Jeeves & The Leap of Faith · The Crossword
Plum was remarkably fond of crosswords, and they appear throughout his work, perhaps most splendidly when George Mulliner proposes to his fellow cruciverbalist, Susan Blake: ‘Will you be my wife, married woman, matron, spouse, help-meet, consort, partner or better half?’ And she responds: ‘Yes, yea, ay, aye! Decidedly, unquestionably, indubitably, incontrovertibly, and past all dispute!’
The Times crosswords of the 1930s differ somewhat in style and format from contemporary versions – for example, clues in 1932 did not include enumerations, and setters would usually signpost anagrams with ‘anag.’, rather than with cryptic code-words such as ‘upset’ or ‘spin’.
The grid used is identical to that printed by The Times on 3 October 1932 (No. 829). In composing the clues I have attempted to steer a midcourse between ancient and modern styles and, in so doing, am indebted to Richard Rogan, Crossword Editor of The Times, for his invaluable assistance – though any errors or infelicities are mine alone.
The Times · 3 October 1932 · p.5
The Crossword
Solution & Explanation
Across
1. Upset ear doctor, one who changes rooms (9)
6. Finding a penny during repast gets an award (5)
9. Just past eight, you get squiffy! (3,4)
10. Encountered after choice fruit fall (7)
11. Soar out of prison almost (4)
12. Weirdly alert sons learn to draw etc. here (3,6)
15. Point out ineptitude, partially (4)
16. Polygamist agreeing with 26 (2,2,1)
17. Forecast front will come off wicker vessel (6)
19. After adjusting tie, can’t blink (7)
21. In the distant past, silver article I must hide (3,3)
23. Exhaling very very loudly during exercise (5)
25. Place to convalesce, not quite (4)
27. Silly pater, nearly dead drunk (9)
30. Look to include uranium for fine fabric (5)
32. A pro putt almost acceptable (2,2,3)
33. One not grabbing snake, cornered (2,1,4)
34. Such a bore! (5)
35. Agitato’s played. Why aloud? One needs to speak! (1,5,3)
Down
1. Medic with singular low hum (5)
2. Made over poetically in cricket club by editor (7)
3. Nasty vicar’s lot drunk with gin (9)
4. Coat of black and yellowish-brown material (6)
5. Transplant for one who drinks up (5)
6. Just one of James’s Madame’s family in the shade? (5)
7. Death before a hundred is dry enough (4,3)
8. Classic exam, most recent containing one set of books (5,4)
13. Salesman put on hat, snakeskin? (7)
14. Spin tool for ill-gotten gains (4)
16. Trust fair to supply something juicy (9)
18. Disrupt urgent nap? Disgusting (9)
20. Some affection admitted for island (4)
22. Landed after expedition initially declared (7)
24. Fake father, I hear, is tactless in France (4,3)
26. He said, she said – get knotted (1,2,1,2)
28. Drive away dead skin (or most) (5)
29. Risk attempting Prufrock’s peachy question? (4,1)
31. Short dash to attempt admission (5)
ACROSS
1. Upset ear doctor, one who changes rooms (9)
UPSET = anagram of EAR DOCTOR · ONE WHO CHANGES ROOMS = DECORATOR
6. Finding a penny during repast gets an award (5)
REPAST = MEAL · the pre-decimal PENNY = D · ME+D+AL = AWARD
9. Just past eight, you get squiffy! (3,4)
JUST PAST EIGHT = ONE OVER the eight = to be squiffy
10. Encountered after choice fruit fall (7)
ENCOUNTERED = MET after CHOICE FRUIT = PLUM · FALL = PLUMMET
11. Soar out of prison almost (4)
SOAR = EXCEL · EX CELL = out of prison almost (i.e. EXCEL)
12. Weirdly alert sons learn to draw etc. here (3,6)
WEIRDLY = anagram of ALERT SONS = ART LESSONS
15. Point out ineptitude, partially (4)
POINT = TINE · OU(T INE)PTITUDE
16. Polygamist agreeing with 26 (2,2,1)
SO DO I — i.e. one who also says I DO
17. Forecast front will come off wicker vessel (6)
WICKER VESSEL = CORACLE without point (C) = ORACLE
19. After adjusting tie, can’t blink (7)
ADJUSTING = anagram of TIE CANT = NICTATE = BLINK
21. In the distant past, silver article I must hide (3,3)
(SILVER = AG) + (ARTICLE = A) hidden in (I = EGO) = AGE AGO = DISTANT PAST
23. Exhaling very very loudly during exercise (5)
VERY VERY LOUDLY = FFF · DURING (inside of) EXERCISE = P.T.
25. Place to convalesce, not quite (4)
CONVALESCE = LIE UP not quite (i.e. without the P) LIEU = PLACE
27. Silly pater, nearly dead drunk (9)
PATER = FATHE(R) nearly (i.e without the R) + anagram (drunk) of DEAD = FATHEADED = SILLY
30. Look to include uranium for fine fabric (5)
LOOK = GAZE + URANIUM = U = GA(U)ZE
32. A pro putt almost acceptable (2,2,3)
Anagram of A PRO PUT(T) almost (i.e. without the T) = UP TO PAR
33. One not grabbing snake, cornered (2,1,4)
(ONE = I) + NOT + (SNAKE = ASP) = IN A SPOT = CORNERED
34. Such a bore! (5)
One type of BORE = TIDAL
35. Agitato’s played. Why aloud? One needs to speak! (1,5,3)
(Anagram of AGITATO) + (WHY ALOUD = Y) = I GOTTA SAY
DOWN
1. Medic with singular low hum (5)
(MEDIC = DR) + (SINGULAR = ONE) = DRONE
2. Made over poetically in cricket club by editor (7)
(OVER POETICALLY = OER) inside (CRICKET CLUB = CC) + (EDITOR = ED) + COERCED
3. Nasty vicar’s lot drunk with gin (9)
(VICAR = REV) + (DRUNK anagram of LOT and GIN) = REV-OLT-ING
4. Coat of black and yellowish-brown material (6)
(COAT OF BLACK = TAR) + (YELLOWISH BROWN = TAN) = TARTAN
5. Transplant for one who drinks up (5)
(ONE WHO DRINKS = TOPER) inverted (i.e. up) = REPOT (move plant)
6. Just one of James’s Madame’s family in the shade? (5)
Madame de Mauves is a novella by Henry James, one of which = MAUVE
7. Death before a hundred is dry enough (4,3)
(DEATH = DEMISE) = (100 = C) = DEMI SEC
8. Classic exam, most recent containing one set of books (5,4)
(MOST RECENT = LATEST) + (ONE = I) + (SET OF BOOKS = New Testament) = LATIN TEST
13. Salesman put on hat, snakeskin? (7)
(SALESMAN = REP) + (HAT = TILE) = REPTILE (i.e. a REPTILE)
14. Spin tool for ill-gotten gains (4)
SPIN = anagram of TOOL = LOOT
16. Trust fair to supply something juicy (9)
Anagram of TRUST FAIR = STARFRUIT
18. Disrupt urgent nap? Disgusting (9)
DISRUPT = anagram of URGENT NAP = DISGUSTING
20. Some affection admitted for island (4)
SOME = part of AFFECT(ION A)DMITTED = IONA
22. Landed after expedition initially declared (7)
(EXPEDITION INITIALLY = E) + (DECLARED = STATED) = ESTATED = LANDED
24. Fake father, I hear, is tactless in France (4,3)
(FAKE = FAUX) = (FATHER I HEAR = PA) = FAUX PAS
26. He said, she said – get knotted (1,2,1,2)
GET KNOTTED = TIE THE KNOT · I DO I DO
28. Drive away dead skin (or most) (5)
(DEAD = EX) + (SKIN = PELL almost i.e. without final L) = EXPEL
29. Risk attempting Prufrock’s peachy question? (4,1)
“Do I dare to eat a peach?” = from T.S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock = DARE I
31. Short dash to attempt admission (5)
(SHORT DASH = EN) + (ATTEMPT = TRY) = ENTRY