Saturday Times 26010 (31st Jan)

Author   linxitPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solved in 13:10, so on the easyish side but with some great clues. I was surprised to find 10D isn’t in any of the dictionaries I possess – or (dons tin-foil hat) maybe it was removed… My COD goes to 15D, a lot of misdirection going on there and just a great idea for the clue.

Across
1 Nothing in handbag: contents oddly missing (4)
NADA – alternate letters of “iN hAnDbAg”. First one in for me, but a lot of people struggled to parse it, judging from the forum comments.
3 Lacking formal education, so he almost couldn’t work (10)
UNSCHOOLED – (so he couldn)*.
9 Animated character won’t stop drinking when entertaining male (7)
SIMPSON – SIPS ON (won’t stop drinking) around M(ale).
11 Ancient opponent completely lacking that special quality (7)
ANTIQUE – ANTI (opponent) + QUITE (completely) without IT (that special quality).
12 Absence of sin, note, in local old churches (9)
INNOCENCE – N(ote) inside INN (local) + O(ld) + CE,CE (churches).
13 Didn’t move back, having reached Zimbabwe’s borders (5)
FROZE – FRO (back, opposite of to) + Z(imbabw)E.
14 Report about one man’s unusual craft (12)
STONEMASONRY – STORY (report) around (one man’s)*.
18 The artist said to employ natural substance, I think (12)
THEORETICIAN – THE + TICIAN (sounds like TITIAN) around ORE (natural substance).
21 Officers no longer appearing in displays (5)
EXPOS – EX-P.O.’S (i.e. former petty officers).
22 Start school? (9)
INSTITUTE – double definition.
24 Scotsman’s expression of disbelief, following marine creature here? (3,4)
SEA LOCH – OCH (Scotsman’s expression of disbelief) after SEAL (marine creature).
25 Moving slowly, coach takes girl back (7)
LAGGARD – DRAG (coach) + GAL (girl), all reversed. A drag is a mail-coach (buried somewhere deep among the list of definitions in Chambers).
26 Car event run by friend leading to misfortune (10)
RALLYCROSS – R(un) + ALLY (friend) + CROSS (leading to misfortune).
27 Make improvements to motorway border (4)
MEND – M(otorway) + END (border).

Down
1 Most revolting wine kept in secluded place (8)
NASTIEST – ASTI (wine) inside NEST (secluded place).
2 Government follower supporting party (8)
DOMINION – MINION (follower) underneath DO (party).
4 Material collected by Lenin once (5)
NINON – hidden in “LeNIN ONce”. Very popular, this material lately!
5 Drink for each individual child-minder? (9)
CHAPERONE – CHA (drink) + PER (for each) + ONE (individual).
6 During trip, public transport’s unlikely to run well? (3,2,8)
OUT OF TRAINING – OUTING (trip) around OF TRAIN (public transport’s).
7 Drink is sweet without ice (6)
LIQUOR – LIQUORICE (sweet), without the ICE.
8 German fellow who’ll eat less? (6)
DIETER – double definition, two different pronunciations.
10 The crises resolved by politician? Unlikely version of events (6,7)
SECRET HISTORY – (the crises)* + TORY. Not included in any of my dictionaries, but Wikipedia has an entry.
15 A stroppier one hoisted banner (9)
ABOLISHER – A + BOLSHIER (stroppier), with the I raised a couple of places.
16 Assume I’m initially unknown, among list of candidates (8)
SIMULATE – I’M + U(nknown) inside SLATE (list of candidates).
17 At home, looked after fiancée (8)
INTENDED – IN (at home) + TENDED (looked after).
19 You want blemish-free crockery collection? That’s a problem (6)
TEASER – TEA SERVICE (crockery collection) without the VICE (blemish).
20 Battles about retaining power over large urban development (6)
SPRAWL – WARS (battles) reversed around P(ower), + L(arge).
23 Numbers going up and down (5)
SOLOS – just a definition plus palindrome indicator.

14 comments on “Saturday Times 26010 (31st Jan)”

    1. Yes – there is a small group of octogenarian ladies living in Herne Bay (one of which is my mother) who were told back in the late ’60s that Asti was a sophisticated tipple and continue to live the dream by drinking the stuff, bless ’em.

      They also drink Dubonnet…

      Edited at 2015-02-07 11:30 am (UTC)

      1. Another one here who’s glad not to have thought of STATS. It was my LOI and took I dunno how long.

        Asti and Dubonnet! What a sweet story. I think it’s what the Queen puts in her gin. It takes me back because I remember going to a fearfully smart cocktail party at the Crillon in Paris as my dad’s arm candy – he was living there at the time and for some reason mum wasn’t available. I was 19 and all that was offered was whiskey which I didn’t like so I asked for a Dubonnet (thinking you know France, Dubo Dubon Dubonnet). The waiter looked at me in horreur and it took a good 15 minutes to arrive in the smallest glass I’ve ever seriously been offered a drink in. Just over 19 for this so no real hold-ups.

        1. The first alcoholic drink I ever had was a Dubonnet and liime, aged about 11 or 12, at my granparents’ house. My grandmother asked me asked me if I wanted it short or long, which floored me completely.. to this day I couldn’t say what the difference was. As I recall I asked for long, thinking I might get more 🙂
        2. “I think it’s what the Queen puts in her gin.”

          It was the Queen Mum (gawd bless ‘er) first. In fact, Wikipedia has a fascinating entry:

          • Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who liked gin and Dubonnet: 30% gin, 70% Dubonnet with a slice of lemon under the ice. She once noted before a trip, “…I think that I will take two small bottles of Dubonnet and gin with me this morning, in case it is needed…”

          • Queen Elizabeth II, who likes two-parts Dubonnet and one-part gin with two cubes of ice and a lemon slice before lunch every day

    2. Italians drink Asti, while asking themselves, “Does anyone actually eat roast beef and Yorkshire pudding*?”

      DNF Beaten today by 3 all crossing:
      SIMULATE – didn’t know the Americanism slate and couldn’t see simulate as assume (and still not convinced);
      LAGGARD unknown as an adjective;
      and the wrong sort of numbers so didn’t get SOLOS.

      Otherwise quite enjoyable, and not as easy as the blogger found.
      Rob

      *Feel free to substitute jellied eels, cider, or any other uniquely British food or drink.

  2. Highly enjoyable challenge, but 23d was my undoing as (aside from getting it wrong!) it prevented me from getting 25a. I was so convinced STATS must be right for a “numbers” palindrome that it did not occur to me to revisit the A as the opener for 25a…

    Bunged in RALLYCROSS from the R plus ALLY and the definition, but still struggling to see how CROSS in 26a equals “leading to misfortune”. Is this a reference to crucifixion (in which case it seems a bit of an understatement!) or am I missing something obvious? Really appreciate some guidance here.

    A number of great clues I thought, particularly liked 5d, 19d and 15d. Thanks for the very helpful blog Andy.

    1. I’m glad I didn’t think of STATS! It says something that when I see ‘number’ I think of songs and anaesthetics before I think of actual numbers!
      For CROSS meaning ‘misfortune’ think of having a ‘cross to bear’. Defined in Chambers as ‘adversity or affliction in general, or a burden or cause of suffering’.
      16:40.

      Edited at 2015-02-07 10:35 am (UTC)

  3. I got there eventually but it was quite tough, I thought.

    Didn’t know NINON, DRAG as a coach or LAGGARD as anything other than noun. Failed to parse -QUE in ANTIQUE.

    SECRET HISTORY is in my Collins 12th edition (2014).

    1. Jack, ninon was 2dn in crossword 26000, that you blogged on Jan 20th, just over a fortnight ago! 🙂

      And it seems to be its fourth appearance in recent years..

        1. Apologies, Jack.. but I hope you will agree it could not be resisted. My own memory for clues is similar, but I do make a special effort to remember new words. Taking the time to look up and read the entry in Chambers does help lock it in place, I find
  4. 20 mins. The only note I made says that the RALLYCROSS/ABOLISHER crossers were my last ones in, so I’m assuming I plodded steadily through it. Today’s Prize and Jumbo puzzles were different kettles of fish, for me at least.

    Although I didn’t make a note of it I think I already had LAGGARD before I got to 23dn so “stats” didn’t occur to me.

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