Sunday Times 4559 (13 Oct 2013) by Jeff Pearce

Author   daveperryPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time: Just under 20 mins.

I picked this up with only about 20 minutes left of my lunch hour, and was rather surprised to finish it in that time. A lot of answers I could write straight in. Nothing much to say about it, as there was nothing particularly clever herein.

No doubt there will be some fast times.

cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (–)*, and removals like this

Across
1 TH(R)ONG
5 RI(ALT)O
9 RUN AROUND – A ‘wordplay in solution’ type clue. RUN around is NUR, the National Union of Railwaymen.
10 RANK – dd
11 DE(LET)E – An obstruction is a let in squash, and probably other sports as well.
12 A + LO(E)VER + A
14 P(AG)ANINI
16 RUM + Politician
18 GIFT – dd
19 FOR A SONG = (FAGS ON + OffeR)*
21 SHANGHAI – dd
22 MYRIAD = Rebel Insurgents Are Discovered after MY (Well!)
24 LAM + A
26 PIG-HEADED = GI rev after P + HEADED
27 SEVER + Noisome
28 LANCET = Theatre after (CLEAN)*
Down
2 HORSERADISH = (HAS HIS ORDER)*
3 OUNCE – dd
4 GARDENIA = (DRAINAGE)*
5 RED-TOP – dd
6 AARDVARKS – cd
7 TAN = STAN with the Sun removed – semi-&lit
8 LUNATIC FRINGE = (CUT FINGER + NAIL)*
13 ROMAN CANDLE = (CAMERON)* about (AND + L)
15 ATTENUATE = TEN (cardinal) + U (you texted) all in A + TATE (gallery)
17 B(RUM + M)ELL – After Beau Brummell who I’ve only come across in the lyrics of a Billy Joel song
20 CHOPIN = CHINa about OP
23 RADON = DO (cook) in RAN (managed)
25 APE = P in A&E

8 comments on “Sunday Times 4559 (13 Oct 2013) by Jeff Pearce”

  1. A rare sub-30 for me, with nothing much to note.

    On the other hand, Dean Mayer’s offering today is out of the top drawer…

  2. Finished in very good time for me. Agree with David; other than being pleasantly reminded of a couple of British colloquialisms, nothing especially special. But, could someone help me with the second definition in10ac, please?

    1. It’s a reference to J Arthur Rank (no rhyming slang please!) the British cinema mogul, founder of the Rank Organisation, who made films and owned a chain of cinemas. His family made their money out of flour.

      I finished this in 32 minutes, which is pretty good for me on a Sunday these days. 6dn was a gift to fans of Blackadder with reference to the Dictionary episode.

      Edited at 2013-10-20 10:50 pm (UTC)

      1. Thank you. I assumed it had to be something or someone like that. I appreciate the help.
  3. Probably a Sunday pb for me, but not much reason to be chuffed about it, given how easy it was. 12, 21, & 24ac, for instance were giveaways. I remember J. Arthur because of his muscular gong-ringer. Beau Brummell, when asked by a lady if he had ever done anything he was ashamed of, confessed that he had once eaten a pea.
  4. Easy puzzle? Yes, but we have to cater for a range of solvers.

    In 11A, I think “let” was intended to be as in “let or hindrance”.

    Edited at 2013-10-21 07:08 am (UTC)

  6. Red Top is a term used to describe tabloid newspapers in the UK. The Sun is one such, much like The Sun family of newspapers in Canada.

    I suppose Man. Utd. fans buy red tops, the colour of Man. U. jerseys.

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