So to today’s very enjoyable crossword. Even the long anagrams I often struggle with fell into place. I was held up at the end in SE but don’t expect our usual sub-10 finishers to have any problems.
ACROSS
1. So what – I don’t care. SOW with HAT.
4. Spells. A cryptic/double definition charms being spells as are periods.
8. Thought police – PC brigade. Anagram (smashed) of UP GOTHIC HOTEL.
10. Ruler. Double definition.
11. Mae West – old actress. EWE inside MAST.
12. Impersonate – pose as. Anagram (redirecting letters) of EIRE POSTMAN.
16. Tombola – lottery with a revolving drum. Grave (TOMB), old (O), Louisiana state (LA).
17. Farce – humorous work. Expression (FACE) around R.
18. Proliferation – rapid increase. Anagram (that’s extraordinary) of OIL EARN PROFIT.
19. Capital city – Athens. In Autri(A THEN S)witzerland.
20. Player – footballer perhaps. Zi(P), coat (LAYER).
DOWN
1. Saturn – planet. While (AS) upwards, rotate (TURN).
2. Woolly mammoth – hairy thing once. Vague (woolly), titanic (mammoth).
3. Anger – fury. Banger without the B.
5. Protein – basic dietary requirement. Anagram (fresh) of TRIPE NO.
6. Leicester City – a currently very successful football team. Anagram (falteringly) of CELTIC RISE YET.
7. Sheath – case. Second (S), prime minister (HEATH).
9. Timeshare – property agreement. Anagram (out) of HIRE TEAMS.
13. Emotion – feeling. Be(E)thoven, movement (MOTION).
14. Utopia – supposedly perfect state. In Xanad(U TOP I A)ssume.
15. Tenner – note. I was delayed by the surface into thinking of musical notes but it’s a homophone (heard) of tenor.
17. Frail – weak. (F)uddled, bar (RAIL).
The puzzle had a higher anagram content than any I can remember -perhaps another record? But they were satisfying anagrams and overall I enjoyed the puzzle. As ever a hidden answer was very slow to reveal itself to me. I finished with 14d but had no major problems; 30 minutes or so. David
I particularly enjoyed 1a as it made me chuckle and thought 15d was very clever