Radio Times Prize Crossword 28 Wednesday July 6Th 2016

[Riff_Raff]

4d Seat checked by a pastry cook?: ???S?I???N??
I can see the word 'CONSTITUENCY' for 'seat' but it doesn't fit with the rest of the clue. Any ideas?

[dannyk13]

Explained here:-
constituent - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/constituent The word comes up often in political contexts: constituents are the people politicians have been ... an additional ingredient that is added by mixing with the bas

[rtxwdtrier]

dannyk13, I think the setter has stretched the meaning of Constituency beyond the political. Surely in any other context a collection of constituents is constitution not constituency? In any case the word "pastry" in the clue appears redundant (and the relevance of "checked" is obscure to say the least).

[dannyk13]

Agreed, it is not a very good clue.

[rtxwdtrier]

Thanks, it's not just me then!

[ubasses]

Politicians seat is their constituency. When preparing a recipe the (pastry) cook would check the constituency of their mix.

[chelle7272]

No, a chef would check consistency.
the way in which a substance holds together; thickness or viscosity.
"the sauce has the consistency of creamed butter"
synonyms: thickness, density, firmness, solidity, viscosity, cohesion, heaviness, degree of thickness, degree of density; texture
"you need a jug of rich cream of pouring consistency"

[nibornotrub]

Just a thought: cook = anagram indication for pastry - (political) party's.

[dannyk13]

A very good thought too.I missed that completely.

[fiction-factory]

I think it would be parties or party though rather than party's

[dannyk13]

Agreed FF.

[fiction-factory]

It does seem a bit odd- more like an RTE than an RT clue.
I'm no cook but would have thought a pastry cook would check consistency or constitution rather than constituency

[dannyk13]

I have said on two posts that this is far from a good clue.

[dannyk13]

If the setter had used the word constituents instead of constituency then it would have been better.Constituent meaning 1.Member of a constituency 2.Ingredient.