Solving time 9:11
In total, 14 letters of the alphabet appeared at least twice in the same answer somewhere in this puzzle. I suspect a doubled-letter pangram is impossible, but occasionally setters seem to try for a high count. A couple of timely answers here – a carol title, nativity play character, and a popular location for lunch today – it took us two goes to find “room at the inn” on the way home. Slight delay to this solution as I carelessly wrote ASTRAD at 5 and had to wait until my check on other answers when stuck on the last clue (8 of course) to find the mistake.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | WIND,SOCK – “shower of blows” is a super definition. |
| 9 | GU(NR,OO)MS – I don’t really buy “castles” for OO, as I believe the chess notation is O-O, with the hyphen mandatory. |
| 10 | SNIVEL – N in sivel = “civil” |
| 12 | A,WAY IN,A,M,ANGER |
| 15 | (t)ANNOY – slang meaning of “eat” = def’n |
| 17 | GASTROPUB – UB in gUmBo replacing last two letters of gastropod |
| 20 | LOOSE-HEAD PROP – (door has people)* – the props are the two players on the ends of the front row in a rugby scrum. The “loose-head prop” is the player on the left of the hooker, whose head only has an opposing head on one side, the other prop being the “tight-head prop”. |
| 22 | A,VI,ATE – Vi = dimin. for Violet |
| 23 | AD,JUT=project,ANT – a good example of the surface noun / wordplay verb trick. |
| 25 | JOS(E.P.)H – josh = kid = take the mickey |
| 26 | WHIST,LE(A)D – corrected after reading a comment |
| Down | |
| 1 | WAG,GA-(WAG)GA |
| 3 | SH(OW(I)L)Y |
| 4 | (be)COME A CROPPER |
| 7 | REV.,ER,SEGEAR=agrees* |
| 8 | YE,(fa)LL |
| 13 | AUNTS,ALLIES |
| 14 | UNCARPETED – cryptic definition based on rocket = carpeting = telling off |
| 18 | ROOFTOP – (for too)*,P |
| 19 | P(ODIUM)S – ODIUM=disgust in “empty protests” = PS |
| 21 | H,A,J,J |
| 24 | AsWeLl |
Too quick for it to be anything other than a coincidence though, but have a large helping of egg on your face anyway 🙂
5a A street light on the wrong road = A ST RAY
16a Clergyman in (Aran ruled)* out of order = RURAL DEAN
19a Something to eat cheers weeping figure = PIE TA – mmm pie, thanks. A rather ordinary deconstruction of the divine carving in Carrera Marble by Michaelangelo. At least that’s the one I think of – I expect there are others?
2d She turns up in some – and same – order = NAN – the simplest of palindromes and with N*N, “she” has to be NAN but I have no idea what the verbose clue is on about?
6d Close around noon, say, in the country = SE N EG AL
11d (This hard, bare)* ground makes little difference = HAIRS BREADTH – an instance where the “bare ground” has to be “lifted and separated” as the HARD is part of the anagrist and GROUND is the anagrind. Neat.
Thanks for adding the ‘easy’ answers. A lot of work, I am sure. Good for you.
R. Lenard
Filling in the “easies” is a bit of fun for me as I am doing these back numbers anyway. In this instance the “easiest of easies” was still beyond me. Doh!
Thanks for your kind comment & correction!