{"id":4821,"date":"2024-10-06T11:27:32","date_gmt":"2024-10-06T10:27:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.clueclinic.com\/?p=4821"},"modified":"2024-10-20T12:14:49","modified_gmt":"2024-10-20T11:14:49","slug":"notes-for-azed-2729","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/06\/notes-for-azed-2729\/","title":{"rendered":"Notes for Azed 2,729"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

There are usually one or two points of interest in an Azed puzzle, and here we pick them out for comment. Please feel free to add your own questions or observations on any aspect of the puzzle (including clues not listed below) either by using the comment form at the bottom of the page or, if would prefer that your question\/comment is not publicly visible, by email<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Azed 2,729 ‘Give & Take’<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Difficulty rating: \"6 (6 \/ 10)\r\n

Note<\/strong>: 34a should be enumerated as (8, 2 words).<\/p>\r\n

I think this sort of special is probably rather less Marmitey that Printer’s Devilry, Spoonerisms or Playfair. Today’s offering struck me as being quite tricky, though – while the clues may have been a little easier than in an average ‘plain’, the gimmick more than made up for it, so I’ve rated the overall difficulty comfortably above the plain puzzle range.<\/p>\r\n

In all instances the wordplay leads to the grid entry, while the definition leads either to a longer word (across clues) or a shorter word (down clues). Examples (from the last ‘Give & Take’, in February this year) are:<\/p>\r\n

Across: “Preserve<\/span> youth in wild area (9)” – [M]AR[M]ALADE, LAD in AREA*, grid entry ARALADE, omitted letter M.<\/p>\r\n

Down: “Seeks newts around Austria (4)” – A<\/strong>ASKS, ASKS around A, grid entry AASKS, extra letter A.<\/p>\r\n

Some other things to note. Firstly, the great majority of the entries will not be real words. Secondly, the cryptic indication (wordplay) can simply be a definition of the grid entry (assuming that it is a real word). Thirdly, the extra letter added to each down entry will always be checked by a crossing entry – however, the point at which you can confidently enter a down solution will depend on how precisely the wordplay indicates the entry, so 4d (for instance) can be filled in as soon as the clue is solved, while 18d is likely to require at least a couple of checkers.<\/p>\r\n

The quotation isn’t in my copy of ODQ (7th edition, 2009), but it can readily be found online. Tim C has raised a question in the comments regarding the identity of the competition clue word. For the reasons that I state there, I am in no doubt that the instructions lead to a word that is 13 letters long (update on 11\/10 – this has been confirmed).<\/p>\r\n

After the notes I have included a checklist showing the locations in the defined words where letters are removed or added.<\/p>\r\n

Clue Writers’ Corner<\/em><\/strong>: If you look at the clues in this puzzle, you will see that Azed has in general carefully avoided including any ‘linking’ words or phrases between wordplay and definition (eg ‘making’, ‘from’), although he’s nodded a couple of times (in 32a and 2d). The reason for avoiding such links is that in each clue the wordplay leads to the grid entry but not<\/em> the word which is defined, so any wording which suggests that it does so is faulty. Even in the ‘hidden’ clues such as 28d he has been careful to ensure that the wordplay and the definition stand apart. When it comes to judging clues submitted for puzzles like this, Azed veers between disqualifying clues containing linking words and just marking them down, but I would strongly advise avoiding them in your submission.<\/p>\r\n

Across<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n

1a<\/strong> Overhasty outburst of ire? Jock\u2019s is worthless<\/span> (9) <\/span>
A four-letter word for ‘overhasty’ is followed by an anagram (‘outburst’) of IRE. The defined Scots word is a noun (ie “Jock’s this<\/em> is worthless”).<\/p>\r\n

6a<\/strong> Ball<\/span> right out of place in merry frolic (6)<\/span>
A five-letter word for a merry frolic has the usual abbreviation for ‘right’ moved within it (‘right out of place’).<\/p>\r\n

11a<\/strong> Fitting clothes pair can name belonging<\/span> (11)<\/span>
A three-letter word for ‘fitting’ contains (‘clothes’) the usual abbreviation for ‘pair’, a three-letter synonym for ‘can’, and the usual abbreviation for ‘name’.<\/p>\r\n

16a<\/strong> Posterior<\/span>? Countess exposing outer parts (5)<\/span>
The ‘exposing’ here is used in the sense of ‘abandoning’, indicating the some of the outer letters (‘parts’) of COUNTESS must be lost.<\/p>\r\n

20a<\/strong> Superfamily<\/span>? Fellow\u2019s back in seat with one (10)<\/span>
The sort of fellow that might be found at a university is reversed (‘back’) inside a four-letter word for a seat in the sense of a place or region where a thing is native, and a single-letter word for ‘one’.<\/p>\r\n

24a<\/strong> Like dressing for fish, left off? Stale crumbs!<\/span> (6)<\/span>
A six-letter term which might describe a dressing, perhaps for fish, perhaps for salad, has the usual abbreviation for ‘left’ removed (‘left off’). The defined word is an obsolete (hence the ‘stale’) expression of surprise, which I don’t remember previously coming across in this form.<\/p>\r\n

27a<\/strong> Plaster<\/span>, something for the tank (5)<\/span>
Here the ‘cryptic indication’ is a slightly oblique definition of a proper name, the ‘tank’ being the sort that might be found on a fossil-fuelled car.<\/p>\r\n

30a<\/strong> Saivaite symbol<\/span>, fish with head of antelope (6)<\/span>
A four-letter word for a fish much prized by crossword compilers is followed by the first letter (‘head’) of ‘antelope’, but the whole thing seems mildly unsatisfactory, given that it works perfectly well as a normal clue. Solving it here means choosing the alternative, six-letter spelling of the defined word and then somewhat perversely removing the letter which turns it back into the form that tallies with the wordplay.<\/p>\r\n

31a<\/strong> Beef piece<\/span>? Play about, rolling it, ignoring recipe (7)<\/span>
A seven-letter word for ‘play about’ or ‘frolic’ is reversed (‘rolling it’, ie ‘rolling that word’) and the usual abbreviation for ‘recipe’ deleted.<\/p>\r\n

32a<\/strong> Former king among crowds making official journeys<\/span> (10)<\/span>
The former king is one of the Georges, and his cipher is contained by (‘among’) a seven-letter word for ‘crowds’.<\/p>\r\n

Down<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

1d<\/strong> Oppose<\/span> naughtiness in base (6)<\/span>
A three-letter word for ‘naughtiness’ (often indicated in cryptics by ‘wrong’) is contained by a word for a base, in the sense of a stand for something, typically intended for intermittent use..<\/p>\r\n

5d<\/strong> Rubbings out<\/span> enclosed in arts seem misguided (10)<\/span>
The abbreviation for ‘enclosed’ (or ‘enclosure’) is contained by an anagram (‘misguided’) of ARTS SEEM.<\/p>\r\n

7d<\/strong> Bone up on taking in harvest wing<\/span> (6)<\/span>
A reversal of a three-letter bone, followed by the letters ON (from the clue), are put around (‘taking in’) a two -letter word meaning ‘[to gather in] harvest’.<\/p>\r\n

12d<\/strong> Original<\/span> root twisted in hard seed to endure (10)<\/span>
An anagram (‘twisted’) of ROOT is contained by a three-letter word for a hard pip and and a four-letter word meaning ‘to endure’.<\/p>\r\n

21d<\/strong> Hungarian academic, dramatist etc<\/span> less seen around in Hungary (6)<\/span>
An anagram (‘seen around’) of LESS, the letters IN (from the clue), and the IVR code for Hungary combine to produce the surname of the ‘Hungarian-born British producer, dramatist, journalist, adaptor and translator, critic, academic scholar and professor of drama, known for coining the term “theatre of the absurd” in his 1961 book The Theatre of the Absurd’ [thanks to Wikipedia].<\/p>\r\n

24d<\/strong> Public showing<\/span> direct from capital orchestra (4)<\/span>
A two-letter word meaning ‘direct from’ (usually followed by ‘works’) precedes the abbreviated name of an orchestra based in the capital of England.<\/p>\r\n

26d<\/strong> Primal stage of decapoda<\/span>, early on, primarily found among cereals (4)<\/span>
The first letters (‘primarily’) of ‘early one’ are contained by (‘found among’) a three-letter word for the genus of which maize is the only species.<\/p>\r\n

(definitions are underlined<\/span>)<\/p>\r\n

Deletions\/Additions<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

In the across clues, the letters are deleted from the following positions:<\/p>\r\n

1<\/strong>: 1 and 6; 6<\/strong>: 3; 11<\/strong>: 4 and 9; 13<\/strong>: 1; 14<\/strong>: 4; 15<\/strong>: 4; 16<\/strong>: 2; 17<\/strong>: 4; 20<\/strong>: 4 and 7; 23<\/strong>: 7; 24<\/strong>: 1; 27<\/strong>: 1; 29<\/strong>: 3, 8 and 11; 30<\/strong>: 6; 31<\/strong>: 7; 32<\/strong>: 3; 33<\/strong>: 1; 34<\/strong>: 5.<\/p>\r\n

In the down clues, the letters are added in the following positions:<\/p>\r\n

1<\/strong>: 5; 2<\/strong>: 5; 3<\/strong>: 5; 4<\/strong>: 1; 5<\/strong>: 9; 7<\/strong>: 5; 8<\/strong>: 5; 9<\/strong>: 2; 10<\/strong>: 3; 12<\/strong>: 6; 18<\/strong>: 5; 19<\/strong>: 5; 21<\/strong>: 7; 22<\/strong>: 3; 24<\/strong>: 3; 25<\/strong>: 1; 26<\/strong>: 2; 28<\/strong>: 3.<\/p>\r\n

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<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A rapid reappearance for a ‘special’ that last appeared in February.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1376,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4821","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-azednotes"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4821","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4821"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4821\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4832,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4821\/revisions\/4832"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1376"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4821"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4821"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4821"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}