Azed 1927

[toalisi]

After staring at an almost blank grid could anyone please kick-start me? The definitions lead to Spoonerisms of the correct answers-

1acr- Genuine ice cream? Mutt glints curiously in front of one (12)

1down- Wild brutes caught in net once rage, intense (11)

[turnerjmw]

1 ac CURLINGSTONE (spoonerism sterling cone)
1dn CLUSTERBEAN (spoonerism bluster keen)

This is quite a tricky puzzle. I'm still not sure about some of the spoonerisms, but good luck

[toalisi]

Thanks very much. I hope to press on now.

[robinruth]

Yes, Toalisi and turnerjmw, I have made much the same comment on the Listener site - this one is as hard as any Listener. We had a racing start, getting a line right across at 14, (ask me for that if you haven't got it!) then almost ground to a halt . We have one big blank in the bottom half of the grid - almost.

[turnerjmw]

Hi robinruth, it's only the second time I've tried an Azed - I only tried it today because of the comments on the other thread - and I was pleasantly (?) surprised by its difficulty. I've completed the grid, but with doubts about 4d, 20a, and 17d (as I don't have the 1993 NSOED). I'm pretty confident of the rest of the grid, though some of the spoonerisms elude me.

Feel free to ask anything on here, even about the Listener puzzle (I'm wary of being too forthcoming on the other thread, for fear of the Listener stazi turning up in the middle of the night), or email patmark1@ btinternet.com, and I'll try to help

[toalisi]

Thank you both for your comments. It was a relief to have it confirmed that this particular Azed is a stinker, and it wasn't just me!

I do Azed every week and can't remember the last time I didn't finish one, let alone really struggle.

I have made some progress but, as with robinruth, I have a open spaces at the bottom and also cannot solve 17!
Any help in those areas would be gratefully received.

Thanks. Ali

[turnerjmw]

I can't confirm 17d, as I lack the 1993 NSOED, but my best guess is an anagram of dries around May. If 35 ac is any help, I think "wetter late" is the spoonerism, and there's an anagram of tweeter in a common word for lamp. 31ac is also an anagram of the start of the clue with a vocalic spoonerism at the end. 32 ac is in Chambers, but quite an obscure spelling

[turnerjmw]

I'm happy with 17d now. Another vocalic spoonerism (the ones I struggled with), of Dace-Mere, I reckon

[robinruth]

And, Toalisi, I checked turnerjmw's word and it is in NSOED - very grateful, thanks.

[mahonia]

4d is another vocalic spoonerism - john (privy) and lex (law). I can't get the spoonerism at 7d though I assume the answer is one-man.

[turnerjmw]

My only thought is that oneman is a spoonerism of minoan. A heck of a stretch, but perhaps in keeping with the general obscurity of the puzzle!

Thanks for confirmation of 4d. Happy with that

[robinruth]

I put 'one-man' with no idea why except that it fitted with five letters it intersected with, but it doesn't seem to figure as a real Chambers word - only part of compounds. Toalisi, we have completed it with masses of help and I have permission to share that input so email me at [email protected] if you, too, are completely floored by some of it.

[toalisi]

Thanks robinruth for your kind offer but after all the terrific help from you, turnerjmw & mahonia I believe I have now just about cracked it, and will put the finishing touches tomorrow.

Thanks again- you are a great bunch.

Ali

[cruciverbali]

Wordplay = name (rank) number (rev)

got old (=obs) = wan (Spencer)
country fellow = mun

------> wun man

[cruciverbali]

20 once near = narre
islet = cay

-------> car-nay

[turnerjmw]

Brilliant, cruciverbali. I had arrived at narre-cay, but wan-mun defeated me fair and square