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It's the end of a long month, and I get to post a puzzle rated 5/5 in terms of difficultly. Personally, I think this one is quite tough, but hopefully fair. There are no obscure words used as answers in a WEB puzzle, so the solver is always looking for a common word or phrase. Anyway, my assessment is not the important thing, it's what the solver thinks that matters ...
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 The Spanish pulled back, then Air France leased the "flier" (7)
5 Sounding sweet, one of two "spices" do the reverse, I see (7)
9 Just tell one, Cap ... one (9)
10 It sounds like the 2nd of January, perhaps, right now (5)
11 Regrets getting rid of the odd trousers (4)
12 Crept up to the elf, troubled and tense (10)
13 Initially Arthur left everyone a pint (3)
14 Spotted something ridiculously small (6)
15 For those in the know, he's beheaded by Eric from the Old Testament (8)
17 Meant to exclude an office looking to the future (3)
18 At ten, it doesn't apply in both directions ... makes sense? (8)
19 A big baby, perhaps might be damaging to a cockney (6)
21 It's not even agreed to be with you (3)
22 Tarts (5,5)
24 The exchanges about a preliminary round (4)
26 Left out before I get south of the border (5)
27 Doctor refers to her shot in the arm (9)
28 Rely on mainly Cork and Kerry, one hears, to be there at the end of May (5,2)
29 Gently moving around before I elongate (7)
Down
1 One followed the French to a town in Meath County (7)
2 This dessert is inapt, Penny ... let Arty just take half (5,4)
3 50? 500? God, just choose one! (4)
4 Before you take my arm, a little word ... (6)
5 Confused in the fog, the Pole marks how far he has gone (8)
6 Talk about litter at your writing class (10)
7 Avoid the odd (very odd!) Galway, to the end of time (5)
8 Shout quietly, jerk, just like this ... (7)
12 Supply half the wood (3)
13 In the beginning, this wasn't covered entirely (10)
15 It might be an electric easel, by the sound of it (3)
16 Something hilariously funny about skin that comes from a marksman (5,4)
17 Alters my resort with skill (8)
18 The play's director, around the Mormons, doubles over yet again (7)
19 Makes the craft aright (3)
20 Amass pups? Gee, I'd say so! (7)
21 19d +19a/2 ... pretty cunning, eh? (6) (6)
23 You lose out, scoundrel! (5)
25 A V-1 into the heart of Germany? (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 The Spanish pulled back, then Air France leased the "flier" (7)
LE-AF-LET
The Spanish, 'el', pulled back (LE) then Air France (AF) leased (LET) = LEAFLET: the flier.
5 Sounding sweet, one of two "spices" do the reverse, I see (7)
MEL-OD-IC
One of two "spices" (MEL) "do" the reverse (OD) I see (IC) = MELODIC: sweet sounding. (Mel B, Mel C .. Spice Girls)
9 Just tell one, Cap ... one (9)
IMPART-I-AL
Tell (IMPART) one (I) Cap-one (AL) = IMPARTIAL: just.
10 It sounds like the 2nd of January, perhaps, right now (5)
TODAY
The 2nd of January, perhaps (TWO DAY) it sounds like = TODAY: right now.
11 Regrets getting rid of the odd trousers (4)
RUES
Getting rid of the odd (letters in) t-R-o-U-s-E-s = RUES: regrets.
12 Crept up to the elf, troubled and tense (10)
PLUPERFECT
"Crept up" to the "elf" troubled, an anagram, and = PLUPERFECT: tense.
13 Initially Arthur left everyone a pint (3)
ALE
Initially A-rthur L-eft E-veryone = ALE: a pint.
14 Spotted something ridiculously small (6)
MEASLY
MEASLY: spotted, and something ridiculously small.
15 For those in the know, he's beheaded by Eric from the Old Testament (8)
E'S-OT-ERIC
H-e's beheaded (E'S) by Old Testament Eric (OT ERIC) = ESOTERIC: for those in the know.
17 Meant to exclude an office looking to the future (3)
MET
ME-an-T to exclude "an" = MET: an office looking to the future (the MET-eorological Office)
18 At ten, it doesn't apply in both directions ... makes sense? (8)
R(AT-IO-NA)L
In both directions, 'right and left' (R-L) [at ten (AT IO) it doesn't apply (NA)] = RATIONAL: makes sense.
19 A big baby, perhaps might be damaging to a cockney (6)
'ARMFUL
Might be damaging, 'harmful', to a Cockney ('ARMFUL) = ARMFUL: a big baby, perhaps.
21 It's not even agreed to be with you (3)
ARE
It's not even (letters in) A-g-R-e-E-d = ARE: "to be" with "you" (you ARE).
22 Tarts (5,5)
FALSE START
"Tarts" is an anagram of (FALSE) START.
24 The exchanges about a preliminary round (4)
HEA-T
"The" exchanges (HE-T) about a (A) = HEAT: preliminary round.
26 Left out before I get south of the border (5)
L-OUT-H
Left (L) out (OUT) before "I" (H) get = LOUTH: south of the broder.
27 Doctor refers to her shot in the arm (9)
REFRES-HER
Doctor "refers" (REFRES) to her (HER) = REFRESHER: shot in the arm.
28 Rely on mainly Cork and Kerry, one hears, to be there at the end of May (5,2)
SW-EAR BY
Mainly Cork and Kerry (SW) one hears (EAR) to be there (B) at the end of Ma-y (Y) = SWEAR BY: rely on.
29 Gently moving around before I elongate (7)
LENG(H)TY
"Gently" moving (LENGT-Y) around before "I" (H) = LENGTHY: elongate (the adjective).
Down
1 One followed the French to a town in Meath County (7)
LE-I-TRIM
The French (LE) one followed (I) to a town in Meath (TRIM) = LEITRIM: county.
2 This dessert is inapt, Penny ... let Arty just take half (5,4)
AP(P-LE T-AR)T
In-apt (AP-T) [Penny (P) let (LET) "Ar-ty" just take half (AR)] is = APPLE TART: this dessert.
3 50? 500? God, just choose one! (4)
L-OR-D
Just choose one 50 or 500 (L OR D) = LORD: God.
4 Before you take my arm, a little word ... (6)
T-RIFLE
Before you, 'U', (T) take my arm (RIFLE) = TRIFLE: a "little" word.
5 Confused in the fog, the Pole marks how far he has gone (8)
MI(LEPO)ST
In the fog (MI-ST) the confused Pole (LEPO) = MILEPOST: marks how far he has gone.
6 Talk about litter at your writing class (10)
LITERATURE
Talk about "litter at your", and I hear = LITERATURE: writing class (a class of writing).
7 Avoid the odd (very odd!) Galway, to the end of time (5)
DOD-G-E
The "odd" very odd (DOD) Galway (G) to the end of tim-e (E) = DODGE: avoid.
8 Shout quietly, jerk, just like this ... (7)
CRY-P-TIC
Shout (CRY) quietly (P) jerk (TIC) = CRYPTIC: just like this!
12 Supply half the wood (3)
PLY
Sup-ply half = PLY: the wood.
13 In the beginning, this wasn't covered entirely (10)
ALTOGETHER
In the beginning (IN THE) "this" entirely (ALTOGETHER) = IN THE ALTOGETHER: wasn't covered.
15 It might be an electric easel, by the sound of it (3)
EE-L
Ease-l, by the sound of it (EE-L) = EEL: it might be an electric.
16 Something hilariously funny about skin that comes from a marksman (5,4)
RI(FLE-SH)OT
Something hilariously funny (RI-OT) about skin (FLESH) = RIFLE SHOT: that comes from a marksman.
17 Alters my resort with skill (8)
MASTERLY
"Alters my" resort = MASTERLY: with skill.
18 The play's director, around the Mormons, doubles over yet again (7)
REF-O-LDS
The play's director (REF) around (O) the Mormons (LDS) = REFOLDS: doubles over yet again.
19 Makes the craft aright (3)
A-RT
A-right (A RT) makes = ART: the craft.
20 Amass pups? Gee, I'd say so! (7)
LITURGY
Pups, gee (LITTER G) I'd say so, and you'd hear = LITURGY: a-mass.
21 19d +19a/2 ... pretty cunning, eh? (6)
ART-FUL
19D (ART) + 19A/2, ARM-FUL (FUL) = ARTFUL: pretty cunning, eh?
23 You lose out, scoundrel! (5)
LO(U)SE
Lose out (LO-SE) you (U) = LOUSE: scoundrel.
25 A V-1 into the heart of Germany? (4)
V-EIN
A V(V) 1 from Germany (EIN) = VEIN: into the heart
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 The Spanish pulled back, then Air France leased the "flier" (7)
LE-AF-LET
5 Sounding sweet, one of two "spices" do the reverse, I see (7)
MEL-OD-IC
9 Just tell one, Cap ... one (9)
IMPART-I-AL
10 It sounds like the 2nd of January, perhaps, right now (5)
TODAY
11 Regrets getting rid of the odd trousers (4)
RUES
12 Crept up to the elf, troubled and tense (10)
PLUPERFECT
13 Initially Arthur left everyone a pint (3)
ALE
14 Spotted something ridiculously small (6)
MEASLY
15 For those in the know, he's beheaded by Eric from the Old Testament (8)
E'S-OT-ERIC
17 Meant to exclude an office looking to the future (3)
MET
18 At ten, it doesn't apply in both directions ... makes sense? (8)
R(AT-IO-NA)L
19 A big baby, perhaps might be damaging to a cockney (6)
'ARMFUL
21 It's not even agreed to be with you (3)
ARE
22 Tarts (5,5)
FALSE START
24 The exchanges about a preliminary round (4)
HEA-T
26 Left out before I get south of the border (5)
L-OUT-H
27 Doctor refers to her shot in the arm (9)
REFRES-HER
28 Rely on mainly Cork and Kerry, one hears, to be there at the end of May (5,2)
SW-EAR BY
29 Gently moving around before I elongate (7)
LENGT(H)Y
Down
1 One followed the French to a town in Meath County (7)
LE-I-TRIM
The French (LE) one followed (I) to a town in Meath (TRIM) = LEITRIM: county.
2 This dessert is inapt, Penny ... let Arty just take half (5,4)
AP(P-LE T-AR)T
3 50? 500? God, just choose one! (4)
L-OR-D
4 Before you take my arm, a little word ... (6)
T-RIFLE
5 Confused in the fog, the Pole marks how far he has gone (8)
MI(LEPO)ST
6 Talk about litter at your writing class (10)
LITERATURE
7 Avoid the odd (very odd!) Galway, to the end of time (5)
DOD-G-E
8 Shout quietly, jerk, just like this ... (7)
CRY-P-TIC
12 Supply half the wood (3)
PLY
13 In the beginning, this wasn't covered entirely (10)
ALTOGETHER
15 It might be an electric easel, by the sound of it (3)
EE-L
16 Something hilariously funny about skin that comes from a marksman (5,4)
RI(FLE-SH)OT
17 Alters my resort with skill (8)
MASTERLY
18 The play's director, around the Mormons, doubles over yet again (7)
REF-O-LDS
19 Makes the craft aright (3)
A-RT
20 Amass pups? Gee, I'd say so! (7)
LITURGY
21 19d +19a/2 ... pretty cunning, eh? (6)
ART-FUL
23 You lose out, scoundrel! (5)
LO(U)SE
25 A V-1 into the heart of Germany? (4)
V-EIN
8 comments:
Hi Bill
No doubt about the 5/5 rating today!! Spent a while at it in the wee hours but had to have a night's sleep before I could get to grips with some of your wicked little ruses...but I did make it through the labyrinth...now reporting a very LOUD tantara!
Got some 'real life' tasks to do here...comment later!
Liz
Hi Bill,
I'm very proud to report a tantara in 44 minutes this morning - the merits of starting after a night's sleep:). However I do have to admit to putting 3 of them in thanks to having enough letters to let me guess, rather than having the logic of the clue worked out.
My method is to go throufh all the across first, then all the down and then try to repeat that process, although from 2nd time on I do sometimes jump between across and down.
My solving journey was something like:
1.)LEAFLET,RUES,ALE,MET,put BUMPER in incorrectly for 19a, and HEAT.
2.)LEITRIM,APPLE TART, LORD, PLY, ART realised my BUMPER error and got ARMFUL and ARTFUL.
3.) MEASLY, LENGHTY, IMPARTIAL, MILEPOST, MELODIC.
4.)LITERATURE, DODGE, TODAY, CRYPTIC,LITURGY.
5.)ESOTERIC,EEL, TRIFLE
6.) LOUTH, RATIONAL, FALSE START.
7.) ALTOGETHER, LOUSE, MASTERLY ( very sneaky (!) as I was trying to alter MY RESORT for an answer
8.) PLUPERFECT - I'm so out of touch with my long ago learnt grammar
9.) REFOLDS (missing latter day saints pointer - just guessing)
10.) SWEAR BY, REFRESHER, RIFLE SHOT (another unexplained one) and finally VEIN.
I draw smiley faces at clues that I really like and today there are faces for MELODIC, IMPARTIAL, RATIONAL ( was trying to use N,S,E,W before eventually hitting on R/L) LITERATURE, ALTOGETHER, LITURGY and VEIN.
Thanks Bill for a great start to the day and sucessful end of the month.
Let's hope Mr Crosaire will be kind to us in February.
Martina
Hi Liz,
That's the news I like to hear. You agree with the 5/5/ rating, yet you still managed to solve the puzzle. Perfect!
I trust your "real life" is just as successful as your life on the Web :)
Thanks for checking out the puzzle ...
Hi Martina,
That's really good news for me, that you managed to solve it, but still found it challenging. And what a great feedback. I was able to look back at the puzzle and see just how you responded to the clues vs. my expectations. I wasn't too far off either, more good news!
Re MASTERLY
Delighted you appreciated my "alters/resort" ruse. I had to think long and hard about a 6-letter anagram indicator to go with "my" that could "hide" under the letters of "alters". Probably the clue I got the biggest kick out of today.
Re PLUPERFECT
I almost didn't use the word as an answer, as it isn't really a "common" word, but I figured we had all been exposed to it at one time or another, albeit many moons ago!
Re REFOLDS
I knew as I put in the LDS/Mormon reference I was bordering on being unfair. I was stuck for a clue that would read anyway decently at all, so opted to use it. Definitely the most obscure clue of the day, but the beauty of a cryptic clue is there is almost always another way to get at the answer.
Re RIFLE SHOT
I think this one is tough because there aren't any words in the clue that actually make it into the answer, just references (something hilarious/RIOT, skin/FLESH). But, at the 5/5 level, I tend to use the 2-step clue more often.
Glad you liked the MELODIC Spice Girls. I was quite chuffed that I could come up with that one, as well as the IMPARTIAL AL cap-one. And I like to sound out the answers as I start to write clues, so was pleasantly surprised to hear myself saying "litter at your" for LITERATURE.
Thanks again for the excellent feedback, Martina, and for taking the time to finish the puzzle.
Yes, a friendly February from M. Crosaire ... that would be nice. I haven't had to update the Honour Roll in some time!
Hi again Bill and hi Martina!
Very impressed with your 44 minute completion Martina...I was MUCH slower...though definitely wasn't a good idea starting this one in the wee hours!
Interesting to see different approaches...on a difficult puzzle (like this!) I do a quick run through the whole thing...and then start again, and sometimes hang around a quadrant for awhile if it looks promising!...first section complete today was NE, followed by SE, NW...and finally the SW...last in were REFOLDS, FALSE START and SWEAR BY.
Like Martina tricked by MASTERLY, trying to 'alter' MY RESORT until I got an 'a' from RATIONAL and saw the error of my ways! Also missed the Latter Day Saints ref. in REFOLDS but got it from the non-cryptic!
Today's beauts:
RIFLE SHOT...Clue of the Day from your military correspondent! Took awhile to see the RIOT about FLESH!
PLUPERFECT...use of 'up' as part of the anag. was a bit wicked!
MELODIC...perplexed by the one of two 'spices' ref!
LITURGY...what can I say! Ditto LITERATURE!
TRIFLE...this clue read so well...you worked in 'before you' (t) really nicely...very Billesque clue...along with LENGTHY and LOUTH...
ESOTERIC, RATIONAL, ARTFUL/ART/ARMFUL...VEIN....there were so many great clues...
...and the presence of the ol' APPLE TART brought a smile!
Well done Bill...many thanks for the mental gymnastics!
Liz
Hi again, Liz.
Your progress through the gird matched "my own". I always try the puzzle when I am done, trying to clear my mind of the answers, to see if I can simulate the solving experience. And my simulated solving pattern matched your own, or thereabouts.
Re MASTERLY
Really glad to hear that the "alter my resort" trick worked on you too. If not, it's a pretty basic clue.
Re PLUPERFECT
Also glad you noticed the use of "up" in the anagram. When I am looking at anagrams (always the last resort!) I do try to find ones including words that are commonly used as other signals, like "alters" and "up".
Re LITURGY
I thought this "sounds like" clue wasn't really as satisfying as "litter at your", but you take what you get!
Great feedback, Liz. Setting a puzzle makes more sense as I get a better idea how the solver is viewing various types of clue. It's mucho helpful!
Working on a 1/5 for next Sunday. Hope it won't bore you! :)
Hi Bill,
Sorry for this late late post on your Cat 5 WEB but real life got in the way on Sunday.
Well, unlike seasoned campaigners,Liz & Martina, I found it really really tough going today and didnt get much work done as I kept coming back to it over a number of hours.
I got stuck in the SW with LOUTH, SWEAR BY and especially REFOLDS proving beyond me and I also toiled for ages with 25 Down. I eventually wrote in VEIN but had to read your notes before I understood it.
Nevertheless I'm proud to say I got the rest including MASTERLY and PLUPERFECT.
I wouldnt have got too many of these back at the start of January when I first discovered your wonderful blog. So thanks for the lessons.
Mike.
Hi Mike,
There's no such thing as "late" when it comes to posting a comment on the Blog, especially for a WEB puzzle. Comments sometimes come in months "late" :)
I am so very grateful that you tried out the puzzle, and stuck with it, and took the time to comment as well. You've no idea how motivating it is for me to hear what folks think of a particular crossword.
This one was tough, deliberately so. I don't get to set a 5/5 very often (there usually aren't enough Sundays in a month to get to 5/5!) so enjoyed the challenge.
REFOLDS was really tough, bordering on unfair, as LDS isn't a very commonly known abbreviation.
Congrats on getting MASTERLY, my favorite clue with the alters/resort diversion, and indeed PLUPERFECT, a real blast from our pasts!
Practice really helps, I think, when it comes to crosswords. And it helps to get to know the setter. Martina and Liz are veterans on WEB puzzles so know a lot of my tricks. My challenge is always to come up with something different, so that they don't take me for granted!
I hope you try a few more WEB crosswords, Mike, and that I didn't scare you away. This coming Sunday we go back to 1/5. A doddle for a puzzler of your caliber!
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