Mephisto 2721 – Don Manley

Author   glhPosted on Categories Mephisto
After a couple of pretty tough Mephistos, this is back on the easier side (still more challenging than the daily), though there’s a few clues I can’t fully parse (of course 1 across is one of them).

I was surprised to see a larger grid in the online Mephisto this time around, but in my case it meant the printing spilled on to two pages of US Letter size paper. Yes, I know I could have checked in print preview, but I’m so used to the small grid and it fitting on one page that I didn’t notice it until it was off the printer. I just printed this week’s off and we’re back to one page.

Away we go…

Across
1 CANAPE: C(owper) then (PAEAN)* – I presume this is an &lit, but I don’t get the reference, who is Cowper?
6 SPACEY: ACE in SPY(one like Bond, James Bond)
11 ABLUTOMANE: (AMBULATION)* then (gor)E
12 DERAIGN: RA in DEIGN
13 BROW(n): though when I’m sunburnt I’m more red
14 RELY: REALLY without an L
15 STRASS: hidden reversed in worthleSS ART Spread imitation gem paste
17 AMBAGES: MBA in AGES
19 SNELLIEST: SELL(create deception) in TENS all reversed
20 SOBRANYE: (BY,REASON)*
26 TATA SET: A,S in DATE(time) then (experimen)T
28 SERAPE: SEE(escort) around RAP(grab)
29 MASU: first letters in Meal Alas Slight Undercooked
30 AYUS: hidden in bAY USually
31 HONITON: NIT in HOON (double
32 CESTRATION: anagram of CANOE with STRICKEN less KEN
33 PRAYER: BRAYER(ass) with a change up front Edit: This was my error – it’s PRAYER with the change up front to BRAYER, got my front to backs back to front
34 KA,TANA: first time I’ve seen KA used to mean a statue, we usually see it as a spirit
 
Down
1 CADRANSES: (AS,DANCERS)*
2 A,D,E,EMS(measures)
3 A,BAY,AS
4 P,LING(heather): and the definition is the exclamation mark at the end of the clue
5 EUGHEN: N(note),EH(what),GUE(stringed instrument) all reversed
7 PONTILE: (TIN)* in POLE
8 AMBRY: BR in AMY
9 CARAVELS C then TRAVELS with A for T
10 ENOSIS: (NOISES)*
16 SITUTUNGA: A GNU TUT IS all reversed
18 BABI,RUSA
19 SAMPIRE: anagram of HAMPSHRIRE without both H’s
21 ONEYER: MONEYER without the M, the question mark at the end indicating there is question over the actual meaning of the term
22 YAPOCK: YACK around PO
23 SAMIOT: double container – I in MO in SAT
24 BESOIN: SO in BEIN(g)
25 M,A,STY
27 TENIA: TEA around NI(Northern Ireland)

6 comments on “Mephisto 2721 – Don Manley”

  2. Thanks for the blog. Agreed an easier than usual Mephisto but I was hoping for some comment on 33 across.

    Both ‘prayer’ and ‘brayer’ fit for the answer and with the first letter unchecked, you are left with an unsatisfying shot in the dark. I re-read the clue several times and decided that I slightly preferred ‘brayer’ but with no great conviction.

    Is there a particular way of reading this that makes ‘prayer’ the best choice?

    John

  3. The intended answer was indeed BRAYER. The grammar really doesn’t fit PRAYER, though I can see that it’s a close thing and that a misreading of my intentions was possible for anyone other than a strict Ximenaean. Had I noticed the ambiguity with the initial letter unchecked, I would have made the clue even more watertight, since I hate this sort of trap (it usually happens with reversals and I take great care with such clues). Sorry if I spoilt anyone’s enjoyment. The clues for CANAPE and ABLUTOMANE were both Azed winning & lits, the latter containing an allusion to Lady Macbeth. Don M
    2. Thanks for clarifying! I see now that it was intended to be PRAYER changing to BRAYER, since the change was TO the introduction of the church service. I’ll put in an edit.
    3. For what it’s worth, I put PRAYER, but on more careful re-reading of the clue I think it’s sufficiently clear that BRAYER is the required answer.

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