The Stickler Weekly 101 Solution

I was doing my regular scan of the Net looking for interesting cryptic things when I came across an article about an English setter, Philistine, who had been talking cryptics on a radio program. He had put together a puzzle for all to follow and included some clues from other distinguished setters. One of these clues caught my eye: Primarily, inflammation in mother’s breasts (8). [MASTITIS: (I)nflammation inside MA’S TITS, an ] It’s a brilliant clue that caused me to laugh out loud. What’s really interesting though, is the context: it was written for the audience of a BBC4 radio program. I’m not entirely sure, but I doubt this clue would be allowed in all UK publications. What makes it acceptable, perhaps, is that it was written by a woman, Sarah Hayes (Arachne in the Guardian), removing the sexist tag it would no doubt receive if a man wrote it. Such liberties of language are generally allowed in cryptics as much is covert and the product of the setter’s/solver’s workings rather than something in your face. There’s no way BREASTS = TITS would be allowed in any other types of crossword, yet here I think it would be generally admired. I would be happy to include it in my old Stickler in the DT, but probably not include it in my AFR crossword. The SMH/Age has a rule about including diseases and the like, so it might not get through no matter how good the wordplay.
I like the freedom that cryptics offer in this area but it’s unwise not to give considerable thought to what is included in clues as we tend to live in a world that is easily offended.

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 COMEDIAN
Communications industry taken in by kid’s wit (8) MEDIA inside CON
5 STAPES
Head of security makes a recording with listening device (6) (S)ECURITY + TAPES
10 MISAPPREHENSION
Wrong impression made by corrugated paper layer used in job (15) (Anagram of PAPER + HEN) inside MISSION
11 ALLOTROPE
Divide and bind one form of chemical element (9) ALLOT + ROPE
12 SPOTS
Skin problem stops coming back (5) STOPS reversed
13 GRIT
Central figure of party, one consumed by great determination (4) [PA(R)TY + I] inside GT
15 DIOCESE
See code is varied before end of cycle (7) Anagram of CODE IS + CYCL(E)
18 FLAPPED
Fellow completed a circuit and waved (7) F + LAPPED
20 PUNT
Kick hole in bottle (4) Double Definition
23 ERROR
Time ignored by troublesome child could be a mistake (5) TERROR minus T
24 FUSILLADE
Fire American poorly in decline (9) (US + ILL) inside FADE
26 COMBINATION LOCK
Security system’s timer hacked into by organised mob, one large group of people (11,4) CLOCK outside (anagram of MOB + I + NATION)
27 SENATE
Witness probed by national governing body (6) SEE outside NAT
28 IN DEMAND
Rough denim, by the way, is popular (2,6) Anagram of DENIM + AND
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 COMBAT
Something used by a groom at engagement (6) COMB + AT
2 MASALA
Fortified wine not containing right mix of spices (6) MARSALA minus R
3 DEPOT
Roadtrain finally leaving Top End disrupted warehouse (5) Anagram of TOP END minus ROADTRAI(N)
4 AIRPORT
It may be used by traveller or taken during a trip abroad (7) OR inside anagram of A TRIP
6 TONES DOWN
Moderates sabotaged nodes located in populated area (5,4) Anagram of NODES inside TOWN
7 POISONED
Is one in school contaminated? (8) (IS ONE) inside POD
8 SONGSTER
Family member gets upset with original piece from radical poet (8) SON + anagram of GETS + (R)ADICAL
9 THREAD
Half of them scanned sewer line (6) (TH)EM + READ
14 RAP ARTIST
Musical performer’s role is accepted by bad lot (3,6) (PART IS) inside RAT
16 OFFENCES
Violations of bent resellers (8) OF + FENCES
17 DAIRYMAN
Large number upset an agriculturalist (8) MYRIAD reversed + AN
19 DEFEAT
Master had food in retreat to consume (6) FED reversed + EAT
20 PASSION
Die holding onto one strong feeling (7) (PASS ON) outside I
21 PAGODA
A supreme power seen in father’s Asian temple (6) (A + GOD) inside PA
22 PEAKED
Crook reached the top (6) Double Definition
25 LUNGE
Suddenly come forward with ring lost in sitting-room (5) LOUNGE minus O

 

A type of clue where the WHOLE clue defines the answer, and the WHOLE clue also is the wordplay (a mechanism to derive the answer through various cryptic devices). "&lit" is short for "and literally".

To qualify as an &lit, a clue must have no unused components either in the definition or the wordplay - it must be readable one way as a definition, and another as the wordplay.

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One Response to The Stickler Weekly 101 Solution

  1. Greg Mansell says:

    I knocked this one off in a couple of hours after dinner. Clearly, Yarra Burn 2008 is a performance-enhancing drug. I recommend it.

    There was the usual array of entertaining clues, especially 5ac, 12ac, 15ac, 28ac, 4dn, 9dn & 16dn.

    I initially had BOOT for 20ac. It works (O inside BOT) — but not with the crossing letters.

    By the way, I love the MASTITIS clue.