I’m fairly sure this was the quickest of the three puzzles for me. The two sets of three double defs in a row are an interesting little twist, though I doubt anyone noticed on the day as we all seem to hop around the grid wherever we have new checking letters.
Solving time (estimate!): 9-10 mins on the day
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | GENDAR=danger*,M(in)E |
| 5 | RHODES – move the R in hordes |
| 9 | (b)OAR / (s)OAR – double wordplay to keep us on our toes |
| 10 | CAKE=bar (as in soap),SANDAL=one going on foot,E=ecstasy |
| 12 | CHAR(DONNA)Y – she’s back again – see 24D in No. 1 |
| 13 | B,OUT = sent back to the pavilion – one of the two clues that spoiled Helen Ougham’s chances, apparently. |
| 15 | BARN,UM = “I’m not sure” |
| 16 | H(O.E.D.)OWN |
| 18 | CAR(a)CAS,S |
| 20 | (j)UN(R.I.P.)E |
| 23 | SO U.K. = “very British” |
| 24 | HANKY,PAN = hammer = criticise,K(itt)Y |
| 26 | OVER THE HILL – 2 defs |
| 27 | COB – 2 defs |
| 28 | SQUARE – 2 defs (again!) |
| 29 | EGGS,HELL = a finish – when eggshell = paint, I think |
| Down | |
| 1 | G.R.,OUCH |
| 2 | N.(IR.,VAN)A. |
| 3 | ACCIDENTAL – 2 defs, one musical – “flat, perhaps” |
| 4 | MAKE NO MISTAKE – 2 defs – a bit of irony, I think |
| 6 | H ONE – 2 defs – H1 is one of the squares on a chessboard occupied by a castle = rook at the beginning of the game. Where’s the Colonel? |
| 7 | DIA=aid rev.,BO(L)O – an old-fashioned toy roughly similar to a top. |
| 8 | S(WEE)TING – pretty difficult, probably my last answer in this puzzle |
| 11 | S(WASH,BUCK)LING – also pretty hard. |
| 14 | NECROPOLIS = (corpse lion)* – harder than it should have been for me |
| 17 | SCISSORS – 2 defs |
| 21 | RO(U)LE,AU – a cylindrical pile of coins – just done from the wordplay on the day – only checked the def. just now, 20 days later. |
| 22 | CYMBAL=”symbol” – a contender for easiest clue in the final, I think. |
| 25 | STAR = rats rev. |
Paul