I found this trickier than most recent Mephistos, and solved it largely from the bottom up – I think at one point the entire bottom half was full, but only 7 down was in place in the top half.
Definitions can be confirmed in Chambers.
The first definition in each clue is underlined.
Away we go…
| Across | |
| 1 | As before, observe flood in which fish flips over (9) |
| SPECULATE – SPATE(flood) containing LUCE(fish) reversed | |
| 10 | Word of appreciation by fellow for meat dish (6) |
| TAMALE – TA(word of appreciation), MALE(fellow). Tamales don’t necessarily contain meat, and are delicious. | |
| 11 | Fibrous plant in very small area east of heath (6) |
| MOORVA – V(very), A(area) after MOOR(heath) | |
| 12 | Money pursued by academic sharks (8) |
| RHINODON – RHINO(money) then DON(academic) | |
| 13 | Follower of Jesus in Chinese city (4) |
| XIAN – Double definition, XIAN being short for Christian | |
| 14 | A story about the old man that took astronomical measurements (7) |
| ALIDADE – A LIE(story) surrounding DAD(the old man) | |
| 15 | Language of old group of people enthralling a number (5) |
| TEMNE – TEME(old form of TEAM, group of people) containing N(number) | |
| 18 | Growing as twins at home beset by rage (6) |
| BINATE – IN(at home) inside BATE(bait, rage) | |
| 19 | Invalid sadly losing pounds — protein required (6) |
| AVIDIN – anagram of INVALID minus L(pounds) | |
| 24 | Unpopular doctor with pained expression, college type (6) |
| FELLOW – FELL(unpopular doctor) with OW(pained expression). The first part was new to me, from “I do not like thee, Doctor Fell” | |
| 25 | Spiders one’s found in region (6) |
| ARANEA – AN(one) in AREA(region) | |
| 28 | Spots patterns (5) |
| MOLDS – double definition | |
| 29 | Vessel making speed interrupted by bar (7) |
| PINNACE – PACE(speed) with INN(bar) inside | |
| 30 | Playwright’s run (4) |
| BOLT – The playwright is Robert Bolt, best known for A Man For All Seasons | |
| 31 | Time to face mistake about charge — legal resolution needed (8) |
| TERMINER – T(time) with ERR(mistake) containing MINE(depth charge) | |
| 32 | American food in small East End home we fancy? (6) |
| OMELET – American spelling of OMELETTE – or ‘OMELET | |
| 33 | What could be boring for Scot? Terrible English — no good! (6) |
| ELSHIN – anagram of ENGLISH minus G(good) | |
| 34 | Record chief troublemaker in Greek province (9) |
| EPARCHATE – EP(record), ARCH(chief), ATE(troublemaker) | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Vagrant in street, exhausted person (5) |
| STRAG – ST(street), RAG(exhausted person) | |
| 2 | Old characters in NZ settlement with toilet on island (7) |
| PAHLAVI – PAH(Maori settlement), LAV(toilet), I(island) | |
| 3 | Satire performed receives stick? The opposite (7) |
| CANDIDE – DID(performed) inside CANE(stick) | |
| 4 | This old language sounds dull (6) |
| LEDDEN – sounds like LEADEN | |
| 5 | A second degree restricts one ultimately — one doesn’t have much of a life! (6) |
| AMOEBA – A, MBA(second degree), containing the outside letters of OnE | |
| 6 | I’m in a financial scheme with others — there’s money in cosmetic stuff (8) |
| TONTINER – TIN(money) inside TONER(cosmetic stuff) | |
| 7 | Proper friend in the first place (8) |
| PRIMALLY – PRIM(proper), ALLY(friend) | |
| 8 | ‘ampshire town as before (5) |
| AVANT – The town is HAVANT, remove the aspirant | |
| 9 | Cheese in cake always (6) |
| PANEER – PAN(cake), EER(always) | |
| 16 | Is everything found in a last resort? (8, two words) |
| PIS ALLER – IS, ALL(everything) inside PER(A) | |
| 17 | Position of soldier that’s horrible without support — start to panic (8) |
| FIRE-STEP – FIE(“that’s horrible”) containing REST(support), then the first letter of Panic | |
| 20 | Polish nails inappropriately inside quiet hotel (7) |
| PLANISH – anagram of NAILS inside P(quiet), H(hotel) | |
| 21 | Invention with one not quiet showing vanity (7) |
| CONCEIT – CONCEPT(invention) with I(one) replacing the P(quiet) | |
| 22 | Flog WI produce maybe — second-rate/satisfactory? (6) |
| JAMBOK – JAM(of Jamaica), B(second-rate), OK(satisfactory) | |
| 23 | Some viewers’ areas had planned activities time set up (6) |
| TAPETA – ATE(had), PAT(Planned Activities Time) all reversed. Areas of the eye | |
| 24 | Less inclined to show bias as female broadcaster? (6) |
| FAIRER – F(female), AIRER(broadcaster) | |
| 26 | Big old footballing boy keeping order (5) |
| ROOMY – ROY of the Rovers containing OM(order) | |
| 27 | Old soldier, a bit of a nut left to pass away (5) |
| KERNE – the KERNEL of a nut missing L(left) | |
TAPETA is one of the artificial surfaces used in horse racing (Newcastle is an example course), and I didn’t know it in any other context – at 71 I’m still enjoying my misspent youth !
One Chambers def for boy is “man with a particular skill”, and another is “(in Ireland and elsewhere) a man”, so in Mephisto he is …
Edited at 2019-03-25 05:59 am (UTC)
But, like George, didn’t know Doctor Fell
I do not love thee, Dr Fell;
The reason why, I cannot tell;
But this I know, and know full well,
I do not love thee, Dr Fell.
love, not like
Jeremy