A few weeks ago George queried my use of BUSINESS = COMPANY = co, stating that it was an indirect reference. It’s true, this sort of thing is very common in all cryptic puzzles, so is it a valid device for a setter to use? Over many years I’ve slowly weaned myself off many of these sorts of things (I no longer use apprentice/student = L (learner) or metal etc = a metal symbol from the periodic table, for example), but some remain. I’ve recognised that to be true, the word or words that are represented by an abbreviation should actually be used in the clue. There’s a problem here though. Solvers want to be challenged, and with a limited number of abbreviations available, using the direct reference can be a giveaway. Is it better to resort to obscure abbreviations (P = parity or S = succeeded, for example) or to refer to the very common St(reet) as a way? A dilemma and not necessarily so straightforward. There’s another thing: Is it OK to clue SA as state? Surely this is an indirect reference too: STATE = SOUTH AUSTRALIA = SA or conservationists = National Trust = NT or religious books = Old Testament = OT etc? Clearly solvers wouldn’t be happy with direct references in these cases (too obvious), but are they really any different to the original query by George? As with all things cryptic, I think it comes down to judgement by the setter, and I’m happy for a setter to equate anything with anything as long as they have thought it through and considered it from the solvers’ perspective. If it works, it’s fine, if the solvers generally don’t like it, then it should be discarded.
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BLUE CHIP | |
| Investment ultimately given up by the public going through exchange? (4,4) | Anagram of THE PUBLIC minus INVESTMEN(T) | |
| 5 | MADCAP | |
| A retrospective collection of songs, entering chart, is wild (6) | [A + (CD reversed)] inside MAP | |
| 10 | MOIRE | |
| One wearing extra rippled material (5) | I inside MORE | |
| 11 | ENCOURAGE | |
| Comfort innocent cousin consumed by anger? (9) | ENRAGE outside (COUSIN minus SIN) | |
| 12 | SLIPPY | |
| Edge retained by foreign agent that’s elusive (6) | LIP inside SPY | |
| 13 | SUBTITLE | |
| Italian used in understated translation on screen (8) | IT inside SUBTLE | |
| 14 | NORTH AMERICANS | |
| NRA: “Crime has not troubled people with the right to bear arms” (5,9) | Anagram of NRA CRIME HAS NOT | |
| 18 | DISTRESS SIGNAL | |
| Unsettled lass is resting after doctor’s initial call for help (8,6) | Anagram of LASS IS RESTING after (D)OCTOR | |
| 22 | POSTDATE | |
| Follow street inside school at back of office (8) | (ST inside POD) + AT + OFFIC(E) | |
| 24 | DIGITS | |
| It’s needed at the end to appreciate figures (6) | ITS after DIG | |
| 26 | OBLIVIOUS | |
| Inattentive lie mostly exposed in patent (9) | (LI)E inside OBVIOUS | |
| 27 | AWOKE | |
| Contents of pan and wok, with last bit of spice, should be stirred? (5) | P(A)N + WOK + SPIC(E) | |
| 28 | SINGLE | |
| Unbroken tile missing hard bit (6) | SHINGLE minus H | |
| 29 | BOASTERS | |
| Peacocks and snakes rest uneasily (8) | BOAS + anagram of REST | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BEMUSING | |
| Person holding problem up is creating confusion (8) | BEING outside (SUM reversed) | |
| 2 | UNIFIER | |
| Binder found in blaze at university, it’s said (7) | Sounds like UNI FIRE | |
| 3 | CHEAP SHOT | |
| Unkind remark about a great deal currently fashionable (5,4) | C + HEAPS + HOT | |
| 4 | IDEA | |
| Identify centre of streamed image (4) | ID + STR(EA)MED | |
| 6 | ADULT | |
| Sealed section of road ultimately could be fully developed (5) | roAD ULTimately | |
| 7 | CHASTEN | |
| Purify speed in empty can? (7) | HASTE inside (C)A(N) | |
| 8 | PREFER | |
| Sporting official protected by agent returned favour (6) | REF + (REP reversed) | |
| 9 | ACQUIRES | |
| Carbon paper kept in, for instance, bags (8) | (C + QUIRE) inside AS | |
| 15 | MAESTROS | |
| Great artistic performers from group join up (8) | (SORT + SEAM) reversed | |
| 16 | CRIMINALS | |
| Bad people in claims worked around requirements at first (9) | Anagram of IN CLAIMS outside (R)EQUIREMENTS | |
| 17 | PLASTERS | |
| Survivors coming to the end of pressure bandages (8) | LASTERS after P | |
| 19 | INSULIN | |
| Protein hormone’s abuse, largely at home (7) | (INSUL)T + IN | |
| 20 | NOISOME | |
| Hurtful denial one attributed to a few (7) | NO + I + SOME | |
| 21 | SPOOKS | |
| Those working under cover operations lifted sanctions (6) | OPS reversed + OKS | |
| 23 | DEVIL | |
| Fighting spirit was back (5) | LIVED reversed | |
| 25 | AS TO | |
| Minister of religion, extremely deficient, is concerning? (2,2) | P(ASTO)R |
Hi David,
24 across: It looks me me like ITS (is) needed at the end *of* DIG (to appreciate) to get DIGITS. I can’t find a way to make sense of it without that “of”, but am I, perhaps, missing a way to punctuate it or something that makes it work?
Especially enjoyed 1-ac and 17 & 25-dn.
Steve = : ^ )
Thanks for the feedback Steve.
To me “at the end to” and “at the end of” indicate the same positioning, at least when I read the clue. That is, it seems right to me, even if I can’t exactly give you examples where “(end) to” and “(end) of” can be exchanged and mean the same thing. You are probably right – I’ll have to investigate further.
David
Ah, that gives me understanding way to read it. I was parsing it with DIG as “to appreciate”. It hadn’t occurred to me to read it the other way, though, as you point out, “to” and “of” may not be interchangeable.
“A beer at the end of the day”; “a beer at the end to the day”; hmm …
Thanks for the reply,
Steve = : ^ )
I agree with Steve’s interpretation. ‘To appreciate’ = dig.