Not quite a stroll for me, with plenty of clues I struggled with. 16ac was my first one in and even once I got going I was held up by one or two unusual or archaic bits of vocabulary. I’m looking forward to reading what others made of it as much as the next man, so…
Across |
1 |
HORSE AND CART – an old conveyance, and an allusion to the phrase “put the cart before the horse”. |
8 |
WRUNG – W (wife) + RUNG (phoned) for distressed. |
9 |
GLEANER – collector of scraps from last letter of seeminG (finally) + LEANER (less nourishing). |
10 |
RID – shortened RIDe (journey) is free (verb). |
11 |
NET PROFIT – anagram of TRIP OFTEN (indicated by bad) gives clear gain. |
13 |
SKEIN – double definition, the collective noun for (a lot of) geese (they’re only a gaggle when on the ground) and a knotted yarn, or tangle. |
14 |
HOTLY – last letter of sacramenT received by HOLY (sacred) produces passion. |
16 |
SIDE SALAD – SIDES (teams) with A LAD (a boy) for dish. |
17 |
HUG – almost HUGe (enormous) for embrace. |
19 |
MIGRANT – newly arrived foreigner is MI (M1 motorway) + GRANT (permit). |
21 |
CONGO – CON (study) + GO (game) for African River. At least I think I’ve parsed that correctly! |
22 |
MAKE ENDS MEET – double definition, first one cryptic. This did not jump out at me, even with all the checkers: my last one in. |
Down |
1 |
HEWER – H (for Henry) + EWER ( a wide-mouthed jug or vessel) for cutter (one who cuts). |
2 |
ROUNDHEAD – old soldier is ROUND (circle) + HEAD (cape). |
3 |
EGG ON ONES FACE – cryptic definition. |
4 |
NEGATE – nullify from an anagram of AGENT (indicated by travelling) plus East. |
5 |
CLEAR THE DECKS – double definition. |
6 |
RUN – double definition. To run a business, for example, or to run away. |
7 |
PRETTY – R (king) guarded by PETTY (a sort of officer) gives attractive. |
12 |
FAT CHANCE – I’m not sure about this one. If it’s a double definition the second one (being overweight) is insufficient; if it’s a cryptic definition it would seem to lead to “thin chance”. |
13 |
SESAME – the seed found in the spell, “open sesame”. |
15 |
GLUTEN – anagram of LET GUN (indicated by off) for an example of something some people can’t stomach. |
18 |
GHOST – G (grand) + HOST (archaic word for army) gives phantom. |
20 |
GOA – remove the last letter of GOAd (enticement) for this Indian state. |
Talking of which, “Go” is a popular Chinese game played on a 19×19 board that I was quite keen on many decades ago at school. The object is to surround your opponent’s counters so they can’t escape. It’s fiendishly strategic.
As far as 12d is concerned, I read it as “Virtually no prospect” and “of being overweight”, giving a double definition. I think the meaning was clear, even if the clue doesn’t bear too much scrutiny!
Good clear, concise blog.
http://feeds.thetimes.co.uk/timescrossword/20140912/266/
Like the blogger I’m also a little confused as to exactly what’s going on at 12dn. I agree it doesn’t seem to work as a cryptic leading to the required answer, and as a double definition it would seem that both need to include the word “prospect” giving us i) virtually no prospect, and ii) prospect of being overweight. I’m not sure this really matters but for those wanting to learn how clues work it’s a bit confusing.
Edited at 2014-09-12 09:15 am (UTC)
Here’s the Shorter Oxford entry:
CON
4. verb trans. Study, learn by heart; peruse; scan. Freq. foll. by over. LME.
Edited at 2014-09-12 02:59 pm (UTC)
Edited at 2014-09-12 04:53 pm (UTC)
A lovely crossword for me – the only one I could not solve was 20a – make ends meet!
The hat lady
HEWER, SKEIN and CONGO all undid me.
Thanks for very nice blog william