Similar to the post immediately below. Only just remembered its due this weekend from noticing the current one is 1178! This usually doesnt matter when I attempt the current one on a Saturday lunchtime. It is now 10:20pm on Sunday, so will have to post tomorrow.
Very late, sorry, completely forgot my placeholder.
| Across |
| 1 |
POST-DATE – POST=office (job), DATE=appointment |
| 5 |
TRIVIA – TRIA(l)=short hearing, around IV=four |
| 9 |
CARIBOU – CU=copper, around A RIB=bone, O=old |
| 14 |
WAR MEMORIAL – (immoral wear)* |
| 15 |
NOTHING TO IT – NO=small number, THING=object, TO, IT=infotech |
| 16 |
REALM – REAL M(adrid) |
| 17 |
BIG EARS – BIS=again, around GEAR=clothes |
| 18 |
MISERABLE – MI=note, ER=queen, inside SABLE=black |
| 19 |
DESPITE – SPIT=light rain, inside DEE=river |
| 20 |
WELL INTENTIONED – WELL=fine, IN TENT=under canvas, I, ONE=single, D=daughter |
| 22 |
BESEECHING – BEECHING=railway closer (Richard Beeching), outside (b)ES(t) |
| 23 |
EGRESS – EG=for example, (d)RESS=garment with no front |
| 25 |
FAIR – double def |
| 28 |
PLAY GOOSEBERRY – PLAY=act, GOOSEBERRY=what might be part of a fool |
| 30 |
TRIANGLE – TANGLE=ravel, around (a)RI(a) |
| 32 |
SOCRATIC – (actor is)* , C=key |
| 34 |
BROAD IN THE BEAM – BROAD=American woman, IN THE BEAM=spotlighted |
| 37 |
WARP – PRAW(n), reversed |
| 38 |
GALLIC – GALL=impudence, CI=channel islands, reversed |
| 39 |
DISHEARTEN – DISH=shallow container, EART(h)EN |
| 43 |
NUMBER CRUNCHING – NUMBER=anaesthetic, CRUNCH=crisis, I=one, NG=no good |
| 45 |
NEUTRAL – NEURAL=nervous, about T |
| 47 |
PLURALIST – (stir up all)* |
| 49 |
GUTLESS – GUESS=conjecture, around LT, reversed |
| 51 |
IBIZA – I, BIZ=business, A=area |
| 52 |
HIPPOPOTAMI – HIP=joint, PO PO, pair of post offices, I MAT=carpet, reversed |
| 53 |
FINGERBOARD – FINGER=identify, BOARD=food |
| 54 |
TERNARY – NA=not available, in TERRY=towelling |
| 55 |
ENABLE – E=european, BAN=embargo, reversed, LE=the french |
| 56 |
PSALTERY – S=small, ALTER=change, in P=pressure, Y=unknown |
| Down |
| 1 |
POWERED – WE’RE inside POD |
| 2 |
SARGASSO SEA – S=sulphur, (as gas arose)* |
| 3 |
DREAMLIKE – REAM=500 sheets, L=left, in DIKE=ditch |
| 4 |
TROUBLESHOOTING – TROUBLES=bothers, HOOTING=giving warning to drivers |
| 6 |
RELIABLE – RE=sappers, LIABLE=legally answerable |
| 7 |
VANISHING CREAM – CREAM=the very best, VANISHING=going away |
| 8 |
ANTIMATTER – A NATTER, about TIM(e) |
| 9 |
CRIMSON – RIMS inside CON |
| 10 |
ROGER – first letters – R(adio) O(perator) G(enerally) E(nsures) R(eceipts) |
| 11 |
BOOKBINDING – BOOK=make a reservation, BINDING=irrevocable |
| 12 |
UNTRENDY – (turned NY)* |
| 13 |
KING – KIN=family, G(eorge) |
| 20 |
WANDER – WONDER=be puzzling, with the O changed to A |
| 21 |
INFLATE – Flat D’s neighbour lives IN FLAT E. |
| 22 |
BYPASS – double def |
| 24 |
STRETCH ONES LEGS – (congress settle h)* |
| 26 |
TERRA INCOGNITA – (cannot irrigate)* |
| 27 |
YEOMAN – YE=the old, OMAN=arab sultanate |
| 29 |
GRAPPLE – GR=grains, APPLE=fruit |
| 31 |
RIDING – double def |
| 33 |
CLAIM JUMPER – two parts, mine in the second part being the claim |
| 35 |
EXTERMINATE – E=english, X=unknown, TERM=word, IN A TE=note. |
| 36 |
ILLUSTRATE – TART=acid, reversed, inside ILL USE |
| 40 |
ABU SIMBEL – AIM=intend, around BUS=public transport, BE L(ate) |
| 41 |
SNAPSHOT – SNAPS=is short, HOT=sexy |
| 42 |
MIRTHFUL – (film hurt)* |
| 44 |
CHICORY – CHIC=fashionable, OR=men, Y=yen |
| 46 |
LEAP DAY – (played)* around A |
| 48 |
AROMA – A ROMA(n) |
| 50 |
ERNE – hidden in (east)ERN E(thiopia) |
.. however much delayed.
Unusually for me I completed this ages ago and can’t recall how tricky or otherwise it was. I only get the Times on Saturdays and keep a pile of the two offerings (standard and Jumbo) for solving as and when – normally I’m about a couple of weeks in arrears but recently I’ve caught up.
May I offer grateful thanks to you and all the other bloggers who have helped me become semi-competent over the last 2 or 3 years since I started attempting the Times crossword ?
From taking up to a week (in many sessions )to get most of a grid complete I can now occasionally complete in less than a day though often with one or 2 clues where I can’t satisfactorily parse them though pretty sure they’re correct.
Regards,
David (Warwick)