Mephisto 2912 – Paul McKenna

Author   dorsetjimboPosted on Categories Mephisto
All reasonably straighforward with one definition at 31A not understood

Across
1 BIGGER – BI(G-G)ER; German=G; what you find in a stein=BEIR;
5 MISSED – M-(sides)*; my=M’ as in m’lud; ;
10 EVERSION – EVER-(is no)*; “out going turn” is definition;
12 SURE – sounds like “shore”=prop;
13 OFFICER – OFF-ICER;
14 GUERRE,A,MORT – (get armourer)*; fight to the death in Dijon;
15 DONNOT – (TON-NOD) all reversed; a loafer in Leeds;
17 NIXIE – kettle=dixie then change “d” to “n”;
18 ENDMOST – END-MO(i)ST; i=island;
23 AENEOUS – (euboeans – b)*; barrels=b; of bronze is definition;
25 APING – (g)APING;
26 MEDUSA – ME(DU)SA; depleted uranium=DU; MESA=flat topped, steep sided hill in SW USA;
28 SIPUNCULOID – (odious sculpin – so)*; a worm;
30 CERRIAL – LAIC reversed surrounds ERR; of the oak;
31 VLOG – V-LOG; insensitive person=LOG; a video log website; don’t understand the definition;
32 SITTELLA – SIT-TELLA(r); sapling=tellar; a bird;
33 TEASES – ‘T-EASES; it=’T;
34 AERIER – A-ERIE-R; about=A; R from (cole)-R-(idge);
 
Down
1 BESIDE – BE(d)SIDE;
2 GERUNDS – GER-UND-S; Germany=GER; “and” in Austria=UND; Sweden=S;
3 GREEN,MANURE – GREEN-MAN-URE; operation=URE;
4 ESTRO – hidden (beatric)ES-TRO(pology);
5 MOFETTE – MO(FE)TTE; iron=FE; clump of trees=MOTTE;
6 INFANT – present=instant then change “st” to “f”; attention seeker=st; fine=f;
7 SECO – hidden (fal)SE-CO(nception); dry Spanish wine;
8 EMERITUS – E(M)ER-(suit)*; possibly=E’ER; master=M; definition is “retiring academic”; “inter alios” is posh padding;
9 DARTER – READ reversed surrounds RT; dragonfly;
11 LIMITED,OVER – (i’m to deliver)*; fast=secure so not fast=insecure=anagrind; crash-bang cricket;
16 ONEPIECE – (once i pee)*;
19 SANCAIS – (asians)* surrounds “c”=coloured; glazes;
20 BOUILLI – (bill)* surrounds OUI;
21 MASCOT – MA’S-COT;
22 AGNISE – AG(o)NISE; old word for acknowledge;
24 SAGGAR – SAG-(RAG reversed); flag=SAG; someone ready to drop=RAG; box used by potters is definition;
27 ELUTE – E-LUTE;
29 PROA – P-sounds like “rower”; positive=P; a boat;

6 comments on “Mephisto 2912 – Paul McKenna”

  1. Not sure I see a definition for 31ac .. the last part seems to be wordplay too: V (see) + LOG (dull detail). Maybe the def. needs to be inferred in an &lit sort of way.
  2. 31A: my understanding is that the ____ indicates where the answer could fit in the text of the clue – i.e. such a person’s vlog might be filled with dull detail. There are two wordplays to confirm the answer – V=very+LOG=the insensitive person and V=vide=see, LOG(y) where logy=dull (US informal) loses its tail.
  3. = low on gas – insensitive – Valley Speak
    ‘Don’t mind Homer, he’s ellogee!’

    Aspro

    1. As far as I can tell, the “insensitive person” (or in the OED, “inert person”) meaning just comes from log=a large piece of wood (cf a “wooden” acting performance). (Also struggling to see how “low on gas” means “insensitive”, but happy to recognise that etymology is not always logical.)

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