Mephisto 2548 (28th June 2009)

A relatively easy puzzle with a good number of clues that are no harder than appear every day in the ordinary cryptic. This is particularly true of the initial down clues where I solved the first seven without pausing for breath. For new solvers (C) = Chambers used to verify part of a clue (S) = starter clue (see memories/solving tips at the top of the page)

Across
1	OCULARLY – O-CU(LA)RLY; O=love; LA=look!; use of the eyes;
7	TAPA – TAP-A; broach=TAP; the singular of “tapas”, delicious Spanish bar snacks; S;
10	DISH,AERIAL – (hides)* containg “a” + LAIR reversed; your Sky connection; S;
11	SALT,PAN – S(ALT)PAN; ALT=key on keyboard; SPAN=bridge; a depression accumulating (salt);
13	IPOH – (HOPI reversed); HOPI=Arazonian Indians; IPOH=capital of Perak, Malaysia; C;
14	with 15; MAGNETOSPHERE – (game not)*-SP-HERE; SP=without children; reference earth’s magnetic field; C;
15	see 14;
17	TELLAR – TE(LL)AR; TEAR=drop; LL=lines; TELLAR=tiller-2=a shoot from a tree stump; C;
19	SEA,LACE – SEAL-ACE; SEAL-3=seel=to blindfold; ore-2=seaweed=SEA LACE; C;
21	PEREION – (reopen)* surrounding “i”; a crab’s thorax; C; I liked this clue;
22	OBEYER – O(BEY)ER; OER=over=above; BEY=Turkish Governor; C;
23	with 25; NON-COMPOUNDER – NON-COM + POUNDER; NON-COM=non commissioned officer; pound-3=bruise; a Jacobite; C;
25	see 23;
28	ARNE – (b)ARNE(t); Barnet is part of London famous for its fair; reference Thomas Arne 1710-1778; S;
29	ARAL,SEA – AR-(ALS(o))-EA; and=also; landlocked shrinking lake near Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan; S;
30	TRAGACANTH – TRA(GA-CANT)H; deer=HART; GA=Georgia; a gum yielding plant; C;
31	EDDO – ODDE(r) reversed; an edible tuber (see “eddoes” in C);
32	BEADY,EYE – B(EA-DYE)YE; BYE=extra (cricket); EA=each; DYE=colour; S;
Down
1	OASIS – O-AS-IS; S;
2	CLAPPERBOARD – C-LAP-PER-BOAR-D; CD=Corps Diplomatique; device used to start a “take” when making a film; S;
3	LITHELY – LI(THE)LY; THE-1=our; “supply” = “supple” rather than “provide”;
4	ASPIRATE – AS-PIRATE; AS=Roman copper coin; reference Estuary English; S;
5	LANATE – L(A-N)ATE; woolly; S; C;
6	YEGG – Y-EGG; Peter Pincher might one say; S; C;
7	TRIN – TR-IN; TR=transactions; IN=home; a triplet (delivery-one of three); S; C;
8	PANTALOONERY – PANT-ALO(O)NE-RY; O=zero=duck (cricket); foolishness (lovely word); C;
9	ALSO-RAN – A(L-SORA)N; L=line; SORA=rail (bird); C;
12	PELVIC – P-ELVI(s)-C; PC=Police Constable=officer; ELVIS (Presley)=The King; S;
16	HAVE,UP – H(EVA reversed)UP; HUP=turn right in paddock-speak; C;
18	EUROLAND – (our deal + N=Norway)*; the countries using the Euro; S;
19	SCOPATE – SCOP(AT)E; SCOPE=opportunity; hairs on a bee’s legs for collecting pollen; C;
20	PENALTY – P-(LANE reversed)-(i)TY; S;
21	PREACE – P(R)EACE; Romeo=R (phonetic alphabet); old word for squeeze; C;
24	MEADE – MEAD-E; famous US General George Meade 1815-1872 who beat General Lee at Gettysburg; S;
26	NO-GO – NOG-O; NOG-2=snag; O=ordinary; C;
27	DRAB – two meanings; 1=dull; 2=prostitute=tart;