Salon 9

Today's Times [9202] looks a jewel.

Early days, admittedly, but I rate 27ac in today's Times [9202] as a front runner for COTY, or Clue of the Year. So sneaky - yet fair. So convincing a story, yet all subterfuge.

Also loved 10ac (once I confirmed the name), 11ac and 19dn. This is a puzzle to savour.

And if you can throw light on how 7dn or 24ac operate, I'd be ironically delighted.

Would love to help out with those clues, DA, and to have had the chance to solve the COTY on Day 2, but alas, the Oz was nowhere to be found in my pocket of suburbia today.

Yes, I'm blowing my own horn: I reckon there'd be a few of you who'd be interested in cracking the theme on my own cryptic:

http://datrippers.com/2012/01/01/an-as-atypical-for-january-2012/

Blow thy horn to Betsy, AS. Your puzzle looks a major feat - will give it a burl this week. (And trust I'm not the only link-clicker.)

As for those clues, RK -

My COTY nominee: Substitute brought in for a term? That could be issue for children (7)

[Happy to provide one letter on request.]

My Huh clue: Person who wrongly takes last cherry stone? [Answer: THIEF]

[Plumbed the other huh in the interim...]

@DA - Looks like you don't eat cherries...

Maybe he never has more than 7 at a time...

As for the COTY, I think I've got it. I get the 'for' and the 'term' and the definition (which seem to meld), but what's the substitute part?

Just to confirm - is your answer's antonym in this comment perhaps? If so, I think you will solve your own query.

Ohhhhhh. Got it now. My answer wasn't in your comment DA, but your comment helped me get the answer. Thank you. It's one of those clues that you need to step back from and look at without focusing like one of those 3D pictures. Brilliant stuff.

I realise that Boniface and RK have been providing gentle nudges towards that Huh? clue, but here is a spoiler in case it's still wanted.

another hint (only becoz I looked at GB's hint -- standing on the shoulders of giants) -- this is indirectly where JPR comes from (one suspects he is not in the movie)

Just did Paul's Prize from the weekend. One anglocentricity at 12 ac, otherwisebothgettable and enjoyable.

Ah. Now the cherry makes sense. But with "innumerable variations", is this suitable fodder?

AS, some brilliant clues there! I can tell this is going to take a while...

Chifonie in the G today is a good mix of clues. I didn't know the sailor in 26ac, but apart from that it was achievable without being annoyingly simple. There were some lovely surfaces too. If you want something that's not too taxing but also enjoyable, then check it out.

Cheers RK.

I'm aiming to nibble today's Times at beer o'clock (which is nigh), and AS's puzzle as an exotic chaser.

AS is tricky-dicky.

Loved doing today's Times cryptic 9204 at Lorne beach.

Don't get the reasoning behind 19 across but pretty sure my wifely answer is correct.
Loved 26ac (a bit like the previously-discussed synonym), 21ac and 20dn (great deception), 6dn (clever), and I learned of the tanager!

Times 9205 was great. A lot of nice surprises.

Cheers Rob - I have the puzzle in the satchel, ready to unravel this evening.

Mind you, two clues from Times 9203 still have me flummoxed. How the dickens do these suckers work:

Frenchman fighting dense scrubby vegetation around the Med = MAQUIS

Easy company, fairly loud and beginning to yell = COMFY [How to account for that M?]

Mf in music is moderately loud.

MF= mezzo forte or moderately loud...

Maquis = name of French guerrillas in WWII as well as thickets.

Thanks Rob + Bon - consider my WW2 and musical blind spots illumated.

No worries. A bit lame because the guerrillas were named after the thicket.

HI MAUVE
on 9204 i think 19 ac your female name is ok, c= about and then there an asian sea, backwards

I havent lookd at answers, 19d is really wierd latiny word!

9ac?! t-a-dom??

19A= CLARA yep
19D I had guessed but wrongly. Anyhoo
9A= TSARDOM. I didn't get that one. ;(

ouch thanks RobT
doubt if thats a real word even if its in the dic!
was wanting to squeeze 2 letters in 1 space for THANEDOM or something
maybe thats a DA special for the future . that would really get the typesetters going .. except there arent any typesetters anymore...

Thanks for the exp on Clara JPR - didn't know about the asian sea.
I only got 19d from the wordplay. From memory it was an anagram of the 20dn answer with S replacing I, although I don't recall the def.

Got the whole right side of todays 9205 but can't get 8 across and I think I should. If it's a "sea zoo" thing I don't get it.

And does Simply Red have a meaning I'm not aware of? If so, that would ease my mind.

27ac would be my fav, but 4dn and 16dn were good and 13dn's tense deception was rewarding

whoops, re 8ac replace "sea zoo" with "waterway" - same confused sentiment tho

All quiet on the cyber front Mauve. I'm going to tackle 9205 pre-REM. Happy to supply any insights on the morrow if your penny doesn't drop in the meantime.

thanks DA - the newsagent has a today's Australian with my name on it - the sound of pennies dropping is a mere 2/3 of 6dn away

Well there's the problem.
I had pausing for 2dn instead of pasting
Should have done more of the former to avoid the latter

Today's tramp is the first decent Guardian for quite a while.

Cheers Mr X - they were due, let's be fair.

I'm also liking the cut of the Times' jib too. Seems a beauty. Will shake both over lunch, with a stint of muted cricket...

Tramp is fun, and I happened to know 11ac's book too, as I did once vend volumes as a vocation.

(Though less happy with his repetition of 'in' in 20/18, and the recycling of 'certain' in 5dn, a word that surely hinges on the same notion.)

Purer fun to be found in 9206, with my only huh reserved for 7dn. A lively potpourri of classic and contemporary, with alcohol, art, geography, slang and tucker: all that we love.

G'day DA -- just wanted to note that I've just got up to the point in Puzzled where you relate the clue linking "heavy metal fan" and "head banger". That has a particular resonance as I'd just seen this video which also managed to link those terms, but with different interpretations. Thought you might find that amusing. :)

Also enjoying 9206 - with 25ac and the boy in 12ac giving me my favourite poker player

Finished. Don't get 7 down at all, unless it's referring to the setter's name. Also it's not an exact fit. Sorry for upsetting you c/f [answer] upsetting you - a missing for.
Also, in 27ac, didn't like the singular "start" to represent 2 starts.

OTH, loved the "let me see" in 21ac, and the wit of 17ac, and the seamlessly deceptive def in 3dn.

Also, I don't get the reasoning behind 5dn's wordplay. I get entertainer=host but not the rest.

@ Geoff B - gives new meaning to propeller head... Thanks for the schadenfreude. (And congratz on such a devoted L&N blog too - people in high places have taken notice of your meticulous expertise - )

Ah yes, Mauve, your 'unger for Ungar, 25ac...

NOSH works fine - as in NO/w + S (start to serve) + H, which is customary for Hot.

As for HOSTAGE, more of the initial tack, with A.G.E. after HOST [entertainer]

RUING has me huhing too, or let-me-seeing, which was a lovely trick.

Yep, BIG Stu Ungar fan DA! :-)
And lol with the Odd Couple link

Maybe ruing was all about the writer ruing the flawed clue?

And yes of course NOSH is okay - silly me

Still need to work out the A.G.E. thing though. I'll have another look

@DA: Thanks for the comments re. the blog; I hope it is meeting with approval! If nothing else, it might perhaps save some time for people compiling the books. :)

(Now if only they'd re-run the episodes from the beginning so that I can fill in the early series...)