Solving time : 29:59
I found this very difficult, mainly because I was slow on all the long clues. 11D took ages, and left with 15A, I decided I had to finish within 30 minutes and chose BUSINESS as my best guess. (Well it means “outfit” and it’s better than JUNIPERS, PUNINESS or QUAILERS.) But I don’t get it, and hope that someone will explain it or tell me the correct answer.
Nor have I been able to work out how 4D (THRIFT) works, though at least I am confident that it is right.
Explanations for BUSINESS and THRIFT now added following comments below
Across
1 | CA(R I)CATURE – ie R and I in (ACCURATE)* |
6 | D(A)UB |
9 | AUDIT + O + R(I)UM |
10 | (r)AVER |
14 | RA(rev) + DOUR |
15 | BUSINESS – Two meanings – “baby” in the sense of “pet project” – thanks to Peter |
22 | PUBLIC NU(IS)ANCE |
25 | OBLAT(IONA)L, ie IONA in (BALLOT)* |
26 | (r)ELAY(rev) |
27 | HEISENBERG – (BEGINS HERE)* |
Down
1 | COAX – two meanings. I think I have seen something rather similar recently |
2 | RE(DUC(t))ED |
3 | C(AT A MOUNT)AIN – never heard of it, but with crossing letters and wordplay, more accessible than much of this crossword |
4 | THRIFT – Two meanings, the second being: Thrift, also known as sea pink, grows on cliffs by the sea – Thanks to Conrad |
5 | ROUGH (=rocky) CUT (=score) |
7 | (b)AD VERSE |
8 | BAR(CHEST)ER |
11 | DELIBE(s) + RATION – took me ages, mainly considering CON then DEN for “study”. And Delibes is not one of the first ten composers I think of |
13 | HANKY-PANKY – is it just that the two parts rhyme? If so, what is the word “dirty” for? |
20 | INCENSE (=”inn sense”) – straightforward, for this puzzle, but does it work perfectly? “Inn sense” is no sort of phrase, so would you not expect two homophone indicators? |
21 | HI(JAB)S |
I’m pretty sure I’ve come across CATAMOUNTAIN somewhere in xwd solving. A puzzle: the dictionaries all say that catamount means the same thing. None of them mention the “equivalent” usage I’ve seen for ‘catamount’, as in “voting Bush back into office is catamount to inviting more violence against innocent American citizens”. Is this just an obscure or erroneous usage?
I failed to get 19a, which wasn’t listed above. I’m probably being obtuse.
(scotty)
Did anyone else nearly fall for ‘niqabs’ at 21dn?
JohnM
Some of the “easies” left out of the blog are discussed above but here they are in full:
6a Smear name with cutting article (4)
D A UB. This one is in the blog but not fully explained. For the bunnies it is DUB = name with A being the cutting article. Took me ages to see this – just biffed DAUB from Smear at the time.
12a (Face home truths)* after review is rubbish (4,2,3,5)
SCUM OF THE EARTH. Possibly the best disguised anagram I have seen!
17a Living life – as rhythm section in jazz band must do (4,4)
KEEP TIME. Maybe keep as in “earn ones keep” = “earn a living” and “time” = “prison sentence” could be = “life”?
19a Soil found in gorge (6)
DEFILE. Double definition the verb “to soil” = defile and defile is another name for a gorge or ravine – the latter word would have fitted until I got Delibes losing his son at 11d.
24a Number over twelve (4)
NO ON
16d Open area used by guys getting fit (8)
A MEN ABLE
18d Run with wretched (mobile)* ringing and catch up (7)
EMB R OIL
23d Good word for stop up (4)
PLUG. Double definition – to put in a good word for = PLUG as in advertise and to stop up a basin or bath = PLUG?