This was a somewhat odd concoction. Heavy on the double definitions and with quite a few clunky parsings. Can’t say I found it easy at 11 minutes.
Across | |
1 | Packed, to be on the safe side (2,4) |
IN CASE – double definition | |
4 | Charm of mummy’s bed (6) |
MASCOT – MA’S + COT | |
8 | Maybe phrase looks wrong on page (7) |
PERHAPS – anagram (‘looks wrong’) of PHRASE added to P for page | |
10 | Communist rejected by town (5) |
DERBY – RED backwards + BY | |
11 | Leading, and winning by this margin? (5) |
AHEAD – A horse can win a race by a head. | |
12 | Meat cooking in ovens (7) |
VENISON – anagram (‘cooking’) of IN OVENS | |
13 | Tomb’s dreadful curse — help! (9) |
SEPULCHRE – anagram (‘dreadful’) of CURSE HELP | |
17 | Pressure by chief barrister presenting case (7) |
PLEADER – P + LEADER | |
19 | Stop running and stand in the market (5) |
STALL – double definition | |
20 | Opens mouth, but runs out of fruit (5) |
GAPES – G[r]APES | |
21 | A bit depressed, having inflammation (7) |
WHITLOW – WHIT + LOW. A fingertip infection usually caused by Herpes Simplex I | |
22 | Large fish seen in Gibraltar pond (6) |
TARPON – hidden word GibralTAR PONd | |
23 | Not so bad, I’ll wager (6) |
BETTER – double definition |
Down | |
1 | Given a role, still on the field (2,4) |
IN PLAY – double definition | |
2 | Cleaner, one in tears after reprimands (6,7) |
CARPET SWEEPER – CARPETS (reprimands) + WEEPER | |
3 | Such a comic not suitable for sitcom? (5-2) |
STAND-UP – Not sure how to describe this. A weak pun. | |
5 | University opens a study for poet (5) |
AUDEN – A DEN with U inside | |
6 | Dancers lie at first in bed, pectorals rippling (5,2,6) |
CORPS DE BALLET – anagram (‘rippling’) of BED PECTORALS with L inside | |
7 | Judging is exasperating (6) |
TRYING – double definition | |
9 | Son has a nasty argument: he may be suited here (6,3) |
SAVILE ROW – S + A VILE ROW. Street in London famed for its tailors | |
14 | Hotel is extraordinarily unfriendly (7) |
HOSTILE – anagram (‘extraordinarily’) of HOTEL IS | |
15 | Bung soldier up into position (6) |
SPIGOT – GI backwards inserted into SPOT | |
16 | Blossom beginning to fall down (6) |
FLOWER – F + LOWER | |
18 | Party food is cold? Not entirely (5) |
DISCO – hidden word: fooD IS COld |
Great time Kevin although it leaves me grateful I’ve never used the K scale for my timings!!
Thanks to curarist
FOI MASCOT; LOI and COD PERHAPS. 1d caused me problems; could not get In Lead out of my head.
I finished after 13:30 but the the computer said UNLUCKY. At 7d I had put TOYING meaning to come back to it. So one wrong today.
A clever puzzle with a different feel. David
The law firm of Whitlow, Roberts, Houston & Straub (Beaumont, Texas) has been providing legal representation since 1929. How can we we help?
This was a crossword of two halves for me – the first seven clues all went in straight away but then I spent a long time on WHITLOW, SPIGOT (didn’t know either word) and CORPS DE BALLET as I missed the anagram.
An enjoyable solve though to round off the week nicely.
Edited at 2020-05-01 08:25 am (UTC)
No real issues today, just a little glue-brain – 5’10”.
My thanks to setter and blogger.
It took 5:52 which is certainly in my top 5 times and yet is still 1.6K …. how on earth do Kevin, Phil, Verlaine and the other Time Lords manage these speeds?!
Obviously I thought it was a great puzzle, though WHITLOW isn’t even in my 2 vol Shorter Oxford so must be fairly obscure. FOI IN CASE, LOI DISCO, COD VENISON.
Thanks Teazel and curarist.
Templar
FOI Stand up
COD Perhaps
DNF
FOI – 1ac in case
LOI – 21ac whitlow
COD – liked both 2dn (which I needed a lot of the crossers for) and also 3dn which gave me a chuckle.
FOI IN CASE
LOI PERHAPS
COD STALL
TIME 1.06K
Hard to pick a favourite but COD in the end to 9D Savile Row – clever construction of the answer when you see it but took me a while. I had a suit from Savile Row once – very comfortable, and lasted a long time. Would probably still be with me if my waistline hadn’t grown out of it.
Thanks to Curarist for the blog and a good weekend to all.
Cedric
Guessed TARPON earlier.
Liked IN CASE and IN PLAY, and STAND UP
Thanks all round again.
Another MER at 23a. “I’ll wager” is not the same as “better” .
Thanks to Teazel and Curarist for a BETTER end to the week – I’ve made a lot of use of aids until today
6d reminds me that I’m looking forward to seeing ‘A Winter’s Tale’ streamed free from the ROH this evening.
Edited at 2020-05-01 12:29 pm (UTC)
FOI: in play
LOI: whitlow
COD: in case
Thanks Teazel and Curarist
FOI 3dn STAND-UP I prefer sit-down comedians, if you get my drift.
LOI 16dn FLOWER – northern stand-up’s mode of address.
COD 13ac SEPULCHRE
WOD 6dn CORPS DE BALLET (I also like the word SEPULCHRAL)
Time 11.30 mins.
Please do try the ‘Monthly Club Special’ – Lord Verlaine notes it’s getting easier. And already 4 takers!
Edited at 2020-05-01 05:15 pm (UTC)
Thanks all.
Diana
Disco = Party? Not in my book, but it’s used so I can’t really complain.
With regards to Whitlow, I’d heard of a Wicklow – is that the same thing or something totally different?
Hopefully next week will prove a little better.
FOI – 4ac “Mascot”
LOI – DNF (again)
COD – 9dn “Savile Row”
Thanks as usual.
Maybe it’s just one of those regional things or something misheard and passed down generations.
FOI 1a
LOI 17a
COD 13a
Blue Stocking
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