Mephisto 2596 Mike Laws – Times for The Times

I found this the easiest Mephisto for some time, the down clues in particular with all but 5D of 1d to 9D read and written straight in.The AZED on the same day was even easier. I hardly needed Chambers to verify anything in either puzzle. We were due an easier Mephisto so no complaints (and the blog was very easy to write!).

Across
1	PENNYDOG – PE-(Donny)*-G; a tope;
7	OOPS – SPOO(n) reversed (“spoon” was my grandmother’s word for courting. Today it’s to cuddle whilst both facing in the same direction – very useful for airport floors);
10	OLEIFEROUS – OLE-IF-(S-U-ORE reversed); oil producing seeds for example;
11	STRELITZES – (seltzer + its)*; old Russian military corps that formed the Tzar’s bodyguard;
12	NECROSE – (censor)*-E;
14	NEIGH – N(E)IGH; e=Euler’s number=mathematical base for natural logs;
15	DARING – D(AR)ING; DING=Doctor Ingeniariae=Doctor of Engineeering;
16	PUS – PUS(s);
18	SNOWISH – (son)*-WISH;
20	ANOESIS – (season + I)*; receiving impressions without associated intellectual effort – BBC 24 hour news perhaps;
22	YAK – two meanings;
25	STATAL – (at last)*;
26	OCKER – (m)OCKER; the Aussie swigging a tinnie and talking strine;
27	AXOLOTL – A-(LOX reversed)-(lot)*; LOX=smoked salmon; Mexican salamander;
28	DESPITEFUL – (stupid flee)*;
29	QUERCITRON – QUE(e)R-CITRO(e)N; the Eastern Black Oak;
30	LEES – L(ook)-(SEE reversed); no longer found in quaffing wines thank goodness;
31	FARTHING – GRAF reversed surrounds THIN; there were 960 to the pound and at school we had to work out the cost of two ells at fourpence three farthings a foot! ;

Down
1	POUND,DAY – (a dud pony)*; a charity day;
2	ELAEAGNACEAE – (ALE reversed)-EAG(er)-N-ACE-AE; very in Aberdeen=AE; olive trees;
3	NITRIC – IN reversed – TRIC(ky); used to make fertilizers and explosives;
4	Y-FRONTS – (frosty + n=end of reception)*; the source of Jeremy Paxman’s angst;
5	ORLEANS – ORLE-ANS; minor charges=ORLE; a cotton fabric;
6	GOING – GO(I)NG;
7	OUTER – (route)*;
8	PREGUSTATION – P-R(E-GUST)ATION;
9	SASH – two meanings;
13	CROOK – C-ROOK; card sharp=ROOK;
16	PINTO – PINT-O; O=”of” rather than “off”;
17	SHILLING – S(HILL)ING; Bob=slang for a shilling; 48 farthings;
18	SINATRA – SIN-A-TRA(p); did a lot of my spooning to Songs For Swinging Lovers;
19	OUT,OF,IT – OU-TO-FIT; OU=Open University=distance learning;
21	GALUTH – LAG reversed – (hut)*; forced exile of particularly Jews;
23	LEPUS – LE-SUP reversed; the “hare” galaxy that sits below Orion and was one of Ptolemy’s discoveries;
24	GRIEF – GR-IE-F;
26	ODAL – ODA-L; women’s room (in a harem) = ODA; loch=lake=L; see Udal in C; Udal Law was Norse Law as practiced in Orkney;

5 comments on “Mephisto 2596 Mike Laws”

Agree pleasant to solve – I liked the “money corners” which helped speed. Life being what it is (busy!) I do not persist with a Mephisto if I cannot see my way into the puzzle after about 10 mins.

About the same experience, didn’t need Chambers until it came to 2 down and ANOESIS. CROOK looking down on OCKER made me wonder if Mike Laws was leaving a message to this tinny-wielding Strine talked. Come on ya mug. Gis a hard one, girl!