Mephisto 3022 – Don Manley. Ximenes Remembered.

All reminiscent of a famous Ximenes puzzle in which the whole NW corner was made up of such clues which, once filled in, resulted in an unsolvable down clue. The solver had to have the courage to scrub work done and start again! It caused ructions and he vowed he would never use the device again. I don’t think Don Manley purposely created 30A in its image.

Unless you’re very experienced you are unlikely to solve a Mephisto without using Chambers. The idea is that you use the precise wordplay to derive an answer that you then verify in the dictionary. 5A is a perfect example.

This was a very pleasant middle-of-the-road puzzle. In the clues definitions are underlined. Wordplay explanation is followed by very helpful comments.

ACROSS

1 Musically fine — big sounds (4)
PHAT: sounds like “fat”; slang term for excellent music;
5 Sheep not totally domesticated going at full speed? (7)
RAMSTAM: RAMS-TAM(e); headlong in Hamilton;
10 Beneficiaries, say, coming into foreign money, meeting stars (10)
LEGATARIES: L(EG)AT-ARIES; LAT=Latvian lolly;
11 Band in play heading off to entertain king (6)
ARMLET: (h)A(R)MLET: king=rex=R;
12 Cleric rolling over in function in pub (6)
TAVERN: TA(REV reversed)N; (mathematical) function=tangent=TAN;
14 Like some packages with crumpled marks about to be dumped (5)
CASED: C(re)ASED; about=re;
15 Stain of English wickedness, nothing being admitted (5)
EOSIN: E(O)SIN; a dye;
16 Cunning employer, last character to come forward (4)
RUSE: employer=user then move “r” to the front;
17 As battle is raging these populations are preserved (10)
STABILATES: (as battle is)*; a population of microbes maintained or preserved (often by freezing) in a stable and viable condition
19 How angels act no longer easy? You mean that? (10)
ETHEREALLY: ETHE-REALLY; old word for easy=ETHE;
23 See young hawk no longer/ fly high (4)
SOAR: two definitions;
26 ’orrible place surrounded by chemical (5)
OLEIN: (h)OLE-IN; an ester of oleic acid (a fatty acid);
27 Cabinet in academy with temporary accommodation? (5)
BAHUT: BA-HUT; BA=British Academy;
29 Card game with money, Eton pursuit once (6)
MONTEM: MONTE-M; card game=MONTE; old initiation ceremony for new boys at Eton;
30 Rock king embraced by a girl (6)
ARKOSE: A-R(K)OSE: and not MA(R)BLE (see introduction); sandstone;
31 A superior type of journalist who hunts with a bird? (10)
AUSTRINGER: A-U-STRINGER; a keeper of goshawks
32 At least three members showing cricket technique (7, two words)
LEG,SPIN: LEGS-PIN; PIN=leg; member=limb; in cricket, a type of spin bowling which causes the ball to deviate from the leg side towards the off side after pitching. The deliveries are called leg breaks. Shane Warne arguably the best leg spinner of all time
33 In fit of temper these containers are knocked over (4)
TINS: SNIT reversed; fit of temper=SNIT

DOWN
1 Plainest male developed a heavenly body? (12)
PLANETESIMAL: (plainest male)*; a write-in anagram for the long 1D;
2 Temple in which bird protects egg (6)
HEROON: HER(O)ON; a temple dedicated to a hero;
3 Symbol shows Turkish officer embracing maiden (4)
AGMA: AG(M)A; a phonetic symbol;
4 Bones of saint — any number gathered in time (6)
STERNA: ST-ER(N)A; breastbones;
5 Wander in / race (5)
RATCH: two meanings;
6 Motorway — one when meeting another one creates foul atmosphere (5)
MIASM: M-I-AS-M; the pong from say rotting matter;
7 Endlessly harsh friend dealt with on an individual basis (9)
SEVERALLY: SEVER(e)-ALLY;
8 As before, to terrify with rage is wrong (6)
AGRISE: (rage is)*;
9 Underground workers carrying new ensign — they would wax lyrical (12)
MINNESINGERS: MIN-(ensign)*-ERS; old German lyric poets;
12 The reverse of excellent, gross, rum (5)
TAFIA: AI-FAT reversed; rum as in booze;
13 One of the learned folk, true A-list nuts (9)
LITERATUS: (true a list)*;
18 Muslim woman to ask for charity with hesitation (5)
BEGUM: BEG-UM;
20 Sticking out against wine (6)
TOROSE: TO-ROSE; as in knobbly knees;
21 Gloomy appearance that is associated with bird (6)
LOURIE: LOUR-IE; a turaco or lory;
22 Old traveller in pain, having very little money (6)
GIPSEN: GIP-SEN; small coinage in Japan=SEN;
24 Actor in Macbeth, especially (5)
THESP: hidden (macbe)TH-ESP(ecially)
25 Baddies overthrown, knight being luminary in Scotland (5)
STARN: RATS reversed – N; knight=N (chess notation); a star in Sterling;
28 Gentile standing on head, one participant in spiritual discipline (4)
YOGI: GOY reversed – I; gentile=GOY (Yiddish); yoga expert or cartoon bear;