i Cryptic Crossword 4124 by Phi
April 25, 2024
Difficulty rating (out of five) at least ⏳⏳⏳⏳
I found this puzzle very challenging as it seemed that Phi had stretched to the limit some definitions in the answers or wordplay . One such case is the long 12a/3d, namely a phrase used by Aunt Ada Doom in an unnamed 1932 novel which can be identified by combining the answers to two other clues. This appeared in the Indy in May 2020 is described in FifteenSquared (see link below|),and appears in today’s paper version. However, today’s online clue is a little friendlier, referencing instead a 1942 novel which borrows Aunt Ada’s often repeated words as its title. It has been suggested that Stella Gibbons’s 1932 novel (Cold Comfort Farm) was a spoof on other writings ans attitudes, and likely that her Novel was itself spoofed in 1942. (You will probably know that I found most of this out from Google!)
Apart from the stretched definitions, a lot of the wordplay was inventive and took time to work out, just what locked down solvers would have wished, although there were some easier clues. Among the former were the above-mentioned 12/3 and clues for FRENCHMAN and CENTRE FORWARD, and among the latter those for MELODRAMA and NAKED LADY.
My Clue of the Day is the not too difficult and perfectly-formed 19d,
“Last ditch opening to lose weight? No time (2-2-3)”
For the wordplay, answers and comments:
https://www.fifteensquared.net/2020/05/09/independent-10475-by-phi
Borodin
batarde
Saboteur
Denzo
flashling
jonofwales
Cornick
sprouthater
uiytjhgmj
willow1235
idothei 
Having only recently re-read Cold Comfort Farm (fabulous book that still makes me laugh), 12a/3dn was an easy early entry. I struggled with the NW corner but it was otherwise plain sailing. My COD would be 13dn, which I hope made Cornick smile and harrumph in equal measure… 😜
A little tough in places – four egg timers sounds right. If you couldn’t remember the long quote, 12/3 was difficult to say the least. No, I’ve not read the book, but there is always Google. 🙂
For me the app’s reference to the 70s ‘comic novel’ in 12a 3d was even harder than the newspaper’s reference to Cold Comfort Farm, but in the end it was the enumeration and enough crossers that gave the game away. Indeed Phi upped the creativity with his definitions all over the place today, so 4 egg-timers seems right.
Obviously 13d wasn’t talking about either Saboteur or myself Pauline, but that grumpy chap in Penwith.
Oh, him, eh? Last seen going up Camborne Hill, I believe…
I was relieved to come here and find it was a ⏳️⏳️⏳️⏳️, as I had thought I was losing my touch. It seemed quite tough for Phi.
I did get SOMETHING NASTY, etc, from the reference to Ada and the enumeration, but it didn’t help as much as I hoped, apart from STARK and ADDER.
I failed to parse FRENCHMAN.
I’m surprised that it was only paulinevernon that had anything positive to say about Cold Comfort Farm, a classic I have managed to swerve until now and was fully prepared to carry on avoiding. On your head be it Pauline, if it doesn’t live up to expectations;). It was interesting to get a view of recent and not so recent events on 225. It reminded me of that curse attributed to a Chinese person ( I think ) ” May you live in interesting times”.As for the reference to political leadership ( or lack thereof ) I have only one thing to say, what is it about calling a General Election that Rishi Sunak has a problem with?
Difficult for Phi, certainly, but I got 12/3 as I simply knew the phrase without any knowledge of the books referred to. I struggled, though, in the NW corner and needed a wordfinder for the first part of 1ac.
I was aware of the phrase, but it took a very long time to emerge. I saw SOMETHING possible from crossers, NASTY came to mind, WOODSHED from Google.I got the books from Google, then remembered my late wife had a copy of CCF, which I think I might have started to read and , as with Harry Potter, not been motivated to finisj.
DNF for me – didn’t know the cold comfort farm – starkadder connection. Did discover the ’70’s satirical novels of Kyril Bonfiglioli though – one of which is 12A/3D
Interesting. Wikipedia says S0mething Nasty in the Woodshed is a 1942 mystery detective novel by Anthony Gilbert, the pen name of British writer Lucy Beatrice Malleson.
Either of these would do for the revised version of the clue (see first Paragraph of my blog). Probably both writers had read Cold Comfort Farm.
I can only imagine Phi was thinking of the Mortdecai novels by Bonfiglioli – that would explain ‘comic’ novel. Either way it’s weird how these different versions crop up from time to time in the app. Some sort of version submitted by the setter prior to the editor requesting revisions perhaps?
Phi was obviously thinking of Cold Comfort Farm, and helps you (with Stark Adder. If you know CCF it’s a gettable nut tough clue. If not, you won’t know the Starkadders either but might be lucky with Google. My guess is that the Editor had second thoughts and decided the now online version was more gettable, and I found the 1942 book on Google to put in the clue. Wikipedia hints at what the Something Nasty (which CCF is silent about) might be. and a Conic Novel can contain (very) black humour. I had no idea about CCF until I went to 225 and thought I should refer to both in the blog as some people may solve on the paper.