ParkSolve time: 35:30 on another delightful Autumn morning.
Again I have the pleasure of blogging a Saturday Joker and it’s the sort of high-quality puzzle we’ve come to expect.
Let us know how you went. Meanwhile I’m heading off for that most punishing of experiences, watching a movie with a bunch of people who have all read the book when I haven’t. Wish me luck.
(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 | Army chap destroyed source of drugs (8) |
| PHARMACY – (ARMY CHAP)* | |
| 5 | X in “waXwork” is supersized (4) |
| KISS – Hidden in waxworK IS Supersized
X for kiss being an early form of text-speak. |
|
| 8 | Trying to find roof beam when the first goes missing (5) |
| AFTER – Not the most obvious definition but I like it. |
|
| 9 | Bad smell around place is disgusting (7) |
| OBSCENE – OB [BO (bad smell) reversed (around)] + SCENE (place) | |
| 11 | Wanton unoccupied suffering change of heart in favour of one (11) |
| UNINHIBITED – UNINHABITED (unoccupied) with the middle letter changed (suffering change of heart) to I (one) | |
| 13 | Getting on, feeling the chill a bit without cape (6) |
| OLDISH – |
|
| 14 | Cowardly Charlie chased by bird (6) |
| CRAVEN – C (Charlie) “chased by” RAVEN (bird) | |
| 17 | Lure of saint leaving Italy in 1922-43? (11) |
| FASCINATION – ST (saint) “leaving” FASCI |
|
| 20 | Spear I had found in river (7) |
| TRIDENT – ID (I had) found in TRENT (river) | |
| 21 | Head of arboretum donated succulent (5) |
| AGAVE – A (“head” of Arboretum) + GAVE (donated)
As in the cactus-y meaning of succulent. |
|
| 22 | I encountered returning pair of lovers (4) |
| ITEM – I + TEM [MET(encountered) reversed (returning)] | |
| 23 | Clergyman always gripped by right objective (8) |
| REVEREND – EVER (always) “gripped by” R (right) + END (objective)
A couple of chestnuts to round off the Acrosses. |
|
| Down | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mountain, say, cut off at the top (4) |
| PEAK – |
|
| 2 | Surprise tons with a noise outside (7) |
| ASTOUND – T (tons) with A + SOUND (noise) “outside” | |
| 3 | Two fish pierced by tip of sharp metal implement (11) |
| MARLINSPIKE – MARLIN + PIKE (two fish) “pierced by” S (tip of Sharp)
Mainly used for managing ropes and knots in marine environments |
|
| 4 | Crowd in church with English dress (6) |
| CLOTHE – LOT (crowd) in CH (church) + E (English) | |
| 6 | Inadequate IT holds author up (5) |
| INEPT – IT “holds” NEP [PEN (author) reversed (up)]
As in lacking proficiency. |
|
| 7 | Mailing involving poster initially paying out (8) |
| SPENDING – SENDING (mailing) “involving” P (Poster initially) | |
| 10 | Secondary route Sinbad organised (11) |
| SUBORDINATE – (ROUTE SINBAD)* | |
| 12 | Alternative to rice cold? Often it’s cooked (8) |
| CONFETTI – C (cold) + (OFTEN IT)*
Clever clue. We don’t throw rice at weddings any more, but I think most churches banned confetti long ago as well? |
|
| 15 | Struggle introducing new label showing year wine’s made (7) |
| VINTAGE – VIE (struggle) “introducing” N (new) + TAG (label) | |
| 16 | Rook cat’s chewed and half left (6) |
| CASTLE – (CATS)* + LE (half LEft) | |
| 18 | Small price paid for renting horse (5) |
| SHIRE – S (small) + HIRE (price paid for renting)
An English breed of draught horse, as you probably know. |
|
| 19 | Animal running up for grass (4) |
| REED – DEER (animal) reversed (running up) | |
13 minutes. MARLINSPIKE with MARLIN as a fish for wordplay in a QC? Good God! That clue seemed totally out of kilter with the rest of the puzzle.