Solving Time: I rattled through this in just over 40 minutes, very quick for me so I guess this one must be on the easy side. Jason and Magoo I notice managed to complete it in under 24 minutes. Although replete as always with the more distant reaches of the alphabet, it is not quite a pangram as it lacks a G. But it is as good as ever, my favourite crossword of the month.
cd = cryptic definition, dd = double definition, rev = reversed, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as *(–)
Across | |
---|---|
1 | sheep scab – SHE + EPS + CAB. The English Leicester is, like most things properly English, an endangered species nowadays |
9 |
rouleau – O( |
10 |
astatki – hidden: ( |
11 |
telex – ( |
12 |
kilohertz – *(FOLK ZITHER), with the F( |
13 | excudit – something to chew on = CUD, in retirement = EXIT |
15 |
yakow – W( |
17 |
dosha – money = “the necessary” = DOSH + A( |
18 |
sucky – capitals = U( |
19 | etyma – MY rev. in Homeric (ie Greek) character = ETA |
20 |
insculp – IN( |
23 | yohimbine – look at me = YO, + the guy = HIM + climbing stem = BINE. The ODO says of yo: “used to greet someone, attract their attention, or express excitement…” – not by me though. On the face of it it seems to be another Americanism. I am aware that GW Bush used it, hardly a recommendation.. |
25 |
zimbi – M( |
27 | vinasse – N + ASS in strive = VIE. Sugar after all the useful bits have been removed. |
28 | Imhotep – Imhotep, from the 27th century BC, was a truly remarkable man, possibly the first person in all history who was recorded as being valued for his intelligence. I won’t insult him by parsing the clue, but ask if puzzled.. |
29 | yacht club – a cape = AC in *(BUTCHLY). |
Down | |
1 | skanky – unknown = Y + talent’s = KNACK’s, without the Cand rev. |
2 | ecthlipsis – ECT + H + LIPS + IS. ECT remains a shameful blot on the medical landscape. To this day we still do it, a powerful electric current through the brain, without even the most basic idea of what we are actually doing to the most complex part of the body. Wikipedia says “Its mode of action is unknown.” Sometimes it works for a short while, and that is all the justification there is… not surprisingly, it is never done privately. There is a real scandal here, waiting to happen, hopefully sooner rather than later.. pseudoscience in spades |
3 | pitahaya – bread = PITA + cattle food = HAY + area = A. Pita was unfamiliar to me but is a US spelling of pitta, according to ODO. There seem to be more and more US spellings creeping unacknowledged into our crosswords |
4 |
chirr – singers = CH( |
5 | breezeway – “BRIES” + “WEIGH,” to make another pure Americanism |
6 | fustoc – *(CUTS OF) |
7 | jell – Joo joo EyebalL + L. Unusual to see the required letters spaced so far apart. Since “joo joo” is not in the OED or Chambers the clue seems a little laboured. |
8 |
quixotry – doubt = QUERY, with the E replaced by TOXI( |
14 | dickcissel – LES + SICK + CID, all rev. Wrens and goldcrests must be relieved at having fared so much better in the naming department.. |
16 |
keepy-uppy – KEE( |
17 |
daidzein – I( |
18 |
salmonet – (legal) tender = MONE( |
21 |
ubiety – *(BUY TI( |
22 | reverb – well, I think this one is long note = BREVE + R, then all rev. |
24 | havoc – bible edition = AV in HOC. My Latin is rudimentary in the extreme but I did know “Hic, haec, hoc.” |
26 | mohr – short time = MO + hour = HR. “Mohr” defeats Wikipedia, but Chambers has it as an alternate for Mhorr. That is a species of African gazelle, the critically endangered Dama Gazelle. Another one for the ever-expanding list of gazelles, antelope and deer that crop up in crosswords.. |
Sky is in Collins as weather, so I’m happy with that clue (even if it’s usually used in the plural in that sense). Thanks, J, for the ones I couldn’t find via aids!
This took me just over an hour, slowed down enormously by the fact that DOSHA isn’t in Chambers, which made me discount it completely. I don’t know why – perhaps just because it’s the reference for Mephisto and Azed, where the clues are similar – but I’ve always assumed that Chambers was the reference for these puzzles. Clearly an incorrect assumption!