In my opinion the best Mephisto for some time. A very good mix of clues with a sprinkling of real gems.Thank you Tim.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | SJAMBOKS – S(JAMB)O(u)KS; piece of armour=JAMB; Arab markets=SOUKS then remove U=all can see (film rating); flogs in Fraserburg; |
| 6 | MITY – sounds like “mighty”; a condition that is no doubt a mite unpleasant; |
| 10 | GRENACHE – G(R)EN-ACHE; wonderful blending grape used in Rioja, Rhone, etc; |
| 11 | ASTRINGERS – A-STRINGER-S; succeeded=S; a keeper of hawks; |
| 12 | SANDIVER – (invaders)*; glass gall; |
| 14 | ORFEO – O(R)F-(th)E-O; take=R; parts=divides; ring=O; Baroque opera by Monteverdi; excellent clue; |
| 16 | MAITRE,D’S – M-AIT-(dres)*; thousand=M; island=AIT; half dressing=dres; creamed=anagrind; the guy to tip well; |
| 17 | ULES – (r)ULES; rubber trees; |
| 18 | ANCE – AN(C)E; once up north; |
| 19 | PLEDGETS – P-LED-GETS; absorbent pad; |
| 24 | CAN,IT – (antic)*; ugly Americanism; |
| 25 | SERAGLIO – OIL-GARES all reversed; petrol=OIL; stations in France=GARES; pound=enclosure; sultana=concubine; a harem; another good clue; |
| 26 | PSALTERIAN – (palestrina)*; |
| 27 | MORTMAIN – MORT-MAIN; a great deal=MORT-2; untransferable church property; |
| 28 | ESKY – (p)ESKY; an Australian cool-box for XXXX; |
| 29 | IN,SHTOOK – (its+h=hot+nook)*; slang for in trouble; lovely clue; |
| Down | |
| 1 | SHALOM – S(HAL)OM(e); |
| 2 | ARTIFICER – two meanings 1=skilled person (in metal working for example); 2=a trickster; |
| 3 | MARKET – TE(KR)AM all reversed; |
| 4 | ORNATELY – OR(NAT-E)LY; French (Paris) airport=ORLY; natural=NAT; energy=E; |
| 5 | SNEDS – SN-ED-(run)S; tin=SN; Edward emptied=ED; prunes; good clue; |
| 6 | MARID – M-ARID; a powerful jinn (no, not Plymouth); |
| 7 | THRENETICAL – anagram of “(c)eltic (f)an (a)t (t)he” around r=right; ground=anagrind; keen=a lament; brilliant!; |
| 8 | YEARDS – YEAR(D)S; D=finish on wooD; |
| 9 | ESTRANGELOS – (up-to-dat)E-(STRANGE-LO)-(damascu)S; ancient alphabets; |
| 13 | VALENTINO – V(A-LENT)INO; Rudolph 1895-1926 the Latin Lover; |
| 15 | ADENITIS – A-DEN-IT-IS; advanced=A; study=DEN; glandular inflammation; |
| 18 | AWSOME – A-W-SOME; old spelling of “awesome”; |
| 20 | GARRET – G-ARRET; decision=ARRET; mandatory living quarters for aspiring artists; |
| 21 | STANCK – STAN(C)K; pool=STANK; hint of chlorine=C; old word for faint; |
| 22 | MASTY – MA-STY; acorns; |
| 23 | AGAMI – A(GAM)I; sloth=AI; school=GAM; trumpeter (bird); |
I wonder if this was the clue for THRENETICAL that only netted a HC in the Azed comp? Mine got nothing…