Solution to Masterpiece by Craft

 Masterpiece by Craft - Solution

TITLE OF WORK: Voice of Fire

The 1967 work is Voice of Fire by Barnett Newman. It hangs in the National Gallery of Canada..

The shaded grid represents the artwork.

Across

8  hidden

9  QU in AA

10  BAN rev

12  (b)ORDER(s)

13  GR + ANTS (6)

15  SERENADE - AD (6)

16  TON in E(lli)S

17  B(y)R(o)A(d)S

18  IN US TREAD*

23  hidden

25  (CRAFT – FT) rev

27  MATURER*

28  EDISON (TI for S)

29  OAF IS* in MO

30  (MAN in DEER) rev

31  TAN rev

33  r(ID)g(E)w(A)y

34  LAWNLINE* + G

36  BACS rev

38  PA N(e)E(d)S

41  N in TAKE + R

43  UNI + ATE

44  ALF + AS

46  u(SHE)r

47  R + EEL &lit

48  CARE*

Down

1  lim(B) + ANGLE

2  RA rev + A RAT

3  O in NUNS

4  (TOM in SEE) rev

5  acrostic

6  DU + ANNE rev

7  homophone

11  BA + YOU

14  R in ZED A

19  CHARLATAN (T for CH)

20  AIDE* in RED

22  MOZE in AREN(a)

24  OUTS + AIL

32  W in TANG

34  EST + U + ARY

35  IN + SAC rev

37  CA + BLED

38  PENS + EL

39  WITH ER (E for W)

40  (p)EER in SKY

42  IV + A in RL

45  (s)ALA(d)

Crossword Centre Prize Puzzle November 2021

 A Good One by Hawk

PDF version

Corrections to single misprints in 36 clues spell out a literary challenge and its source. Clashing letters in three cells can form obstacles which, in the order they are approached, are of lengths (9), (10, two words) and (10, two words), ignoring one article. Solvers must replace each of these with an appropriate OS map symbol. Solvers must then highlight start and finish locations and a path from one to the other using cells touching at sides (32 cells in total). Solvers should take advice from either of two helpful organizations. Numbers indicate the length of grid entries. The Chambers Dictionary (2016) is the primary source. 

Across

1 Does poorly after accompanist's treated (8)

7 Star fruit trees abound (4)

10 Greek nymph briefly goes back after a coloured hat (7)

11 Alice from Digital Archives identifies Latin bible (5)

13 AC/DC getting Queen in for Asian money, in dual arrangement (8)

14 Back before church recitation concerning heralds (5)

15 Oracle's help in holy bishop's return (5)

16 Arcade adaptation's losing director, not producer (5)

17 Varieties of wild celery: herbs with old beetle infestation (6)

19 It's found in some bulls, newly born but not fed (4)

20 Antique blank panel's located at centre of wall bracket, having first removed wire (3)

22 Better stock trader overshadows Chancellor of the Exchequer (5)

26 Henry's initially knowledgeable in bulk supplying fruit tree (5)

28 Pains could be resulting from incomplete cure (3)

29 Spartan in cell to break down walls and run (4)

31 Dammed Welsh river, and energy produced within two days (6)

34 Married for Wally's rare dialect (5)

35 Print worker's largely foxed these days by script (5)

37 Dutch energy department's after space saving tips (5)

38 Liberally drain most of node that's become pustulant (8)

39 Those who could play Pergolesi's Serpina in endless battle (5)

40 Change course that's occupying entire roster (7)

41 All too often economic enterprise ends making only one dime (4)

42 Women locked us out of giant subscription boxes (8)

Down

1 Refuse stored in unfinished bar where a Hockney could hang (7)

2 Item features Cambridge-based examination board: one in the eye for the Scots (6)

3 Short copper trails parish upstart (7)

4 A sweep could be attached to this gun I fear capturing (7, two words)

5 Animating the heart of one's lost life in, say, sandwiches (5)

6 Pops out for the day (4)

7 Strong current takes a life (5)

8 Clipping relayed in jungle: it could change the course of radio (6)

9 Dunces in Britain foregoing utmost efforts (5)

12 Satisfactory rating at first for fortune teller in the east (5)

13 Entertainment gathering pens comedy skit (6)

18 Ended up being wealthy, essentially, with breeding, essentially (6)

21 Fritter's meeting bananas (7)

23 Dressing trick enthralls former SS leader (7)

24 Dreams decapitated person represents the whole world (5)

25 Nationalized haulier carrying fish, cut stone and sinks (7)

27 Go beyond ordinary flu, as before (6)

30 Riding east, note mountain plant higher up (6)

31 Turn on waterworks to treat hedges and crops (5)

32 Weapon, though concealed by punk heading off in the other direction (5)

33 Spender's hurt with costly surcharge, ultimately (5)

36 Boldly faced scrape with Glasgow thug after first sign of bullying (4)

To enter this competition, send your entry as an image or in list format including the highlighted locations and the path, to ccpuzzles@talktalk.net before 8th December 2021. The first correct entry drawn from the hat will receive a book from the Chambers range, which has been donated by Chambers.

Crossword News October 2021

 

Crossword News October 2021

The September Prize Puzzle was Juggling Jellyfish by Chiffchaff. It celebrated INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY given by extra letters in 31 clues. Thematic clues gave half of an oath given by Captain Pugwash while the other half was entered in the grid.

 First letters of extra words in seven other clues give HAT and SHIP. PUGWASH replaces captain in the completed grid and his hat is drawn in the space occupied by cap and he is shown standing on his ship, cryptically represented by a drawing of a black pig in the space occupied by pig. Juggling Jellyfish is something we felt Pugwash ought to have said but didn’t, but he did utter the other phrases given by the puzzle.

Here are some of the comments from solvers.

Took me a while to spot the theme, but a nice amusing moment when the penny finally dropped.  Wasn’t the first pirate I thought of, but it should have been!  Wondered a bit about the cryptic/thematic final requirement – have opted for showing the black pig as a black pig and the pirate hat literally, so hope that was what was intended.

Thanks Chiffchaff for filling a gap in my education by informing me there is such a thing as International Talk Like A Pirate Day, knowledge gained once I got past my fixation that  we were dealing with Tintin in the puzzle. Having three different types of clues, especially when extra letters could be anywhere in the clue, added a bit of difficulty and at the end I wasn't really sure as to whether I should be trying to draw a pirate ship or an actual black pig. Given my total lack of artistic talent, an approximation to a sailing ship got the vote.

Initially I found the puzzle to be great fun with some good clues and I enjoyed the variation of the special solutions at 1 across etc.  I was intrigued to learn of the International Talk Like a Pirate Day and cannot imagine how it had passed me by until now.  I do not know how younger solvers would know of Captain Pugwash but I am old enough to have enjoyed the double entendres (deliberate or not) at the time.  So, it was not too difficult to see that CAPTAIN should be replaced by PUGWASH.  Equally straightforward, HAT and SHIP should be the illustrations - but, one thematically and one cryptically???  My best guess is that PIG should be  replaced by a drawing of a black pig (that being the name of the aforesaid Captain's vessel) and CAP replaced by a drawing of the Captain's hat or possibly the skull and crossbones that adorned it.  As you can tell, I was all at sea over the final instruction and for me it slightly took the shine off an otherwise excellent puzzle.  Thank you, Chiffchaff.

There were 41 entries, of which 9 were marked incorrect. To put solvers’ minds at rest, the marker accepted any black pig or black ship as correct.

The lucky winners were Albert and Gail Busza, from Chiswick, who will soon be receiving a prize of Chambers Crossword Dictionary, which has been donated by Chambers.

A solution is available at https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2021/10/solution-to-juggling-jellyfish-by.html Chiffchaff is a collaboration of two popular setters, Hedge-sparrow and Vismut.

You still have lots of time to email your solution to Masterpiece by Craft. https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2021/09/crossword-centre-prize-puzzle-october.html

 The November Prize Puzzle will be A Good One by Hawk. This is Hawk’s first puzzle for the Crossword Centre. Fairly new to setting, Hawk made his Listener debut on Valentine’s Day 2021, with a puzzle leading to a heart-shaped box of chocolates. Hawk is the pseudonym for Julian, an IT manager from Surrey. He enjoys setting puzzles which give the solver some work to do in the endgame - “A Good One” is no exception. He chose the name Hawk, as he wanted something a little bit predatory, and all the Spanish inquisitors had been taken.
***
One of the toughest Listener crosswords of late was Variety Show by Enigmatist. Although Enigmatist (John Henderson) publishes lots of crosswords under a variety of pseudonyms, this was only his second Listener, the first being in 1993. I spent a few days solving some tough clues and gradually I made out the partial names of the members of the Spice Girls. The final solution was a representation of the group’s first album cover. What a fantastic puzzle! However, I felt a bit cheated that most of the answers to those tough clues had to be erased.

Alan Connor, in his Guardian blog, also describes how he solved Variety Show.
https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/crossword-blog/2021/oct/11/crossword-blog-a-really-really-hard-puzzle-enigmatist

On Listen with Others you can read how Enigmatist came up with the idea and how Dave Hennings and Shirley Curran went about solving it.
https://listenwithothers.com/
***
This month sees the publication of the latest edition of Bradford's Crossword Solver's Dictionary. This hardback edition is available at Amazon at £20 (RRP £25).
***
The history of GCHQ, Behind the Enigma, is now available in paperback. It is the authorised history by John Ferris detailing Britain’s cyber-intelligence agency and its code-breaking achievements.
***
On our message board Phil Lloyd has announced this.

Now that social activities are becoming more of the norm again, and that many of our number will have been double- or triple-jabbed, it has been decided to cautiously resume our quarterly Listener gatherings at the Sir John Oldcastle in Farringdon, on Saturday 30th October. This Wetherspoons pub is at the junction of Farringdon Road and Greville Street, and a short walk from Farringdon Station, west along Cowcross Street.

On the same weekend there will be John Henderson’s meet in York. More info on https://www.fifteensquared.net/
***
On the Clue-writing Competition your challenge for OCTOBER is a STANDARD CRYPTIC clue to YO-YO (2-2) by the closing date of MIDNIGHT BST SATURDAY 30th OCTOBER.
http://www.andlit.org.uk/cccwc/main.php

In last month’s competition, a clue to BIBLIOMANIA, the winner was John Tozer, with this clue.

What draws crowds to the bookshop? A Miliband bio oddly – Ed’s latest is out

In a very close second place was Robert Vere with this clue.

I am in Bilbao madly collecting books
***

Best wishes
Derek

Solution to Juggling Jellyfish by Chiffchaff

 Juggling Jellyfish by Chiffchaff - Solution

Juggling Jellyfish celebrates INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY given by extra letters in 31 clues. First letters of extra words in seven other clues give HAT and SHIP. PUGWASH replaces captain in the completed grid and his hat is drawn in the space occupied by cap and he is shown standing on his ship, cryptically represented by a drawing of a black pig in the space occupied by pig. Juggling Jellyfish is something we felt Pugwash ought to have said but didn’t, but he did utter the other phrases given by the puzzle.

Crossword Centre Prize Puzzle October 2021

 Masterpiece by Craft

PDF version

This puzzle celebrates a 1967 work.

The five symmetrically-placed unclued entries reveal the location of the work, and the creator.

When filled, the grid must be shaded using two appropriate colours.

The name of the work should be written below the grid.

All entries are in Chambers 2014 (electronic version)

Across

8  Some sugar, coated with a bow (4)

9  Teetotallers guzzling two pints?  That's water (4)

10  Curse flipping hilltop (3)

12  Request edges without edges? (5)

13  Bestows Greece to workers (6)

15  Calm romantic song; take no notice (6)

16  Fashionable people wearing Ellis' shell suit (5)

17  Supporters regularly take byroads (4)

18  Family of flyers in US tread carelessly (9)

23  Neck back an aperitif, if somewhat partial (4)

25  Setter dropping newspaper, going round bend (3)

27  What could be maturer way to correct mistake (7)

28  Inventor taking note for Introduction to Sexual Reproduction (7)

29  Criminal oaf is lost in Missouri (7)

30  Changed title of servant in Bambi's Return (7)

31  Sturgeon, perhaps, or Brown, manoeuvring to the left (3)

33  Plan prime locations of ridgeway (4)

34  Building sides around threadbare lawn, line with hardly any grass (9)

36  Scoundrel's qualifications short and informal, in retrospect (4)

38  Old man frequently needs glasses (5)

41  Transport oil by river, secure with navy on board (6)

43  Christian consumed by seat of learning (6)

44  Ignorant man, to whatever extent, grasses (5)

46  That lady is undressed, doorkeeper (3)

47  Essential part of apparatus when catching fish! (4)

48  Care about maple tree (4)

Down

1  Jewellery, perhaps right on end of limb? (6)

2  Mount an animal, after ascension of sun-god (6)

3  Order members having old names (5)

4  Cat adopted by witness upset hams (6)

5  Sailor heads to the Amazonian rainforest (3)

6  Dutch queen upended chaperone (6)

7  Islanders announced Egyptian king with proficiency (7)

11  Swamp anyone, to a degree? (5)

14  Fox crossworder at last, entering final and initial letters (5)

19  Fraudster taking time to replace church cloth (8)

20  Aide prepared parting, comb in position (7)

22  Gig in Wembley, say, censoring essentially bad material (8)

24  Dismissed batsmen bother to perform better, with Craft? (7)

32  Coarse seaweed overwhelming with rustic aftertaste (5)

34  “Delta is in Paris”; acceptable to any local? (7)

35  Old Peruvians wearing twisted bag (5)

37  Chief accountant felt pity and sent telegram (6)

38  Small ensign encircles the Spanish (6)

39  One of two accompanying the queen, switching partner? (6)

40  Headless fellow in midair is frightening to locals (6)

42  Compete with both sides over four acres (5)

45  Salad ingredients, in the style of Dijonnaise? (3, two words)

To enter this competition, send your entry as an image or in list format including the title of the work  to ccpuzzles@talktalk.net before 8th November 2021. The first correct entry drawn from the hat will receive a book from the Chambers range, which has been donated by Chambers.

Crossword News September 2021

 

Crossword News September 2021

The August Prize Puzzle was Diet by Curmudgeon. This was based on the film, Blade Runner, and Roy Batty’s famous final speech had to be highlighted diagonally in the grid. His final words were “Time to Die”, referenced in the title. One thing that we did not notice was that the speech was one letter short. Sorry about that.

Here are some of the comments from solvers.

While I have never seen the film, (it has been on my to-see list for a while), I did know the character and quote beforehand, which was in turn helpful in figuring out some of the extra letters. After that, the shading was not a problem. To fit that much hidden material into the grid was fantastic.  Thanks to Curmudgeon for the challenge.

Having never seen Blade Runner, and so never heard of Roy Batty, as the message began to emerge from the clues, I briefly thought we were looking for some royal battle or other. Eventually our old friend Google came to the rescue, so thanks to Curmudgeon for helping fill a gap in my education.

An excellent puzzle.

Wonderful puzzle, and excellent grid construction, I just marvel at the skill involved in that, getting so many thematic letters seeded.  I was initially surprised that the grid did not have rotational symmetry, but later could appreciate why, given the limitations imposed by thematic material.  This puzzle kept its secrets well hidden, managed to find the theme only at the very end, the end-game was truly an end-game. It appears that there could be 3 possibilities for the cell containing 2 letters, I chose one using a certain rationale, but am not sure if there's some other logic involved that's escaped me.  Nice workout, thanks.

There were 54 entries, of which 7 were marked incorrect. Our marker assures me that any solution of the missing letter were marked correct. The lucky winner , picked form the electronic hat was Pam Dudgeon, from Saxmundham, who will be receiving a prize of a copy of Chambers Crossword Dictionary next month.

A full solution is available at https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2021/09/solution-to-diet-by-curmudgeon.html

You still have time to email a solution to this month’s challenge, Juggling Jellyfish by Chiffchaff.

The October Prize Puzzle will be Masterpiece by Craft. Craft is one of the many new pseudonyms that have emerged during the lockdown period.  After learning to solve cryptics as a teenager, from a thick book of Telegraph puzzles, Craft quickly progressed to advanced cryptics, and has been a keen solver for over 20 years.  Recent developments have given Craft the opportunity to "turn gamekeeper" and put into practice the ideas collected over those years.

This is Craft's first puzzle on crossword.org.uk, and eagle-eyed solvers may have spotted a similar debut in the September Magpie.  Craft would very much welcome feedback on either of these debuts.

Outside the grid, Craft is a parent to two young children and now lives in Wimbledon, having grown up in Cheshire.
***
I have followed with interest the huge success of Cracking the Cryptic, the YouTube channel run by Mark Goodliffe and Simon Anthony. They started by tackling cryptic crosswords but gained most of their following by solving sudokus. Now Simon, an accomplished gamer, has started to tackle the puzzle-solving video game the Witness.
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/these-sudoku-youtubers-are-about-to-become-your-favourite-game-streamers
***

It is interesting to note that Mark Goodliffe has been recorded in the Urban Dictionary with the verb ‘to goodliffe’.

Goodliffe (verb) the act of pencil marking all possible candidates in all cells of a sudoku before solving

I've run out of logical steps, so I'm going to goodliffe this sudoku, and hope to spot some patterns.

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=goodliffe
***
The results of the Azed Annual Honours List have been announced. Congratulations to Richard Heald for winning in a close-run competition. Richard ended up with 14 points, including two second places. In second place with 12 points were M Barley, Dr S J Shaw and R C Teuton.
http://www.andlit.org.uk/azed/ann_hons_table.php?year=2020
***
On our CC Clue-Writing Competition the results of the July challenge, a clue to MACARONI, are out now. The winner was Joe Rees with this cue.

Tuck, Marian and co made merry (8)

In third place was Simon Griew with this clue.
Micra on rank accepts a fare in Rome

By a remarkable coincidence, Simon followed a link to Ximenes’s MACARONI competition in June 1957. There, also in 3^rd place, was his father, E J Griew. This was a very touching coincidence for Simon, whose father died 25 years ago. In 1957 he would have been only 26.
http://www.andlit.org.uk/azed/cluelist.php?series=X&comp_no=438

Your challenge for SEPTEMBER is a STANDARD CRYPTIC clue to CICERONE (8) by the closing date of MIDNIGHT BST WEDNESDAY 29th SEPTEMBER.
http://www.andlit.org.uk/cccwc/main.php
***
It is looking increasingly likely that there will be a York S & B meeting next month. John Henderson has pencilled in the 29^th and 30^th October and is looking to see how many people would come. You can find much more information at this link http://www.fifteensquared.net/2021/08/24/sb-york-2021-friday-29th-and-saturday-30th-october-2021/
***
Alan Connor has interviewed the prolific setter Phi this month and it is very interesting. Phi, of course, is Paul Henderson, who had a puzzle on the Crossword Centre this year and has a record of over 1500 published cryptic crosswords. I first met him 20 years ago at the 2001 Listener/Azed Dinner. You might like to compare his photo http://www.crossword.org.uk/dinner.htm
***
I always enjoy solving the Sunday Times cryptic crosswords with their team of setters, each with a different style. In fact, I have won 3 gold pens in the past 5 years from the crosswords. Crossword editor, Peter Biddlecombe, has produced a new collection which was published at the beginning of this month. The Sunday Times Cryptic Crossword Book 1 is a collection of 100 cryptic crosswords, at a bargain price of £6.99.
***
On Twitter, Daniel Peake, master quizzer and question writer for Only Connect, announced that he will soon be working as Assistant Puzzles Editor for The Telegraph.

Best wishes
Derek

Solution to Diet by Curmudgeon

 Diet by Curmudgeon - Solution

TIME TO DIE

Solvers were required SHADE ROY BATTY'S WORDS AND FILM TITLE: ADD HIS LAST WORDS BELOW

Apologies for the faulty quote in the grid.

Across: 1 Salaam, 5 Atlases, 13 Leo III, 14 Airshows, 16 Lie on, 18 Tuis, 19 A hoot, 20 Erne, 22 Tav, 23 Newies, 25 Reed, 26 Sae, 28 Motor areas, 33 Casas, 35 Exult, 36 Obi, 37 Up to, 38 Bean, 39 Allele, 41 Unbind, 45 Euge, 46 Bilinear, 47 Try, 48 Solders, 49 Keshes.

Down: 1 Sea rats, 2 Alit, 3 Alsoon, 4 Moose, 6 Tisane, 7 Lilt, 8 Abitur, 9 Smeuse, 10 Ego, 11 Sensed, 12 Groove, 15 Hate, 17 Ariosto, 21 Sea tangle, 24 Saxonite, 27 Amble, 28 Mao, 29 Taperer, 30 Rubbers, 31 Sanders, 32 Coarbs, 34 Sulk, 40 Loll, 42 Bid, 43 Mas, 44 Irk.

Across: 1 S: MA[S] ALAS<, 5 H: AT LAS[H]ES, 13 A: IDEALIS[A]TION* less STAND*, 14 D: AIRS [D]HOWS, 16 E: LIE ON[E], 18 R: TU[R]I(n) + S, 19 O: A(p)[O](s)H(c)O(p)O(u)T, 20 Y: EARNESTL[Y]* less LAST*, 22 B: TA[B] + V(erdicts), 23 A: NE W(orking) IE [A]S, 25 T: [T]REED, 26 T: SA[T]E, 28 Y: M(anaged) O T OR AR(e) EAS[Y], 33 S: CAS[S]IAS less I, 35 W: Hidden reversed (fia)T LUX [W]E(sleyans), 36 O: O BI[O], 37 R: UP + [R]OT<, 38 D: BEN[D] around A, 39 S: ALL EL[S]E, 41 A: UN BIN [A]D, 45 N: DE[N]GUE< less D(anger), 46 D: [D]ELIBERATING* less GET*, 47 F: T(o) [F]RY, 48 I: SOLD[I]ERS, 49 L: SHEKE[L]S*.

Down: 1 M: SEATS around RA[M], 2 T: A[T] + first letters L I T, 3 I: ALSO O(n)[I](O)N(s), 4 T: MOO[T] SE, 6 L: A[L]E ISNT*, 7 E: LIT around L[E], 8 A: AUR[A] around BIT, 9 D: S MUSE[D] around E, 10 D: E GO[D], 11 H: Hidden (ari)SEN S[H]ED(evil), 12 I: G[I]RO + OVE(r), 15 S: HA[S]TE, 17 L: {RIA[L]TO SO}*, 21 A: SEA G[A]LE around TAN, 24 S: SAXON [S]ITE, 27 T: A(sk) MB LE[T], 28 W: [W]OMA(n), 29 O: {A E P[O]RTER}*, 30 R: RU BB ER[R]S, 31 D: SS around [D]ANDER, 32 S: CO + BRAS[S]*, 34 B: S [B]ULK, 40 E: LOL around [E]L, 42 L: BUI[L]D less U, 43 O: M[O]AS, 44 W: [W]ORK with (to)I(ls) for O.