10:24 for this one, although when I looked at the Forum comments afterwards I found everyone saying how easy it was. Still, under two Magoos is good enough for me! More than the usual number of DDs, a low GK quotient and only a couple with any tricky wordplay to untangle meant it was pretty straightforward for a Saturday.
| Across |
| 1 |
Nameless native force creating clamour (10) |
|
VOCIFERATE – (ative force)*. |
| 6 |
Fly seen as singular nutrient for cow (4) |
|
SCUD – S(ingular) + CUD (nutrient for cow). |
| 9 |
Persisting in / flirting (8,2) |
|
CARRYING ON – double definition. |
| 10 |
Stab knight during hiatus in retreat (4) |
|
PANG – N (knight) inside GAP (hiatus) reversed. |
| 12 |
Where patient may be nursing black eye, you mustn’t appear unfriendly (12) |
|
INHOSPITABLE – IN HOSPITAL (where patient may be) around B(lack), + EYE without YE (you mustn’t appear). |
| 15 |
Solid figures round cathedral shortly to be replaced (9) |
|
OCTAHEDRA – O (round) + (cathedra)*. Not very anagrammy with only two letters swapped! |
| 17 |
Class, one lacking in brilliance (5) |
|
GENUS – GENIUS (brilliance) without the I (one lacking). |
| 18 |
Thatcher’s essential blemishes recalled (5) |
|
STRAW – WARTS (blemishes) reversed. |
| 19 |
Short celebration on street for children’s author (9) |
|
STEVENSON – EVENSON(g) (short celebration) next to ST(reet). I’m not keen on the definition though – his most famous novel Treasure Island was for children, but most of his work wasn’t. |
| 20 |
Confirms delay during four-handed game (6-6) |
|
DOUBLE-CHECKS – CHECK (delay) inside DOUBLES (four-handed game, eg tennis). |
| 24 |
Chief ingredient of Cheddar cheese (4) |
|
ARCH – hidden in Cheddar cheese. |
| 25 |
Graduate male, left inside had more than a few foxed (10) |
|
BAMBOOZLED – BA (graduate) + M(ale) + L(eft) inside BOOZED (had more than a few). |
| 26 |
Scruff last to gamble on tipster’s choice (4) |
|
NAPE – E (last letter of gamble) next to NAP (tipster’s choice). |
| 27 |
Incense associated with late flowering plant (4,6) |
|
DEAD NETTLE – NETTLE (incense) next to DEAD (late). |
| Down |
| 1 |
Items for cleaning / when students aren’t up (4) |
|
VACS – double definition, “up” here in the usual crossword sense of “at university”. |
| 2 |
Heart unit spoken of (4) |
|
CORE – sounds like CORPS (unit). |
| 3 |
Witness in theory knowing where pictures may be hung (3,2,3,4) |
|
FLY ON THE WALL – FLY (knowing) + ON THE WALL (where pictures may be hung). |
| 4 |
Cover littlest piggy over (3,2) |
|
RUN TO – RUNT (littlest piggy) + O(ver). |
| 5 |
Happened to finish off mounting post (4,5) |
|
TOOK PLACE – TO + KO (finish off) reversed + PLACE (post). |
| 7 |
Ill humour primarily characterising teacher and head (10) |
|
CRABBINESS – C(haracterising) + RABBI (teacher) + NESS (head). |
| 8 |
Serviceman turns up in plaster, possibly creating a diversion (10) |
|
DIGRESSING – GI (serviceman) reversed inside DRESSING (plaster possibly). |
| 11 |
Strange geometer’s kit that’s above my head (3,5,2,2) |
|
IT’S GREEK TO ME – (geometer’s kit)*. |
| 13 |
Cavalry looking haggard, like Clarence (5-5) |
|
HORSE-DRAWN – HORSE (cavalry) + DRAWN (looking haggard). I was wondering what a cross-eyed lion had to do with this, but it can also be a four-wheeled carriage! |
| 14 |
Purist agitated about right award, the last before going up (7,3) |
|
STIRRUP CUP – (purist)* around R(ight) + CUP (award), “up” here in the usual crossword sense of “on a horse”. |
| 16 |
Dry seed cacti scattered (9) |
|
DESICCATE – (seed cacti)*. |
| 21 |
Doctor in river pulled up plant (5) |
|
EMBED – MB (doctor) inside DEE (river) reversed. |
| 22 |
Uninspiring / place to live (4) |
|
FLAT – double definition. |
| 23 |
Advantage / claimed by slip fielder? (4) |
|
EDGE – double definition. |
Not a bad performance for me on a Saturday, and I got them all right, at least. Unlike certain Saturdays I could mention…
For me a very enjoyable puzzle. Favourite 20a.
Today’s looks much harder. David