A couple of puzzles back The Stickler Weekly 19 contained this clue:
9ac Brit vicar’s clues excited them? (15) This type of clue is classified as semi-&lit, and not a type that I use often. Essentially it’s a clue where the wordplay contributes significantly to the definition, in other words, the wordplay is doing double duty but still requires more (in this case, “them”) to complete a proper definition. If the wordplay alone carried a full definition, it would be a (full)&lit, but as more is required it’s termed a semi-&lit. As with &lits, semi-&lits should end with a question mark (some setters use a “!” for &lits) to indicate something different to normal is going on and extra attention is required. For me, a semi-&lit should incorporate all of the wordplay, not just part of it.
One solver asked me if “us” would have been better than “them”. While I think both are valid, I totally agree that “us” may have provided some context for the solver and is therefore more appropriate. The clue itself refers to the recently departed British vicar, John Graham, a famous setter who was best known as Araucaria in The Guardian. A little “inside” knowledge may have been needed to fully appreciate the clue, but hopefully the clue leapt out as an anagram and wasn’t too difficult to solve.
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | SPECTATORS | |
| Sportscaster with restrictions lifted re-engaged viewers? (10) | Anagram of S)PORTSCASTE(R | |
| 6 | STAT | |
| Doctor’s immediately accepted numerical fact (4) | Double Definition | |
| 10 | FLOCK | |
| Sheep’s fine hair (5) | F + LOCK | |
| 11 | CART-HORSE | |
| Motor or bearing kept in the large drawer (4-5) | CAR + [(OR + S) inside THE] | |
| 12 | BOOSTING | |
| Con after scary outburst is encouraging (8) | STING after BOO | |
| 13 | SCREED | |
| Highly-ranked athlete accepting car without a long speech (6) | SEED outside (CAR minus A) | |
| 15 | LARGE | |
| Serving of regular gelato is substantial (5) | reguLAR GElato | |
| 16 | CONVENTS | |
| Facilities holding orders, perhaps, deceive outlets (8) | CON + VENTS | |
| 18 | ACTIVATE | |
| A court that is limiting large vessel’s trip (8) | A + CT + (IE outside VAT) | |
| 20 | ERECT | |
| Standing on ceremony initially in middle of cemetery (5) | [RE + (C)EREMONY)] inside CEM(ET)ERY | |
| 23 | OLIVER | |
| Cook starter of organic offal (6) | O + LIVER | |
| 24 | DISCLOSE | |
| Is chlorine included in ingredients of medicine for show? (8) | (IS + CL) inside DOSE | |
| 26 | PANATELLA | |
| Criticise a report linked to a source of smoke (9) | PAN + A + TELL + A | |
| 27 | EDITS | |
| Checks withdrawn minor, swollen, with temperature (5) | (SIDE reversed) outside T | |
| 28 | RUSH | |
| Attack plant developing on shore (4) | Double Definition | |
| 29 | DETERMINED | |
| Legal document containing name in firm (10) | DEED outside (TERM + IN) | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | SOFTBALL | |
| Fast lob messed up Lleyton’s first game (8) | Anagram of FAST LOB + (L)LEYTON | |
| 2 | ECO-TOUR | |
| Unusual route accommodating company trip taken by Greens (3-4) | Anagram of ROUTE outside CO | |
| 3 | TAKE THE LIBERTY | |
| An organised trek by athlete, I presume (4,3,7) | Anagram of TREK BY ATHLETE I | |
| 4 | TECHNICIAN | |
| Skilled workman’s time taken over shaping of nice china (10) | T + anagram of NICE CHINA | |
| 5 | RARE | |
| Sample from vintner, a red, is exceptional (4) | vintneR A REd | |
| 7 | TORRENT | |
| Flood caused by flaw at bottom of a rocky height (7) | RENT after TOR | |
| 8 | TRENDY | |
| Conclusion accepted by judge following latest convention (6) | END inside TRY | |
| 9 | THICKENED CREAM | |
| Chicken and red meat mixed with dairy item (9,5) | Anagram of (CHICKEN + RED MEAT) | |
| 14 | INDELICATE | |
| In food shop customer primarily had food lacking taste (10) | IN + DELI + (C)USTOMER + ATE | |
| 17 | STRESSED | |
| Brought out sweets in reverse order (8) | DESSERT reversed | |
| 19 | CLIENTS | |
| Consumers left one in Australian capital (7) | (L + I) inside CENTS | |
| 21 | ETONIAN | |
| One memorandum written up by an English student (7) | (I + NOTE) reversed + AN | |
| 22 | BOPPER | |
| One likely to strike a dancer (6) | Double Definition | |
| 25 | CLUE | |
| Part of a crossword is cultured in an odd way (4) | CuLtUrEd |
I’m one of those who didn’t fully appreciate your semi-&lit clue until now. Not being aware of the Rev Graham, I had thought that “clues excited them” was the definition. I still thought it was clever.