Standing in for one of the regulars for my first Times Community review, this was an accessible puzzle.
As a daily Indy solver, have been doing the Times almost every day only in fairly recent times. Solved in 28 mins, this is reasonably good for me for the Times.
* = anagram
ACROSS
| 1 | F ACTOR When I found the answer, I was disappointed I did not get this more quickly but was misled by “One to be taken into” into looking for a container. |
| 4 | A KIT SAWS (all reversed) – a bit surprised to see this word with all its assocations included in the puzzle. |
| 10 | COUNTRYSIDE Countrywide (Coast-to-coast) with s for w. Easy, I thought. |
| 12 | (Stable)LAD + DISH (a smasher) – slang I have not heard for a while. |
| 15 | F LIGHT SERGE ANT |
| 21 | ASHIEST shies = pitches(throws) in edges of AsphalT (first and last letters). Reminding the night-time viewers of the uphill struggle in Oz? |
| 23 | OAF My favourite clue, telling us to “Sort” (of a)*. Did I see it straightaway? Most certainly not. Jonathan Swift’s Yahoo, nothing to do with the Internet. |
| 24 | NIKKEI INDEX – Japanese equivalent of the FTSE. Anagram of One = I and “keen kid in” + X = vote as you would on a ballot paper. |
| 27 | GENEVA (avenge)*. WHO and many international organisations with HQs there, many in buildings that housed the League of Nations between the wars. |
DOWN
| 1 | FACE-LIFT life “set up” in fact. Liked it. |
| 2 | CRU “Noisy” means a homophone (of crew) |
| 8 | AGREED a greed. Nice |
| 16 | ANOREXIA extremely rare = first and last letters (re) in anoxia. Familiar word (the answer, that is). |
| 19 | AGONISE last word I filled in and I, well, agonised, over it. Thought of it early on but could not quite see it as equivalent to “labour”. Finally, convinced by the wordplay – Leaders i.e. first letters of international standing (IS) in a = are (metric square measure) + left = gone. |
| 20 | SAVO(I)UR “Ignoring” one = I |
| 25 | DYE Liked this a lot. Definition is not colour but change colour. D’ye? = Do you? |
Unexpected swastikas: bit of a crossword tradition – as swastikas share rotational symmetry with crossword grids, it’s quite easy for one to appear in the middle of a grid. And of course the swastika has umpteen uses nothing to do with Nazism.
I really laboured with it, especially the NW corner. Like NMS I was flabbergasted when got 1A and wondered why I did not get it MUCH earlier! Incredibly I did not cold solve the anagram at 3D for OSTRICH (wasn’t exactly a tough one!). Also with both 15A and 13D I realised what the second word was in the phrase, but could not come up with ideas for the first word until I had checking letters. Made that corner very tough for me.
Final time 17:49
FInal time 17:49
Specifically, would it have been “wrong” (or “cunning”) for the clue to say “Who is here,” rather than “WHO is here,”
Equally, could a clue for “weep” be written as “SOB” ie (a TLA for Son of Bitch) as opposed to “Sob” ?
Jon C
14a Some puP I PETTEd in the tube = PIPETTE
17a (Entire commando)* in mess for testimonial = RECOMMENDATION
22a In post, I break new ground = PI ONE ER (I = ONE)
26a Lodger, and what it costs him to hold party = RE SIDE NT (side in rent)
3d He ignores the truth: (torch is)* broken = OSTRICH
5d Head supporting those who punish a scallywag = WHIPPERSNAPPER (the punishers are the whippers but napper = head??)
6d Essayist keeping quiet inside part of church = STEE P LE
7d Under canvas, so to speak, I have become distracted = INATTENTIVE ( in a tent I’ve)
13d Approach with arrows – they communicate power = DRIVE SHAFTS (drive = approach – could be in golf or in front of house?)
18d (Aid once)* distributed by nymph = OCEANID