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Happy New Year, everyone! Here is a very sedate (difficulty rating of 1/5) WEB puzzle as we recover from the celebrations of last week.
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 Bury the priest in the hay ... he's not bashful! (5)
4 In one word ... unfamiliar (3)
6 Yearned to drop Edward for something new in January (4)
9 It might be electric, so reveal every second letter (3)
10 Half a sphere, and I'm told the ink's to the right, so figure it's Egyptian (6)
11 Both bars I see are uncivilised (8)
12 I will shortly be sick (3)
13 Tells someone about the underwear (6)
16 ES-EAS-S (it's not difficult ...) (8)
21 Bend here ---> N (6)
22 The medic stands before the American ship also known as the "Greek Fare" (8)
23 Any questionable no-vote (3)
24 Moan about the nag before I see clones here (8)
25 Nutty old man? (6)
26 He broadcasts so you can hear the joyous act of arson (3,5)
31 Drive Grey crazy here ---> N (6)
34 The Netherlands get one, giving us no score (3)
35 A brief summary of what was told in confession perhaps? (8)
37 That's hateful! Do return the things you owe! (6)
38 It's absurd and I won't stand for it! (3)
39 'E is with the agent, see? (4)
40 The shortest route home for 26-across (3)
41 Frantically tear about ten more (5)
Down
1 Before the market gets overexcited (5)
2 The cost? Paddy has this under a penny! (5)
3 Coordinate so we are up and back say about nine (1-4)
4 Titled "No Need for a Matador?", I hear (5)
5 Op. uses? (5)
6 Ran around after you all this long (5)
7 A career without transportation is always short (3)
8 A reversed sail for the end of 22-across (5)
13 Einstein can drink out of it (4,3)
14 In the beginning, like one's childhood (7)
15 He takes the blame so maybe he's a Scorpio? (4,3)
17 "Ah ... Offaly", calls the sailor (4)
18 There's too much bloody sugar without it (7)
19 A new name for our charm (7)
20 Like a passenger who has no seat on the plane? (7)
22 He put Mother here ---> N (3)
23 After you get in this bread for Navan (4)
27 Only a fool goes around by that chasm (5)
28 Spoils the boy who keeps the Old Testament inside (5)
29 He ascends part of the staircase (5)
30 Follow Susan here ---> N (5)
31 Keep part of the hotel open for a romantic getaway (5)
32 Remove the alien clutching Victor (5)
33 Go on, you and your father, get some cheese (5)
36 A wee dram for the pin-up (3)
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 Bury the priest in the hay ... he's not bashful! (5)
HA(PP)Y
In the hay (HA-Y) bury the priest (PP) = HAPPY: he's not Bashful (no, he's another one of "The Seven Dwarfs"!)
4 In one word ... unfamiliar (3)
NEW
In o-NE W-ord = NEW: unfamiliar.
6 Yearned to drop Edward for something new in January (4)
YEAR
Yearned (YEAR-NED) to drop Edward (-NED) for = YEAR: something new in January.
9 It might be electric, so reveal every second letter (3)
EEL
So r-E-v-E-a-L every second letter = EEL: it might be electric.
10 Half a sphere, and I'm told the ink's to the right, so figure it's Egyptian (6)
SPH-INX
Half a sph-ere (SPH) and I'm told the "ink's", I hear as (INX) so = SPHINX: figure it's Egyptian.
11 Both bars I see are uncivilised (8)
BAR-BAR-IC
Bars (BAR) both (BAR) I see (IC) are = BARBARIC: uncivilised.
12 I will shortly be sick (3)
I'LL
"I will" shortly (I'LL) be = ILL: sick.
13 Tells someone about the underwear (6)
BRIEFS
16 ES-EAS-S (it's not difficult ...) (8)
EAS-IN-ESS
ES-EAS-S can be rewritten as EAS IN ESS = EASINESS: it's not difficult.
21 Bend here ---> N (6)
EN-FOLD
Here ---> N (EN) bend (FOLD) = ENFOLD
22 The medic stands before the American ship also known as the "Greek Fare" (8)
MO-USS-AKA
The medic (MO) stands before the American ship (USS) also known as (AKA) = MOUSSAKA: the Greek fare.
23 Any questionable no-vote (3)
NAY
"Any" questionable = NAY: no-vote.
24 Moan about the nag before I see clones here (8)
MO(NAG-H)AN
Moan about (MO-AN) [the nag (NAG) before I (H)] = MONAGHAN: see Clones here.
25 Nutty old man? (6)
ALMOND
Nutty (an anagram of) "old man" = ALMOND: nutty.
26 He broadcasts so you can hear the joyous act of arson (3,5)
GAY BYRNE
The joyous act of arson (GAY BURN) you can hear as = GAY BYRNE: he broadcasts.
31 Drive Grey crazy here ---> N (6)
EN-ERGY
Here ---> N (EN) "Grey" crazy (ERGY) = ENERGY: drive.
34 The Netherlands get one, giving us no score (3)
N(I)L
The Netherlands (N-L) get one (I) giving us = NIL: no score.
35 A brief summary of what was told in confession perhaps? (8)
SYNOPSIS
A summary of "sins" perhaps?
37 That's hateful! Do return the things you owe! (6)
OD-IOUS
Do return (OD) the things you owe (IOUS) = ODIOUS: that's hateful.
38 It's absurd and I won't stand for it! (3)
SIT
"It's" absurd = SIT: and I won't stand for it.
39 'E is with the agent, see? (4)
'E-SPY
'E ('E) is with the agent (SPY) = ESPY: see.
40 The shortest route home for 26-across (3)
RTE
The shortest "route" = RTE: home for GAY BYRNE.
41 Frantically tear about ten more (5)
E(X)TRA
Frantically "tear" (E-TRA) about ten (X) = EXTRA: more.
Down
1 Before the market gets overexcited (5)
HYPER
As in HYPER-MARKET, and HYPER: overexcited.
2 The cost? Paddy has this under a penny! (5)
P-RICE
Under a penny (P) paddy has this (RICE) = PRICE: the cost.
3 Coordinate so we are up and back say about nine (1-4)
Y-A(XI)S
Say (S-AY) about nine (IX) = SIXAY, and back = Y-AXIS: coordinate so we are up.
4 Titled "No Need for a Matador", I hear (5)
NOBLE
No need for a matador (NO BULL) I hear as = NOBLE: titled.
5 Op. uses? (5)
WORKS
WORKS: op-uses.
6 Ran around after you all this long (5)
YE-ARN
After you all (YE) "ran" around (ARN) = YEARN: this long.
7 A career without transportation is always short (3)
E'ER
A career (CAR-EER) without transportation (-CAR) = E'ER: always, ever short.
8 A reversed sail for the end of 22-across (5)
A-LIAS
A (A) reversed "sail" (LIAS) for = ALIAS: AKA (the end of MOUSS-AKA).
13 Einstein can drink out of it (4,3)
BEER MUG
You can drink out of a BEER MUG: ein stein (in German).
14 In the beginning, like one's childhood (7)
IN-FANCY
In the beginning (IN) like (FANCY) = INFANCY: one's childhood.
15 He takes the blame so maybe he's a Scorpio? (4,3)
FALL GUY
Maybe he's a Scorpio, GUY born in the FALL (Autumn) = FALL GUY: he takes the blame.
17 "Ah ... Offaly", calls the sailor (4)
AH-OY
Ah (AH) Offaly (OY) = AHOY: calls the sailor.
18 There's too much bloody sugar without it (7)
INSULIN
There's too much sugar in the blood without it.
19 A new name for our charm (7)
ENAM-OUR
A new "name" (ENAM) for our (OUR) = ENAMOUR: charm.
20 Like a passenger who has no seat on the plane? (7)
STANDBY
No seat, so one must STAND(BY).
22 He put Mother here ---> N (3)
MA-N
Put Mother (MA) here ---> N (N) = MAN: he.
23 After you get in this bread for Navan (4)
NA-AN
In this bread (NA-AN) after you, U (V) for = NAVAN
27 Only a fool goes around by that chasm (5)
A(BY)SS
Only a fool (A-SS) goes round by (BY) = ABYSS: that chasm.
28 Spoils the boy who keeps the Old Testament inside (5)
BO(OT)Y
The boy (BO-Y) who keeps the Old Testament inside (OT) = BOOTY: spoils.
29 He ascends part of the staircase (5)
RISER
RISER: one who ascends, and the vertical part of a step.
30 Follow Susan here ---> N (5)
EN-SUE
Here ---> N (EN) Susan (SUE) = ENSUE: follow.
31 Keep part of the hotel open for a romantic getaway (5)
ELOPE
Keep part of "the hot-EL OPE-n" for = ELOPE: a romantic getaway.
32 Remove the alien clutching Victor (5)
E(VIC)T
The alien (E-T) clutching Victor (VIC) = EVICT: remove.
33 Go on, you and your father, get some cheese (5)
GO-U-DA
Go (GO) on you (U) and your father (DA) get = GOUDA: some cheese.
36 A wee dram for the pin-up (3)
NIP
The "pin" up for = NIP: a wee dram.
Reveal-An-Answer
Need just one answer to get things moving? Here is the solution to today's puzzle, in a hidden format. To reveal any particular answer, highlight the whole line under the relevant clue.
Across
1 Bury the priest in the hay ... he's not bashful! (5)
HA(PP)Y
4 In one word ... unfamiliar (3)
NEW
6 Yearned to drop Edward for something new in January (4)
YEAR
9 It might be electric, so reveal every second letter (3)
EEL
10 Half a sphere, and I'm told the ink's to the right, so figure it's Egyptian (6)
SPH-INX
11 Both bars I see are uncivilised (8)
BAR-BAR-IC
12 I will shortly be sick (3)
I'LL
13 Tells someone about the underwear (6)
BRIEFS
16 ES-EAS-S (it's not difficult ...) (8)
EAS-IN-ESS
21 Bend here ---> N (6)
EN-FOLD
22 The medic stands before the American ship also known as the "Greek Fare" (8)
MO-USS-AKA
23 Any questionable no-vote (3)
NAY
24 Moan about the nag before I see clones here (8)
MO(NAG-H)AN
25 Nutty old man? (6)
ALMOND
26 He broadcasts so you can hear the joyous act of arson (3,5)
GAY BYRNE
31 Drive Grey crazy here ---> N (6)
EN-ERGY
34 The Netherlands get one, giving us no score (3)
N(I)L
35 A brief summary of what was told in confession perhaps? (8)
SYNOPSIS
37 That's hateful! Do return the things you owe! (6)
OD-IOUS
38 It's absurd and I won't stand for it! (3)
SIT
39 'E is with the agent, see? (4)
'E-SPY
40 The shortest route home for 26-across (3)
RTE
41 Frantically tear about ten more (5)
E(X)TRA
Down
1 Before the market gets overexcited (5)
HYPER
2 The cost? Paddy has this under a penny! (5)
P-RICE
3 Coordinate so we are up and back say about nine (1-4)
Y-A(XI)S
4 Titled "No Need for a Matador", I hear (5)
NOBLE
5 Op. uses? (5)
WORKS
6 Ran around after you all this long (5)
YE-ARN
7 A career without transportation is always short (3)
E'ER
8 A reversed sail for the end of 22-across (5)
A-LIAS
13 Einstein can drink out of it (4,3)
BEER MUG
14 In the beginning, like one's childhood (7)
IN-FANCY
15 He takes the blame so maybe he's a Scorpio? (4,3)
FALL GUY
17 "Ah ... Offaly", calls the sailor (4)
AH-OY
18 There's too much bloody sugar without it (7)
INSULIN
19 A new name for our charm (7)
ENAM-OUR
20 Like a passenger who has no seat on the plane? (7)
STANDBY
22 He put Mother here ---> N (3)
MA-N
23 After you get in this bread for Navan (4)
NA-AN
27 Only a fool goes around by that chasm (5)
A(BY)SS
28 Spoils the boy who keeps the Old Testament inside (5)
BO(OT)Y
29 He ascends part of the staircase (5)
RISER
30 Follow Susan here ---> N (5)
EN-SUE
31 Keep part of the hotel open for a romantic getaway (5)
ELOPE
32 Remove the alien clutching Victor (5)
E(VIC)T
33 Go on, you and your father, get some cheese (5)
GO-U-DA
36 A wee dram for the pin-up (3)
NIP
2 comments:
Hi Bill
Late getting to the puzzle today...and appreciated the 1/5 rating...steamed through most of it, though must confess, SYNOPSIS, BEER MUG and 13a caused a BRIEF pause towards the end!
My favourite was MOUSSAKA...others included BARBARIC, MONAGHAN, ALMOND, ODIOUS, E'ER, INFANCY, FALL GUY - got this from 'takes the blame' but only 'got' the Scorpio/FALL/Autumn ref. when I read your commentary!
Don't think I'll see you at the Crosaire MCC - late nights catching up on me...that'll have to be a manana puzzle!
Liz
Hi Liz,
Late or no, thanks for having a go at the puzzle. I'm glad you raced through, so I have can say that I "nailed" the 1/5 rating.
I do agree though, that SYNOPSIS, BEER MUG were a tad harder, and BRIEFS was probably deceptively simple! FALL GUY was a little too American for my liking, but I was stuck for a clue!
Good luck with the Monday Crosaire, Liz!
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