Those who enjoy watching Inspector Morse on TV may not realise that the character’s creator, Colin Dexter, was a huge cryptic crossword fan and gifted setter. His passing a few weeks ago sparked a number of tributes and stories, a summary of which can be found on Alan Connor’s Guardian crossword blog. Last Christmas my son bought me some Endeavour DVDs, an odd choice I thought until I actually sat down to watch. Endeavour is early Inspector Morse, and the series establishes the character’s nature as well as revealing the creator’s nature. The first episode I saw was a mystery based around cryptic crosswords – my son knew what he was doing.
Over the years I’ve been involved in a number of projects where cryptic clues have been used in unusual situations. One was in a high-profile movie where the hero was supposed to receive information through a newspaper’s cryptic crossword. The footage ended up on the cutting-room floor, but I enjoyed being involved. Another was writing some clues for an amateur play that never made it to production. I’ve often wondered if there is a (cryptic) crossword project out there where real reward is possible, as I’ve spent most of my crossword career earning less than an average income.
15 years ago I had a dream where I believed I’d found a cryptic crossword holy grail, the only trouble is I couldn’t remember the details – I could only remember that I’d discovered something amazing. What a useless experience.
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | CLAM UP | |
| Keep mum’s shaved lamb in green container (4,2) | (LAM)B inside CUP | |
| 5 | SECURED | |
| Worthless dog, bitten by sow, should be locked up (7) | CUR inside SEED | |
| 10 | RIGOLETTO | |
| Leader of orchestra, wearing outfit, allowed to famous opera (9) | (O)RCHESTRA inside (RIG + LET) + TO | |
| 11 | LUGER | |
| It was built to shoot a downhill runner (5) | Double Definition | |
| 12 | NATTER | |
| Head to nightclub and treat broken jaw (6) | (N)IGHTCLUB + anagram of TREAT | |
| 13 | ASSAILED | |
| Clown, troubled, is set upon (8) | ASS + AILED | |
| 15 | EXES | |
| Participants in sex, especially old lovers (4) | sEX ESpecially | |
| 16 | REGIMENTED | |
| Organised meeting, held by cardinal say, is classified (10) | Anagram of MEETING inside RED | |
| 19 | TASKMASTER | |
| Disciplinarian is to inquire about unsettled matters? Just the opposite! (10) | ASK inside anagram of MATTERS | |
| 20 | FINE | |
| Penalise superior (4) | DOUble Definition | |
| 23 | IMMATURE | |
| Shut up about a tense adolescent (8) | IMMURE outside (A + T) | |
| 25 | BANKER | |
| Source of bread, perhaps, not initially admitted by bread supplier (6) | (N)OT inside BAKER | |
| 27 | VIRGO | |
| Men playing no part in removing perverted sign (5) | Anagram of REMOVING minus MEN | |
| 28 | HERCULEAN | |
| Powerful copper laid into the woman with a thin build (9) | CU inside (HER + LEAN) | |
| 29 | SLOWS UP | |
| Cat, sailing back with reasonable load, reduces speed (5,2) | PUSS reversed outside LOW | |
| 30 | YIELDS | |
| DNA taken from contaminated scene of deadly sin is revealing (6) | Anagram of DEADLY SIN minus DNA | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 2 | LIGHTNESS | |
| Peculiar thing used in not so great delicacy (9) | Anagram of THING inside LESS | |
| 3 | MOLTEN | |
| Little time left to clear up liquid (6) | MO + L + (NET reversed) | |
| 4 | PITY | |
| Regret heartless devotion? (4) | PI(E)TY | |
| 5 | SHOPSOILED | |
| Small springs, covered in lubricant, may be grubby (10) | S + HOPS + OILED | |
| 6 | COLLARED | |
| Variety of local wine is seized (8) | Anagram of LOCAL + RED | |
| 7 | REGAL | |
| Magnificent feast for the most part (5) | (REGAL)E | |
| 8 | DERIDED | |
| Right identification listed in legal document is treated with contempt (7) | (R + ID) inside DEED | |
| 9 | FRINGE | |
| Bang bell forged in iron (6) | RING inside FE | |
| 14 | CENSORSHIP | |
| Leading member of college distributed porn – is she withholding material? (10) | (C)OLLEGE + anagram of PORN IS SHE | |
| 17 | THICKHEAD | |
| Country person, featuring in the commercial, is a whistler (9) | HICK inside (THE + AD) | |
| 18 | EMOTIONS | |
| Returned book is about relating to feelings (8) | TOME reversed + (IS outside ON) | |
| 19 | THIEVES | |
| People who steal this should be framing first mate (7) | THIS outside EVE | |
| 21 | ERRAND | |
| Make a mistake with joiner’s task (6) | ERR + AND | |
| 22 | PAPULE | |
| Pus mostly formed in middle of ghastly spot (6) | (PU)S inside PALE | |
| 24 | MARIO | |
| Games mascot hurt one heading to Olympics (5) | MAR + I + (O)LYMPICS | |
| 26 | GREY | |
| Depressing fellow leaving Germany in turmoil (4) | Anagram of GERMANY minus MAN |
David – last night I was dreaming about the
Patron Saint of Lost Causes (as you do) – turns out to be St Jude.
Maybe if you hum a few bars of “Hey Jude”………..?
Recently I re-read the Cljifton Chronicles – a series of 7 novels about the Clifton family written by Jeffrey Archer. In one book, a crossword clue plays a pivotal part in the judge’s decision as to whether the deceased was of sound mind when she changed her will on the day she died. There was a considerable sum at stake and the son was cut out of the will (for very good reason). On the day she died, she completed the times crossword except for one clue – an anagram “compos mentis”. The judge decided against the son.
There was a mystery series which hung around the notable setter of cryptic crosswords. I watched it at the time, but it is a dim memory now.
I was impressed with Morse solving cryptics in the series, but was not aware of the connection.
Surely the explanation for 16a should be ‘anagram of meeting inside red’ not anagram of cardinal?
Quite right Christine. Amendments made to post and PDF.
Thanks
The Stickler
Just getting round to checking the solution to 172. What is the function of ‘green’ in 1 Across? I thought ‘cup’ was enough for ‘container’.
I enjoyed the crossword and am looking forward to getting started, belatedly, on 173.
I was going to ask the same question..
Yes, Maggie and Toni, it’s probably enough on it’s own, but as there are 100s of containers, sometimes I like to add some extra help. (Which obviously doesn’t always do the job).
Here “green” refers to the putting surface on a golf hole which features a cup.
Stickler
Thank you .. it really had me stumped
I had forgotten my issues with the parsing in 1a – the extra word green.
Thanks for the question, and the explanation.
Thanks for the explanation. I had thought of other green things but not the golf reference.