Guardian Genius 204

[RayH]

I realise it's a bit late in the day(month) but there are two I really can't work out. Please can you help.
26 Fiery Gershwin disc (6)
14 Sportswoman’s bloke in the navy? Quite the reverse! (9, hyphenated)

[ProfessorMaisie]

First name of Gershwin (3 letters) + type of disc (2 initials) the thematic is small and French.

[ProfessorMaisie]

Another slang word for 'bloke' (6 letters) around N(avy) - and the same French thematic inside.

[ProfessorMaisie]

...sorry, you need RN for the 'navy' part (with the thematic element splitting it).

[RayH]

That's great Prof.. Thank you !
I can't work out why the definition in 14 is Sportswoman though. Shouldn't it be Sportsperson ?

[ProfessorMaisie]

I know what you mean RayH... but Soup, who set this excellent (I think) puzzle will be getting a pat on the back from his Guardian colleagues for 'right-speak'* whilst confusing the life out of traditionalists like us - that's a win, win for him.

*'right-speak' is (of course) 'Left-speak'.

[HamishSoup]

I tend to alternate man/woman/man/woman in my clues for this sort of thing. I don't like 'sportsperson' much; occasionally I need a 'might he do blah' which I suppose I could have as 'might one do blah' but sometimes that doesn't fit the surface. In this case, out of 'sportsman', 'sportswoman' and 'sportsperson', 'sportswoman' gave me the best surface, so that's what went in; the editor didn't raise an eyebrow.

A clue which I would love to use but probably never will because I don't think it's worth it is 'PC? (12)' :-)

[HamishSoup]

...and thank you for the kind words :-)

[JJ109]

It was a great crossword, Hamish, thoroughly enjoyable!

[ProfessorMaisie]

I like the 'PC?' clue - it's stretching the definition of one with a wink at the other (unless I've completely missed the point).

The lovely surface in '...sportswoman' is justification enough (for me) but I enjoyed finding some mischief in it. And it's quite comforting to discover that ye olde 'person' is becoming non-PC in its turn (your PC is just right for these pick 'n' mix your pronouns days).

[ProfessorMaisie]

...I miscounted my 'answer' - but there's an alternative(?) I'm less happy about.