in first. I noticed the connection with TEST DEFY but for some reason overthought it. Also very clever though.
ILL CONCEIVED: My clue of the day. Brilliant
The only one i didn't get was MONTEVIDEO. Unfortunately never heard of it but I know now.
Also, regarding DOUBLE DECKER, I got the answer but I think I need help understanding the ECKER part of the ansswer.
Oh and ELEANOR was so good!! I just could ramble on here for ages. lol
Well done Bill.
All the best,
Mark
Hi Bill and Mark
Well now I'm sorry I didn't get in with my accolades before Mark....he's said it all!!! Ah no, agree wholeheartedly with you Mark...it was also my favourite WEB puzzle to date...full of wit and clever word-play....didn't time myself but there was no struggle...it really was a pleasure all the way so thank you Bill.
Mark...I'm going to help you out on the old ECKER...back in the days of yore, us veterans used to come home from school and 'do the ECKER'...slang for exercise/s...in plain speak HOMEWORK!!
Loved DUSTIN and DANA (on the) DOUBLE DECKER... but I'll comment on the one's that Mark didn't mention that really appealed to me:
IMMEASURABLE...brilliant wordplay!
ADAM-ANT...well you certainly took a cue from him today....STAND AND DELIVER and all that!
LOT'S...delighted to see you paying homage to Moley's superior Biblical wisdom of recent days...including this so soon after it's controversial inclusion in Crosaire was good fun...the kind of thing the man himself would do!!
NEAR MISSES...very clever wordplay!
YMCA, KNIFE EDGES, ELEANOR and MONTEVIDEO...all these read really well, with nice anag. indicators....I'm running out of complements Bill!
I agree with Mark that ILL-CONCEIVED was fantastic...but for pure nostalgia I'll give my No. 1 to DOUBLE D-ECKER!!
Great Irish flavour today...and some choice for an Aria slot Bill!
Go raibh maith agat!
Liz
Hi Mark,
Thanks for checking out the puzzle, and especially for the kind words. It's great to get such nice feedback from a fellow puzzle maker.
My "anchor" answers today were DUSTIN/DANA and DOUBLE DECKER. It looks like Liz has filled you in on the ECKER reference. I guess I am out of touch, as I thought that the term ECKER would still be used over in Ireland.
I struggled coming up with something decent for ILL-CONCEIVED, so I am glad you liked what I ended up with.
MONTEVIDEO is again an answer that probably harps back to times gone by. I always associate it with the first ever World Cup, in 1930. And perhaps most famously for historians, it featured in the first major naval battle of WWII in the Battle of the River Plate which led to the scuttling of the Graf Spee.
The one clue I was worried about was LIGHTHEADEDNESS. There was only one way to get at the answer, so you either guessed it or not!
Thanks again, Mark.
Hi Liz,
Such kind words! I hope it wasn't too easy. I've been struggling with getting the degree of difficulty to where it needs to be. Let's hope I can learn from today's puzzle.
Thanks for giving the ECKER explanation. I probably should have expanded on that myself. Growing up in Dublin I am afraid I assumed it was a ubiquitous expression, but I think it might have been particularly "Dub". Ah well ... live and learn ...
Glad you liked IM-MEASURABLE. I thought I'd try something different for IM, and Kerrygold seemed to fit the bill!
And DOUBLE-DECKER was may fave too, I must say. Do you remember the old BBC show, Call My Bluff? Robert Robinson asked one team to define ECKER one night, and no one had heard of it, of course. I thought everyone called their homework ECKER!
Thanks again, Liz ... I can't believe you stayed up last night and did the puzzle in the early hours of the morning!
Hi Bill and Mark
In Dublin it was called ECKER...but I've been reliably informed that it was called ECKA in Cork...so I don't think 'region' was the reason for Mark missing the wordplay ref....I'd say it had more to do with your youthfulness! It's one of those 'words' that seems to have fallen out of use here...I think it's just called HOMEWORK everywhere now...I hope I'm wrong...a sad loss to Irish English!
And Bill, it wasn't too easy at all...the puzzle I mean...just hit the right spot...for me anyway...so no going and upping the level again!!
Liz
Liz,
I'm glad to hear the people of Cork did their ECKER as well, even though they don't know how to spell!! :o)
And it sounds like even M. Crosaire is more up to date with his cluing than I am!
Hi Bill, Mark and Liz.
In full agreement, this has been your best yet Bill. Nice variety of clue types and some very clever wordplay involved.
You kept with the Irish flavour, with Eurovision and the very clever ECKER, and very topical with NATIONAL DEBT etc..
For me the best were NEAR MISSES and MERCURY, with LIGHTHEADEDNESS coming third.
Well done and thanks for the puzzle.
Tommy
p.s. forgive me for not mentioning your Usain Bolt effort last week, that was incredible. Although subscribed to the online, and indeed the best way to time yourself, I just don't feel comfortable when the speed comes into it. I must try it again though.
Hi Tommy,
Can I assume you sounded your tantara today then? If so, I'd like to balatantly use you as a marketing tool in publicising the WEB crosswords. You'll get the inaugural Sweep-the-Week-PLUS award, for clearing all 6 crosaire puzzles and finishing off with the WEB puzzle on Sunday.
I'm glad LIGHTHEADEDNESS was well received, because it wasn't one of my anchor clues, and had to go in because of the letters that were left me. And I couldn't come up with anything else as a clue, so had to go for it!
I know what you mean about speed, Tommy. It does take away something from the experience. I would much, much rather being doing the Crosaire in the actual paper (and as you know, with that pint bottle in front of me, in a pub somewhere back in the auld sod).
Thanks again for checking out the puzzle.
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