Saturday Times 26148 (11th July)

Author   linxitPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time 14:05 so about average, although while solving it felt quicker and I was surprised I’d taken over 10 minutes when I stopped the clock! One clue I can’t satisfactorily parse (23ac), although I don’t remember noticing that while solving. COD to 12ac for the funny definition.

Across
1 Company’s paid in charge for appearances only (8)
COSMETIC – CO’S + MET (paid) + IC (in charge).
9 With Liberal England on board, that changes eventually (2,6)
AT LENGTH – L(iberal) + ENG(land) inside (that)*. The definition didn’t seem right, as I’ve only thought of it as meaning “long-windedly” etc, but Chambers says it can also mean “at last”.
10 Who’ll criticise roof-repairer? (6)
SLATER – double definition.
11 To weaken equal backing, appealing about French article (10)
EMASCULATE – SAME (equal) reversed + CUTE (appealing) around LA (French article).
12 Perhaps some cheeky hanging judge and a solemn person (4)
JOWL – J(udge) + OWL (solemn person). Great definition!
13 Supposedly dull stuff that’s foul and still carried by channel? (10)
DITCHWATER – proverbial cryptic definition, with a surface that’s supposed to make us think about bad TV programmes.
16 Runner long-ago snatched back 4 garments to clothe the girl (7)
SHERGAR – RAGS (threadbare garments – see 4dn) reversed around HER (the girl). One of the best racehorses of all time probably, kidnapped and killed by the IRA in 1983.
17 Schism about to engulf incomplete revival (7)
RUPTURE – RE (about) around UPTUR(n) (incomplete revival).
20 Bring English toff and see stuff around London neighbourhood (10)
MARYLEBONE – E(nglish) + NOB (toff) + ELY (see) + RAM (stuff), all reversed.
22 Crumple lorry with front ripped off (4)
RUCK – (t)RUCK.
23 Support husband with dubious comment or inducement (10)
BACKHANDER – BACK (support) + H(usband) + AND (with). I can’t see how the ER is indicated.
25 Failed, breaking out? (6)
AFIELD – (failed)*.
26 Takes risks, holding over a new bishop (8)
DIOCESAN – DICES (takes risks) around O(ver) + A + N(ew).
27 Moon‘s gravitational constant may need adjusting (8)
GANYMEDE – G (gravitational constant) + (may need)*. The largest of Jupiter’s moons.

Down
2 Muse over sale item, hard stuff to use for a Mac? (8)
OILCLOTH – CLIO (muse) reversed + LOT (sale item) + H(ard). Clio is the muse of history in Greek mythology.
3 Encountered antipathy with university replacing core engineering subject (10)
METALLURGY – MET (encountered) + ALLERGY (antipathy), with the middle letter (core) replaced by a U for university.
4 Requirement for screw, stripped and worn (10)
THREADBARE – THREAD (requirement for screw) + BARE (stripped).
5 Game preserves/reserves with enclosed area (7)
CANASTA – CANS (preserves) + TA (Territorial Army, reserves) around A(rea).
6 Actors in concert from bill once regularly shunned (4)
BLOC – alternate letters of “bill once”.
7 What’s in handbag has Thatcher horrified (6)
AGHAST – hidden in “handbag has Thatcher”.
8 Crushed toe? Here’s something to maintain its shape (4,4)
SHOE TREE – (toe here’s)*.
14 Get used to indoor living in the way stress is reported (5-5)
HOUSE-TRAIN – sounds like “how strain” (sort of…)
15 Support for harmonising colours? (4-6)
ANTI-RACISM – cryptic definition.
16 Heavyweight to perform live turns, fitting in extremely well (8)
SOMEBODY – DO (perform) + BE (live) both reversed, inside SO (extremely) + MY (well).
18 Sports ground on development of Clyde given extended use (8)
RECYCLED – REC (sports ground) + (Clyde)*.
19 Language from side of car circling ring road (7)
WORDING – WING (side of car) around O (ring) + RD.
21 Consider note with extremes of Czechoslovak opinion (6)
RECKON – RE (note) + C(zechoslova)K, O(pinio)N.
24 Too small, eaten by a large duck (4)
ALSO – S(mall) inside A, L(arge), O (duck).

9 comments on “Saturday Times 26148 (11th July)”

  1. The best I could come up with is that ‘ER’ might fit ‘dubious comment’ though that may involve a touch of double duty. Another theory is that something might be said to be “a bit ER” meaning that it’s doubtful or dubious, but I couldn’t find support for this.

    Edited at 2015-07-18 09:05 am (UTC)

  2. 17 mins. Regarding 23ac I see the “dubious comment” as ER and the definition for BACKHANDER as “inducement”, so I don’t believe there is any double-duty involved. ANTI-RACISM was my LOI after GANYMEDE.
    1. I think you have it, but it was the inclusion of ‘or’ that made me wonder if the definition extended further (as Andy has blogged it too). ‘Backhander’ can be defined as ‘hurtful or stinging remark’ in support of that possibility.
  3. Just squeaked in under 10 minutes with this. I parsed 23ac exactly like Andy B. I don’t have a problem with ‘er’ as an expression of mild doubt or disagreement, but if you think it is only an expression of hesitation then Collins defines ‘dubious’ as ‘hesitating or doubting’.

    Edited at 2015-07-18 12:25 pm (UTC)

  4. I started at express speed with the top half but then hit the buffers. I needed all the checkers for SOMEBODY and ANTI-RACISM. 30 minutes. Ann
  5. Is 34 years since winning the Derby really “long ago” ? I can still remember Walter Swinburn’s ride.
    I thought the answer was looking for something like Eclipse -now that was long ago.
    1. I was trying to remember who the dude was who ran from Marathon to Athens after being eaten by a fox. Not so hot on classics – didn’t know Clio either. But I do remember Shergar, news that even made it downunder.
      Struggled a bit, off the wavelength, had to put it down and come back later to finish it.
      Rob
  6. Done and dusted in less than a week. I had no idea about SHERGAR; thought it was a messenger, maybe in the wars against the wily Pathans, and forgot to look it up afterwards.DNK BACKHANDER, which delayed matters much. COD 16d maybe.

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