Mephisto 2759 – Paul McKenna

I was a test solver for this puzzle, so I got to have the week off last week. My main comment on the original was that I thought that solvers would get a number of answers from definition alone. In the middle of the difficulty scale of Mephistos it had some very good charades.

I have to put in one more line for the post to go more aesthetically under my silly picture, so maybe I should inform the world I’ve come up with a new term – collapsurbation. It’s when you destroy yourself with wanky choices (c.f. the Australian team in the 2nd Test).

Away we go…

Across
1	SAT(located),E: the E being the last letter in footbridge
4	STARPAV’D: (RV,ADAPTS)*
10	POUNCE(pink) BOX(shrub): PINK = puncture = POUNCE was new to me
12	(m)IDLER: for some reason I thought the actress had two D’s in her name but that’s not the case
13	MARTYRS: ARTY(boho) in MRS
15	L,ENS: L is the end of unequivocal then ENS for being
16	SCH,(f)EME
17	DELTAS: LED reversed, then TA,S
19	THAT’S TORN IT: (START,TO,THIN)* with “rocket” as the anagram indicator
21	INTERN(resident),UNCI(hooks),O – this was my favorite clue
24	REGULO: LUGER(piece) reversed, O
26	STATOR: ST, then ROTA reversed
27	ADES: SEA reversed over D
30	SORRA: hidden reversed
31	DIAPERING: anagram of (SEPIA,DRAWING) minus SAW
32	ASSESSES: ASS(Jenny) then (SEES)* around S(Seven)
33	A,DZ,E
Down
1	SPINSTER: SISTER(female fellow) with PIN for 1
2	TUL(e),CH,AN: Didn’t know TULE for bulrush
3	ENEW: WE reversed containing N,(tim)E
4	SCR,A,MS: SCR is Senior Common Room
5	A,BAN(curse),DONSHIP
6	RORTER: reversal of RETRO,R
7	A,S,YET(i)
8	VERNATION: anagram of RAVEN and INTO
9	DISS: DISSEVER(separate) without EVER
11	EMMETROPIAS: (PROMISE,MATE)*
14	SCHIEDAMS: S, then (SHAM,ICED)*
18	SHORTAGE: HOR(middle of ancHORmen) in STAGE
20	ICTERID: C(about) in IT, ten DIRE reversed
22	(qu)ELCH,IS
23	UTISES: TI in USES
25	GECKS: change the D in DECKS(grounds) to G
27	ABBA: double definition
28	KORA: K OR A