Solving time: 14:25
Thanks to Magoo for filling in the last three Thursdays while I was away. Now we are back to double-digit solving times.
Lord of the Flies at 14A was the first one I solved, and I was very impressed when I eventually worked out that the other 14-letter answer was The Coral Island, the novel which sort of inspired Golding’s book. Other literary references involve Joe Orton, JK Rowling and Margaret Mitchell.
I was surprised by the spelling of Eid ul-Fitr at 26A. This spelling does not appear in the 2003 Chambers, but it does seem to be one of the more popular transliterations nowadays.
Across
1 | T(rade) + WOW + AY |
4 | EUROLAND = (RU loaned)* – clever long definition keeping to the rugby surface |
10 | MIN (OR POE) T |
16 | (w)ELLINGTON |
18 | WAFER-THIN = (Warn thief)* – this was obviously an anagram, but I needed crossing letters before I cracked it. I suppose “much pinched” works as a definition. I am afraid that “wafer-thin” always makes me think of Mr Creosote’s mint |
21 | THE CORAL ISLAND, being {E(nglish) + C (circa = roughly) + ORAL (= spoken)} all in THIS LAND |
25 | HO(P I)T – cleverly misleadingly phrased. PI meaning “pious” or “very good, seemingly” is now confined to crosswords I think. |
26 | EID UL FITR, being FLUID* in RITE* |
Down
1 | T(‘UMBLED)OWN |
2 | OWNER, being W(ife) in RENO (rev). Reno was a popular location for divorces for a couple of decades while Nevada’s divorce laws were more liberal than those of other states. |
5 | (a)UNTIE – I think it is only the BBC itself that thinks it is known as “auntie” |
6 | ORTO(LA)N – though the ortolan is better known for being eaten than for its singing or flying |
9 | FOR(TIE)TH – “hamper” for “tie” seems a bit of a stretch to me, and it is a rather old-fashioned sense of “for” that means “since”. Or at least those are my excuses for taking so long to work this one out |
13 | ANY OLD IRON – the definition is “number” in the sense of “song” |
17 | L AND LAD + Y – unusual to find the word “youth” indicating LAD, and being used to provide the Y |
19 | (af)RIC(OTT)A(ns) – a purist might wince at “Africans heartily” indicating RICA. I thought it was funny. |
22 | RHETT – last letters of “murdeR witH …” |
23 | AD(I)OS – I think surface and cryptic readings might be better without the apostrophe in “Trouble’s”, but I suppose it works either way. And a real purist could argue that without the apostrophe the cryptic reading would require “Troubles besets one…” |
Didn’t know about Reno – I’ll try to remember that.
Eid ul-Fitr is not in Chambers 2006 either.
Slightly longer, at 6:52, is the Mr Creosote sketch available here (not for the faint-hearted…).
Buzzword
“I was born under the meadow end …” to the tune of Wandering Star. The rest is regrettably unprintable.
11a A floozie from the right part of Oklahoma (5)
TULSA. Or A SLUT backwards. Pleased to report I got there in under 24 hours.
12a Novel peer: he clocks up the air miles? (4,2,3,5)
LORD OF THE FLIES. Frequent flier?
14a Legal right to accomplish something without resistance? (5)
D R O IT
20a Shipment that chauffeur can make?(5)
CAR GO
27a The “keep all the ugly bits” school of fiction? (8)
HOG WARTS
28a Rum issue: more or less given (4-2)
ODD SON. No grog involved.
3d Charles de Gaulle maybe left on boat after broadcast (7)
AIR PORT
7d (Earl least)* adaptable, having no standing (3-6)
ALL-SEATER
8d Bind diamonds with piece of cloth (4)
D RAG
15d Not fancying article on girl that’s untailored (3-3-3)
OFF THE PEG. Maybe 22d’s Margaret?
20d Players under direction made defensive move (7)
CAST LED
24d Old king’s quiet word of sympathy (4)
SH AH. Anything’s got to be better than the Shah? Be careful what you wish for.