Saturday, March 5, 2011 - Musical Instruments

Introduction

Today's puzzle by Cox and Rathvon presents an assortment of instruments covering to a wide variety of musical tastes.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

13a  Article against keeping string I fold into pleats (9)

The definition is "fold into pleats" and the wordplay¹ is A (article) + [CON (against) containing (keeping) {CORD (string) + I}] giving us ACCORDION, a type of musical instrument but which our setters choose to define as a verb "fold into pleats". I had to look long and hard for a dictionary which considered accordion to be a verb. Most of the British dictionaries (Chambers, Collins, Encarta and Macmillan) show it only as a noun. Oxford lists it as a noun as well as a nounal modifier (which I suppose one would consider to be a form of adjective). The American Heritage Dictionary and Merriam-Webster list it as both a noun and an adjective. Finally, Random House gives it as a noun, adjective, and verb (both transitive and intransitive).

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted

Across

1a   TA(MBO*)URINE - anagram (unruly) of MOB contained in (occupying) TAURINE (bullish)

6a   HAIL - double definition; "enthusiastically praise" & "wintry weather"

9a   {TANG|RAM}< - reversal (returning) of {MAR (hurt) + GNAT (midge)}

10a   D(AMP)ISH - AMP (audio gear) contained in (in) DISH (vessel)

12a   NO|RAH - NO + RAH (cheer); American singer Norah Jones

13a   A|C(CORD|I)ON - A (article) + [CON (against) containing (keeping) {CORD (string) + I}]

14a   CLARI(N)ET* - anagram (arranged) of RECITAL containing (including) N (northern)

16a   P|LAYER - P ([chemistry symbol for] phosphorus) + LAYER (level)

18a   MOLES|T - MOLES (double agents) + (with) T (time)

20a   MAN|DOLIN_ - MAN (guy) + DOLIN[G] {DOLING (distributing) mostly; i.e., with the final letter deleted}

23a   S(AX)OPH|ONE - AX (intrument; slang for guitar) contained in (carried by) SOPH (undergraduate; short for sophomore) + ONE (indivual)

24a   LOCUS_ - LOCUS[T] {grasshopper in front of the tee; i.e., [the letters of the word] LOCUST (grasshopper) [that are] in front of the T}

26a   PICADOR~ - sounds like (in audition) PICK A DOOR (choose an entrance)

27a   CON(I)FER - CONFER (have a discussion) containing (about) I (one)

28a   NONE~ - sounds like (when listening) NUN (sister)

29a   KETTLEDRUM* - anagram (strange) of KURT MELTED

Down

1d   T(IT)AN - IT (seeker; from the children's game 'hide and seek') contained in (interrupting) TAN (bronze)

2d   MINE(RV)A - RV (camper; recreational vehicle) contained in (in) {MINE (tunnel) + (with) A}

3d   _OPRAH_< - reversed (turned) and hidden (in) in sHARP Objects

4d   RAM|PAGED - RAM (sheep) + (after) PAGED (summoned)

5d   NO D|ICE - NOD (signal approval) + ICE (cool off)

7d   A|C(ID)ITY_ - ID (I'd) contained in (encountered in) {A + CITY (town)}

8d   LOHENGRIN* - anagram (cast) of HER IN LONG

Lohengrin - romantic opera composed and written by Richard Wagner

11d   MAR*|BLED - anagram (broken) of ARM + BLED (drained of fluid)

14d   CO(MES) UPON - COUPON (voucher) containing (covering) MES (month in Spain; Spanish word meaning 'month')

15d   INSIPID* - IN (popular) + anagram (awfully) of DIP IS

17d   P(APER CU)T - APERCU (summary) contained in (in) PT (part)

19d   L|EX(I)CON - L (left) + (by) {EXCON (former prisoner; ex-convict) containing (holding) I (interest; symbol used in financial calculations)}

21d   LUCIFER* - anagram (ruined) of LIFE CUR

22d   COURSE* - sounds like (sounding) COARSE (rough)

24d   LU(N)GE - N ([north] pole) contained in (into) LUGE (sled)

25d   S|CRAM - S (small) + CRAM (stuff)

Signing off for today - Falcon