Every now and then I receive encouragement from solvers in the form of contributions. There are about 6 people who give without my prompting which reinforces my decision not to use a subscription model and restrict access. On rare occasions I receive a contribution from a new source, which gives me hope that the cryptic message is getting out there slowly. Last week an American fellow sent me a generous sum which makes me jump for joy as the US doesn’t have a cryptic crossword culture (does Australia?). It also means they found me on the net and that my “international” cryptic is appealing across the seas. As with most new contributors, I started up a conversation digging into their cryptic history and preferences, and was delighted to read that there are US cryptic solvers keen to find crosswords that meet their needs. Mr America pointed to three US cryptics that he solves regularly, one of them is by Cox and Rathvon, who I’ve mentioned before as being two of my cryptic heroes. Have a go at their latest from the Wall Street Journal and there’s a PDF version available too.
You’ll notice a particular style which, once you get the hang of it, will appear to be fairly easy to unravel. This crossword contains typical American cryptic clues, ones that don’t allow etymological cross-over between definition and wordplay, making it relatively easy pickings for seasoned Stickler solvers. That’s not a criticism, I admire the ingenuity despite the clueing restrictions at play. You’ll also notice there’s a gimmick involved, an extra that is common in all types of American crosswords to add to the variety and possibly compensate for the relatively easy cryptic clues.
Please let me know what you think.
Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
1 | DETER | |
Discourage influence except for mine (5) | DETERMINE minus MINE | |
4 | CASTRATED | |
Company thought highly of is rendered ineffective (9) | CAST + RATED | |
9 | WELL-DEFINED | |
Flipper, taking part in pool performance, is very distinct (4-7) | FIN inside (WELL + DEED) | |
10 | RUM | |
Large quantity of meat and drink (3) | (RUM)P | |
11 | PRIVATES | |
Is a busybody hanging around large tank with soldiers? (8) | PRIES outside VAT | |
12 | MAKING | |
A leader behind mass assembly (6) | (A + KING) after M | |
14 | AIDE | |
A concept not supported by a personal assistant (4) | A + (IDEA minus A) | |
15 | SCREENED | |
One deprived of oxygen in passage should be tested (8) | (ONE minus O) inside SCREED | |
18 | CAMISOLE | |
I’m so excited wearing new lace negligee (8) | Anagram of IM SO inside anagram of LACE | |
20 | ALTO | |
Singer’s key opening to opera (4) | ALT + (O)PERA | |
24 | ADROIT | |
Clever piece of marketing one tossed in rubbish (6) | AD + I inside ROT | |
25 | MOLASSES | |
Girl tucked into some awfully sticky stuff (8) | LASS inside anagram of SOME | |
27 | DOS | |
Old PC program functions (3) | Double Definition | |
28 | HARD AND FAST | |
Definite or indefinite article used in drafts had varied (4,3,4) | AN inside anagram of DRAFTS HAD | |
29 | MILD STEEL | |
Low-carbon alloy is melted, forged and left (4,5) | Anagram of IS MELTED + L | |
30 | ERASE | |
Get rid of right in facility (5) | R inside EASE | |
Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
1 | DOWNPLAY | |
Undervalue own place offered in set time (8) | (OWN + PL) inside DAY | |
2 | TALLIED | |
Unionist finally joined as agreed (7) | UNIONIS(T) + ALLIED | |
3 | REDRAW | |
Paint a new picture a primary colour and green (6) | RED + RAW | |
4 | COFFEE SHOP | |
Small restaurant’s prices jump under company head from France (6,4) | (FEES + HOP) after [CO + (F)RANCE] | |
5 | SONG | |
Succession of notes on gramophone? (4) | noteS ON Gramophone | |
6 | RADIATES | |
Financial assistance, raised in property tax, spreads out (8) | AID reversed inside RATES | |
7 | TERRINE | |
Recipe’s first used in cooking of entire meat dish (7) | (R)ECIPE inside anagram of ENTIRE | |
8 | DAMAGE | |
Price silver locked away by noble lady (6) | AG inside DAME | |
13 | FREE-FOR-ALL | |
Surrender outside bank or fight (4-3-3) | FALL outside (REEF + OR) | |
16 | FINISHES | |
Rounds off angles around home (8) | FISHES outside IN | |
17 | NOISETTE | |
Number 1 crossword writer, falling short, is cut (8) | NO + I + (SETTE)R | |
19 | AEROSOL | |
Spray renovated salesroom apart from walls? (7) | Anagram of S(ALESROO)M | |
21 | LA SCALA | |
Timeless cast all worked with a famous opera house? (2,5) | Anagram of CAS ALL + A | |
22 | TANDEM | |
Members of management and employees, one behind the other (6) | managemenT AND EMployees | |
23 | HANDLE | |
Manage cultivation of the land with spare time (6) | Anagram of THE LAND minus T | |
26 | TRUE | |
Sincere leader of consortium pulled out of peaceful agreement (4) | TRUCE minus (C)ONSORTIUM |
I only just figured out how 20-across works. I’ve never owned a Windows computer and Mac keyboards don’t have an Alt key. I was, however, aware of its existence, I just wasn’t smart enough.
Thanks,
Steve = : ^ )