(In the clues, definitions are underlined and anagram indicators are in bold italics. In the explanations (ABC)* indicates an anagram of abc. Deletions and other devices are indicated accordingly, I hope).
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Last drink — cheers! (7,2) |
| BOTTOMS UP – BOTTOM (last) + SUP (drink) | |
| 6 | Some ignoramus, a proper idiot! (3) |
| SAP -Hidden (some) in ignoramuS A Proper | |
| 8 | A canoe I adapted for Pacific region (7) |
| OCEANIA – (A CANOE I)* | |
| 9 | Club employees (5) |
| STAFF – Double definition | |
| 10 | Bleeper beginning to provoke dreadful rage (5) |
| PAGER – P (beginning to Pager) + (RAGE)* | |
| 12 | Paid close attention to extraordinary deed by that man (6) |
| HEEDED – (DEED)* after HE (that man) | |
| 14 | Converted to supersonic, English jet, say (8,5) |
| PRECIOUS STONE – (TO SUPERSONIC)* + E (English)
Jet is a type of lignite which appears very black in the images I googled. Jet black I guess. |
|
| 16 | Couple aboard ship scrubbing the decks, perhaps? (2,4) |
| AT WORK – TWO (couple) “aboard” ARK (ship) | |
| 17 | Game with hands — and index finger? (5) |
| POKER – Double definition | |
| 19 | Honour a hospital department (5) |
| AWARD – A + WARD (hospital department) | |
| 20 | One politician for every one charge (7) |
| IMPEACH – I (one) + MP (politician) + EACH (for every one) | |
| 22 | Get down story (3) |
| LIE – Double definition | |
| 23 | A ruler got mistaken for governor (9) |
| REGULATOR – (A RULER GOT)* | |
| Down | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Poisoner flexed elbow having implanted seed (8) |
| BLOWPIPE – (ELBOW)* “having implanted” PIP (seed)
BLOWPIPE is used to describe a number of implements. The one referenced here is used for propelling poisoned darts towards one’s victim. I suspect it’s one of those things that featured more prominently in shows like Tarzan than it did in real life. See also quicksand. |
|
| 2 | Digit that’s over eight, first of all (3) |
| TOE – Initial letters (first of all) of That’s Over Eight | |
| 3 | Proprietor hugged by grandchildren woken up (5) |
| OWNER – Reverse hidden (hugged by…..up) in grandchildREN WOken | |
| 4 | Bold wife in belt, doing that up? (13) |
| SWASHBUCKLING – W (wife) in SASH (belt) + BUCKLING (doing that up?)
“That” of course is referencing the belt mentioned earlier in the clue. |
|
| 5 | Notices distributed to press (7) |
| POSTERS – (TO PRESS)* | |
| 6 | Gardening prep? (9) |
| SPADEWORK – Double definition
(Thanks 34kwhit for the correction). One definition is “hard or routine preparatory work” in any field. The other is an actual description of a specific gardening chore. Or if you think of SPADEWORK as a “gardening prep” chore then it’s a double def with the whole thing serving as a definition as well. |
|
| 7 | Advert for type of pastry? (4) |
| PUFF – Double definition
Is puff ok for advert? I know we have puff pieces, and we can puff something up, but I’m not sure of a situation where the word puff could directly replace the word advert. The verb form of advert means “to call attention to” something but that’s not the same as puffing it. Or maybe it is. I won’t be losing any sleep over it in any case. |
|
| 11 | Dog barking at grenade (5,4) |
| GREAT DANE – (AT GRENADE)* | |
| 13 | Hunter, marksman from the southeast? (8) |
| SEARCHER – SE (southeast) + ARCHER (marksman) | |
| 15 | Straight, as might be a nun? (2,5) |
| IN ORDER – Double definition | |
| 17 | Border raised, lifted for student (5) |
| PUPIL – [LIP (border) + UP (raised)] all reversed (lifted) | |
| 18 | Great time for bouncer? (4) |
| BALL – Double definition
Of course you can get from “bouncer” to ball with just “something that bounces” and the question mark plays its part there. But there’s a more specific definition in the cricket universe which has to do with a fast bowler trying to remove a batter’s head. “Chin music” to our American baseball friends (go the Jays). |
|
| 21 | Fit character starting arduous physical training (3) |
| APT – A [initial letter 0f (character starting) Arduous] + PT (physical training)
I originally had this as “Initial letters 0f (character starting) Arduous Physical Training”. Then wondered why it was character and not characters. A subtle distinction and another reminder that our wonderful setters very rarely get it wrong. |
|
06:36 marred by a fat fingered PUPLL. I had been typing badly all the way through and as I pressed submit I gloomily predicted a DPS. And lo, it came to pass.
Cracking puzzle, great blog. COD to SWASHBUCKLING. Congratulations galspray! (Let’s hope that that’s the last Australian we see raising his bat for the next three months 😁.)
A late solve today that took me quite a while. Definitely slower in the evening. Liked SEARCHER and POKER. Many thanks galspray and congrats. Always appreciate your blogs.
🌟 Play free with quick loads on Football Bros — try basketball stars today, with football bros unblocked games so you can jump in anywhere, anytime.
Another inept performance from me. Nothing changes.
Solved 2/3 of 15 x 15 but still can’t do this in anything like a good time.
I don’t know how to improve. I try hard every day and get nowhere. Others get better, I don’t. Why? Am I just lacking the mental furniture? I need to find out the secret to this before it drives me round the twist!
PS Nothing wrong with PUFF. In contract law, there is a distinction between an offer and an advert or puff.
Relax, you are trying too hard. And anyway, what do you call a good time? You are comparing yourself to long term obsessives, is this fair to you? And it may be countercultural, but why is it important to do it quickly anyway? I feel a little sorry for the people here who finish the quickies seriously quickly, I can’t see that the process or the result can be truly satisfying.
I imagine everyone does these things in the way that most pleases them. Not sure why you’d need to feel sorry for them.
Thanks for the advice Pedroblanco 👍. I definitely try too hard!
Gentle amble on a Sunday morning, requiring some thought, but not so much that it hurts.
FOI Bottoms up
LOI Swahbuckling
COD Spadework.
Thanks both.