Saturday Times 26550 (22nd Oct)

Author   linxitPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time 14:25. I vaguely remember struggling over some of the parsing while solving but I remembered it all OK this morning. I’ve sort of run out of time now though so here it is without further ado.

Across
1 Want jet to drop its nose? (4)
LACK – BLACK (jet) minus the first letter.
3 Sweet coating Briton cooked chip in (10)
CONTRIBUTE – CUTE (sweet) around (Briton)*.
10 Places for final rest stop in Kentish Town (9)
GRAVESEND – GRAVES (places for final rest) + END (stop).
11 Minister to cut, dressing back of hand (5)
PADRE – PARE (cut) around (han)D.
12 Prepared to drive round point on motorway that’s inclined (7)
TEMPTED – TEED (prepared to drive) around [PT (point) next to M(otorway)]
13 Polish vice chancellor finally has energy (6)
LUSTRE – LUST (vice) + (chancello)R + E(nergy).
16 Riotous cheering met Man United’s historic capitulation in Europe? (6,9)
MUNICH AGREEMENT – (cheering met Man U)*. 1938 pact allowing Germany to annexe parts of Czechoslovakia.
18 Fashion accessory‘s cooler, keeping the gear amazingly with it (9,6)
CIGARETTE HOLDER – COLDER (cooler) around (the gear, it)*. Strange definition.
21 Silly phrases from the right papers (6)
STUPID – PUTS (phrases) reversed + ID (papers).
23 Peaceful ring road runs into cathedral city (7)
ORDERLY – O (ring) + RD (road) + [R(uns) inside ELY (cathedral city)].
26 Asian city, Seoul, has amazing walls (5)
LHASA – hidden in Seoul, has amazing.
27 Something that shows a politician’s party in agreement (9)
SIGNATORY – SIGN (something that shows) + A + TORY (politician).
28 List characters sure to be fascinated (10)
SPELLBOUND – SPELL (list characters) + BOUND (sure to be)
29 Daisy’s outside with Bill – they’re a couple (4)
DYAD – D(ais)Y + AD (bill).

Down
1 One boy probing endowment’s lawfulness (10)
LEGITIMACY – I (one) + TIM (boy), inside LEGACY (endowment).
2 Tea appearing by military service entrance (5)
CHARM – CHA (tea) + RM (Royal Marines, military service).
4 Finished version is something generating interest? (9)
OVERDRAFT – OVER (finished) + DRAFT (version).
5 Revolting kid and computing bores may be so (5)
TIDAL – LAD (kid) + IT (computing), all reversed.
6 The writer’s not in a dead end (7)
IMPASSE – I’M (the writer’s) + PASSE (not in).
7 Spurs’ middle defender moves? Not supply enough (9)
UNDERFEED – U (Spurs’ middle) + (defender)*.
8 Top broken off more modern jug (4)
EWER – NEWER (more modern) minus the first letter.
9 Busy European Court overwhelmed by drunken noise (6)
HECTIC – E(uropean) + C(our)T inside HIC (drunken noise).
14 Looked around extremely romantically and enthusiastically if so (6-4)
STARRY-EYED – STARED (looked) around R(omanticall)Y, E(nthusiasticall)Y. &lit.
16 Horseman’s heading off before horse trial (9)
NIGHTMARE – KNIGHT (horseman) minus the first letter + MARE (horse).
17 Drug wrapped in brightly coloured newspaper is something for a key player (4,5)
REED ORGAN – E (drug) inside RED ORGAN (brightly coloured newspaper).
19 Artist: a painter lifting hearts in spring (7)
RAPHAEL – RA (Royal Academician, painter) + [H(earts) inside LEAP, reversed].
20 Like a chestnut horse that stops running to lad (3,3)
OLD HAT – H(orse) inside (to lad)*.
22 Social clubs toured by underworld circle (5)
DISCO – C(lubs) inside DIS (underworld), O (circle).
24 Little jumper I’m amazed is loose-fitting (5)
ROOMY – ROO (little jumper) + MY (I’m amazed).
25 Finally cut lavish bonus (4)
PLUS – PLUSH (lavish) minus the last letter.

15 comments on “Saturday Times 26550 (22nd Oct)”

  1. re- 18ac – Cigarette holders were originally an affectation, no safety filters in those days, therefore more to do with fashion than anything else.

    32 mins. LOI 1dn LEGITIMACY COD 16dn NIGHTMARE

  2. This has to be a first in recorded history: I took less time than Andy to solve. Granted, I biffed 11ac and 12ac, solving post hoc; and I think the play on ‘supply’ at 7d passed me by. I have no memory of this, and no notes on my printed copy; which suggests, along with the time, that nothing left an impression on me. I had the same interpretation of 18ac as horryd, although cigarette holders, before filters came along, at least kept bits of tobacco from sticking to one’s lips. I just now recalled that I actually had an ivory cigarette holder once; but then, I also actually wore an ascot for a while, too. I think I’ll draw the curtain over this part of my life now.
  3. A few minutes over 30, so not bad for a Saturday and a lot better than I managed on several weekdays this past week. I have seen old cigarette holders with built-in filters.

    Edited at 2016-10-29 08:45 am (UTC)

  4. Jack old bean, how well do you remember the twenties?

    ‘A cigarette holder is a fashion accessory, a slender tube in which a cigarette is held for smoking. Most frequently made of silver, jade or bakelite (popular in the past but now wholly replaced by modern plastics), cigarette holders were considered an essential part of ladies’ fashion from the early-1910s through the early-1970s.’Wikiwhatsit

      1. The built-in filters arrived in the sixties when the old fag-holder took on a more functional use.
  5. Pretty gentle for a Saturday and finished in about 35 mins. I liked STUPID which helped with RAPHAEL, my last in. I remember watching 1930’s – 1950’s films in which CIGARETTE HOLDER(S) were much favoured by femmes fatales doing their “when I’m good I’m good, when I’m bad I’m even better” routine. No modern day equivalents, alas.

    Thanks to setter and blogger

      1. Hello horryd,

        Just seen your post. Yes, Joan Collins is a good thought. Still going around apparently, according to IMDb.

  6. Initially this was a struggle for me with only half done after quite a long time.
    Returning to it later in the week I got Cigarette Holder and then others followed.
    I see I got one wrong: 20d -I put Old Saw as the best available;could not unravel the clue.
    But pleased overall. David
  7. Had never heard of DYAD but wordplay was clear and when l googled,bingo!Ong’ara,Kenya.
  8. My notes suggest I biffed a couple, though cleverly I didn’t note which. Apparently RAPHAEL and SPELLBOUND were my last in, and I liked STARRY EYED. An hour and ten, which isn’t bad for me on a Saturday.
  9. I follow the blog studiously – many thanks for all the hard work !

    Was I the only one who thought linking Man United with Munich somewhat insensitive?

    WC

    1. I don’t know, but you’re the first to mention it. The clue has nothing to do with the air crash, and as that was nearly 60 years ago it’s not exactly headline news. They must have played Bayern away at least half a dozen times in the last couple of decades in the Champions League etc. Is the Champions League draw insensitive?

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