Solving time : 7m34s – A dipangram (2 of each letter in the grid at least), and a demonstration that this can lead to interesting words, as well as just odd ones. Also, and more importantly, a demonstration that clueing innovation doesn’t have to mean a really hard puzzle, though this was a good test of mental agility, knowledge and speed.
Across
1 |
KI(t) in JUNE – Annoyingly, I immediately considered RI(g) in JUNE, gave up and moved on. This kind of failed nearly-instant solving seemed to happen regularly here. |
5 |
BUZZWORD, pun – a bit laboured perhaps. |
11 |
HOG TIE, pun – Given the checking, enumeration and definition, BOW-TIE will have tempted many, but I like this gag. |
12 |
E + OFF in GREY, last one solved for me; having the O as a checking letter really militates against predicting the JE- sound at the start. I’m not used to seeing ‘point’ for E/N/S/W in The Times Crossword, though I have no objection to it occasionally. |
14 |
MOUNTAINSIDE, anag (IN MAIDSTONE (yo)U) – I immediately parsed the clue correctly, then couldn’t do the anagram, despite having M and U placed. Grrr |
20 |
A VI in RARA’S – for me, a pretty untidy clue, with the dated VI(olet) in a possessive – and a definition that will be simple for classicists and hard for others. |
22 |
A in SEES + W – again the definition is almost too easy, especially combined with the enumeration (which is not as per Chambers and looks wrong and over-helpful to me) |
25 |
”BORE DOUGH” – nice homophone, though a (very) rare example of one that doesn’t work in my accent – the vowel phoneme in board/cord/pork/Bordeaux is different from that in bored/cored/poor/bore for my particular suburban RP. |
26 |
QUA + (authentic)C + KER(r)Y – you really can’t argue about the precision of definitions in most of this puzzle! |
27 |
(C)ENSURE(D) – a very nice innovatory wordplay method |
Down
3 |
KLEPTOMANIA, anag – Neat misleading definition. |
4 |
EX CHEQUER – I love this, so used to seeing ‘queen’ as ER, R, Q, QU or occasionally MAN (or other chess piece reference) that a draughts piece was a big surprise. Beautifully tied up with the literal meaning as well. As pointed out in comments, this is actually EX + QU in CHEER, &lit – probably an even better clue, though not what I thought!
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5 |
BEER GUT, cryptic definition – ‘breadbasket’ is quite quaint for ‘stomach’, but probably familiar to cryptic solvers. Nice clue as all the surface misleads combine well. |
13 |
E in FISHY + (H)ELEN’S – very tough clue, especially as I have barely heard of this term (and finally there’s not much definition precision here!). Eventually got it from the checking – though without the F at this stage. |
15 |
INN IS FREE – this chestnut is worth trotting out regularly. No idea why the W of welcome got capitalised – some purists don’t like this and it’s quite unnecessary to the surface. |
16 |
POT-AU-FEU, U + F in anag of OUT PEA – Got this from the blindingly obvious UF and the enumeration. On re-reading, there’s a very neat surface that I didn’t get at all. |
19 |
AG + U in JAR – I haven’t seen ‘horseshoe’ for U before but I like it – luckily I have seen ‘grate’ = JAR a few times recently, otherwise this might have been a struggle. |
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I thought EX CHE(QU)ER for this one. Comfort = cheer.
–ilan
I suppose that “produced rap” gives CENSURED but it’s pretty ugly.
However, “lifted from CD” is terrible.
Mike O.
Some “easies” left out:
9a Smart guy with passion going about bad (case)* (8)
W I SEAC RE
10a Send up staff to divide wages (6)
PA ROD Y
17a Steps beyond the suburbs? (7,5)
COUNTRY DANCE
23a Not broadcasting rotten tune (3,3)
OFF AIR
2d Rugby touring side initially using the same pitch (6)
UNISON. Nice sporting diversion from a musical meaning.
6d Marx’s unknown work training classes in rising (5)
Z EP PO. Not Groucho, Chico, Harpo nor even Karl.
7d What might need endless room for casualties? (3)
WAR (D). Only 3 letters but great clue. Probably a “chestnut” my bunnies?
8d Angry-looking bosses to form ginger group (8)
RED HEADS
18d Disregard second honour in decorating oneself (7)
DI S OBE Y
21d SilVER VEstment’s concealed zip (5)
VERVE
24a is wAgneR epiC regularly selected extract from Ring?
ARC. Here you have to deduce exactly what “regularly” means – in this case it appears to be every 4th letter. I have capitalised differently from the printed clue to illustrate this.