Mephisto 2752 by Tim Moorey – Broken Yo-Yo Edition

Author   dorsetjimboPosted on Categories Mephisto
Nothing too difficult here but two queries. At 2D the clue appears to be wrong leading to incorrect anagram fodder. At 14D there’s a reference I don’t understand. I imagine most solvers will know who Terry Waite is.

Across
1 STROUP – STRO(U)P; rose=end of watering can=STROUP;
5 PAW-PAW – hand=PAW;
9 HOMOIOUSIAN – HOMO(IOUS)IAN;
11 STRAPPER – REP-PARTS all reversed; a whopper;
12 TWAITE – T(erry)-WAITE;
13 ANTICK – A-N-TICK;
14 NOTAL – NO-TA(i)L;
17 CATAFALCO – CA-(fatal)*-CO; device used in funeral ceremony;
18 BACK,STORY – BACKS-TORY;
22 LATTE – (f)LATTE(r); frequently=fr;
23 EYALET – (TEL-AYE) all reversed; telephone number=TEL; Ottoman province;
24 SOLEIN – SOLE-IN; poetic word for sulky;
26 MISSHAPE – MISS-HAP-(terribl)E;
27 WINDLESTRAW – W(its darnel)*W; WW from W(ater-meado)W; nice clue;
28 NISEIS – hidden (s)N(a)I(l) S(p)E(c)I(e)S; Japanese-Americans;
29 CREANT – C(E-R reversed)ANT; R=rector;
 
Down
1 SHPT – SH-PT; port=PT; shipment=SHPT;
2 TOYWOMAN – (m want yoo)* although the clue wording leads to (m want yoy)*; yo-yo should be hyphenated whilst “do” is the anagrind;
3 OOMIACKS – (ma is cook)*; Malay boats;
4 POTENT – POT-(w)ENT; important person=POT;
5 PURANA – PUR(e)-ANA(l); Hindu books;
6 ASANA – AS-AN-A; yoga positions;
7 PAPILLOTES – PA-PIL(LOT)ES; past=PA; paper used by Chef;
8 WORKSOME – (moscow erk – c=caught)*;
10 CATACLASIS – (a act)*-CLAS(I)S; independent=I; rock fracturing;
14 NOBLEMAN – I don’t understand “with old lover”;
15 FAYALITE – FA(I-LAY reversed)TE; iron silicate;
16 SCOTICAN – SCOT-I-CAN; tax=SCOT; office=toilet=CAN; island=I;
19 TOTALS – TOT(AL)S; slug=small drink of whisky=TOT;
20 ON,SPEC – ON(SP)E-C; corps=C;
21 MEHDI – (I’m head – a)*; a from A(frica); the prophesied redeemer of Islam;
25 NOWT – N-(two)*; navy=N; zero=0=NOWT;

9 comments on “Mephisto 2752 by Tim Moorey – Broken Yo-Yo Edition”

  1. I think the old lover in 14dn is LEMAN, the person of high social rank is NOB and it’s an &lit.
    Thanks for explaining 4dn. I couldn’t get past the idea that the important person was a potentate.
    I can’t explain 2dn!
    1. Thanks for LEMAN – should have seen that

      We drew attention to 2D last Sunday both here and on the Times Crossword site but have still not heard any explanation.

  3. an oomiack, usually spelt umiak, is a Inuit boat not Malay. Basically just a large kayak, also an Inuit word
    1. Thanks Jerry, that may teach me not to rely upon my increasingly fallible memory

      What did you make of 2D?

  4. I thought this a bit unfair with no hint that an abbreviation was to be entered: my best guess was SHOT, but I forget how I justified -OT.
    I’d seen the warning about the 2dn error, so wasn’t held up there, and guessed correctly at 4dn, having failed to derive it from ‘potentate’.
    1. You should reconcile yourself to the fact that if it’s in Chambers it’s fair game and that includes the foreign phrases at the back as well as these abbreviations

      There are odd abbreviations that are not in Chambers that may appear in clues. RR for Rolls Royce comes to mind.

  5. The most difficult part of this one for me was my pen dying half way through. Was a little surprised to see HOMO used in wordplay, I thought that there was an avoidance of derogatory terms.

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