A gentle Mephisto that shouldn’t cause too many problems to experienced solvers
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | ATAP – A-TAP; bug=TAP (phones); leaves used for thatching; |
| 6 | ESTOCS – (th)E-(SCOTS reversed); short swords; |
| 11 | HAVE,A,POP,AT – HAVE-A-PO-PAT; narrow-minded=PO; Irishman=PAT; |
| 12 | OWENITE – OWE-NIT-(onc)E; disciple of Robert 1771-1858 rather than Dr David; |
| 14 | RECALL – REC-ALL; take=REC; |
| 15 | INTOED – INTO-ED; edition=ED; |
| 16 | SLUMLORD – ingredient of crude oil=SLUM-2; Peter Rachman perhaps; |
| 18 | I,SAY – I-(scot)S-AY; |
| 20 | SCREEVE – SC-REEVE; special constable=SC; begging letter; |
| 22 | CORANTO – CO-RAN-TO; a dance; |
| 26 | VULN – V-ULN(a); to wound in heraldry (see vulnerable in C); |
| 27 | GALLIVAT – GALLIVA(n)T; a sailing boat; |
| 28 | OR,ELSE – ORE-LSE; tangle=ORE; |
| 29 | LITTLE – (title + l=Latin)*; |
| 31 | SEAROOM – S-EA-(MOOR reversed); river=EA; |
| 32 | SINGING-MEN – SIN-GIN-(G-MEN); “Henry IV” rather than say “Treorchy” to give Waggledagger connection; |
| 33 | INSETS – INSE(c)TS; c=speed of light=constant; |
| 34 | PLEA – PLEA(sure); |
| Down | |
| 1 | AHORSE – (so hera)*; “up no more” is definition; |
| 2 | TOWEL-GOURD – (gould wrote)*; a loofah; |
| 3 | PANAMA – (A-MAN-AP reversed); before a meal=AP; |
| 4 | EVIL – LIVE reversed; |
| 5 | GET,LOST – GE(O-LT reversed)ST; adventure tale=GEST; mild response to 28A; |
| 7 | SPANDREL – (naples)* surrounds DR=drawer; |
| 8 | TOUTIE – TO-(c)UTIE; |
| 9 | OPPOSED – OPPOS-(b)ED(s); |
| 10 | STUD – two meanings; |
| 13 | LEAVE,ALONE – LE(A-VEAL)ONE; African rhino=African money=LEONE; |
| 17 | LONG,SUIT – L-ON-(G-SUIT); phrase for talent derived from bridge (cards); |
| 19 | ORLEANS – O-R(LEAN)S; formerly eleven=O (see “O” in C); rupees=RS; |
| 21 | COLLEGE – COL-LEG-E; old slang for prison; |
| 23 | ANLAGE – A-(galen)*; primordium; |
| 24 | SITREP – SIT-(PER reversed); military slang; |
| 25 | STEMMA – ST-EMMA; Jane Austen reference; |
| 28 | OSSI – (IS-SO reversed); old inhabitant of East Berlin (opposite of WESSI); |
| 30 | IAMB – hidden reversed (l)IAMB(ew); don’t see the relevance of “being absurd say”; |
16ac reminded me of Singer, a very memorable play by Peter Flannery I saw in Stratford years ago with Antony Sher in the lead. The character was based on Rachman.