I did not record my time, but this certainly kept me entertained. In my opinion there were a number of excellent clues, particularly 28 Down where when the solution dawned I could not help smiling. I hope others enjoyed it as much.
There were also a couple of clues where I needed to check the solution in Chambers to confirm.
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BROWSER – BROWS(=crests), followed by ER, being letters common to summer and winter | |
| 8 | PEDESTAL – PE(D,EST)AL | |
| 9 | OPEN UP – O(PEN)UP. OUP is the Oxford University Press, which is one of those abbreviations worth remembering for Times crosswords | |
| 13 | STEM CELL RESEARCH – STEM(=stop), CELL=(group of plotters) RE, SEARCH(=rifle) | |
| 14 | WRITER – WRI(T)ER. I suppose wrier, or more wry, is OK for more perverse | |
| 16 | DISPIRIT – TRIPS I’D reversed around I(sland) | |
| 17 | WEFT – FEW reversed followed by T(his). The thread that is sent back and forth across the loom in weaving, as opposed to the warp, which is the thread running from end to end | |
| 18 | SCOUNDREL – SCO(UND)RE,L. This took some unravelling. SCORE = succeed in seduction, UND = German’s and, L = itaLian’s heart | |
| 20 | DISGORGE – (rigged so)*. A tube, if squeezed, will disgorge its contents | |
| 21 | PORT STANLEY – (any plotters)*. The capital of the Falkland Islands, and fixed in British minds since the Falklands war of 1982 | |
| 24 | ask if unsure | |
| 25 | LANDLADY – L(AND,LAD)Y | |
| 26 | LENS – L(arg)E,N,S | |
| 29 | MENTHOLATED – MEN,THO’,LATE,D(=had). As a non-smoker I never understood the appeal, although I do remember Consulate advertising from the 60s and 70s | |
| 31 | SPEED CAMERA – cryptic definition, but a clever one | |
| 33 | TWELVEMONTH – (when,V,lot met)*. | |
| 36 | ISAAC NEWTON – I SAW TON around ACNE | |
| 38 | RUSK – R,(t)USK | |
| 39 | CONTRIVE – CON,TRIVE(t). I was familiar with trivet as a stand, but did not associate it with a three-legged form (despite the “tri” prefix), so started off looking for triveyard to be a word. However, looking in the dictionary soon put me on the right track | |
| 41 | INSIDE OUT – sounds like “in sighed doubt” | |
| 44 | CHEESEBOARD – C,HE(ESEBO)ARD. ESEBO = obese reversed | |
| 45 | PRESENCE – PRETENCE with S replacing T | |
| 48 | MENDICANT – MEND,I CAN’T = it’s beyond me | |
| 49 | ask if unsure | |
| 50 | TIMORESE – TIE (cravat) around MORES (customs) | |
| 52 | ANORAK – AN,O(RA)K. Sanction often brings to mind (incorrectly) controls and bans rather than permissions. In this case to sanction is to OK. | |
| 53 | PRESTIDIGITATION – P,REST,I DIG IT, A T(I)ON | |
| 54 | ask if unsure | |
| 55 | HAIRLESS – I would describe this as cryptic double definition. I’m sure there is some connection with the “keep your hair on!” instruction to keep calm. | |
| 56 | NEEDFUL – (end fuel)* | |
| Down | ||
| 1 | BESIDE – BE(SI)DE. Si being Spanish for yes, inside Bede | |
| 2 | OR ELSE – (m)ORELS,(st)E(ak) | |
| 3 | SACRIFICE – SAC,(o)RIFICE | |
| 4 | ask if unsure | |
| 5 | PORK – POK(e) around R(esistance) | |
| 6 | DISHEVELLED – DISH,EVE,LLED. EVE = woman believed first, and LLED = DELL reversed, which together with DISH make converging depressions. Cleverly constructed clue | |
| 7 | SMARTY-PANTS – (nasty tramps)* | |
| 8 | ANCESTRAL – (clans are)* around T. Further back in the line of decent than… | |
| 10 | PARENTAL – PA RENTAL | |
| 11 | NATURAL SELECTION – (alas turn)* followed by ELECTION | |
| 12 | PARSLEY – PARLEY for negotiation around S(ucceeded) | |
| 15 | LOPSIDED – LOPS,I,DED being alternate letters in DrEaD | |
| 19 | FRIGHTEN – F(RIGHT)EN | |
| 22 | SCIMITAR – I’M IT (someone’s tagged me) in SCAR | |
| 23 | FRANKENSTEIN FOOD – (offered non atkins)*. Is this an international term, referring to food containing genetically modified ingredients, or a UK tabloid hysterical term? A clever anagram | |
| 27 | STAGNATE – hidden in mu(ST A GNAT E)volve | |
| 28 | WAKE – Cryptic definition. My favourite clue. After a short panic when left with _A_E as checking letters, which must be about the least helpful possible, and thinking through various possibilities including RAVE, the penny dropped. | |
| 30 | ask if unsure | |
| 32 | EXAMINEE – EX(A MINE)E. A MINE = an excavation. The word English in the clue is deliberately misleading as it suggests an extra E somewhere. | |
| 34 | ask if unsure | |
| 35 | HAIRDRESSER – (shears drier)*. A very appropriate anagram | |
| 36 | INEXPENSIVE – I(NEX(t))PENSIVE = budget | |
| 37 | COSMETICIAN – (once I’m cast I)* | |
| 40 | TRATTORIA – AIR OTT ART all reversed. OTT = over the top, or excessive. I’m sure I’ve seen a very similar, if not identical, clue before | |
| 42 | DOCTORATE – cryptically suggesting that in order to get TEA one needs to DOCTOR (or anagrammise) ATE | |
| 43 | ESTIMATE – E(gregiou)S,TIM(AT)E | |
| 44 | COMRADE – CO(MRA)DE. MRA = arm (weapon) reversed | |
| 46 | BELIEF – BELIE,F(aith) | |
| 47 | FENNEL – FE(N,N)EL | |
| 51 | BIAS – or(BI)ts,AS | |
As you say, there were some brilliant cryptic defs SPEED CAMERA – “Collector of evidence from drive-by shooting” and WAKE – “Party missing the life and soul”.
Thanks to the setter
I do have my doubts about this clue. It may be an example of a setter letting a brilliant surface get in the way of the wordplay. Presumbly, the people attending a wake believe that the soul of the departed is present. Otherwise there would be no point having the wake.