I made fairly heavy weather of this, though looking back it all seems straightforward. I came in at 7:58 but only after several last-ditch biffs.
| Across |
| 7 |
Drink after very final message (4) |
|
VALE – ALE after V, meaning farewell. |
| 8 |
Composer non-believer? In one! (8) |
|
PAGANINI – PAGAN + IN + I |
| 9 |
House by river with virtuoso poet (6) |
|
HORACE – HO (house) + R (river) + ACE (virtuoso). Roman poet 65-8 BC |
| 10 |
A cart led by good knight (6) |
|
GAWAIN – A + WAIN (as in the Hay Wain), with G for good at the front. One of King Arthur’s goons. |
| 11 |
A base for thieves maybe in port (4) |
|
ADEN – A + DEN (of thieves) |
| 12 |
A rise lad negotiated to be regularly paid (8) |
|
SALARIED – anagram (‘negotiated’) of A RISE LAD |
| 15 |
Islands where male meets females at matches (8) |
|
HEBRIDES – HE (male) + BRIDES (females at matches) |
| 17 |
Eg, London society — not so English (4) |
|
CITY – SOCIETY minus SO and E |
| 18 |
Run in country producing injury (6) |
|
SPRAIN – R in SPAIN |
| 21 |
Learner not the first person to be paid for work (6) |
|
EARNER – [L]EARNER |
| 22 |
One way of saying artist entered secretly (2,6) |
|
IN CAMERA – In came RA (Royal Academician) |
| 23 |
Mum with little hesitation leaving insect (4) |
|
MOTH – MOTHER minus ER |
| Down |
| 1 |
Pet — roughly speaking, a fool (8) |
|
CANOODLE – CA (roughly speaking) + NOODLE (fool) |
| 2 |
Keep check, receiving a word of thanks (6) |
|
RETAIN – REIN (check) with TA (thanks) inside |
| 3 |
See papa getting bothered over daughter being placated (8) |
|
APPEASED – anagram (‘bothered’) of SEE PAPA plus D for daughter |
| 4 |
Past glories initially making one very keen (4) |
|
AGOG – AGO (past) + G for Glories |
| 5 |
Some comedians were giving a reply (6) |
|
ANSWER – hidden word |
| 6 |
Worker, one not pro (4) |
|
ANTI – ANT (worker) + I |
| 13 |
US city gave lass shivers (3,5) |
|
LAS VEGAS – anagram (‘shivers’) of GAVE LASS |
| 14 |
Request measure leading to agreement (8) |
|
ENTREATY – EN (measurement used in printing) + TREATY. Crossword measurements to know: EN (about 6 typographical points), EM (two ens), and ELL (measure of length used in textiles, about 45 inches) |
| 16 |
President has soldiers once more out of India (6) |
|
REAGAN – RE (Royal Engineers, i.e. soldiers) + AGAIN minus I for India. |
| 17 |
Something shiny in church, see (6) |
|
CHROME – CH (church) + ROME (see, in its very crosswordy sense of diocese) |
| 19 |
Long wood (4) |
|
PINE – double definition |
| 20 |
Christmas story book lacking central element (4) |
|
NOEL – NOVEL minus the middle letter |
Slow start, but finished in 28 minutes and all correct.
Late night solve- well late for me.
That was a real toughie for me, easy clues mixed with ones I simply couldn’t parse. Nice bits of learning for me though with EN for measure and See for diocese. Thanks Curarist
13 minutes.
Tough especially the north west. Struggled with Reagan also.
COD Vale.
Quick and easy