Mephisto 2502 – Times for The Times

Solving time: about 80 mins, with Chambers used after about half the grid was complete

Starters seemed to be mostly Acrosses – 11, 13, 14, 15, 19, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 32 – only 3 among the Downs. Despite quite a few of them, this puzzle kept me busy for quite a while. Unsure wether this is down to the post-operative slowness I’m experiencing with blocked puzzles. There are a few wordplay queries mentioned below.

Across
1	FL(A,G,W,AV)ING – av. = avocat = “French lawyer”
11	PER(s)I(a) – ‘peri’ is a fairy for beginners to remember
12	MADE,’I=in,RA=Argentina (IVR)
13	EVEN=nevé rev.,LY(on)
14	LE(g),ADEN
21	S(LING)ER. – the David being the original giant-killer
23	SABRE = (s,bear)* – speaking of which, check out this multiple medal-winner for a good sports story (how he made the 1960 team).
27	HUN(t),GER.’S,TRIKE – “In protest, do without” is the deceptive def.
28	IN(J)URE
29	VIOLIN = (villainous – Saul)*
30	N.(E(O)TEN)Y. – giant = eten is another one for beginners to note …
31	B,I,R,O … but the one they must remember from this puzzle is R = recipe = take (in Latin, as used on old-fashioned prescriptions)
32	UNDERNEATH – epic hidden word

Down
2	L,EV,IN – but the website version’s “lightening” def. must surely be “lightning” – I wonder what the print version had?
4	GING=old company,I,VAL = lav rev. – lav = can
5	WELL,MAN,NE(R)ED
6	VALHALLA = (Allah,lav) rev. – unusual to see can => lav twice in the same puzzle, not that it made it any quicker for me.
7	I DEAL,IS,A,TI(m)ON (of Athens)
8	GID = sturdy,D,Y – gid = sturdy being that old stand-by of Call My Bluff – a disease of sheep
9	GREE(n),TER – I’m sure of the def and GREE(n) but don’t understand TER = ‘one in a series’ even after checking Chambers – any ideas?
10	WANDERER = “wonderer” I think – unsure as I don’t think this homophone really works.
16	FLESHING – I can see the def. but not the wordplay.
17	ISOPRENE = pioneers*
18	ANAEROBE – the end is (or be)* but the first half I don’t get except for maybe an³ = on
20	‘ATT((j)UN(e))ED
24	AN,JOU(r)
25	CILIA = “sillier”
26	SKI(R)T – this time it was the def. that puzzled me, but a look-up finds “(of dogs) to leave the pack (hunting)”

6 comments on “Mephisto 2502”

I don’t know whether this was a little easier than usual or whether I was on form. I got all except three without any help and within about 25 minutes. Researching t’interweb didn’t help with any of these so I was left to guess. At 2d I guessed LEVIT thinking EV in LIT. I’ve now noted that Lecturer=L. At 39a I guessed NEOGENY, so one letter wrong. ETEN=giant is logged. I also put FLESHING at 16d but have no idea why.

I’m off to Turkey on holiday tomorrow. See you all in September

16d shin (22nd letter in the Hebrew alphabet) in fleg (fear or fright)

GRM

18d ana (in equal quantities – in recipes and prescriptions) e (earth) *(orbe)

Sorry, I forgot to add my tag to the last post.

GRM

9d gree[n] (green mostly) ter[m] (one in a series, mostly)

GRM

I also thought this a good puzzle. I don’t time myself on Mephisto but if it helps, Peter, I’d say this one was very middle of the road – a good one to compute ones average time on.

I spent some time puzzling over 10D after deciding it had to be WANDERER. I Googled philosopher’s names and all sorts. Like Peter I came to the conclusion that it’s a sandpiper sounds like sandpaper sort of clue!

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