Mephisto 2842 by Tim Moorey

Enjoyable middle of the road puzzle

Across
1 SCHOOLE – SCHOOL-(barg)E; Waggledagger for shoal;
7 FEHM – FE(H)M; Henry=H (physics); FEM=femme=homosexual partner; medieval German court;
10 LOOED – LOO-(th)E-D; to forfeited in game of loo;
11 EVERTOR – EVERTO(n)-R(eal); muscle;
13 COMITADJI – CO-MIT-ADJ-I(s); a Balkan guerilla;
14 G-MAN – G(M)AN(g);
16 SUNDRI – S(UN-D)RI; Indian Mr=SRI; a=UN; dead=D; timber tree;
18 ARISTA – (b)ARISTA; bristles;
19 SORTATION – S(OR)TATION; before=OR; arrangement;
21 MINT,SAUCE – two meanings; gravy=money=MINT SAUCE;
22 ATONES – AT-ONE-S; AT=1/100th of a kip (monetary unit);
24 AYRIES – AYR-IE-S; special=S; where eagles nest;
27 ONST – ON-ST; old word for “once”;
29 RITORNELL – RILL surrounds (toner)*; refrain;
30 ART-SONG – A-RT-SONG; Chinese dynasty=Sung=SONG;
31 OFLAG – two meanings, the second a play on organisations such as Ofcom,Ofgen, Ofwat;
32 NEWT – NE(W)T; difficulty=NET; ask;
33 ISOZYME – I-SO(ZY)ME; biochemical catalyst;
 
Down
1 SLOG – (glos)*; abbreviation for Gloucestershire=glos; bats=anagrind;
2 COMMUNITAIRE – (i’m manic eu tor)*; see communautaire in C;
3 HOB-AND-NOB – HO-BAND-NO-B; HO=prostitute=pro; bass=B;
4 ODOD – O-DOR; Ohio=O; dung-beetle=DOR; American version of “odour”;
5 LEMPIRA – MEL reversed – (pair)*; romantic=anagrind; honey=MEL; monetary unit in Honduras;
6 RETIRACY – (erratic)*-(jul)Y; US retreat;
7 FRAP – FR-A-P;
8 HOJATOLESLAM – (a hole almost)* surrounds J=Japanese; Muslim religious leader;
9 MRIDANGS – M(RID)ANGS; old word for speaks=MANGS; Indian drums;
12 VINA – VIN-A; VIN=wine=plonk; Indian musical instrument;
15 ASININELY – A-S-(IN-IN)-ELY;
16 SUMATRAN – hidden reversed (ees-t)SUM-A-TRA-N(aisa); type of rhino;
17 ROSE,DROP – ROSE-DROP; a sweet;
20 TUAREGS – TU(ARE)GS; nomads;
23 SUNN – N-NUS all reversed; tropical plant;
25 DOST – sounds like “dust”; old word for does;
26 ALOO – A-LOO; chat=potato=ALOO;
28 TIGE – I obtain=I GET then move “T=time” to the front; part of column;

2 comments on “Mephisto 2842 by Tim Moorey”

  1. I was surprised to see FEM used as a wordplay element, and agonized over DOST, not quite seeing the wordplay, but got there in the end.
    1. I’ve never come across FEM before in any context so just took it on face value. If it has other connotations I’m not aware of them.

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