Mephisto 2979 – Paul McKenna

Author   glhPosted on Categories Mephisto
I tried twice to solve this without a dictionary handy, once over a coffee early on Sunday morning, and then on a plane heading to New York City, where I am now with the online dictionary and a Brooklyn Brewing IPA. Life has been worse.

Anyhoo, I think I have this all sorted out but I’m a little unsure of some wordplay. As is common with Paul McKenna Mephistos there is a pun in the top row for COUNCIL TAX. This didn’t help me, as 6 across was one of my last entries.

Away we go…

Across
1 COUNSEL: anagram of NO,CLUE’S
6 TACKS: the temporary storage area is computing is the STACK, move the S to the end
11 DEERLET: REED(grass) reversed then LET(allowed to come and go)
12 PRIVY PURSES: PRIVY(throne, lavatory) and PURSES(bungs, criminal slang)
13 RELISH: double definition, the ornament is a musical one
14 CRIANT: RIANT(laughing) with the first letter (cap)
of C(avalier) in front
15 OLD TOM: OLD(wrinkly) and TOM(punk, prostitute)
17 ERST: REST(prop) with R in the second position
18 EASY GAME: anagram of GEE,MAY’S,A
21 STARCHED: STARED(gazed) around CH
23 OKRA: OK(sure), then RA(w)
24 SEA EGG: SEA(main), EGG(mine)
26 LAVRAS: LAV(where to go), RAS(prince)
27 COTWAL: LAW(principle), TO(of) and the opening of C(are) all reversed
29 TIP THE SCALE: anagram of PIC and ATHLETES
30 ENCHAIN: ENC(enclosed), HAIN(scots spare)
31 SPEAL: SEAL(obligation to secrecy) containing P(power)
32 PLAYDAY: PL(place), AY(yes), D(Germany), AY(oh)
 
Down
1 CIPRO: ORTHIC(esoteric) reversed missing H(hard)
2 OWRELAY: O(old), W(women), RELAY(pass along)
3 NOVITY: NO LEVITY(fickleness) missing LE(french “the”)
4 SAYS: SATAYS(malaysian food) missing TA(thanks)
5 LEUCOMAS: L(left), then COMA(crown of a comet) inside an anagram of USE
6 TERRAE: reversal(upholding) of E, ARRET(decision)
7 ARSIER: anagram of SIERRA
8 CLEAR THE WAY: anagram of TEACH,LAWYER
9 STOTTED: last letter of (kite)S, TOTTED(reckoned)
10 WILD SERVICE: a tree. WISER(comparatively discreet) surrounding LD, then VICE(in place of)
16 MATESHIP: MATE(baffled) ‘S(has), HIP(hypochondria)
18 EVOLVES: VOL(volunteer) in EVES(evenings)
19 REGALIA: REALIA(objects used in teaching) surrounding G(grand) for the cigar
20 YARPHA: RAY(look) reversed, then PHA(t)
21 STATAL: STAT(immediately), A(before), L(50)
22 CATCHY: CAT(fellow), then H(hotel) in CY(Cyprus)
25 GLEBY: GLEY(clay) containing B(boron)
28 OSSA: O, ASS reversed

2 comments on “Mephisto 2979 – Paul McKenna”

  1. I’m not surprised that the top line pun didn’t help George – Council Tax is very UK (used to be called the rates before the fiasco over the Poll Tax). TACKS was a write-in for me to follow COUNSEL simply because of the pun and “courses of action”

    About average difficulty after that

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