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I felt somewhat reckless today as I filled in answers at a fair clip again (I usually find the themed, Saturday puzzle goes quickly). When I got down to last few clues, I was writing in words that only seemed right. So, for two days in a row, I am left scratching my head even though I managed to stop the clock. SIDE? REREDOS? CANT? UPSETS? Still, 12m 48s, and r4ow ... a nice way to finish the week!
Today's Crosaire Aria
32: ONE'S
You're all going to kill me I know, but I am adding another Cliff Richard classic to the Aria collection! Long before the Beatles took over the UK pop music scene, it was all about Cliff. As we all know, Cliff Richard was born Harry Webb, in India, son of an Anglo-Indian couple. Back in England, Harry Webb started singing, adopting the name of Cliff Richard, backed by a bad called the Drifters. Soon after getting together in the fifties, a handful of their songs made it into the UK charts. It was when their first international success (Living Doll, in 1959) started to climb the US charts they ran into trouble with name "The Drifters", as there was already a celebrated American group with that name, so "The Shadows" were born. Here is The Young Ones, from 1961. They do look young, don't they?
The Clue of the Day
28D: It is sprightly? The very thing! (6)
I usually like to see a homonym signaled somehow, and we do get an awful lot of "by the sound of it". Here M. Crosaire gets away with a flirtatious little "?" to alert us that all is not as it seems. "Sprightly?" with that question mark suggests something a little "loose". How about "sprite-ly", like a sprite? It is (IT'S) sprightly? (ELF) = ITSELF: the very thing!
The Lookup of the Day12 SIDE
I think many of us are familiar with astrum, the Latin word for "star". This is especially true for us UCD graduates, as the college's motto is Ad Astra ("to the stars"). Another Latin word for star, or constellation, is sidus, from where we get our word today, SIDEREAL, an adjective meaning "pertaining to the stars". It's interesting to note that the time taken for the Earth to rotate fully on its axis is not in fact 24 hours, but rather 23 hours 56 minutes. Man "created" the concept of the 24-hour day by measuring the time it takes for the sun to reach its zenith each day. This time is slightly longer than it takes for any other star to reach its zenith in the sky, because the Earth is moving around the sun. The earth is in a relatively fixed position relative to the stars outside our solar system, but not relative to our own star. So 24 hours is a solar day, and 23 hours 56 minutes is a SIDEREAL day. If you're an astronomer, you care about this. The rest of us ... not so much!
Here are my answers. As always, I welcome comments and explanations. Thanks!
Across
1: TREASURE CHEST
10: HURDLES
You don't get them for the flat (horse races).
11: ST-UTTER
The saint (ST) gets to speak (UTTER) = STUTTER: speak with difficulty with this.
12: SIDE
When the team (SIDE) gets real (REAL) = SIDEREAL: it gets the stars.
SIDEREAL is an adjective meaning "of the stars". I'd heard of it, and feel I should of known the meaning, but didn't, I must admit ...
13: S-TALE
The story (-TALE) is the "last" part of the answer, STALE: by no means new.
15: INCH
A ball (BALL) in ah (IN-AH) with shortly (INCH) = BALLINAHINCH: that is in Galway.
17: STY
For the swine (STY) this led to it (LED) = STYLED: being called.
19: NE(ST)ED
Need (NE-ED) around the street (ST) = NESTED: to have made your home.
21: EARTHS ... anagram of "hearts".
A fox's home is an EARTH ...
22: FAT-ALLY
He is so overweight (FAT) your friend (ALLY) = FATALLY: it may be the death of him.
23: TEE-ME-D
Prepare to drive (TEE) me (ME) to five hundred (D) = TEEMED: where there were hundreds.
25: LESS-OR
One has fewer (LESS) or (OR) = LESSOR: ten-ants.
27: SKI
Off the snow (SKI) with a thousand more (M) = SKIM: that would be to take the top off.
29: ORGY ... anagram of "gory".
30: TEST-Y
This is trying (TEST) seems (-Y) to make one = TESTY: so cross.
31: CAN'T
It is not ABLE (CAN'T) = CANT: it's so insincere.
A CANT is monotonous talk, filled with insincerity, I just found out ...
34: SCIENCE
C on this (C-ON) with such knowledge (SCIENCE) = CONSCIENCE: might prick one.
35: 'EM-BAR-GO
For 'em ('EM) the pub (BAR) to go after (GO) = EMBARGO: it's forbidden.
36: CHESTERFIELDS
You get in such suite ("sweet" sounding) for a sitting.
Down
2: RE-RE-DOS
About twice (RE-RE) turn the sod (DOS) = REREDOS: for the altar.
A REREDOS is a screen, usually decorated with religious iconography, placed behind an altar. My wife has dragged me around so many old churches, I am sure I knew this at one time, but not today ...
3: AWLS ... anagram of "laws".
4: UPSETS
I'll need help here. I am sure this is a great clue ... but I don't get it! Anyone?
UPDATE: I just bumped into Liz who turned up late to the MCC. She points out that there is a typo here, and the clue should read "cap sizes" not "can sizes".
UPSETS: cap-sizes, disturbs.
5: EASILY
Altogether no t-rouble for this.
6: HAUL
Lots of room just inside the door (HALL) by the sound of it = HAUL: it's such a drag.
7: S(A-TIN)ET
Set (S-ET) around a can (A TIN) = SATINET: fine stuff.
SATINET is cheap, imitation stain, apparently. More fabrics ...(yawn!).
8: CHESTNUT HORSE
Brown s-teed for driving - so beastly.
9: OR-CHEST-RATION
Or (OR) a breast (CHEST) allowance (RATION) = ORCHESTRATION: set to music.
14: ATTACKS
Something to be paid to authority (A TAX) they sound like = ATTACKS: so offensive.
16: REFER
Either way ... REFER is a palindrome.
18: LAYER
Lam-in-a, or a hen.
This clue would have read better as "l am in a hen", I think ...
20: DAD
Him (DAD) nothing (O) = DADO: nothing could get to the top of the wall, because the DADO is the bottom of the wall, and a Lookup of the Day back in September of last year ...
21: ELL
To follow kay (EL) by the sound of it = ELL: long
An ELL is an old measure of length ...
Hmm ...
24: ENGLISH ... anagram of "leg" and "shin".
26: SCARRED
27: S(EVER)E
It's always (-EVER-) is "inside" the answer, SEVERE: strictly speaking.
28: IT'S-ELF
It is (IT'S) sprightly? (ELF) = ITSELF: the very thing.
Nice one ...
32: ONE'S
Eleven, '11', perhaps (ONES) = ONE'S; your.
Another nice one ...
33: ABLE
After tea, sounds as if (T) you may (ABLE) = TABLE: have tea on it.
Reveal-An-Answer
Need just one answer to get things moving? Here is my solution to today's puzzle, in a hidden format. To reveal any particular answer, highlight the whole line containing the relevant clue number.
Across
1: TREASURE CHEST
10: HURDLES
11: ST-UTTER
12: SIDE
13: S-TALE
15: INCH
17: STY
19: NE(ST)ED
21: EARTHS
22: FAT-ALLY
23: TEE-ME-D
25: LESS-OR
27: SKI
29: ORGY
30: TEST-Y
31: CAN'T
34: SCIENCE
35: 'EM-BAR-GO
36: CHESTERFIELDS
Down
2: RE-RE-DOS
3: AWLS
4: UPSETS
5: EASILY
6: HAUL
7: S(A-TIN)ET
8: CHESTNUT HORSE
9: OR-CHEST-RATION
14: ATTACKS
16: REFER
18: LAYER
20: DAD
21: ELL
24: ENGLISH
26: SCARRED
27: S(EVER)E
28: IT'S-ELF
32: ONE'S
33: ABLE
10 comments:
Hi Bill,
Finished today with one eye on the Rugby! Neither was captivating enough for my full attention!
Had more or less the same thinking as you...never heard of 'reredos' but it couldn't be anything else...never heard of 'sidereal'...
All quiet on the South-eastern front today...
Cheers, Moley
Hi Bill
How 'Suite' it is!
Proud to report a r4ow and a new personal best for me today.
I couldn't have imagined doing that just a few weeks ago so many thanks for all the work you keep putting in to this great blog.
Like yourself once I made the CHEST connection in the four long clues, I was well on my way.
Unlike Liz, I didnt spot the typo in can/cap sizes but wrote in UPSETS anyway.
I did most of this puzzle around 12.30 to 1 am this morning after returning from a night at the movies with the family. The movie we saw was 'UP In The Air' and that sums up how I feel now.
Thanks again.
Mike
Hi Moley,
I miss the old rugby. I am so far out of it that I have no idea who was playing. We have the Super Bowl tomorrow. I've been going to Super Bowl parties every year since I moved to America, and I still have no idea what American Football is all about. I don't even know who's playing.
Congrats on finishing up the week with a tantara.
Enjoy the quiet ...
Hi Mike,
I just knew I'd be moving your name up the Honour Roll before too long. Heartiest congratulations. Soon you'll be thinking about that Sweep-The-Week milestone too. I'm glad the Blog is being of service.
I find that it's best to attack a Saturday puzzle differently than the rest of the week. I go for the long answers at the edge of the grid, trying to work out the theme. Once I have the theme, I can usually get 2-3 of the outer answers, giving loads of letters to help with the body of the grid. And today's CHESTY puzzle went right according to plan :)
I can't get my wife to go see Up In the Air with me. She said she has heard it's depressing. I'm interested because I used to be a bit of a road warrior in my day, so would like to see what the George Clooney character gets up to. Did you enjoy the film?
Congrats on the r4ow. I'll engrave your name in its rightful spot this very minute, Mike!
Bill,
Up in the Air is definitely not a depressing movie. It has a lot of very witty dialogue and Clooney is amazing to watch. He's one of those actors who appeals equally to male & female audiences.
There's also an amusing cameo appearance by Sam Elliot towards the end of the film.
Well worth seeing I think.
Mike
Mike,
George Clooney definitely appeals to to my wife, so maybe I can convince her to go. Or maybe I'll just head off by myself!
Not a bad idea ...
I interpreted 'Layer' differently : I/aye am in a hen: so a 5 letter word for hen with aye as the middle letters was required.
Hi there, anonymous visitor.
That's well spotted, the "aye" in L(AYE)R. I didn't think of that possibility. Sometimes M. Crosaire gives us three pointers to the same answer, so you could very well be right.
That's what we're here for ... to try to get into the mind of M. Crosaire!!
Hi Bill and gang!
Much the same puzzle here...SIDEREAL a new one on me...but got it from the non-cryptic!
Very interesting new LAYER you have added to the clue for 18d, Anonymous! Didn't spot that angle at all...like Bill, I took the LAMINA route, possibly because it's a word that M. Crosaire makes use of from time to time...your interpretation adds another dimension to the clue.
Congrats on your move up the Honours Roll Mike!...and must say I'm sold on the idea of going to see 'Up in the Air' after your comments boys!...and I'm sure, if needs must, I could cope with heading off all by li'l ole lonesome to see Seoirse!
Hope your WEB 1/5 leads to r5ows all round...that'd be a nice finish to the week!
Liz
Hi Liz,
Good to see you right behind us :)
I actually got right up and went to see Up in the Air this afternoon. I found it a very enjoyable film, kept my attention the whole way through. I'd recommend it to anyone.
The Sunday WEB ... 1/5 ... a piece of cake :)
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