Mephisto 2917 – Tim Moorey

I did most of this without resorting to a dictionary (though I had an incorrect answer at 22 across, thinking it must be RUNTS) at a rather nice new Lebanese restaurant that opened up in town. It used to be a food truck, and it was pleasantly packed. If you happen to be in Asheville and aren’t already out with me, try Gypsy Queen.

Advertisement out of the way, and still reeling from the backlash coming from being critical of a Listener puzzle (two playfairs!), here goes with this one. Tim has some devious wordplay here, a few times removing one word from another for a nice effect. There was a playfulness in the clues that is sometimes lacking in barred-grid puzzles.

Away we go…

Across
1	BUTTLE: BUTT(behind) and then LINE missing IN
5	COTWAL: COT, W, A, and then LOVER missing OVER
9	LABOUR FORCE: or LABOUR(party) FOR CE
10	STRUCTURE: STRUCTURE with an I replacing the U
12	CASTOR: The Gabba being the Test Cricket ground in Brisbane, named for being in the suburb Woollongabba. Double definition, though I can’t think of it ever being used in the Australian sense
13	UNMAN: remove the G from GUNMAN
17	SABRA: ARBAS(asian carriage) reversed – one that comes to mind readily here as it is a brand of hummus
19	CRACKPOT: a carless cook may CRACK the POT
20	SHEDLOAD: an anagram of DEAL,DOSH
21	ACING: remove the first letter from FACING(opposite)
23	DUNTS: DUN(pester, plague) then T(rainee)S
25	LERNER: sounds like LEARNER – Alan Lerner, lyricist of Gigi and My Fair Lady among others
26	LAMANTINS: anagram of ANIMALS containing NT
27	WATER SKIING: anafram of A,TRIKE’S in WING
28	PRUSIK: anagram of UP,RISK
29	EPIGON: remove the last letters from EPIC and GONG(medal)
Down
1	BISCACHA: BIS(twice, particularly in music), CA(about) surrounding A,CH
2	TAR-SEALING: TAR’S, EALING – I was wonding if there was a part of London called MACKING
3	LOCO,S
4	EUTROPHY: Brussels being the headquarters for the EU, then TROPHY
5	CRUE: CRUDE(unfinished) missing the D
6	TOENAILS: anagram of L(atvia),ESTONIA
7	ACHARYAS: A(are, unit of measurement), CHARY(cautious),A,S
8	LEON: I thought this was going to be a pop culture reference to a Chrissie I had never heard of but it’s meant to be Christmas – NOEL reversed
11	IMBROWNING: or “Hello, I’M BROWNING, would you like to hear my story about the road less travelled?”
14	ORACULAR: OCULAR(eyepiece) containing RA
15	SCANTLES: SCANTIES with L replaced by I(myself)
16	JOE BLAKE: anagram of ABLE in JOKE – and unlike CASTOR, I have heard this one being used, particularly on Victorian golf courses
18	ANDERSON: Not a clue for those unfamiliar with cricket – James Anderson recently became England’s highest wicket-taking bowler in Tests, and he usually bats number 11, with a batting average hovering around 10. The whole clue is wordplay for his name – AN, last letter of englanD, then (p)ERSON
22	GENIP: PINE,G all reversed
23	DOWP: DOP(dip/bob) surrounding W
24	OMSK: M’S inside OK