I found this hard, and ended up slightly over my target time for the year (now 20:26), mainly due to 1A.
Across
| 1 | Where electrician may be summoned more than is necessary (2,1,5) |
| TO A FAULT – Double definition
This is an odd expression. It originally was used to mean that this thing you are doing excessively would in less excessive quantities be a good thing, “nice to a fault”. However it is now also used as a plain intensifier . Best avoided IMO. |
|
| 5 | Rural establishment miles away? Miles! (4) |
| FARM – FAR (miles away) + M{iles} | |
| 8 | I grip banknote frantically as possible result of too much stress (8,5) |
| BREAKING POINT – (I GRIP BANKNOTE)* | |
| 10 | Long story capturing guest’s heart (5) |
| YEARN – Y^ARN (story) contains {gu}E{st} [heart=central letter] | |
| 11 | Records filled with recent indicators of inexperience (1-6) |
| L-PLATES – LP^S (records) contains LATE (recent)
These are the Red L signs that learner drivers are required to put on the car while under instruction. Dates from 1935! |
|
| 12 | Grumpy co-worker considering retirement? (6) |
| SLEEPY – Double def, both cryptic
Grumpy and SLEEPY are both members of the Seven Dwarves, who sing “It’s off to work we go” so are co-workers. |
|
| 13 | Run on your own? (6) |
| SINGLE -Double def
A SINGLE is a type of run in cricket. |
|
| 16 | Somewhat deterministic goals (7) |
| TERMINI – Hidden in deterministic
Collins has it as definition number 3, but I really struggled to find a phrase where “goals” and “termini” are equivalent. |
|
| 18 | Fable about inner strength, so to speak (5) |
| FIBRE – FIB (fable) + RE (about)
I have no idea what “so to speak” is doing here, clue works just fine without it. |
|
| 20 | Person noted for mimicking Monet, perhaps (13) |
| IMPRESSIONIST – Double def | |
| 21 | Grand, ancient Olympian’s quest? (4) |
| GOLD – G{rand} + OLD (ancient)
G=Grand as in a salary “He makes 60G/60 Grand”, although K is more common. Apart from that we have it as an abbreviation inside another acronym : G.O.P, GM (Grand Master) I couldn’t find an Olympian God who has a quest for Gold, Jason is a mortal, and Hercules only became Olympian after his death, not while on the quest for the Golden Apples. Edit, vinyl points out that the surface refers to a contestant at the Olympics, and not a god. |
|
| 22 | Code of ethics principally for broadcasting of songs etc (4,4) |
| FAIR PLAY – F{or} + AIRPLAY (broadcasting of songs etc) |
Down
| 1 | Small flap next to cat (5) |
| TABBY – TAB (Small flap) + BY (next to) | |
| 2 | Mean to state with certainty how old you are (7) |
| AVERAGE – AVER (state) + AGE (how old you are) | |
| 3 | Suggested cost of repacking is out of order (6,5) |
| ASKING PRICE – (REPACKING IS)*
Of course in economics Cost and Price are very different, and the difference is actually the basis for any market economy. But in this example it it the cost to the consumer, and the price to the retailer, so these are the same. |
|
| 4 | Solitary individual in large, empty laboratory (6) |
| LONELY – ONE (individual) contained in L{arge} + L{abroator}Y | |
| 6 | Very famous, legendary boxer suffers defeat in the end (1-4) |
| A-LIST – ALI (legendary boxer) + {suffer}S + {defea}T | |
| 7 | Artist lives surrounded by drunk mates (7) |
| MATISSE – IS (lives) contained in (MATES)* | |
| 9 | Liverpool FC flexed muscles in this area? (6,5) |
| PELVIC FLOOR – (LIVERPOOL FC)*
Great anagram! |
|
| 12 | Undercover operation involving data processing equipment in office (7) |
| SITTING – S^TING (undercover operation) contains IT (data processing equipment)
This is as in usage such as the Sitting President. |
|
| 14 | Girl eating cheese is an angel (7) |
| GABRIEL – GA^L (girl) contains BRIE (cheese) | |
| 15 | Officers regularly picked out old volunteers for big party (6) |
| FIESTA – {o}F{f}i{c}E{r}S + TA (= Territorial Army, volunteers) | |
| 17 | Drive off — or bike — up the hill, finally (5) |
| REPEL – just the last letters ” or bike up the hill“ | |
| 19 | Guard failing to open door (5) |
| ENTRY – {s}ENTRY (guard) [“failing to open” =omit initial letter] |
17:09
Pleased with 15:17 for this, although I must confess there was more biffing than average. Thanks all.
7:13
Reasonably comfortable, held up for a whole minute at the end by LOI FIBRE which I just couldn’t see. Liked the anagram of PELVIC FLOOR/Liverpool FC.
Thanks Merlin and Jalna