Standard solve, perhaps at the quick end, with no stand out tough clues. Any hard vocab, such as QUINSY, MASSE and TUMBRIL, was gettable from definition or checkers. Special mention to the wordplay in 4D.
Across | |
1 | ANTIBES – ANTI BES(t) |
5 | MOBY DICK – MO=second, BY, DICK(ens) |
9 | DANISH – A(djectives) & N(ouns) inside of DISH = course |
13 | CHRISTMAS PRESENT – (merchants persist)* |
14 | TUAREG – GET reversed around UAR. I had to guess that this represented the United Arab Republic, a former name for Egypt, which is a bit embarrassing as it was as recently as 1971! |
16 | MAYAN – A, Y(ear) inside MAN=people |
17 | EYEWASH – E, YEW, ASH. The trees are the go-to clueing fodder for this word, which seems to crop up more in xwds than it really ought to!! |
18 | ALIGNMENT – ALIMENT=food around (mornin)G, N(oon) |
19 | LEVITICUS – (vice, lust)* around I |
21 | BERGAMO – OM=order, then (z)AGREB, all reversed |
22 | SEIZE – sounds like SEES = spots |
23 | TON UP – PUN = joke, OT = books, reversed. Definition is “shifting” as in moving at pace. |
25 | ABSTINENT – (in nets, bat)* |
27 | EXPRESS – EX-PRESS = retired hack |
29 | RESTARTED – (trade)* after REST = holiday |
31 | CONCENTRATION – slightly dubious on this, but have C=100=many, ON CENT RATION = receiving most meagre allowance. |
34 | SONS AND LOVERS – N, SAND=writer, inside SOLO=single, VERS(e) |
35 | THE STICKS – (thickset)* then S |
37 | MOLOTOV – MO LoT = group of medical officers, O V = nothing against. The russian best associated with the “cocktail”. |
39 | NUMBER TEN – slightly odd semi-cryptic clue (unless, as is likely, I have missed the smart bit)!! |
42 | MANGO – MAN = staff, GO = depart |
43 | SIGHT – TH(e) GIS, reversed |
45 | NAIL SET – cryptic def |
47 | ABHORRENT – HO, R inside A BRENT=london borough |
49 | ILLUMINES – ILL, U(nderground) MINES=tunnels. |
50 | FORESAW – FORE, SAW !! |
52 | TOSCA – T(eenagers) O(ften) S(cathing), then CA=about. |
54 | LUSTRA – hidden in (il)LUSTRA(tions) |
55 | HAVE A HEART OF GOLD – a reverse clue type – (d)OR(a) and (m)AU(d) both have centres representing gold, OR and AU. |
56 | DODDLE – (i)D(l)E(r) around ODD=rum, L |
57 | READABLE – RE, ALE about DAB=expert |
58 | ROASTED – OAST = oven, inside RED = wine. |
Down | |
1 | ACCUMULATOR – triple def, the person, the bet, and the electrical instrument |
2 | TARRY – one of those xwd words “TARRY” = like a TAR=sailor. in the same bracket as FLOW-ER and WICK-ED |
3 | BASINET – (ANTIBES)* |
4 | SOME ENCHANTED EVENING – O=love, ME, (t)EN(der) CHANTED=sung, EVEN=flat, all inside SING. Great concise clueing to get all that content in such a short smooth surface. |
5 | MASSEUSES – MASSE = stroke (billiards), US, (th)E (finger)S |
6 | BURQA – A, Q, RUB, reversed |
7 | DISCHARGE – DISC, (c)H(arts), then R in AGE |
8 | CANTATA – the prisoner might say “TATA” to the CAN on leaving |
10 | AQUINAS – A QUINS(y) around A |
11 | ISRAELITE – LEAR = king, reversed in I SITE |
12 | HIGH TREASON – another reverse clue – senator might be clued as “HIGH TREASON” |
15 | DIP ONES TOE IN THE WATER – weak cryptic def |
20 | VENISON – SINE in NOV all reversed |
21 | BRIOCHE – OCH inside BRIE |
24 | PLAY ACT – LAY inside PACT |
26 | THEFT – THE FT is a daily paper |
28 | PHANTOM – H inside PANTO, then M(arley) |
30 | DROWN – WORD = promise, reversed, then (kitche)N, def is just “sink” |
32 | NO SWEAT – NOW = today, around S=son, EAT |
33 | INCENSE – IN, sounds like SENSE |
34 | SEMI SKILLED – SEMIS, KILLED |
36 | SHORT-HANDED – SHORTHAND, ED |
38 | LEGALISED – GAL IS, inside LEED(s) |
40 | MASEFIELD – ME = this writer, around AS=when, FIELD = the competition |
41 | TRANSLATE – TRA(i)N, SLATE |
44 | TUMBRIL – TUM=corporation, BRIL(l) |
46 | INSTATE – I,N,STATE |
48 | RATAFIA – (at a fair)* |
51 | REHAB – HE inside BAR, reversed |
53 | SNOUT – SN=tin, OUT=square |
This clue Is quite clearly Literal cryptic and definition.
In other words it can be split into three distinct parts.
MY Challenge to the setter is simply prove C= many
if C = 100, then 100 = many surely
you will get more response perhaps if you give a name
Edited at 2014-03-24 11:34 am (UTC)
Surely if you have to go that way ON(E) CENT RATION .
Your explanation of this clue is WRONGai
I prefixed my suggestion with a hint of doubt, as I too do not recall too many uses of C as many, however it still makes logical sense.
There is no indication of the removal of the E of ON(e), or its shortening, and the concept of being “on a ration” is reasonable. Furthermore, like penny or pound, I would venture that in the absence of any enumeration, we must assume that it is a single item. If the purpose was the suggestion of a ration denominated in US currency, it would likely use DOLLAR, however if not, it would probably be the plural CENTS.