Mephisto 3076 – by Don Manley

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. 11A is a perfect example.

I have a problem parsing 21A – all comment welcome

In the clues, definitions are underlined. Wordplay explanation is followed by very helpful comments.

ACROSS

1 Money no longer contributing to practical solution (6)

TICALS: hidden (prac)TICAL-S(olution);

6 Fibre of Victorian PM, as classical one (6)

GOMUTI: GOM-UT-I; GOM=Grand Old Man = Gladstone; UT=Latin “as”;

11 Centre storing rupees — lots of them (5)

CRORE: C(R)ORE; a large number of rupees;

12 Yellow melon in area of geological interest (6)

OROGEN: OR-OGEN;

13 Like nurse, maybe — female entertained by England footballer (8)

KARITANE: KA(RITA)NE; reference Harry Kane;

14 Old-style scorn of French evident in gesture (6)

SDEIGN: S(DE)IGN;

15 Blast — there’s minimal sun in that spot! (6)

DESCRY: DE(S)CRY; to discover by looking;

17 Most basic support needed by sailor returning (6)

BAREST: AB reversed – REST;

19 Two types of food — what will you have to pay? (9, two words)

SALE,PRICE: SALEP-RICE;

21 Alas, old son has swallowed poison, hot spicy things! (9)

HABANEROS: HA(BANE)R-O-S; HA=alas; unless I’m missing something, the R is un-clued;

28 Fine imposed — a crown once (6)

SCONCE: two meanings;

29 Architectural feature involves member of royal family in row (6)

LIERNE: LI(ER)NE;

30 One has shiny stuff that is the result of oxidation (6)

ISATIN: I-SATIN;

31 Seneca somehow full of very good wisdom (8)

SAPIENCE: (Seneca)* surrounds PI;

32 Stars, among which fifty angels (6)

ARIELS: ARIE(L)S;

33 Musician’s indication to put energy into new song (5)

SEGNO: (song)* contains E;

34 Old hawks, for example, about to be housed in inadequate bird home (6)

NYASES: SAY reversed surrounded by NES(t);

35 Beat as hearts during and after relaxing rest (6)

THRESH: (rest)* contains H = hearts (cards) and is followed by H;

DOWN

2 Viewer’s component’s using infrared, dial being ditched (6)

IRIDAL: IR-(dial)*; IR=Infrared;

3 Bundle of wires that’s kept above that may be insulated (9)

COVERABLE: C(OVER)ABLE;

4 Dilettanti made to look ridiculous in satire (6)

ARTIES: (satire)*;

5 Shortened vehicle with internal slope (8)

SCANTLED: S(CANT)LED;

7 College lesson as before, old, uplifting (5)

ORIEL: LEIR-O all reversed;

8 Lots of money to get car test and service — no fault found (6)

MOTSER: MOT-SER(vice);

9 Animal trap set up on sports ground (6)

TENREC: NET reversed – REC;

10 Visible as pupil (5, two words)

IN,EYE: two meanings;

11 One fortress and another half destroyed — that’s disgusting! (6)

CASBAH: CAS(tle)-BAH;

16 Unfortunately I neglect a group of customers (9)

CLIENTAGE: (I neglect a)*;

18 Cordial fairy interlocking with Mac? (8)

PERSICOT: PERI and SCOT intertwine;

20 Service must get rid of “no good” designation still (6, two words)

EVEN,SO: EVENSO(ng);

22 A Greek character on a railway — lots of busy types here? (6)

APIARY: A-PI-A-RY;

23 Old songs about island where eagles might be found (6)

AYRIES: AYR(I)ES;

24 Thus stupid person runs American TV series (6)

SOAPER: SO-APE-R;

25 Descendants of naughty colonisers denied new role (6)

SCIONS: (colonisers – role)*;

26 Portable toilet leans awkwardly (5)

ELSAN: (leans)*;

27 What sounds like a fish oil (5)

ANELE: sounds like “an eel”;