After some feedback from Echo crosssword solvers that our puzzles are a bit on the difficult side, we have prepared some solver’s guides to demystify some of the logic behind Stephen Clarke’s clues.
This guide is to crossword #22, published in The Byron Shire Echo Issue 39.16, 25 September 2024. Crossword #22 can be viewed as a PDF here. The solution grid can be viewed here.
Across
9. Genteel tango, with piano variations, is ideal (7) UTOPIAN.
U = genteel, as in U and Non-U. Tango = T in NATO phonetic alphabet, + anag of PIANO, indicated by “variations”.
10. Condition of IRA fighter is admitted (7) PROVISO.
IS in (indicated by “admitted”) PROVO
11. Ancient warship with faulty meter? Run one in (7) TRIREME.
Anag of METER + R (run in cricket notation) +I (“one”)
12. Weirdly, gargoyle misses duck and goose (7) GREYLAG.
Anag of GARGOYLE (indicated by “weirdly”) minus (indicated by “misses”) O (“duck” in cricket parlance)
13. Shock musical work going on a long time, for Tommy perhaps (4,5) ROCK OPERA.
SHOCK = synonym for ROCK + OP (abbreviation of opus = musical work) +ERA = a long time, +TOMMY PERHAPS = an example of a rock opera
15. Yacht outline seconds away (5) KETCH.
(S )KETCH where S = seconds
16. Commanding officer eats sparingly, having old money (7) COPECKS.
CO = commanding officer + PECKS as in pecking at one’s food
19. Underwriting agenda! (7) SUBTEXT
SUB = under + TEXT = writing (The liberty taken here is forming one word from SUB and TEXT to produce a synonym for the solution)
20. Sailboat at S-bend (5) SLOOP
S + LOOP = synonym for BEND
21. Spooner’s collision with horses and whales (9) HUMPBACKS
Spoonerism. BUMP = COLLISION + HACKS = HORSES
25. Famous chairman grabs disturbed rest with virtuoso (7) MAESTRO
Anag of REST in (indicated by “grabs”) MAO
26. Spanish treasure ship uses imperial measure for fuel, containing trace of ethanol (7) GALLEON
E = trace of ethanol in GALLON
28. Gentleman turns to fish, then meatball (7) RISSOLE
SIR reversed (indicated by “turns”) + SOLE = a fish
29. Adopt naughty pose on purpose (7) ESPOUSE
Anag of POSE (indicated by NAUGHTY)+ USE = synonym for purpose
Down
1. Sailing ship made with saw? (6) CUTTER
DOUBLE DEFINITION
2. Zulu attends cricket match on account of signs from the heavens (6) ZODIAC
ZULU = Z in NATO phonetic alphabet +ODI = one day international (a cricket match format) +AC = abbreviation for account
3. Cattle species finally replaced by English (4) KINE
KIND = species, with final letter replaced by E = abbreviation for English
4. Take possession of a numbers file (6) ANNEXE
A + NN = numbers + EXE = an extension file
5. Roaming gypsy ignoring unknown girl viewer (8) SPYGLASS
Anag of GYPSY (indicated by ROAMING) minus Y = unknown in mathematics + LASS = girl
6. Band Reebok rocked with roll (5,5) DONER KEBAB
Anag (indicated by ROCKED) of BAND REEBOK
7. General Electric swallows up shoddy little shaving brand (8) GILLETTE
Anag (indicated by SHODDY) in GE = abbreviation for GENERAL ELECTRIC
8. Distant image in film The Outsider (4,4) LONG SHOT.
Double definition
14. Work on invasion (10) OCCUPATION.
Double definition
16. Mistakenly search me for cloth (8) CASHMERE
Anag of SEARCH ME indicated by MISTAKENLY
17. South African plants drug in enzyme (8) PROTEASE
PROTEAS = South African flower (pl) + E = DRUG (ecstasy)
18. Boat train almost starts to negotiate eastern railway (8) SCHOONER
School(l) = TRAIN ALMOST + initial letters of NEGOTIATE EASTERN RAILWAY, indicated by STARTS TO
22. Chat on web with attractive person (6) MAGNET
Mag = CHAT (colloquial) + net = WEB
23. Angel fish swallows old queen (6) CHERUB
ER = old queen in chub = FISH
24. Burn first part of record by Melba? (6) SINGER
Singe = BURN + R = initial letter of RECORD
27. Jennifer, a 24, doesn’t finish run (4) LOPE
Lopez = JENNIFER, a singer minus Z, i.e. doesn’t finish
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