Mephisto 2758 by Tim Moorey

Posted on Categories Mephisto
Standard, middle of the road, Mephisto. I have one query at one across, where I’m not happy with the definition.

Across
1 RAMILLIES – ARMIES switching right to left=RAMIES; insert heart from (bri)LLI(ant)=RAMI(LLI)ES; that leaves a definition of “victory” which I’m not happy with; “Action” would be fine or “Marlborough victory” but the word doesn’t mean just “victory”;
11 BRACER – BR(AC)ER; brother=BRER; before food=AC=ante cibum; slang for a stiff drink;
12 NO,CHOP – NO-CHOP; change=CHOP-2; you’ll find this in C under “chop-4”;
13 VINT – V-INT; Russian bridge (cards);
14 ANKERITE – sounds like “anchorite”; a mineral;
15 CODIST – roll=LIST then swap L=pound for COD=fish; codify=digest;
16 BAGEL – LEG-A-B all reversed; on=LEG (cricket); barrel=B; a bread roll in NY Lower East Side;
17 STEMPEL – S(TE-M)PEL(l); note=TE; M from m(iners); a cross-timber in a shaft;
19 NOMARCH – NO-MARCH;
24 AARONIC – (in croatia – ti=note before do)*; of the priesthood, clerical;
26 EUSTYLE – EU-STYLE;
28 SMOTE – S-MO-TE(n);
30 MARTIN – MA(R)TIN(s); rector=R; Deano – one of the ratpack;
31 IMPRIMIS – I-M(P-RIM)IS; fail as before=MIS; initially is definition;
32 OAST – (as to)*; East Enders famously used to go ‘oppin’ in Kent;
33 MOPANE – MOP-ANE; one old=ANE; small tree;
34 DONGLE – in “cloned” swith “c”=clubs to “g”=good to give “gloned” then anagram that fodder;
35 PALANKEEN – PAL-A-N-KEEN; china=mate=PAL; America=A; note=N; very good=KEEN (as in price); a litter for one;
 
Down
2 ARIOSO – (atrocious – cut)*; song-like piece;
3 MANDAMUS – MAN(DAM)US; a writ;
4 ICTIC – (critic – r=right)*; a sudden attack;
5 LEASURE – LEA-SURE; old word for leisure;
6 INKATHA – INK-A-THA(w);
7 SCRAMB – SCRAM-B(edbugs); scratch;
8 THIG – T(H)IG; H from (Edinburg)H; touch=TIG; to beg in Balmoral;
9 POTEEN – PO-TEEN; pole=PO; Irish illegal whisky – fabulous stuff!;
10 SPELLICAN – SPELL-I-CAN; a spill for lighting a candle;
15 CENTESIMO – (income set)*; high=anagrind; pennies in Panama;
18 PINOTAGE – sack=PILLAGE then change LL=a couple of learners to NOT; wine;
20 CALOMEL – CA(LO)MEL; reference Sopworth Camel bi-plane; a purgative;
21 TREASON – T-REASON; tense=T;
22 LUMMOX – (f)LUMMOX; fathoms=F;
23 ATTRAP – (PART-TA all reversed); old word for dress;
25 INISLE – hidden reversed (yrtsudn)I-NI-SLE(trac); isolate;
27 PRONK – PRO-NK; natural killer=NK;
29 OPPO – O-PP-O; ring=O; for=on behalf of=PP; old=O;

4 comments on “Mephisto 2758 by Tim Moorey”

  1. I made heavy weather of this one and only had about give or six in the grid before heading to the dictionary – thanks for explaining SMOTE, couldn’t see the wordplay in that one for the life of me.
  2. “Standard, middle of the road”: I hope not! I was thoroughly defeated by this, managing fewer than half the clues even with extensive dictionary use: the first time that’s happened for quite a long time. At some point I’ll go through the blog to try and work out what I found so difficult, so thanks in advance.
      1. Thanks. Just as I was starting to feel like I was getting the hang of these things…

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