23432 – tough Saturday puzzle

Author   linxitPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time – 24:26

Well, I found it a bit of a hard slog anyway, although I did solve it first thing in the morning when I’m never at my best…

Across

5 UPS(=hikes, as in price), HOT
12 P(APER)C, HAS, E – I wasn’t aware of this meaning, trying to reconcile “sheet-handling process” with an image of children running through the woods!
15 T(HICK)O – “not from” = to – neat trick
18 Anagram of AIMS OF 1 – good surface, but not sure about “shooting” as an anagram indicator
20 UNSOLD – cryptic definition, last answer I put in.
24 S(=double bend), TRIKE, HOME(=in)
28 NA(v v)Y-SAY

Down

1 FR(esh), AP(eritifs), PE(rhaps)
2 IN(D)EPT,H – Very deceptive surface, you really have to think in crosswordese to parse it!
3 PAST,RY,CO,OK – and again
6 P(iano), MOP(=to do floor), all reversed
8 TA(=I’m obliged), WIN(=carry off) inside KEG
11 Swap the CO of CONSTITUTIONAL(=walk) for an I
14 SKIVE, H(ard), SLOB all reversed – great clue which I got straight away – I know all about skiving and being a slob!
17 Anagram of COME INTO – otherwise known as a “smiley” 😉
21 LE(O,TAR)D
25 ZOLA, OZ reversed on LA(=”his” article as he was French)

3 comments on “23432 – tough Saturday puzzle”

  1. Just to say I found this more than a slog – in fact I’ve been looking at it for days and still failed to get a break into the RH side. I do usually finish the puzzle in an hour or so, or at least I get all the clues I’m going to get (often 1 or 2 I don’t) in that time, so I don’t know what happened here. Just a whole batch of clues I couldn’t break into.
    peter f
  2. 1a Even-handedness in broadcasting time after fine = F AIRPLAY
    9a Count Dracula’s head on poster = AD D
    10a Music to make the ground shake? = STADIUM ROCK (my last dose of this was MUSE at the Emirates)
    13a Waste to force through pipe = BLOW
    16a Club provide people for endurance event = IRON MAN
    23a Great to correspond , having year off = TALL (Y)
    26a They’re informed (once costing’s)* worked out = COGNOSCENTI
    27a State protection for couples that rose in bad weather = ARK (Arkansas & Noah’s Boat)
    29a About to drop racket that’s got shorter = CLOSE DIN
    4d (Saccharin in OT)* could be this = ANACHRONISM an &LIT anagram
    7d Cover on chimney that’s tough = HOOD LUM
    19d Aunt Sally’s come down to stay = FALL GUY (a bit of gender confusion here?)
    22d Yank in jacket = JERKIN
    1. Yeah, thanks for that npbull.

      When we first started the blog over 10 years ago, the policy was to only comment on the more interesting clues, so I did leave a few out.

      Back in 2006 you’ll find none of the blog entries comment on all the clues in the puzzle – that didn’t really start until a couple of years later. We’ve come a long way since then 🙂

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