A gentle Mephisto, just right for solving on the edge of lake Como with a glass of vino.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | WAPENSCHAW – (wan chaps we)*; arms inspection in Wick; |
| 10 | OGAMIC – O-GAM-IC; old=O; school=GAM; the Celtic Tree Alphabet; |
| 11 | ROSIER – (c)ROSIER; |
| 12 | WARPROOF – WARP-ROOF; |
| 13 | GRU-GRU – sounds like “grew-grew”; our favourite palm tree; |
| 14 | GIGOT – GIG-(h)OT; old word for trifle=GIG; a leg of mutton; |
| 15 | ARISH – (p)ARISH; |
| 17 | SCANT – (de)SCANT; |
| 18 | SHEA-TREE – (there’s a)* plus E from E(dibles); nice clue; |
| 21 | MADRONAS – MADR(ON)AS; practicable=(it’s) ON; |
| 24 | POLYP – POLYP(hagia); |
| 27 | QUICH – QUICH(e); |
| 28 | T-CART – T(C)ART; C from C(ity); a type of Go-Kart; |
| 29 | PANG-FU – PANG-FU(n); see pang-2 in C; stuffed full in Stirling; |
| 31 | NUTHATCH – Spooner’s “hut natch”; I suspect “suits” is padding; |
| 32 | TRINAL – TRI(N)AL: noon=N; |
| 33 | OEDEMA – (made one – n from (pai)N)*; |
| 34 | ATTEMPERED – AT-TEMPE-RED; beauty spot=(Greek Vale of)TEMPE or possibly Ms Brennan; |
| Down | |
| 1 | WOWF – WOW-F; crazy in Cowdenbeath; |
| 2 | PARRIED – P(A-RR)IED; bishop=Right Reverend=RR; confused=PIED; |
| 3 | EMPUSAS – (a mess up)*; Greek hobgoblins that appear to shepherds (after drinking Retsina, no doubt); |
| 4 | SCORER – S(CORE)R; |
| 5 | CROUSE – C(a)ROUSE; |
| 6 | ASDIC – CID-AS all reversed; first world war submarine detection device; |
| 7 | WILGA – (wagtail – ta=cheers)*; |
| 8 | DEMONIAC – CAIN-(h)OMED all reversed; |
| 9 | BRATTISH – change I=one in BRITISH to A-T=a time; |
| 15 | ASEPTATE – A-S(E-P)TATE; E-P from E(asier) P(olitics); |
| 16 | RHEOCORD – (do chore)* surrounds R=resistance (physics); a rheostat; |
| 19 | FOUGADE – FO(U-GAD)E; superior=U; tribe=GAD; a small mine; |
| 20 | SNIFTER – (mariner – mar=ruin)* surrounds FT=Financial Times; wet=drink=SNIFTER; |
| 22 | AMPULE – A-M-P-ULE; M=medium; rubber=ULE; US spelling of ampoule; |
| 23 | DIATOM – MOT-AI-D all reversed; colleen=MOT; |
| 25 | LAMIA – A(n)IMAL reversed; name=N; Greek serpent-witch that eats children (with Retsina?); |
| 26 | YRENT – (entry)*; old word for rent; |
| 30 | CHAD – two meanings 1=piece cut from punch-card as in Florida’s “hanging chad” 2=long-nosed cartoon character; |
I came here hoping for an explanation of GAD, having searched in vain for it in Chambers. Now I’ve googled it and I feel a bit silly!