Solving time 13 minutes exactly. We seem to be having a run of easier puzzles on Saturdays lately. With the number of double definitions in this one I was wondering whether Rufus had joined the Times! Quite a fun puzzle though, great surface readings at 11ac and 25ac, but 1ac gets my COD for originality.
I’ve made the page about how to keep your Crossword Club-only membership “unsticky” now, but it can still be found here, or in Memories / Times Crossword Club. Actually, I just worked out how to add it to the right-hand column, so it can stay visible permanently without taking up too much room.
Across |
1 |
INPUT – reverse homophone, that’s a new one on me. Sounds like “twopenny” backwards. |
4 |
HAMBURGER – double definition. |
9 |
TRIBESMAN – (merits ban)*. |
10 |
DITTO – DITTY (simple song) with a different last letter. |
11 |
MARILYN MONROE – MONROE (5th president of the US) after [ R(elations) inside (mainly)* ]. |
14 |
DISH – double definition. |
15 |
SANDHOPPER – SHOPPER (one buying) around AND (with). |
18 |
TRANSVERSE – last letters of definition, thus inside TRAVERSE (cross), &lit. |
19 |
MEAN – double definition. |
21 |
CLAUDE DEBUSSY – CE (church) around LAUDED (acclaimed) + S(infonia) inside BUSY (diligent). |
24 |
ALIBI – LIB (party) inside (j)AI(l). |
25 |
COVER GIRL – OVER (on) + RIG (outfit) reversed, all inside (under)CL(othes). |
27 |
NIGHTFALL – NIGH (approaching) + TALL (unlikely) around F(ade). |
28 |
NONET – ONE (I) inside NT (New Testament = books). |
Down |
1 |
INTIMIDATE – INTIMATE (friend) around ID (unconscious thought). |
2 |
PSI – PS (one added to letter) + I (one more). Ψ – 23rd letter of the Greek alphabet. |
3 |
TREBLE – treble definition! I’ve seen this one before, probably in the Guardian. |
4 |
HUMAN RACE – HUM (smell) + (ran)* + ACE (excellent). |
5 |
MANGO – MAN (piece) + GO (zest). |
6 |
UNDERDOG – UNDERDO (cook too little) + G(rub). |
7 |
GUTTER PRESS – cryptic definition. |
8 |
ROOT – double definition. |
12 |
RESEARCHING – (her case)* inside RING (call). |
13 |
GRANNY FLAT – definition + cryptic definition. |
16 |
DUST DEVIL – (duvet slid)* |
17 |
ESSAYIST – S(on) + SAY (for example) + IS, all inside ET (alternate letters of meat). |
20 |
OBERON – OBER (close to one month, i.e. October) + ON. |
22 |
DACHA – A CHAD (a country) with the D for daughter moved up. |
23 |
WAIN – WIN (success) around A. |
26 |
INN – FINN (European) minus the first letter. |
I was completely baffled by the wordplay at 1ac and none the wiser for the explanation given above until I thought “tup’nny” instead of “twopenny”.
Edited at 2013-05-25 08:12 am (UTC)
Geoffrey
I was under the impression that Roger Squires (Rufus in the Guardian) sets for The Times occasionally, and with the number of DDs it could well be one of his.
I also enjoyed the originality of 1ac.
Thanks for parsing Dacha, Andy – I didn’t understand that one. Daniel
Re ‘essentially’ as a ‘middle-letters-ind’, whilst one doesn’t like to make things harder for the compilers, I’m really not too sure. It does seem tough with the various eviscerations, drainings and disheartenings failing perhaps in hyper-accurately describing the part to be chucked away, but some seem to work more smoothly than others for me.
Thanks indeed all.
Chris.