January 31 2012
False Friends
Learning a new language, you will encounter what teachers call false friends, or faux amis on the Seine. In Spanish, speaking from red-faced experience, I can tell you that embarazada doesn’t mean embarrassed, but pregnant, while finger in Yiddish means toe, and korn in Swedish means barley.
Cryptopia has false friends too, where a clue seems to answer to one formula, only to operate by another. A wonderful example in the Times – as toasted by The Guardian’s excellent crossword blog – looked for all the world like a homophone clue:
Tailor may destroy suit with this, we hear = AUDITORY SYSTEM [Anagram of MAY DESTROY SUIT]
Another may suggest anagram, and yet be a homophone:
Villains rendered so in the ear? = ANTIHEROES
Or then again, you may encounter what looks like a Spooner clue, only to be ambushed by a hidden:
Softball caught in Spooner family = NERF
To file your false friend, please supply the solution too, as the red herring can be more promptly enjoyed. Keep your eye on brevity, and authentic ambiguity – where each recipe can be argued. Likewise an answer of suitable length – for either approach – will also impress.
Let’s create a coterie of bogus mates this week, with a deadline by 8pm this Thursday, where all players are invited to submit their favourite three (with or without friendly tweaks and edits from this forum’s genuine friends.)
Comments
One Wheel — 31 January at 11:11AM
Spooner about small start of poverty (8): POORNESS
Trim in mixed gingerbread (6): EDDIES
Mr X — 31 January at 11:17AM
Approval or penalty contains violence = SANCTION
It's not a "hidden", it's an anagram. Also interesting that sanction has those two contradictory menaings.
RobT — 31 January at 11:46AM
Segue about, say = GUESS
RobT — 31 January at 11:46AM
(where say = guess = definition)
Anthony — 31 January at 03:53PM
Not quite a category nasty, but more a case of the false friends being in the crossing squares:
(a recent Times, so still to come here)
Shot dead: turn off that camera! (4, 3)
And you have L... C..
And you desperately want to find some way to make it LENS CAP (shall I cap 'im for you guv'nor?), but it's LATE CUT.
SK — 31 January at 05:06PM
Used to be shut into a box with label! (11,4) = EXCLAMATION MARK
Looks like an &lit, but it's not.
Used to be = EX
shut = CLAM
into a box = fodder + anagrind = ATION
label = MARK
! = def
SK — 31 January at 05:32PM
Spooner displayed tendancy to limp? (10) = DROOPINESS
Spooner dis = fodder
played = anagrind
tendancy to limp? = def
RK — 31 January at 06:48PM
This clue works two ways, but obviously only one of them would fit the grid:
About note: extra annotation reveals tips (4)
VERSION 1 answer is CAPS
About = C
note = A
extra annotation = PS (clunky I know)
reveals = link
tips = def
VERSION 2 answer is NEAR
About = def
'tips' indicates first letters of 'note extra annotation reveals'
One Wheel — 01 February at 04:07PM
Nice one for EXCLAMATION MARK, SK.
SK — 01 February at 04:51PM
Thanks One Wheel.
Heard that "E.T." production technique may be used by "Terminator"? (5,6) = DEATH THREAT
Looks like a homophone, but it's an anagram.
Heard that E.T. = fodder
production = anagrind
technique may be used by Terminator? = def
Boniface — 02 February at 01:28AM
It acts up on the radio! (6) STATIC
JD — 02 February at 10:19AM
A rearrangement of a new mausoleum site at Maidenhead. (7) Anagram
Boniface — 02 February at 01:37PM
Back up in cricket, say (7) SUPPORT
Back - def
S(UP)PORT
Sam — 02 February at 03:10PM
Exulted monster overheard (BIG-NOTED)
One Wheel — 02 February at 04:32PM
Charlie on the radio roughly went by carriage (9): CHARIOTED
Boniface — 02 February at 04:48PM
Misfortunes sounding terrible (8) UNDOINGS
DA — 02 February at 05:03PM
Possibly lyrical gear? = REVERSE
Lucasta — 02 February at 05:19PM
Sham character of Spooner's at zoo (6)
Answer 1: DONKEY
sham = con
character = d
which Spoonerise to donkey
at zoo = dubious def
Answer 2: ERSATZ
sham character = more dubious def
Mr X — 02 February at 08:59PM
Cockney drug, playing and hurting (4,5) EAST ENDER
No dropped h's, it's a straight charade e/as/tender
Em — 03 February at 12:11PM
Hats off to everyone who had a crack this week. Seems my brain is determined to stay in holiday mode, but I've enjoyed reading all of the entries.