One for the double definition fans. This was very gentle except for a couple of clues that took a bit more thought. I was expecting a fast time but I seem to have stretched it out to an exactly par 6:00.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Pigment more likely to ooze, as reported (5) |
| SEPIA – Sounds like ‘Seepier’, i.e more oozy | |
| 7 | Emperor, black one, keeps away (9) |
| BONAPARTE – B + ONE surrounding APART | |
| 9 | Finally, short book (5) |
| ATLAS – Short for AT LAST | |
| 10 | School’s good stuff repeated back (7) |
| GRAMMAR – G + RAM (stuff) + MAR (RAM backwards) | |
| 11 | Stop flow from firm (7) |
| STAUNCH – double definition | |
| 12 | A number competent and believable (7) |
| TENABLE – TEN + ABLE | |
| 15 | I won’t bore you with the rest too quickly (3,2,2) |
| AND SO ON – AND (too) + SOON | |
| 18 | Actress’s floral wreath (7) |
| GARLAND – double definition | |
| 20 | God! Fantastic answer that will fix everything (7) |
| PANACEA – PAN (god) + ACE + A | |
| 22 | I study small pictures (5) |
| ICONS – I + CON + S | |
| 23 | This designer could move to the Arctic (9) |
| ARCHITECT – anagram (‘could move to’) of THE ARCTIC | |
| 24 | Badger and pair of rooks in grass (5) |
| HARRY – RR (two rooks) inside HAY | |
| Down | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Photographs of biscuits (5) |
| SNAPS – double definition | |
| 2 | Robbed tablet, not new (8) |
| PILLAGED – PILL (tablet) + AGED (not new) | |
| 3 | First two letters posted elsewhere (6) |
| ABSENT – A+B (first two letters) + SENT | |
| 4 | Injury from run in the country (6) |
| SPRAIN – R in SPAIN | |
| 5 | A weird lily (4) |
| ARUM – A + RUM | |
| 6 | Apprentice left good source of income (7) |
| LEARNER – L + EARNER | |
| 8 | Singer’s dark time at home with grand beer (11) |
| NIGHTINGALE – NIGHT + IN + G + ALE | |
| 13 | Thrash, live party (8) |
| BELABOUR – BE (live) + LABOUR | |
| 14 | Panic, as floundering in sea (7) |
| CASPIAN – anagram (‘floundering’) of PANIC AS | |
| 16 | Evil goblin concealed beautiful flower (6) |
| ORCHID – ORC + HID. Chestnut | |
| 17 | Violent indignation, transfixed by one apparition (6) |
| WRAITH – WRATH with I inserted | |
| 19 | Regularly dour where clouds are somewhat dark (5) |
| DUSKY – Alternate letters of DOUR + SKY | |
| 21 | Quite pleasant city? (4) |
| NICE – Double definition. Double chestnut. | |
How does LABOUR = ‘party’?
EDIT: I’m very dumb. I can’t even use my standard excuse, as I’ve read many pieces lately about the things Labour is doing to crater their popularity and public trust over there.
The usual linguistic garbage,why bother having a widely spoken language only to butcher it?Whoever invented cryptic crosswords has done a great disservice to humanity! I’m glad the younger generation has turned its back
on this addictive time-waster!