It's fascinating how that movie, which wasn't a big hit when it was released, has become it's own neologism. Until the movie Groundhog Day was just an odd festival in one American town where they say if the groundhog sees/doesn't see its shadow we'd have a longer/shorter winter. It didn't even qualify as superstition because no one believes the outcome - there's always a longer winter. After the movie, Groundhog Day now means to repeat the same shit over again until we want to kill ourselves in spectacular fashion. No one hears Groundhog Day and thinks rodent shadows and long winters anymore.
The puzzle was good and I got through at an easy pace. I got a bit stuck in the bottom half as I was certain 21D was HAWAII which it wasn't, even though I couldn't parse that I wanted to make it fit. Once I crushed my stubbornness and worked the clue properly it was fine. 17D proved hard for me too for some reason.
I have unbearable curiosity. I try and resist the urge to peek at Twitter for hints but I always peek. In a conversation with another tweeter LR says "ah, but there is something special about today's cryptic, and I sincerely wonder whether anyone will mention it" Game on! What's special about this? After searching for Ninas, palindromes, anagrams and other tricks (Do the black spaces spell a message in Morse code? The middle bit is a K...) LR tells us This is a repeated answer key for a puzzle published January 20th, 2014. No wonder I didn't twig, I didn't get serious about solving until April. I started this blog in May. LR did share the previous puzzle as well. It's devious, isn't it? Groundhog day repetition theme on Groundhog Day with a repeated puzzle. Here's my pic:
I'll list both clues, yesterday's first last year's second in blue.
1A - Kick off again from Freo penalty... (6)
Restart tournament after ref ejected loud... (6)
"Kick off again" is our definition and this is a hidden word clue signposted with "from" "fREO PENalty." Second clue has "Restart" is the definition, "tournament" = OPEN going "after" "RE(f) ejected loud" where "loud" = Forte -F to get REOPEN.
4A - ...central shot in goal mix-up by thug (8)
...yobbo who went topless, got tossed in gaol (8)
"Thug" is our definition and "central sHOt" = HO with "IN GOAL mix-up" as partial fodder and anagrind to get HOOLIGAN. Second clue has "Yobbo" as definition and "(-w)HO went topless" = HO with "tossed IN GAOL" as anagrind and partial fodder for HOOLIGAN.
9A - Carved odd records into edges (6)
Weirdo's edges (6)
"Edges" is our definition and "CaRvEd odd" = CRE and "records" = EPS for CREEPS. The second clue was a double definition.
10A - Motored aimlessly around England - adding to this! (8)
Road trippers can count on this? (8)
I think these are both cryptic definitions. First one "MOTORED aimlessly" is partial fodder and anagrind which will go "around England" = E to make ODOM(E)TER.
12A - Police ban drug - with a right to brandish beast (5,4)
Spooner gives cricketer fruit for animal (5,4)
"Beast" is our definition and "POL(-ice) ban drug" = POL minus "ice", slang for methamphetamine, "with A Right" = AR and "brandish" = BEAR for a POLAR BEAR. The Spooner clue is a BOWLER PEAR into POLAR PEAR.
13A - Radio frequency is chiefly heretical to them!? (5)
Simple folk regularly ban mail from such outsiders! (5)
"Radio frequency" = AM "is" = IS and "chiefly Heretical" = H where "chiefly" hints to top letter, top tier, chief of the tribe of letters etc. to make AMISH. The second clue has "Simple folk" for the definition and "regularly bAn MaIl" = AMI with "regularly" as the odd/even signpost and "SucH outsiders" = SH for AMISH.
14A - Party quietly with the Spanish group Queen - an exact copy (12)
Twin lopped off Godzilla's head with rage (12)
"An exact copy" is our definition and "party" = DO "quietly" = PP for piano being a music notation to play quietly, "Spanish" = EL, "group" = GANG and "Queen" = ER all together to make a DOPPELGANGER. Second clue has "Twin" as the definition "LOPPED off" as partial fodder and anagrind with, "Godzilla's head" = G "rage" = ANGER to make (DOPPEL)(G)(ANGER)
18A - Classic comedy film Doug and Horgy remade (9,3)
Extended 22-down of golf, 18 holes. First two holes welcome Aussies (9,3)
"Classic comedy" is the definition and "DOUG AND HORGY remade" is fodder and anagrind for GROUNDHOG DAY. The second clue has 22-down as DEJA-VU and I have no idea what's going on here! Ok I can get "Welcome Aussies" = G'DAY and "first two HOles" = HO. Is it "golf" = G and "18 holes" = ROUND? Ha! I got it going backwards.
23A - Hopeless cockney's clue held gym back (5)
Don't open wine on public transport, clumsy! (5)
"Hopeless" is our definition and "Cockney's clue" = (-h)INT which is holding/"held" "gym back" = PE reversed to EP to make IN(EP)T. The second clue has "Clumsy" as the definition and "don't open wine" = (-w)INE for a deletion and "public transport" = PT for INEPT.
24A - Triple ace flopped? Double! (9)
"Agent 51! vitamin consumed. Copy?" (9)
"Double" is our definition and "TRIPLE ACE flopped" is fodder and anagrind for REPLICATE. The second clue has "Copy" as our definition and "agent" = REP, "51" = LI and "vitamin consumed" = C ATE for REPLICATE.
25A - Background actor courts certain parts (8)
Removes chewing gum from courts (8)
"Certain parts" is our definition and a "background actor" = EXTRA and "courts" = CTS as its abbreviation to make EXTRACTS. The second clue has "Removes" as its definition and "chewing gum" = EXTRA as the brand with "courts" = CTS again.
26A - Prohibit an area from fruit (6)
Fruit Chopper not available (6)
"Fruit" is our definition in both clues. "Prohibit" = BAN, "AN Area" = AN A for BANANA. The second clue has "Chopper" = BANA as Eric Bana played the role of Chopper Read in the movie Chopper, and "not available" = NA for BANANA.
27A - Slick left out on lake causes disease (8)
Medical issue from sis's neck crick (8)
"Disease" is our definition and "S(-l)ICK left out" = SICK on "lake" = NESS for SICKNESS. The second clue uses "Medical issue" as its definition and "SIS'S NECK crick" is fodder and anagrind for SICKNESS. First time I'd seen "crick" as an anagrind. I like it. I wonder if it could be used to disguise a river clue as crick instead creek or is that far too American to fly?
28A - Beach in um...Bali, perhaps? (6)
Male boxer has odd bout at beach (6)
"Beach" is our definition in both clues. "UM...BALI, perhaps" is fodder and anagrind for MALIBU. The second clue has "male" = M, "boxer" = ALI and "odd BoUt" = BU for MALIBU.
1D - Summaries briefly record hot tub rising (6)
Romeo takes backspace to summaries (6)
"Summaries" is our definition in both clues, "briefly REC(-ord)" = REC and "hot tub rising" = SPA reversed to APS for RECAPS. The second clue has "Romeo" = R and "backSPACE" as a one word instruction to reverse the word space to get R(ECAPS)
2D - Very old stranger missed daughter too (6)
Six deliveries left...final play...it's too much! (6)
"Too" is our definition and "VERY OL(-d) stranger, missed Daughter" means "very old" is fodder, "stranger" is anagrind but having too many letters we need to remove one, the D from "daughter" then mix to get OVERLY. Second clue is cricket related where "Six deliveries" = OVER, "left" = L and "final plaY" = Y for OVERLY. Yes, I got the cricket clue!
3D - Grass pills at endless shindig. Love! (7)
Ewes outside with Dolly, mostly in the grass (7)
"Grass" is our definition in both clues and "pills" = ES as in ecstasy pills, "endless shindig" = PART(-y) and "love" = O to make ESPARTO. The second clue has "EweS outside" = ES, "with Dolly mostly" = PARTO(-n) to make ESPARTO. Neat to mix "Ewes" and "Dolly" as I first thought about Dolly the first cloned sheep. We used to see her taxidermied body at the museum in Edinburgh. That read more gruesome than it is, honest. Clones, replicas - all in theme.
5D - Demand oxygen for road casualty (5)
Cricketer Allan dropped opener from line-up (5)
"Demand" is our definition and "oxygen" = O, "road" = RD and "casualty" = ER for emergency room to make ORDER. The second clue has "line-up" as its definition and "Cricketer Allan" = Allan Border "dropped opener" means drop the first letter (-b)ORDER to get our answer.
6D - Left a business degree on Commercial Spin to dance (7)
Buddhist embraces evil dance (7)
"Dance" is the definition in both clues and "left" = L, "A business degree" = A MBA, "commercial spin" = AD spun around to DA for the LAMBADA. The second clue has "Buddhist" = LAMA, "embraces evil" = BAD for LAM(BAD)A.
7D - Lingerie for girl street gangs (1-7)
Tax on jewellery and underwear? (1-7)
"Lingerie" is our definition and "girl" = G, "street" = ST and "gangs" = RINGS for G-STRINGS. The second clue has "Tax" = GST and "jewellery" = RINGS.
8D - Rent horn-blowing from the Top End (8)
Ron lifted article from Radio National Darwin or Broome say (8)
"Top End" is our definition and "RENT HORN blowing" is fodder and anagrind for NORTHERN. The second clue has "RON lifted" which means reverse to NOR, "article" = THE and "Radio National" = RN leaving "Darwin and Broome say" as our definition. Thought it was a homophone with "say" so I could be missing something. What is the point of "say?"
11D - The heartless politician gave English extremists fried soybeans (6)
Mood changed finally for Indonesian soy dish (6)
"Fried soybeans" is our definition and "ThE heartless" = TE, "politician" = MP and "EnglisH extremists" = EH for TEMPEH. The second clue has "Indonesian soy dish" as the definition and "Mood" = TEMPER "changed finally" means we want to change the last letter R into an H to make the answer TEMPEH. In my accent Temper/Tempeh sound the the same so a homophone clue would've worked for me.
15D - Favours the French over Germany, and quietly into America (3-3)
Boosts faulty plugs carrying energy (3-3)
"Favours" is our definition and "French" = LE, "Germany" = G, "quietly" = P going "into America" = US like this LE(G)-U(P)S. Second clue has "Boosts" for the definition and "faulty PLUGS" as anagrind and partial fodder needing one more letter "carrying Energy" = E for L(E)G-UPS.
16D - Single us out for horridness (8)
Firebug lines sticks inside? Horridness (8)
Both clues use "Horridness" for the definition. Top clue is "SINGLE US out" as fodder and anagrind for UGLINESS. Second clue is a hidden word clue where "inside" is our signpost and "firebUG LINES Sticks" resides.
17D - Party mess mainly from jerk having lovers' tiff (8)
Party meets at disco oddly causing lovers' tiff (8)
"Lovers' tiff" is our definition for both clues. "Party" = DO, "MES(-s) mainly" means to drop last letter from "mess" and a "jerk" = TIC for a DOMESTIC. The second clue has "Party" = DO and "MeEtS aT dIsCo oddly" for DOMESTIC.
19D - Profit from fishing trip? (3,4)
Georgia in under 10's curling win (3,4)
First clue is a cryptic definition: NET GAIN if we think fishing net and profit. Second clue has "win" as the definition and "Georgia IN" = GA IN going "under" or after "10's curling" = TEN is reversed to NET for NET GAIN.
20D - Folk hero had a Latin No. 1 with ABBA remix (3,4)
Old hero: a student with one double degree (3,4)
"Folk hero" is our definition and "A Latin" = A L, "No.1" = one = I and "ABBA remix" is partial fodder and anagrind for ALI BABA. The second clue uses "Old hero" as the definition and "A student" = A L(learner), "with one" = I and "double degree" = BA BA.
21D - Hot stuff looked up to sailor on island? (6)
Used to be a bisexual for the spice (6)
"Hot stuff" is our definition and "looked up" = SAW reversed for a down clue to WAS, "sailor" = AB and "island" = I for WASABI. I took too long trying to force Hawaii in there as the "island" then tried something-Bali and gave up and went to the other end of the clue for the definition. The second clue made me laugh out loud as one who "used to be bisexual" WAS A BI. This kicked off a whole discussion on Cryptic Crossword Society (because I had to share) (had to!) where someone made a similar clue recently "Lesser known fact about Marlon Brando dressing (6)" so that was interesting. (Is outing dead people ethical? Discussion for another day, perhaps) (or today in the comments)
22D - Jade burned by rising ultraviolet - funny feeling (4,2)
Strange sensation from French coffee (75%) and uranium (4,2)
"Funny feeling" is our definition and "JADE burned" is partial fodder and anagrind with "rising ultraviolet" = UV reversed for a down clue to make DEJA VU. The second clue uses "Strange sensation" as the definition and "French" = DE (often LE but can be LA, LES, UN etc), "coffee (75%)" = JAV(-a) the math is saying we only want three quarters of the word JAVA, "uranium" = U for DEJA VU.
24D - Setback when following Rhode Island customs (5)
Declares pens in customs (5)
"Customs" is our definition in both clues and "SETback" is a one word instruction to reverse SET to TES and that's "following" in the grid "Rhode Island" = RI to make RI(TES). The second clue is a homophone clue with "declares" as the signpost where "pens" = WRITES = RITES.
There we go - two for one! That was all great fun. I'm fascinated by clue setting because I'm dreadful at making my own. I'm not that motivated to learn either. I'm happy being the solver for now. In that I'm happily ignorant and easily awed.
Will I continue to peek at Twitter? Yes. Can't help it, I'm a peeper.
Let me know if you have better solutions or anything you'd like to add. I haven't even printed today's puzzle yet, hope it's easy. Have a good Monday.
Sorry, it's Tuesday. I may have been going trough a manic phase this morning when I thought "Yeah I can do two puzzles in one post! Piece of cake!"
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