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Gemini 6441




It's been a while, sorry! Anyway, here is the analysis of the Gemini Cryptic from The Canberra Times, Monday 19 November.

The definition is underlined, except in double definition and cryptic definition clues.

ACROSS


1) Oversight the foreman's responsible for? (11) = SUPERVISION
Cryptic definition. 'Over sight' is sort of a coined definition for 'super vision'. What the foreman is responsible for is the definition.

9) Threatens to finish in bad spirits (7) = IMPENDS
Container. Finish = END. Put it in IMPS (bad spirits). IMP(END)S.

10) It limits the field to insure against betting losses (5) = HEDGE
Double definition. A HEDGE can limit the field (as in bordering a garden or field), and a HEDGE fund is one that insures against betting losses (speculation losses, rather than race track betting losses).

11) Rent is said to have been raised (4) = HIRE
Homophone, indicated by is said. As is common with homophone clues, it's not very clear which word of the homophone pair is the definition and which one's the wordplay. The letter count count helps here ... Rent is HIRE, and to have been raised is HIGHER. HIRE is the only one with 4 letters, which will fit in the grid.

12) Distribute or secure aid (8) = RESOURCE
Anagram, indicated by distribute. The fodder is or secure.

14) The wrong time's right for him (6) = MISTER
Anagram clue, indicated by wrong. The letter to be jumbled up (the fodder) are time's (ignore that apostrophe) and R (abbreviation of right).

16) Present causing pain (6) = TENDER
Double definition. TENDER meaning to formally offer or present something, and causing pain.

18) Scandinavian of manner so strange (8) = NORSEMAN
Anagram clue. Manner so is the fodder, and strange is the anagram indicator.

19) Bird in difficulty (4) = KNOT
A tricky one for us Aussies! Double definition - a knot is a British wading bird, as well a term for a difficulty.

22) Throw out or reject right away (5) = EJECT
Subtraction / deletion clue. Take reject, and take R (abbreviation of right) away! R-EJECT.

23) Review on thug's weapon (7) = SHOTGUN
Anagram clue, indicated by review. On thug's is the fodder, and they certainly do create a weapon when muddled up!

24) Anyway it's where papers like to have reporters (2,3,6) = AT ALL EVENTS
Nice double definition clue. Anyway is the first definition, and it's where papers like to have reporters is the second one.

DOWN


2) Superior kind of cut (5) = UPPER
Double definition. Superior is the first definition, and a kind of cut (UPPERcut) is the second. What a blow!

3) A girl from Aden (4) = EDNA
Unfair anagram clue. I always think that clueing any name as a girl (or a boy) is rather unfair on the solver. So the definition in this clue is a girl. Which means that any 4 letter girl's name could be the answer. Yeah. There's a lot of them. Anyway, on to the rest of the clue. From Aden is the wordplay. It's an anagram of Aden, but there is no anagram indicator, which is also unfair.

4) Container ship (6) = VESSEL
Double definition. I bet you can figure out which are the two definitions, seeing as there are only two words in the clue!

5) Vessel sunk at the bar (8) = SCHOONER
Oooh cheeky ... using vessel in this clue, directly beneath the clue where VESSEL was the answer! Double definition clue. A SCHOONER is a vessel (sailing ship). And it's also a type of glass for alcohol, served and maybe drunk (or sunk) at the bar!

6) Regulated as instructed (7) = ORDERED
YADD! Yet Another Double Definition. Something that is regulated can also be said to be ORDERED. And if you were instructed to do something, you may have been ORDERED to do it.

7) Just a privilege objected to (5-6) = RIGHT-MINDED
Charade, not a frightfully good one. Just, as in fair, is the definition. A privilege = RIGHT, and objected to = MINDED.

8) Discerning writer and French sailor (11) = PENETRATING
Charade clue. A writer is a PEN. Add on and in French (ET), and then another word for sailor (RATING - a British term for a non-commissioned sailor in the navy). Discerning is the definition.

13) It gives the sculptor's work some standing (8) = PEDESTAL
Cryptic definition. A sculpture can definitely stand on a pedestal!

15) Fit and sure maybe but altogether too much (7) = SURFEIT
YAA! Yet Another Anagram! Maybe is the anagram indicator, and the letters to jumble up are fit and sure. An anagram of FITSURE is SURFEIT!

17) Lashes out in a quarrel (6) = HASSLE
Anagram, indicated by out. Lashes is the fodder. I wasn't sure about quarrel as a definition for HASSLE, but my Oxford Dictionary tells me that HASSLE can mean a disagreement or quarrel in the USA, so fair enough.

20) Dark disturbing thing (5) = NIGHT
Final anagram clue, indicated by disturbing. Thing is the fodder, and dark is the definition.

21) He does keep talking well (4) = BORE
The tenth double definition clue in this crossword — what a lot! He does keep talking is the first definition, and well is the second one (as in a well in the ground!).

How did you get on?
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Comments

  1. UnknownSaturday, November 24, 2012

    thanks for sharing

    Online Crossword Puzzles

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousTuesday, November 27, 2012

    Hi,

    I think 12-across is actually an anagram, although if that's true, should the anagram indicator be "distributed"? Also, there's a lot of so-called double definition clues which are just two similar meanings of the same word. Is this normal? Shouldn't the two meanings have different origins?

    Thanks

    Des

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DeniseTuesday, November 27, 2012

      Oh, you're quite right about 21 across, Des! LOL. I'll edit the post accordingly!

      And you're right, in a double definition clue it's best practice to have the two meanings be quite different (ie in the dictionary they would have separate entries, not just be 'subheadings' under one entry). That's my main complaint with the Gemini double definition clues, they're usually too similar.

      Delete

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