Our Troubled Times 2 (April 4-9)

Brahms was "Johannes". Bach was "Johann" plus "es" (exams tips). That's my guess...but it's not a great clue.

As found with a google search:

The place where the post divides, creating various ribs that soar to the ceiling, is called the springer or the impost.

SK is right about Johannes. I actually wrote about that in the old Times post - oops. Didn't see this new one.

For completeness, a springer is also a kind of spaniel, tho it looks like you knew that... IME, obscure double defs can be very tricky.

Thanks SK for the music lesson. I know recall that booby trap of Johann/es.

And thank god for a post-mortem Google, eh DC? Much appreciated.

Re the pitfall of Double Meanings, I second that. In the last few weeks I've riskily punted on GOOSE (bird/tailor's iron), TOKAY (wine/lizard) and even PUNT (hazard/hollow).

I noticed a cryptic crossword in The Catholic Weekly last night when my dad dropped off a friend at a seminary. I managed to solve most of it as they chatted farewell. From what I can remember:
"Pressed on amid dire trouble" (6)
"Home all four returned to." (5)

and my Meh nominee is "The physical attraction of a body" for GRAVITY.

Beware the small-press crossword. Some can be unsung gems, though many are (a) bleeding obvious, or (b) rule-smashers, though rarely in a fun way.

However those first two are good, especially the first in light of our WoW.

As for Monday's Times - I thought 1AC & 8AC both read well. So did 15DN (beats the usual REREADING anag). While 24DN was an unfamiliar variant (like our springy rib) and 22AC was nice n sneaky.

Any takers on how 4AC works? I see LAPSE, and then lapse with the rest of it.

I puzzled over 4AC for a while too. This is my theory:

Championship is the definition - as in champion/espouse a cause
Over [O] with our team [US]
in decline, on reflection [LAPSE backwards]
= ESPOUSAL

I have two questions.

In 10D, why is TON 'in fashionable style'?

In 28D, what does 'on' mean, when the top [LID] comes after the block [STO(P)]? Does it mean the same as 'added on'?

I solved the whole crossword, by the way. One down, 99 to go.

Over = O is one my least favourite abbrevs, along with RA as painter.

I'd also been reading US as America, since I'd been gorging on Uncle Sam's puzzle OUTPUT all weekend. That'll LEARN me!

Championship as def is stealthy. Love that bit.

I challenge you to sneak ESTONIA into your next post.

Really, I'm a simple soul. I just want to know about the picture. Did you really search for 'springer dog' and get that? Or do you have a graphic sense as warped as your textual one...?

Anthony, you guessed right. I'm incurable. The image emerged when I threw dog +spring into the engine, and I liked what I saw.

Tuesday's puzzle is a gem. Just finished it over coffee. The NE corner is ornery, but the wit and deceptions are top-shelf. Three tricky words (16AC, 14DN, 21DN), and loved 25DN.

Not quite sure how 23AC works, but feel tickled to seize scalp #61, and counting.

Holy Moly. Today's Times was enough to turn me into a HEADCASE. Most definitely the toughest one I've tackled thus far, but also very entertaining.

Favourites were 5AC and 15AC. I've never heard of 14D or 21D but they really can't be anything else.

8D remains unsolved, but I'm hoping inspiration strikes me before my 24 hour deadline ticks over.

I don't know how 23A works either.

It was a real workout, but the humour and skill of the clues preserved the stamina.

Your elusive 8DN is another esoteric word, one that may defeat you as the wordplay is fair but convoluted. If you want a hint - SPOILER ALERT - then scroll down the page:

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Notable senator + topless individual

Considering today's word of the week, you'd think the word 'iron' would be at the forefront of my mind. Ironic.

Puzzle complete.

Let the times (no pun intended) be proof that I solved that before your hint. That was a close call.

Loved too how we had a former WoW at 6DN too. A bit of prescient assistance. All we need now is a Thursday theremin.

I had to go on my own steam for 6DN. I'm just hoping 23AC is right. It bothers me that I don't understand it.

Know what you mean. I've taken an informed punt, and will let tomorrow shed the light -

After my AIRY-fairy flop yesterday, I'm solving from scratch again.

Bowled over this bad boy (Times 8971) despite its sickly clues. I refer to 1DN, 4DN and 20DN, all of which warrant a future Meh post.

Curious to see a brand name mentioned (1AC), and did savour the wit of 18DN. Solver beware your lettering in 13DN, and swot your animalia for 10AC. Bring on #2.

Times 8971 was just generally Meh in my opinion. Having such an easy clue for an answer running right down the centre kind of took the fun out of it.

I'm pretty sure I've chosen the correct side for 13D. (Notice I didn't use the word 'right' then)

I'll have to respectfully disagree with you, DA, about 18D. For a start, I'm sure I've filled that word in about 3 times over the last couple of weeks. There must be very few words with those vowels in that particular order. And I thought the clue was rather silly. How appropriate.

But for all the obvious answers and so-so clues, there are still two little empty boxes staring back at me in the NW quadrant. I have made an educated guess for 10AC but I'm not brave enough to commit it to the page yet. I may just sleep on that one.

Disagree at leisure, RK. While ASININE is a repeat offender in grids, I thought the treatment (A-SIN-IN-E) was fresh-ish, esp by providing a contrary statement ('a good thing to do out West').

But all in all, a sub-par puzzle. (Yesterday's Paul in The Guardian was loads more fun.)

So why not attempt to crack 100 Guardians, you ask? The answer lies in the answers - where any base solver may use the Cheat button. The Times strips that temptation - and suspicion.

Today's Times puzzle (8972) is almost complete. I'm stuck on 7DN & 8DN and I'm beginning to think I've made a mistake somewhere else. Any subtle hints would be greatly appreciated.

The layout of this puzzle seemed quite different to the norm. It's not something I usually pay much attention to.

In reference to the Guardian puzzle and the temptation to cheat, I print out a hard copy as I like to scrawl all over the page.

I just knocked over my first DA puzzle in one fell swoop.
"The cryptic or the quick?"
"Shut up."

Be surprised if you knock over this week's DA in a flash, Nib. With all due respect. Time was ripe, I reckoned, for a tricky theme.

@RK - have yet to view yday's puzzle. Been living la vida loca. Will aim to knock off both Thurs and Fri later today. (Just peeked at the Fri puzzle - looks a treat.)

***Spoiler alert*** for yesterday's Times

Oh, the minutes of my life I unnecessarily wasted on this puzzle that I can never get back. I am referring to 7DN:

Stop vehicle, badly crushing leg (8)

My first instinct was that it must be CARILLON, as this was a vehicle [CAR] + badly [ILL] plus leg [ON] as in 'on side'. But I dismissed this thought as I knew carillon referred to bells and what does that have to do with 'stop'? I am a music teacher after all. After much mental anguish trying to come up with an alternative, I eventually put it in, having no better option. And lo and behold it is correct. The term 'stop' referring to an organ stop - something I should have known.

I also had trouble getting DECLUTCH, as for quite a while I had FLEE for 14AC instead of FLIT, the clue being:

Do a runner, getting landed with fine (4)

I think flee kind of works too.

And now I still have today's Times plus DA to delve into - one with instructions, no less. How ever will I get anything done?

Oh, DA! I bought today's SMH after lunch. The unasterisked clues fell out relatively quickly (15D being the last - I remember the candy now).

The theme is devious. Never before have I entered words in a grid that way (unless they would form another word by doing so.)

Have four of the * clues solved (9D was a doozy) - working on the others

Stuck on the today's DA #16D. LOL at 18D.

Today's DA is now completed. Had to look up 16 down up.

Cheers Peta - don't mind the odd remark about the week's DA here - always nice to hear a puzzle can prompt a smile - though for more forensic stuff, the best site is DA Trippers. (Imagine the mayhem I'd invite, encouraging direct feedback every week...?!)

RK, our brainwaves are in sync. Couldn't fathom the logic of CARILLON's def, but PAPILLON made less sense, so in it went. (An abject crossword, by the way, redeemed by Friday's offering, which just has to be John Halpern.)

Times 8973 was a joy. Both 11s running down were sublime clues. And beamed over 25AC and 28AC. Lovely stuff.

Only snag was the educated guess I took on 20DN, which morning light sez is right.

I'm a bit behind schedule - still going on yesterday's Times. I liked the uppity woman.

And I too discarded PAPILLON as preposterous.