Sunday Times 4492 (1 Jul 2012) by Tim Moorey

Author   daveperryPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time: About 40 minutes, over two sessions.

I came to post the blog on Saturday night, just after midnight, and discovered that I hadn’t written one. When I went to write on I discovered that I hadn’t actually solved it either. I hate it when that happens! I thought about just blogging from the solution, but that rather defeats the object. So I tried it that night, but I was too tired to do more than a few clues, so I finished it off in the morning. I did most of it reasonably quickly, but there were a few that I struggled with – 21a/21d, 14/15 – so that slowed my time down at the end.

cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (–)*, and removals like this

Across
1 FLAG + STAFFS
7 SOS + O
9 AGRONOMY = (ANGRY MOO)*
10 A(CU)MEN
11 B(LOW)IN
13 KEPi in (WELL + T) – I’d not come across a kepi before, but there was enough else there to make the answer straightforward.
14 MISTREATMENT = (coMMENTARIES + T + T)* – I was quite slow on the uptake with this one. It took me ages to realise what the boycott firm instruction was about.
17 HIRE PURCHASE = (SAUCE + PIE + HR + HR)* – Another one which took longer to cotton on to than it should. Once I realised that the definition had to be HP then the rest was obvious.
20 MEASURER = SURE in sMEAR
21 PINKOS = SNIP about OK all rev – my LOI
22 HUMVEE = (MV + E) in HUE – I wasn’t sure about MV for motor vessel, but it’s in the dictionary so that’s fine.
23 IRRITATE = IRATE about (computeR + IT)
25 HEIR = “AIR”
26 SOOTH(SAY)ER
Down
2 LEGAL AID = LEG (on) + A (adult) + LAID (spread)
3 GOOf
4 T(H)ORN
5 FLY SWAT = (SLY WAFT)*
6 SMALL + BEE + R
7 SOUP KITCHEN = (NO KETCHUP IS)*
8 SHERPA = (pERHAPS)*
12 WATCHES OVER = WAVER about (THOSE + C)*
15 tERROR + LESS
16 A SCOT TIE
18 PORT + I + CO
19 LE + GUM + E
21 PERCH = PER (a) + CH (chain)
24 TEA – cd – ‘High tea’ is taken in the afternoon

2 comments on “Sunday Times 4492 (1 Jul 2012) by Tim Moorey”

  1. I took ages to find the setter’s wavelength, and struggled to a disappointing 16:46. This was my first ST puzzle since PB took over the editorship, and the standard seems to have improvemed significantly from when I last solved one just over a year and a half ago. Lots of interesting stuff here, so I’m looking forward to tackling future ones (as well as some of those I’ve missed).
  2. Yes, Tony, a totally different kettle of fish these days from the Holy Trinity, marshalled by PB!

    I did this either end of the July 1st march for democracy in Hong Kong (my first since half a million rallied in 2003), and needed to resort to aids on PINKOS (most appropriate for a Communist one-party state) and the fiendish PERCH.

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