Good get-able crossword. Thanks to Tracy who, I think, has ‘previous’ on providing such entertaining puzzles. A couple of items familiar from previous crosswords – one is the IV/VI each way bet, the other is the female singer. No time from me as I’d completely forgotten about blogging and have rushed about a bit – so let me know if anything is missing.
Across | |
3 Defender unhappy to withdraw earlier claim (4,4) | |
Back Down – Defender (BACK) unhappy (DOWN). | |
7 Have a meal entertaining four, or six – perfect (6) | |
Divine – Have a meal (DINE) around (entertaining) four (IV) or six (VI). We had a clue not so long ago where it had to be one or the other – this time it’s either or – take your pick. Clever stuff! | |
8 Humiliated prison reformer’s young children (5,3) | |
Small Fry – Humiliated (SMALL) prison reformer (FRY). | |
9 Smooth things out in golf club (4) | |
Iron – Double definition and often seen in cryptic crosswords – a golf club is usually an iron or a wood – but occasionally the old mashie niblicks may make an appearance. | |
10 Abraham’s nephew, 50 (Old Testament) (3) | |
Lot – 50 (L – Roman numeral) Old Testamant (OT). | |
11 What goes up when something else comes down? (8) | |
Umbrella – Cryptic definition and a good one at that. | |
13 Island in Chessel Bay (4) | |
Elba – The answer is in the clue – chessEL BAy. There tend to be a lot of ‘cockney’ clues but I don’t remember this island being referenced as a joint. | |
15 Song of praise suggested by that man on the radio (4) | |
Hymn – Homophone (suggested by AND on the radio) of ‘that man’. | |
17 Cushy job at home filling safe (8) | |
Sinecure – At home (IN) inside (filling) safe (SECURE). | |
19 Take steps in a court (3) | |
Act – A (A) court (CT). | |
22 I managed to find land overseas (4) | |
Iran – I (I) managed (RAN). | |
23 Former PM‘s daughter, one coming from Tel Aviv? (8) | |
Disraeli – Daughter (D) one coming from Tel Aviv (ISRAELI). | |
24 Senior college member dropped round with head of Worcester (6) | |
Fellow – Dropped (FELL) round (O) head of Worcester (W). | |
25 Destroy place by squandering (3,5) | |
Lay Waste – Place (Lay) squandering (WASTE). |
Down | |
1 Couple of shorts ahead of my card game (3,5) | |
Gin Rummy – Couple of shorts (or should that be shots?) of spirits (GIN RUM) in front of (ahead of) my (MY). | |
2 Conqueror William’s initial secret (6) | |
Winner – Williams’s initial (W) secret (INNER). | |
3 Footballer, second to none (4) | |
Best – Double definition. Somewhere it must be possible to find the clip of his delicate chip into the goal over a crowded penalty area – and with an old, heavy, leather ball at that – genius. | |
4 Tea without milk or sugar for clergyman (8) | |
Chaplain – Tea (Cha) without milk or sugar (PLAIN). | |
5 Enlarge deli at resort (6) | |
Dilate – Anagram (resort) of DELI AT. | |
6 Heated battle over motorway (4) | |
Warm – Battle (WAR) motorway (M) – or sometimes Bond’s boss. | |
12 Lacking enthusiasm, not as many supporting programme (8) | |
Listless – Not as many (LESS) supporting (under) programme (LIST). | |
14 Pointed remarks about fuss in Caribbean country (8) | |
Barbados – Pointed remarks (BARBS) around (about) fuss (ADO). | |
16 Slender new weapon (6) | |
Narrow – New (N) weapon (ARROW). | |
18 Cold? I could make a spicy dish (6) | |
Chilli – Cold (CHILL) I (I). | |
20 Very enthusiastic over operatic prima donna (4) | |
Diva – Very enthusiastic (AVID) backwards (over). A recurring theme of Tuesday Quickies. | |
21 Widespread fire out of control (4) | |
Rife – Anagram (out of control) of FIRE. |
Edited at 2014-06-03 01:54 am (UTC)
Last one in SMALL FRY.
My father and numerous teachers would have howled at me writing in chilly without properly checking it. My spots are leopard-like.
Edited at 2014-06-03 03:57 pm (UTC)
A beautifully crafted puzzle with an equally beautiful clear blog, many thanks Chris 🙂
LOI DIVINE simply because I worked round in a circle.
COD HYMN because I like ‘man on the radio’ as a sounds like indicator.
1. ‘not as many’ stands on it’s own in the clue – supporting means underneath and program means list. So separated up it may be more acceptable?
2. There’s a link on the TfTT page to online dictionaries used
– http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk
Where it says:
Less is a grammatically complex word with several part-of-speech functions, as the entry shows. Its use overlaps with fewer when it qualifies plural nouns, especially in conversation:• ?• They admitted this measure will lead to less prosecutions. Strictly, fewer is more correct in this case. The reason less is used here instead of fewer is that the total amount predominates in the mind over the plurality implied by the strict grammar of the noun.
I suspect you’re more expert in this than me but I hope I have helped.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptic_crossword#Types_of_cryptic_clues
It could be that on the days when you don’t get it, the crossword contains clue types you haven’t encountered before – so – forewarned and forearmed – have fun! By the way getting an account name on LiveJournal is really easy – then you can join in the banter on the blog.