Crossword Centre Prize Puzzle August 2020

In The Chair by Phylax

Narrative

Bizarrely, I've won! Watch television set:  empty seat, with first of contestants on screen, approaching. "Name?" Attention required, wanting last round close to ideal. Get hard posers - saving skin, slips to some extent put right? Sound right. Expressionless, wise not showing one's beginning to relax...

In The Chair pdf

Several solutions to numbered clues must be modified prior to entry in the grid; lengths given are for grid entries throughout. The unnumbered entries wholly or partly within the main grid are thematically linked and are individually clued in the narrative; these clues do not overlap or have superfluous words separating them. Solvers must deduce the five-word phrase to be entered on the top and bottom lines, the unchecked letters of which can be rearranged to form SO SAGE DON SAT. All entries are real words.

Across

5 Boss got covering removed from protective footwear (4)

7 Will's stocking small shop - love special finishing touch from Kate (8)

10 'Junior' judge being one thoroughly backward (6)

12 Short cut to the ground protects United fan (4)

13 Favoured man in black when wearing a different colour (9)

14 Sure about embracing unknown older person in Elizabethan theatre? (7)

16 I move rapidly to destroy resistance (8)

17 Defeat for men over radical expansion that isn't wanted (8)

20 Closed up shack in street before start of demolition (4)

23 Quiet fellow penning a note in style of rambling autobiographer (4)

24 Solitary quote about sandwiches couple found following do (4)

25 Abandoned well had a steeply sloping area around the rim (8)

26 Stokes curtailed slog, coming in to milk erratic spinner (8)

28 Prescribed slaughtering of animals that lady collided with in Canada on vacation (4)

30 Pistol taking out odd characters when running through this, possibly? (7, two words)

32 English league delayed by a muppet essentially having power to change decisions (9)

33 In Paris, goes for smoke (6)

34 Related to doing divinity in college, I'd messed around with a lot of ladies outside 8)

35 Notable merchant at sea like notable merchant on UK high streets? (4)

Down

1 In the same place lives long-legged water bird (4)

2 Soft parts male kissed amorously under female domination (9)

3 In Rome, it is so Italian to pinch rounded bottom (6, two words)

4 Tricksters once tormented the RAC over Sierra belonging to us (5)

5 Legendary poisoner regularly served pet curare as dog's breakfast (8)

6 Traditional medicine seldom utilizes nurses (4)

8 Practise taxidermy on duck, returning to check about bits left over (7)

9 Ancestor recalled not enjoying California quakes (5)

11 Sun tolerating use of bad language (4)

12 Tool used for cutting nettles dislodging gnome's head (7)

15 In Perth, noisy row that is holding up introduction of runner (6)

18 Pedant dismissing conclusion of this puzzle (7)

19 Dates with debs unfolded here? (9)

21 Slow about quitting Conservative chatline, perhaps? (8)

22 Convoluted rule presented in full depth (7)

27 With boozer unfinished, opening for nocturnal opportunist theft (6)

28 Mollusc shell she's left amongst haul (4)

29 This country air could make Parisian dizzy (5)

30 From Japan, a huge upright drinking vessel (5)

31 Small change over in South America (4)

To enter this competition, send your entry as an image or in list format including the 5 word phrase to ccpuzzles@talktalk.net before 8th September 2020. The first correct entry drawn from the hat will receive a book from the Chambers range, which has been donated by Chambers.

Crossword News July 2020

Crossword News July 2020

Last month our prize puzzle was That’s Life by Flowerman. Extra letters spell MACROMOLECULES followed by A HOMOPHONE OF THIRTY-FIVE and EG AN ENZYME. A homophone of JEANS is GENES, which are composed entirely of the biological macromolecule DNA, a nucleic acid. The other nucleic acid is RNA. Almost all enzymes are PROTEINs.

The CENTRAL DOGMA (of Molecular Biology) is a phrase coined by Francis CRICK. His colleague James WATSON subsequently associated this phrase with a two-step process.

DNA and RNA codons (CODONS obtained from initial letters of normal clues) code for amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. One of 61 different examples* is: AGT (DNA codon) yielding AGU (RNA codon) (by transcription) which induces addition of Serine (SER) (by translation) in the synthesis of a peptide/protein.

*There are 64 possible DNA codons; however, three (STOP codons) do not code for an amino acid.

The title suggests a biological theme. The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology is fundamental to all life on Earth.

Here are some of the comments from solvers.

Another terrific puzzle from Flowerman! Pretty complex, but so cleverly designed and executed, with the multiple aspects and assigned tasks seamlessly incorporated. And a top-notch set of clues - very witty, great surface readings. Many thanks, Flowerman.

As soon as I saw Flowerman’s name I knew I was in for a science lesson! What initially looked like quite a frightening preamble was actually not too bad in the end. I thought the clues were good with the extra letters in some cases not at all obvious to spot - and I really liked the ‘JEANS/GENES’ clue. The DNA/Crick & Watson theme seems to come up fairly regularly but ‘central dogma’ was new to me. The final part was a step too far for me - I did start looking up codons but it was all getting a bit too advanced for me so I’m glad it was left as an optional highlighting requirement.

This was a tricky solve! Clues were generally 'challenging' and I'm still not confident about my parsing of 24a and 30a and, as a result, I'm not sure what the two non-word elements given by initial letters are. I have lingering doubts about my highlighting of AGT/AGU/SER.......  That aside, the incorporation of a lot of thematic material is impressive in a 12x12 grid and I feel relieved at having arrived at some sort of conclusion!  Thanks to Flowerman for something of a tour de force.

This proved to be a difficult puzzle. There were 37 entries, of which 1 was marked incorrect. The lucky winner, picked from the electronic hat, was Mark Roberts from Luxembourg. He will be receiving a copy of Chambers Crossword Dictionary, which was donated by Chambers.

A full solution is available at http://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2020/07/solution-to-thats-life-by-flowerman.html

You have until 8^th August to submit your entry for the July puzzle, What's Here by Vismut

The August Prize Puzzle will be In the Chair by Phylax.
***
Good news for fans of the Enigma Variations puzzles. After receiving lots of complaints from solvers, the Sunday Telegraph has reversed their decision to stop the EV crosswords. They will now continue after August.
***
A fan of the Cracking the Cryptic YouTube channel has composed a rap in their honour.
https://youtu.be/Au7i9oIDHv0

Fans of Cracking the Cryptic can now but t-shirts and mugs at their store https://www.youtube.com/c/CrackingTheCryptic/store
***
Philip Fine and Kathryn Friedlander have just published a new article looking at the flexible problem-solving ability of solvers. There's a blog here https://bit.ly/3gn03kX which explains the research in a slightly more approachable style, and contains a link to the academic paper itself.
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A video which is well worth watching is Peter Biddlecombe, crossword editor of the Sunday Times and former winner of the Times Crossword Championship, talking about himself and cryptic crosswords in a talk he gave to the Israeli Translators Association. It is now on YouTube - https://youtu.be/hARTp5uNM5g
***
On the Clue-Writing Competition your challenge for July is a STANDARD CRYPTIC clue to CAESAREAN (9) by the closing date of MIDNIGHT BST SUNDAY 26th JULY.

Hope you are safe and well.
Best wishes
Derek

Solution to That's Life by Flowerman

That's Life by Flowerman - Solution

Extra letters spell MACROMOLECULES followed by A HOMOPHONE OF THIRTY-FIVE and EG AN ENZYME. A homophone of JEANS is GENES, which are composed entirely of the biological macromolecule DNA, a nucleic acid. The other nucleic acid is RNA. Almost all enzymes are PROTEINs.

The CENTRAL DOGMA (of Molecular Biology) is a phrase coined by Francis CRICK. His colleague James WATSON subsequently associated this phrase with a two-step process.

DNA and RNA codons (CODONS obtained from initial letters of normal clues) code for amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. One of 61 different examples* is: AGT (DNA codon) yielding AGU (RNA codon) (by transcription) which induces addition of Serine (SER) (by translation) in the synthesis of a peptide/protein. 

*There are 64 possible DNA codons; however three (STOP codons) do not code for an amino acid. 

The title suggests a biological theme. The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology is fundamental to all life on Earth.

Crossword Centre Prize Puzzle July 2020

What's Here? by Vismut

What's Here by Vismut PDF

14 across clues have an extra letter generated by the wordplay, not to be entered. 2 across clues have an extra three letters generated by the wordplay making a word, not to be entered. When read together in clue order these give a location. The circled cells, read in the normal way, and the letter to be deduced and entered at the centre of the grid, provide an insertion to the location’s name. This all hints at the 13 cells to be shaded in to show the answer.

Across

   

    1    Terrible deceit about very black recession in the main (7)

    6    Film East European (4)

    10    Garlic mayonnaise tipped over bones (4)

    11    Perhaps ginger root found in areas with no hint of agriculture (5)

    13    Naughty dogs lost in informal spot kept for religion (7, two words)

    15    Brood leader will find river insect in what location briefly? (11)

    17    Thus, bishop gets fat sadly (7)

    18    Could be sound of bouncer hitting short eager Indian perhaps (5)

    20    Country bumpkin to sing high and low when tackling lots of bits (5)

    21    Indulgers clutching cash in East London will get shopping locally (7)

    25    Patchy labour ashore for seaside resident (11, two words)

    28    Reading the first of euros exchanged for pound is increasing in value (7)

    29    S-shaped curves of hills near Cambridge catching Ian’s eye (5)

    30    River valley with even bits of dirt-road ideal going west (4)

    31    German court entertained by safe humour (4)

    32    Allow to take part in display ground metal working (7, three words)

Down

    1    Frequently taken from cargo. Two by two by two (5)

    2    Over to classify vintage claret’s leading fruit (11, two words)

    3    Artificially raise cost of lots of big items – designer utility pieces primarily (5, two words)

    4    It’s surrounded by water that is filled with silt now and then (4)

    5    Fluctuating moods make one cross (5)

    7    Recast top three characters in Olivia’s Grease (3)

    8    Maybe 12 contracted to work with increasing speed (11)

    9    Sample of dynamite – try lighting detonator (6)

    12    Fuel tantrum over reduced part (6)

    14    From the right hill over yonder initially (4)   

    16    Help nurse lead regardless of start (6)

    18    Live, informal dance benefit (6)

    19    Former boss sends back poor wine left out (4)

    22    Dutch check salesman’s cut seaweed (5)

    23    I ate bananas North of ancient Greek city (5)

    24    Nearly every Australian woman wins seaweed product (5)

    26    Get dull and commit. Not the first (4)   

    27    Ingredient for bread missing variable hot salty crust (3)

To enter this competition, send your entry as an image or in list format giving the shaded cells and central letter to ccpuzzles@talktalk.net before 8th August 2020. The first correct entry drawn from the hat will receive a book from the Chambers range, which has been donated by Chambers.

75th Anniversary of the First Ximenes Crossword

The First Ximenes Crossword.

On 24 June 1945 the first Ximenes crossword was published in the Observer. What was remarkable was the symmetrical "Ximenean" grid. In his notes Ximenes says, "A new series begins today, in which a very small proportion per word of unchecked letters will be used in 'plain' puzzles and a slightly larger proportion in puzzles where some special feature affects composition: at the same time it is intended that the search for a start may be, if anything, easier. With the full checking given hitherto, though the start may happen to be arduous, the finish is apt to be reached with a rush, some clues becoming redundant. Ximenes hopes that the new method will provide a better balance and wishes his solvers good hunting."

Crossword News June 2020

Crossword News June 2020

The May Prize Puzzle was Free Hit by Rebus. This tough puzzle from the Aussie duo was resolved when the letter L (what is left) was changed to R. The title referred to the pop group Free and their 1973 hit All Right Now, which had to be written below the grid.

Here are some of the comments from solvers.

What a lovely bit of misdirection - I realised what had to be done to the entries fairly early on, but spent hours and hours thinking about runs and legs, before finally getting a truly resounding clunk as the penny hit the floor.  In fact, I can remember seeing Free performing this number live, at a ball at Wadham College in summer 1970. The ball committee had booked the band months earlier for a pittance, so they were pleased as punch! Also performing live at the same event were Savoy Brown, and Pentangle. Those were the days…

I was baffled as to what was going on until quite near the end - and then it suddenly all made sense. Impressive construction to include 19 entries that could all be changed and still keep real words. I thought the clues were good as well - very precise & concise with the extra words in a lot of cases quite hard to spot. Really like the title (I’ve never heard of ‘Free’ before although the song is very familiar) and the inclusion of the singer’s name - nice touch. And now the preamble makes sense -

‘What’s left is to be treated…’ - of course! Thanks Rebus.

There were 45 entries with an unusual number of errors. Ten entries were marked wrong and none of the errors were the same. The lucky winner, picked from the electronic hat, was Philip Wood who will be receiving a prize of a copy of Chambers Crossword Dictionary which has been donated by Chambers.

A solution is available at http://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2020/06/free-hit-by-rebus-solution.html

You still have time to solve the May Prize Puzzle, That’s Life by Flowerman. The July challenge will be What’s Here by Vismut.
***
In the midst of our Coronavirus situation it became public that the Prime Minister’s special advisor, Dominic Cummings, had breached the rules by making a trip to Barnard Castle. The government slogan was “Stay alert: control the virus: save lives”. Crossword setter, Tim King, (Encota) came up with an apt anagram – Easily survives travel north to castle!

You can read how Tim created the anagram in his interview on the Guardian blog. https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/crossword-blog/2020/jun/15/meet-the-setter-encota-crossword-blog

That advisor was on many people’s minds when they were writing clues to IMPACT for the Guardian’s clue-writing contest. I particularly liked – Starts to investigate Machiavellian political advisor caught travelling. You can see the others on the Guardian blog. https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/crossword-blog/2020/jun/08/crossword-blog-many-many-clues-about-dominic-cummings
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The continuing success of Cracking the Cryptic has to make Mark Goodliffe and Simon Anthony international stars.

The BBC published a video https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-gloucestershire-52868820/people-use-us-to-go-to-sleep-to-sudoku-solvers-become-internet-sensation

An article in the Guardian commented on their success.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/may/22/cracking-the-cryptic-puzzled-uk-men-become-internet-sensation-with-sudoku-channel

Also on the BBC programme Have I Got News for You, in the Missing Words section the panel were asked to guess the missing words in this Headline – Man in Surrey who Mutters to Himself while _____________________ becomes big Internet Hit. Of course, the missing words were ‘solving sudokus’.

If, like me, you struggle with the Listener mathematical crosswords I can certainly recommend Neil Talbott’s masterclass in explaining how to solve one.
https://twitter.com/crypticcracking/status/1272232395895451648
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I have heard that the Enigma Variations puzzles in the Sunday Telegraph will cease after this August. I am saddened by this end to a long-running series of thematic crosswords. EV editor, Steve Bartlett, only recently took the role of EV editor when Chris Lancaster was promoted to be Telegraph crossword editor.
***
A new book which will interest all those new solvers who have taken up crosswords during the lockdown is How to Solve Cryptic Crosswords by Chris Lancaster. This clear guide with lots of examples, explanations of clue-types and practice crosswords is going to be the standard handbook. I have made it Book of the Month on the Crossword Centre. https://amzn.to/3hrALnp
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Our Crossword Clue-writing Competition has a new task for June. After the "oldies" last month, time to give youth a chance – your challenge for June is a STANDARD CRYPTIC clue to THE YOUNG ONES (3,5,4) by the closing date of MIDNIGHT BST TUESDAY 30th JUNE.

Best wishes
Derek

Free Hit by Rebus - Solution

Free Hit by Rebus - Solution

Crossword Centre Prize Puzzle May 2020

All Right Now

Clashes are resolved by changing L to R.
The title referred to the pop group Free and their 1973 hit song.

Words in brackets are the hidden definitions.

Across

1, rocket,(carpet) 4, rashed (dragged) 10, chantage 12, dore (gilded) 13, ponca 15, gorgoneion 16, emery 17, crans (measures) 18,race riots.21, mia 23, sit, 24, tectonics 25 ,crock (decrepit) 28 ,roses (bloomers) 30 ,damp course 32, ad inf 33, tear (eye drop)34 ,rustiest (least practised) 35 ,samoed 

36 ,hordes (gatherings)

down

1, Rodgers (theme singer) 2, correct (mark) 3, echo  4,rate notices (bills) 5, stoor (stubborn) 6, hanna 7, dears (pets) 8, room (space) 9, regret (be sorry for) 11, handicapped 14 conic 19, aired (broadcast) 20, snouts 21, misread (got their words muddled) 22,asserts  25,chars,(odd jobs) 26, odism 27, canto 29, esau 31,o tto