This one was rather straightforward, and didn’t take long. The pun is worse than usual, and wasn’t of any help in solving. The answer words are mostly within the vocabulary of those who might attempt to solve Mephisto, and most of the cryptics were straightforward. I’m sure that tougher examples of the Mephisto setter’s art are forthcoming – over to you, George!
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sequel’s plot set round university (5) |
| SUITE – S(U)ITE. | |
| 5 | Force of spin perhaps fell with question by earl (6) |
| TORQUE – TOR + QU + E. | |
| 10 | New cinema has boxed in central heating — source of scratch? (11, two words) |
| CASH MACHINE – Anagram of CINEMA HAS around C.H. | |
| 11 | House investor’s opening grand office (5) |
| IGLOO – I[nvestor] + G + LOO. | |
| 12 | Catholic ignored hymn tune relating to prayer time? (5) |
| HORAL – [c]HORAL. | |
| 13 | Run away from returning giant like in Shakespeare (4) |
| EGAL – LA[r]GE backwards. | |
| 14 | Poetry mostly about day among birds (7) |
| VERDINS – VER(D,IN)S[e], | |
| 16 | Rab C’s crowd is keen to pass day being invisible (6) |
| MEINIE – MEIN + [d]IE. Mein is a variant spelling of mean, to complain or lament. | |
| 17 | Women refused waffle, we hear, to go for a stroll (6) |
| TODDLE – Sounds like T[w]ADDLE….I think. | |
| 19 | Young, we start to live life without female of the country set (11, two words) |
| GREEN WELLIE – GREEN + WE + L[ive] + LI[f]E. | |
| 23 | Pitiful people wanting constant implants (6) |
| INSETS – INSE[c]TS. | |
| 26 | Literary fib behind tough child’s game (6) |
| COBNUT – COB + NUT. | |
| 28 | Quiet walk round in the other way for learned Dubliners (7) |
| OLLAMHS – SH + MALL + O backwards. | |
| 29 | This bright star is backing the Bard’s place (4) |
| NOVA – AVON backwards. | |
| 30 | Whiff of poetry enveloping bishop’s window feature (5) |
| GABLE – GA(B)LE. | |
| 31 | Crooked account covering demand for dosh (5) |
| ADUNC – A(DUN)C. | |
| 32 | Du Beke, eg, with guts grasping current figure of speech (11) |
| ANTONOMASIA – ANTON + OMAS(I)A. Cow stomachs are always popular with Mephisto setters. | |
| 33 | Nothing close to seeing gold antelope (6) |
| NILGAU – NIL + [seein]G + AU. | |
| 34 | Study allure of English reversing quiet reversal by Albanese (5, two words) |
| EYE UP – E + backwards P + UEY. Albanese refers to the PM of Australia to clue an Australian word. | |
| Down | |
|---|---|
| 1 | With skill once restored nice stone outside (6) |
| SCIENT – S(anagram of NICE)T. | |
| 2 | Isolated sort I drag through the mud (8) |
| ISLANDER – I + SLANDER, a chestnut. | |
| 3 | Scots suffered it potted (6) |
| THOLED – ‘T HOLED. | |
| 4 | No time among first of women to affect with feeling (5) |
| EMOVE – E(MO)VE. | |
| 5 | Please explain in a new way why Mike ate out (13, four words) |
| TAKE ME WITH YOU – Anagram of WHY MIKE ATE OUT. | |
| 6 | Cases which tie up flying ace and hero (7) |
| OCHREAE – Anagram of ACE + HERO. | |
| 7 | Plant manager finally to jog round Edinburgh that is (6) |
| RHODIE – [manage]R + HOD + I.E. | |
| 8 | Many Inuit surprisingly giving full agreement (9) |
| UNANIMITY – Anagram of MANY INUIT. | |
| 9 | Snare otherwise held by alien visitor? (6, two words) |
| EEL SET – E(ELSE)T. | |
| 15 | Old sailor’s manuals left over I loan out (9) |
| PORTOLANI – PORT + anagram of I LOAN. Over is merely a positional indicator, the O comes from I LOAN. | |
| 18 | Boozer, male, turned up embraced by a good-for-nothing (8) |
| ALEHOUSE – A L(HE upside-down)OUSE. | |
| 20 | Things for philosophers strewn on a menu (7) |
| NOUMENA – Anagram of ON A MENU. | |
| 21 | Discarded letter about company with good book of jokes (6) |
| SCOGAN – S(CO,G)AN. San was one of those Greek letters that disappeared before the classical period. | |
| 22 | Watch for American book being dropped from stock move up (6) |
| ANALOG – [b]ANAL + GO upside-down. | |
| 24 | Speak about German and the week’s beginning (6) |
| SUNDAY – S(UND)AY. | |
| 25 | Canvas-climber’s cover steps up about to be introduced (6, two words) |
| SEA CAP – PAC(A)ES upside-down. | |
| 27 | Together as before go gently up round west of Mull (5) |
| YSAME – E(M[ull])ASY upside-down. | |
Was almost sorry to finish this so quickly (done on Monday).
I laughed out loud (literally) at the pun.