Deception is what we setters like to use as often as possible in a cryptic crossword. You might think that’s necessary in EVERY clue, but truthfully, to experienced solvers most clues may not be deceptive at all. A setter goes to great efforts to construct each clue with a good surface, hopefully disguising how it works, however, an experienced solver can usually form a workable solving approach on the first read of the clue. A best guess at how to solve it. They may not be right, so they apply their second guess. A great clue will suggest a solving path, where ultimately a different approach is needed altogether. For newer solvers, the initial deception is in how the clue is constructed, then they have to tackle the clue’s individual devices. One of the tricks I like to employ is taking standard cryptic terms and exploiting their regular roles in clues. A couple of weeks ago in The Stickler Weekly 124 there were two such tricks:
10 across Condemned ten caught with ecstasy on board ship (9)
Here “on board ship” would normally mean inside “SS”, but in this case it means inside “SEND” (verb) (Answer: SENTENCED)
24 down Children slip away from broadcast, possibly (4)
Here “possibly” is used as fodder in an subtractive anagram clue, where normally it might suggest an example or actually be an anagram indicator itself. (Answer: BOYS)
Neither clue is difficult, but the use of these common cryptic terms (hopefully) forces a typical response from a solver, taking them down the wrong track.
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | CANDELABRA | |
| Can research facility put in variation of a red light fittings? (10) | CAN + (LAB inside anagram of A RED) | |
| 6 | ACRE | |
| A working group releasing wide area of land (4) | A + (CREW minus W) | |
| 9 | SET UP | |
| Organisation returned quantity of output, essentially (3,2) | outPUT ESsentially reversed | |
| 10 | TIGHTEN UP | |
| Increase gravity inside the unit distorted by pressure (7,2) | G inside anagram of THE UNIT + P | |
| 12 | BURSTING | |
| Wipe around insect bite about to rupture (8) | RUB reversed + STING | |
| 13 | INTROS | |
| Trendy class recalled opening passages of music (6) | IN + (SORT reversed) | |
| 15 | ONLY | |
| Barely touching lady’s skirt? (4) | ON + (L)AD(Y) | |
| 16 | SCARCITY | |
| Lasting effect connected to large town’s inadequate supply (8) | SCAR + CITY | |
| 19 | LINIMENT | |
| One hands in soft material for dressing wounds with medicated liquid (8) | (I + MEN) inside LINT | |
| 20 | SLIP | |
| Make a mistake cutting (4) | Double Definition | |
| 23 | HEARTS | |
| Father’s changing out of fine suit (6) | Anagram of FATHERS minus F | |
| 24 | SEA OTTER | |
| Dog biting a duck, a marine creature (3,5) | SETTER outside (A + O) | |
| 26 | PETTY CASH | |
| Office funds special yachts at sea (5,4) | PET + anagram of YACHTS | |
| 27 | BROIL | |
| Gathering on the banks of river to cook (5) | BOIL outside R | |
| 28 | DARE | |
| Challenge trespassers in restricted area? (4) | restricteD AREa | |
| 29 | COMPRESSED | |
| Consolidated company messed around public relations (10) | CO + (MESSED outside PR) | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | CASHBOOK | |
| Work on BBQ outside remains linked to “building” primarily in accounting journal (8) | COOK outside [ASH + (B)UILDING] | |
| 2 | NATURAL DISASTER | |
| Supermarket chain invested in restaurants all over the place – what a catastrophe! (7,8) | ALDI inside anagram of RESTAURANTS | |
| 3 | EXPATS | |
| Power in Texas reviewed those living abroad for a long time? (6) | P inside anagram of TEXAS | |
| 4 | ASTONISHED | |
| Separated heavyweight is found living in a shed lost for words? (10) | (TON + IS) inside (A + SHED) | |
| 5 | RAGE | |
| Explode fuel taken from around petrol stations (4) | GARAGES minus GAS | |
| 7 | CONGRATULATIONS | |
| Trick with fresh salt in ragout is well done (15) | CON + anagram of SALT IN RAGOUT | |
| 8 | EXPOSE | |
| Unmask various members of opposite sex not accepting advance (6) | Anagram of OPPOSITE SEX minus POSIT | |
| 11 | TONICS | |
| Medicinal preparations should be working in muscle disorders (6) | ON in TICS | |
| 14 | BATTLESHIP | |
| The blast damaged middle section of equipped naval vessel (10) | Anagram of THE BLAST + EQU(IP)PED | |
| 17 | WINTRY | |
| Icy land sample (6) | WIN + TRY | |
| 18 | SPARKLED | |
| Snow transport, travelling around public reserve, looked new (8) | SLED outside PARK | |
| 21 | SHAPED | |
| A piano found in storage unit outside is remodelled (6) | (A + P) inside SHED | |
| 22 | HOBBLE | |
| Bees, flying into opening, make progress with difficulty (6) | BB inside HOLE | |
| 25 | CAPO | |
| Limit placed on opening of old movable bridge (4) | CAP + (O)LD |
hence those Aah! Hah! moments – David
Hi David,
27-ac where does “boil” mean “gathering”?
4-dn What’s “Separated” doing?
I especially enjoyed the misdirection in 7-dn and that plus the definition in 25-dn.
Thanks,
Steve = : ^ )
From Macquarie:
gathering
/’gadhuhring/.
noun
1. the act of someone or something that gathers.
2. that which is gathered together.
3. an assembly or meeting; a crowd.
4. a collection or assemblage of anything.
5. an inflamed and suppurating swelling.
6. a gather or series of gathers in cloth.
7. Bookbinding a section in a book.
From Chambers:
gath’ering noun
The action of someone who or something that gathers
A crowd or assembly
A series of gathers in material
A narrowing
A number of leaves of paper folded one within another
The assembling of the sheets of a book
A suppurating swelling, boil or abscess (informal)
From Australian Oxford Dictionary:
gathering ‘gæðəriŋ♫
• n.
An assembly or meeting.
A purulent swelling.
A group of leaves taken together in bookbinding.
In 4-down the idea was to legitimise “heavyweight” as meaning a weight that is heavy (as opposed to a boxer or one with influence) by splitting it into heavy weight. I’ve done this in the past with a question mark (meaning language abuse), which I’ve still included but probably wasn’t necessary.
So the answer is “in a dictionary”. Fair enough.
I think TON as “heavyweight”, separated or not, has been dated since 1974. Unfortunately, “tonne” isn’t half as useful.
Thanks,
Steve = : ^ )
I’m not sure in what other realm I could make a case.
I’m going to write something on this next week. When I used gathering=boil it was from my general knowledge and I confirmed it via my references. Something akin to outbreak=rash in my mind. It’s not shown as obscure or dated and isn’t just in one dictionary.
I also don’t agree that heavyweight=ton. Do you have a reference for your assertion?
And, yes, “, possibly” completely fooled me :-[
Steve = : ^ )
It’s just my limited knowledge that leads to me not knowing that particular meaning of “gathering”. You obviously did. I must get out more.
“I also don’t agree that heavyweight=ton. Do you have a reference for your assertion?”
I was asserting that, since Australia went metric in 1974 and a ton is no longer part of our weights and measures, it’s dated. “One-time heavyweight”, perhaps.
I think you’re more up-to-date than the other setters I know (which is a limited number), but all setters are enamoured of particular devices and perhaps loathe to let them go as time passes (or perhaps don’t notice that they’ve had their day). I haven’t seen/heard “do” for “party” outside of a crossword since I was a youngster growing up in an area with a large expatriate English population. and I haven’t heard “in” for “popular” since the 60s (or perhaps 70s), but they’re still widespread in crosswords. I think they’re now dated in a way that they weren’t when setters first started using it.
But I guess you have to look at the solvers, too. Cryptic crossword isn’t really a young person’s sport and your solvers are possibly more likely to know “in” than, say, “def”.
Whatever, I’m happy to have some solving to look forward to for the couple of days …
Thanks,
Steve = : ^ )
The weights and measures thing is interesting. While technically no longer part of our measuring system, the terms that stemmed from them are still in our language. My children wouldn’t think “that box weighs a ton” is unusual and nobody says “it weighs a tonne”, so “ton” lives on as long as the terms do. Same with “miles” meaning “a long way” – I don’t think that will ever be totally discarded. The other two, “do” and “in”, aren’t foreign in my circle of friends – maybe it’s a regional thing. Also, just because younger people use different terms doesn’t mean the other terms aren’t known to them, and you are right, setters must consider the audience. A younger solver would cope with a traditional cryptic much better than a senior solver would cope with a crossword that uses “modern” terms many of which are fleeting and regional and not in standard references.
Agreed on all counts.
Thanks,
Steve = : ^ )