Mephisto 2797 – Tim Moorey

Posted on Categories Mephisto
I found the last few of these (particularly the top left) rather difficult, though after ripping through the first half of it without a dictionary, I thought I was going to be in for an easy time. In the end I think I’ve got everything sorted out, and all the wordplay makes sense.

There’s not as many unusual words in the grid, so maybe that’s why there’s a few more tricky wordplay elements.

Away we go…

Across
1 SHWA: anagram (engineer) of WAS surrounding H(Hungary – IVR code)
4 DEFERRAL: F(force),ERR(screw up) in DEAL(wood)
10 PREMIER CRU: PREMIER(the first) then sounds like CREW
11 RETAMA: A,MATER reversed
13 U.N., A.U.
15 NODDER: N for F in FODDER
16 NUM(miners),ERIC(Irish blood-fine)
17 Z,EROS
19 GRILLROOM: R,ILL in GROOM
22 SEA LAWYER: (WAY)* in LEASE,R
24 L,EARN
25 BIRETTA: B,(ATTIRE)* – ann all-in-one clue
27 INCITE: IN then sounds like SIGHT
29 STAB: BATS reversed
30 UNLOAD: (ROUND)* surrounding (Apri)L
31 DIGLADIATE: LAD,1 in DIG(lodge),ATE(upset)
32 EYE TO EYE: TO(for) separating what sounds like AYE AYE
33 ENID: DINE(r) reversed
 
Down
1 SPRING(let off),A,L
2 WETA: A,TEW reversed
3 AMABEL: MAB(fairy Queen) in AE,L(Loch)
4 DIMER: MI(same as ME in music) in RED reversed
5 FRAN(Fanny),COLIN(quail)
6 ECTOZOA: (A,ZOO,ETC)*
7 RUN DRY: SUNDRY with R for S
8 ARAEOMETER: (REMOTE,AREA)*
9 (disco)LOUR
12 ESURIENTLY: (US,ENTIRELY) – a word I expect most of us know from the Cheese Shop sketch… eee I were all ‘ungry like
14 MIRABELLE: (BEAR)* in MILLE
18 STRANDED: RAND in STED
20 LENT,I,GO
21 FACADE: FA(b), then (DACE)*
23 WELLIE: I presume this is W, then DELL computers without D, I.E. – is DELL an international brand?
26 RONDE(l)
27 ISLE: IS moved to the front in LEIS. Prince Edward is an island (and a province) in Canada, been there twice
28 RO(m)AN

4 comments on “Mephisto 2797 – Tim Moorey”

  1. A nice puzzle which made a good step from blocks to bars for anyone wanting to make the leap.

    Well written clues and a little to make you smile.

    Thanks to Tim and George.

  2. No real problems with this. The definition in 10ac isn’t entirely accurate, because in Burgundy ‘Premier Cru’ is the second level in the hierarchy behind Grand Cru, but the bias in favour of the Bordelais comes from Chambers.
  3. Well, funny you should say that macavity123. I normally just do the daily blocks, and probably about once a year I dip into a barred to test the waters. Usually I dip back out again just as quickly…
    This week, the Saturday and Sunday not too taxing, so it happened to be that annual look at the Mephisto.
    I did about half of it- mainly the bottom half. I can’t decide whether to continue though, as I’ll spend a good deal of time looking up words that I didn’t know previously existed.
    I’m curious, approximately what percentage of answers do you guys know off the top of your head?
    Do you see the Mephisto as a chance to learn new words of our language and animals/plants of the World, or do you expect to know this stuff??

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