Posted by tilsit on January 25th, 2008
Pirouetting into sight today is Phi with a puzzle containing some well-known (and not so well-known) ballets.
Solving time: 20 Minutes, (plus a couple of Google checks for titles).
Very enjoyable with the usual mix of fine clues. One tiny query about 3 down.
ACROSS (*) = ANAGRAM, (R) = REVERSAL (CD) = CRYPTIC DEF
1 BIG APPLE GAP + P inside BILE
5 BALLET ALL inside BET
10 CHECKMATE CHECK = stop MATE = China (plate) – Cockney rhyming slang for mate. Checkmate was a one-act ballet by Ninettte de Valois
12 ABDOMEN AB’s (sailor) + DOME (rounded shape) + N (note)
14 SWAN LAKE WAS* + L inside NAKE(D). The most famous of all ballet.
19 ACRID AC + RID(E)
21 COPPELIA COPPE(R) + ail (R) My personal favourite ballet by Delibes.
24 MARTINI MAR + TIN + I _ A new one on me. I wasn’t aware that a Martini is a type of rifle.
27 NUDGE (EG + DUN) (R)
28 FANCY FREE FANCY! = Well I never! + R in FEE This was a ballet by Jerome Robins, with a score from a young Leonard Bernstein.
29 AROUND A round of golf = 18 holes
30 LES NOCES ENCLOSES* A ballet from Nijinska with music from Stravinsky.
1 BUCHAN German word for Book = BUCH + A + N -John Buchan wrote amongst other thrillers The 39 Steps.
2 GLENDOWER END in GLOWER – Owen, the Welsh hero of that ilk.
3 POKEMON Was this a computer game? PACMAN Yes. POKEMON was a dreary Japanese TV cartoon, plus collection of trading cards. POKE + NO M (R).
4 LEARN A lovely clue – LEAN with R (one-third of the basics – The Three R’s) inside.
6 AUGMENT AUG + T (“Summer time” with MEN inside.
7 LEEDS (B)LEEDS
8 TINTAGEL TINT + AGE + L
9 SELF-HELP Another clue I liked. FLESH* + L inside E P.
15 AYCLIFFE FIFE CLAY*
17 BRIC-A-BRAC BBC AIRCAR*
18 RAYMONDA R A DYNAMO* Silly me! I looked at the anagram and thought NORMANDY, which of course it isn’t. It’s a less well-known ballet by Glazunov and Petipa.
20 DRIVE IN I’VE inside DRIN(K)
25 RODEO RODE + O Aaron Copland’s splendid work with some memorable music.