Well this is a first – Paul McKenna’s treat of putting puns in the top row of Mephistos helped me out, because I cannot for the life of me figure out the wordplay for 1 across, so I’m relying on the definition and the pun on STAYED AWAY to get me through. I’m sure the hive mind will inform me of something obvious I’m missing, so I’m going to post this and then go brush up on my Shakespeare with Montford Park Player’s production of Taming of the Shrew. I’ll check in tomorrow to see what I messed up.
Away we go…
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | STAIDER: The two St. John’s I know are in Newfoundland and the US Virgin Islands, neither of them seem to be helping in the wordplay. Edit: the hive mind comes through and I don’t feel too bad for not knowing it is referring to the ambulance service, so it is FIRST-AIDER missing FIR |
| 6 |
WEIGH: W, EIGH |
| 10 | TASS: There are two T’s in THAT, then ASS |
| 11 | BERGERE: BERE(pillow case) containing ERG |
| 13 | CRAIGS: C(about), RIGS(oilmens installation) containing A(American) |
| 14 | CROSSDRESSER: CROSS(dishonest), DRESSER(medical trainee) – TV meaning transvestite here |
| 15 | HOT TUB: HUB containing OTT |
| 17 | BHAI: first letters of Blokes Happily Address Indian |
| 19 | COTENANT: AN(one) inside TENT after CO |
| 21 | WIDENING: WING(protection) containing I,DEN |
| 22 | WIN,O |
| 23 | SEE RED: SEELED(hoodwinked) with R replacing L |
| 25 | BLIND FREDDIE: anagram of FRIEND,DIED after BL(bale) |
| 28 | YOGISM: anagram of GYM,SO,I |
| 29 | REQUEST: REST containing QUE |
| 30 | CRED: CARED(worried) missing A |
| 31 | DUR,ST |
| 32 | HARTALS: ART(principled practice) inside Frans HALS – who left his mark on many a meme |
| Down | |
| 1 | STICH: S(succeeded), TICH(nickname, soubriquet) |
| 2 | TAPROOM: TOOM(empty) with APR inside |
| 3 | ISOTEMONOUS: IS, O, STEM(dam), then ONUS containing O |
| 4 |
DOCS: DOS(first note of the scale) surrounding C |
| 5 | REAR-ENDS: anagram of NERDS,ARE |
| 6 | WRIEST: WRIT(brief) surrounding ES |
| 7 | EGGS BENEDICT: anagram of BIG,GENT,CHEESED missing HE |
| 8 |
GREE: GREE |
| 9 |
HEARING: news – |
| 12 | COTTON: COT(bed, sack), TON(fashionistas) |
| 16 | BAITFISH: IT, then IF reversed inside BASH |
| 18 | H,AIR,DO |
| 19 | COWBIRD: COD(joke) surrounding W and RIB reversed |
| 20 | KNEIDEL: anagram of LIKENED |
| 21 | WIDGET: W(izardty), I’D, GET |
| 24 |
DEEDS: DEE(damn), D |
| 26 | LIEU: LIE(depend), U(uniform) |
| 27 | EMIR: PRIME(coach, prepare for), reversed missing the P |
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