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We're approaching the middle of the month, so here's a puzzle that's rated a medium in terms of difficulty, a 3/5.
And a reminder ... the Sunday slot is still 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 About a hundred pieces of Lego lying all around the artist (2,5)
5 It heats up when you put something funny on your finger (3,4)
9 The sailor is paid to take something confidential to the Queen (9)
10 It's the rat inside that is pretty ticked off (5)
11 Can Al take that last letter to court? (4)
12 The troops were sent out with cold objectivity (10)
14 Races to get Reginald with someone sober in Alcoholics Anonymous (7)
16 Something obscure and messy did in the hen (6)
19 Without A. the despot becomes medium strength (1.1.1.)
21 There's nothing to be looked at or listened to (6)
22 Pick, say, eccentric compensation of a kind (4,3)
25 Et al. (4,2,4)
27 Rob in over his head perhaps? (4)
29 Taken flight on the incoming tide to the north (5)
30 It's far from obvious that it's not for melding it together (9)
31 A mass of pups! Gee, I can hear them! (7)
32 Tea to use up gradually (3,4)
Down
1 Disclose what your stance used to be (6)
2 She was a woman of the night, I hear (9)
3 It used to be the morning for the test (4)
4 It's hidden in some letters like PEGGSAN (8)
5 Let's just say it's the bacteriologist's nationality (6)
6 The metal worker can keep the candles alight ... now there's beer! (10)
7 It's how old I am in this picture (5)
8 How do you do it? Keeping a horse around this entire mess? (8)
13 One who produces e.g. a "P", can be very gripping! (4-6)
15 As the second looks kind of like a horse (3)
17 In the end Ian gets his card back, on a harsh word (9)
18 Four canines perhaps? That's hard to say (8)
20 Break up a small amount of pine, but with tact (8)
23 Brave Penny had all the luck this year (6)
24 Ada takes the US soldier around for a slow dance (6)
26 That perch is for Pooh's pal, the saint (5)
28 It used to circulate on water (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 About a hundred pieces of Lego lying all around the artist (2,5)
EL G(RE-C)O
Pieces of "Lego" lying all around (ELG-O) about a hundred (RE C) = EL GRECO: the artist.
5 It heats up when you put something funny on your finger (3,4)
GAS RING
When you put something funny (GAS) on your finger (RING) = GAS RING: it heats up.
9 The sailor is paid to take something confidential to the Queen (9)
PRIVATE-ER
To take something confidential (PRIVATE) to the Queen (ER) = PRIVATEER: The sailor is paid.
10 It's the rat inside that is pretty ticked off (5)
I(RAT)E
Inside that is (I-E) it's the rat (RAT) = IRATE: pretty ticked off.
11 Can Al take that last letter to court? (4)
SUE-Z
Take to court (SUE) that last letter (Z) = SUEZ: can-al.
12 The troops were sent out with cold objectivity (10)
DETACHMENT
The troops were sent out = DETACHMENT: with cold objectivity.
14 Races to get Reginald with someone sober in Alcoholics Anonymous (7)
REG-A(TT)A
To get Reginald (REG) in Alcoholics Anonymous (A-A) with someone sober (TT) = REGATTA: races.
16 Something obscure and messy did in the hen (6)
H(IDD)EN
In the hen (H-EN) messy "did" (IDD) = HIDDEN: something obscure.
19 Without A. the despot becomes medium strength (1.1.1.)
E.S.P.
The D-esp-OT with a DOT (A.) becomes = E.S.P. -- medium strength.
21 There's nothing to be looked at or listened to (6)
O-B-EYED
There's nothing (O) to be (B) looked at (EYED) = OBEYED: or listened to.
22 Pick, say, eccentric compensation of a kind (4,3)
SICK PAY
"Pick, say" eccentric = SICK PAY: compensation of a kind.
25 Et al. (4,2,4)
TURN UP LATE
TURN UP "LATE" to get "et al".
27 Rob in over his head perhaps? (4)
HOOD
Rob-in HOOD perhaps has a HOOD over his head.
29 Taken flight on the incoming tide to the north (5)
FLOW-N
On the incoming tide (FLOW) to the North (N) = FLOWN: taken flight.
30 It's far from obvious that it's not for melding it together (9)
CON-FUSING
It's not "for" (CON) melding it together (FUSING) = CONFUSING: it's far from obvious.
31 A mass of pups! Gee, I can hear them! (7)
LITURGY
Pups (LITTER) Gee (G) = LITTER-G, I can hear them = LITURGY: a mass.
32 Tea to use up gradually (3,4)
EAT INTO
To use up gradually is to EAT INTO, and "EAT" IN "TO" = "t-ea t-o".
Down
1 Disclose what your stance used to be (6)
EX-POSE
Used to be (EX-) your stance (POSE) = EXPOSE: disclose.
2 She was a woman of the night, I hear (9)
GUINEVERE
Guinevere was a woman of the knight ("night" I hear), King Arthur's queen.
3 It used to be the morning for the test (4)
EX-AM
It used to be (EX-) the morning (AM) for = EXAM: the test.
4 It's hidden in some letters like PEGGSAN (8)
OMELETTE
P(EGGS)AN = EGGS in a PAN = Omelette.
5 Let's just say it's the bacteriologist's nationality (6)
GERMAN
The bacteriologist (GERM MAN) let's just say = GERMAN: his nationality.
6 The metal worker can keep the candles alight ... now there's beer! (10)
SMITH-WICKS
The metal worker (SMITH) can keep the candles alight (WICKS) = SMITHWICKS: now there's beer!
7 It's how old I am in this picture (5)
I'M-AGE
I am (I'M) how old (AGE) = IMAGE: this picture.
8 How do you do it? Keeping a horse around this entire mess? (8)
G(REETIN)G
Keeping a horse around (G-G) this "entire" mess (REETIN) = GREETING: "how do you do" it.
13 One who produces e.g. a "P", can be very gripping! (4-6)
PAGE-TURNER
One who produces e.g. a "P" (EGAP) is a PAGE-TURNER: can very gripping!
15 As the second looks kind of like a horse (3)
AS-S
As (AS) the second (S) = ASS: looks kind of like a horse.
17 In the end Ian gets his card back, on a harsh word (9)
DRAC-ON-IAN
Gets his card back (DRAC) on (ON) in the end Ian (IAN) = DRACONIAN: a "harsh" word.
18 Four canines perhaps? That's hard to say (8)
MOUTHFUL
There are four canines (teeth) in a MOUTHFUL: that's hard to say.
20 Break up a small amount of pine, but with tact (8)
PITTANCE
Break up "pine" but with "tact" = PITTANCE: a small amount.
23 Brave Penny had all the luck this year (6)
P-LUCK-Y
Penny (P) had all the luck (LUCK) this year (Y) = PLUCKY: brave.
24 Ada takes the US soldier around for a slow dance (6)
ADA-GI-O
Ada (ADA) take the US soldier (GI) a-round (O) for = ADAGIO: a slow dance.
26 That perch is for Pooh's pal, the saint (5)
ROO-ST
Pooh's pal (ROO) the saint (ST) is for = ROOST: that perch.
28 It used to circulate on water (4)
PUNT
It used to circulate (before the Euro) = PUNT: on water.
8 comments:
Hi Bill,
Great puzzle! I found it easier to get started this week, but I had to work really hard to get my tantara. The difficulty level seemed spot on for a 3/5.
I wanted my ‘EGGS in a PAN’ to be ‘overeasy’ for a while, until REGATTA forced me to change my breakfast order.
OBEYED was my last, and probably my favourite. A really clever clue! Some other favourites were
Across
EL GRECO, GAS RING, SUEZ, REGATTA, OBEYED, TURN UP LATE, CONFUSING, EAT INTO
Down
GUINEVERE, OMELETTE, GREETING, PAGE-TURNER PUNT
I also want to report that a tantara on Saturday gave me my first r8ow (doomed to fail tomorrow- always happens after a declaration) and a Sweep-the-Week.
Thanks for a lovely puzzle
Eleanor
Hi Bill,
Fantastic puzzle today. If I was told that it was a Crosaire original I would believe it and with your added flair it just worked excellent.
Like Eleanor, I had to work for my tantara today but I got there. The 3/5 rating was spot on. You really know how to rate them now. And a 5/5 for enjoyment.
GERMAN was clue of the day. Clever!
EL GRECO proved to cause some hassle as I was trying to fit RA in somewhere. Then it finally clicked. Nice misdirection there.
OMLETTE and EAT INTO were classic Bill'esque clues (excuse my new word creation). Both brilliant!
PAGE TURNER was also a favourite today.
And I cannot forget to comment about ESP. I loved the clue so much.
Thanks for the puzzle Bill,
All the best,
Mark
Hi there Eleanor,
Congrats on your tantara on Saturday, and most importantly congrats on your r8ow!! I see from the Honor Roll that you we had you down with a best r5ow before, so unless you've been holding out on us, you really blew that one out of the water. And your first Sweep-the-Week to boot. AND, as you cleared today's WEB Crossword as well, we get to record a Sweep-the-Week-PLUS for you. The accolades will be flooding in! I'll get the engraver out right now.
Thanks for checking out today's WEB puzzle. I'm really glad you liked it, and thrilled with your report about the difficulty level. I did indeed deliberately add some "gimmes" to make the puzzle easier to start, but tried to hold out on other clues to keep the difficulty level up. So, your comments are very gratifying.
OBEYED was I suppose a more "classic" type of clue, so I am guessing that is a preference for you. I was pleased myself when I tripped over the "looked at" and "listened to" pairing. The terms sit so well together, yet one supports the cryptic definition, and the other the noon-cryptic.
Thanks again, Eleanor, and congratulations too!
Hi Mark,
It's always gratifying to get such kind words from a fellow puzzle creator. I am glad you liked today's crossword, and a little relieved. to be honest. I had less time to prepare it this week and felt a tad rushed at the end. But, it seems to have worked out.
Re EL GRECO, I see you noticed the "artist" misdirection. I do enjoy it when an answer allows me to throw in a typical word signal (like "artist") but use it in a different context.
ESP was a fun one for me. I was tempted to just leave the clue as "medium strength" as I like the pun so much :o)
I'm looking forward to seeing your puzzle number 18 hitting the news-stands!
Hi Bill,
Another very enjoyable puzzle and I'm so cross with myself for not having the patience to go away and come back to it as I had it down to OBEYED but could only think of OPENER. I should know by now ( I do know, but again too hasty!) that you don't have any obscure clues that I don't 'get'. You've ended my run of successes as I've been finishing Crosaire every day now for a while. I'm back in gainful employment after a sabbatical and haven't as much time for the blog. Many favourite clues including GAS RING, TURN UP LATE, LITURGY, GUINIVERE, OMELETTE,GREETING and PUNT.
Lovely greeting from Mr Crozier too.
Martina
Hi Martina,
It's always good to hear from you. We miss your regular contributions, but I am delighted to hear that the distraction from the Blog is "gainful employment".
Thanks for checking out the puzzle, and taking time to give the feedback. The comments do help an awful lot. I'm glad you enjoyed it, but I do like to hear that tantara. Even though you missed OBEYED, I am heartened by your observation that I don't use "obscure" clues. I do have a handful of principles that I stick to when constructing WEB Crosswords, and one is that I never use obscure words as answers, so one should have the confidence that given time, any clue should be solvable.
Looks like your fave clues match mine to a large extent. I was a bit unsure about GAS RING though. Wasn't sure it was cryptic enough, but in the end I went with it as it was a little light-hearted, and a medium puzzle needs a sprinkling of gimmes.
I notice that I've never had the pleasure of engraving your name on our Crosaire Honour Roll. If you ever clock up a new record of clearances, be sure to tell me. The Honour Roll isn't as fun for me unless I have all the Blog stalwarts represented!!
Glad you liked the message from Mr. Crozier. He is such a gracious man. As you can tell, he really appreciated his birthday greetings. I'm glad we put the effort into it.
Anyway, thanks again for spending some of your Sunday with us. Don't be too much of a stranger, Martina.
Hi Bill and all,
Fantastic puzzle Bill...OBEYED was last in...CONFUSING and PLUCKY were the other bugbears for me...but I did hold out for my TANTARA!
Spotted EL GRECO quickly and that helped the north west to fill fairly handy...but, although I saw the eggs in the pan right away, the OMELETTE took way longer to cook than it should have...nice clue!
Favourites were GAS RING, TURN UP LATE, REGATTA, LITURGY, GUINEVERE, OMELETTE, SMITHWICKS (great clue, awful beer!), GREETING, PAGE-TURNER and I really liked PLUCKY...a quaint and descriptive word, rarely used anymore...
It was a very enjoyable puzzle and the 3/5 rating was spot-on...it had some gimmes to get started but there were others that needed a lot of teasing...and a second sitting for me...after the wee break, I was obviously feeling more PLUCKY...found it less CONFUSING...and OBEYED the golden rule...by singing TANTARA!
Thanks Bill
Liz
Liz,
I'm glad you enjoyed it, and am delighted that the 3/5 rating sat well with you. I am hoping that I'm getting a handle on this rating system idea.
You picked out most of my favorite clues too, and that's a good sign as well. Some clues just end up as filler at the end, although I try hard to make even the last few as interesting as possible.
The next WEB puzzle (a 4/5) has fewer gimmes, I think, and a few more clues to hold out at the end (I hope!).
But, best of all was your tantara today. That's what I like to hear! Thanks again, Liz!
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