This one occupied me for 62 minutes. It was a steady solve with only one unknown word, yet another plant to add to my vocabulary, but it was gettable from wordplay. As I’m standing in at short notice my comments are minimal, but please feel free to discuss in more detail.
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]
Across | |
1 | Most shoddy copier parts bust (8) |
CHEAPEST – APE (copier) inside [parts] CHEST (bust) | |
5 | Outdated measure reduced assistance on public transport (6) |
BUSHEL – BUS (public transport), HEL{p} (assistance) [reduced]. Not outdated in my youth! | |
9 | Profligate trio, with halo slipping (8) |
LOTHARIO – Anagram [slipping] of TRIO HALO | |
10 | First to cut up sticks, or stick (6) |
CLEAVE – C{ut} [first], LEAVE (up sticks) | |
12 | Trimming down executive body that’s usually in office (6,7) |
FILING CABINET – FILING (trimming down), CABINET (executive body) | |
15 | Large track which cattle go back inside (5) |
ROOMY – MOO (which cattle go) reversed [back] inside RY (track) | |
16 | So one might, like a friar perhaps, recall scriptures (2,5,2) |
IN ORDER TO – IN ORDER (like a friar, perhaps), OT (scriptures) reversed [recall] | |
17 | Hardliner’s spoken of fancy diary (9) |
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19 | Occupied, as an admirer may be (5) |
TAKEN – Two definitions | |
20 | Means of controlling the flow, primarily for sailing craft at sea (7,6) |
TRAFFIC SIGNAL – Anagram [at sea] of SAILING CRAFT F{or} [primarily] | |
22 | All the time that’s left in game (6) |
WHILST – L (left) in WHIST (game) | |
23 | Junior to dash back to get support (8) |
UNDERPIN – UNDER (junior), NIP (dash) reversed [back] | |
25 | Like Beau, ignoring the odds, persist with dull clothing (6) |
DRESSY – DRY (dull) containing [clothing] {p}E{r}S{i}S{t} [ignoring odds] | |
26 | Skilled American on reserve briefly in party (8) |
DEXTROUS – EXTR{a} (reserve) [briefly] in DO (party), US (American) |
Down | |
1 | African oil’s fluid state (10) |
CALIFORNIA – Anagram [fluid] of AFRICAN OIL | |
2 | Decapitated nimble little creature (3) |
EFT – {d}EFT (nimble) [decapitated] | |
3 | Overtly trendy Liberal introduced to sport (7) |
PLAINLY – IN (trendy) + L (Liberal) in PLAY (sport) | |
4 | Cutting tweet about charmer not in good taste (9,3) |
SWITCHING OFF – SING (tweet) contains [about] WITCH (charmer), OFF (not in good taste) | |
6 | Wrinkle-free dancing nude holds nothing back (7) |
UNLINED – Anagram [dancing] of NUDE contains [holds] NIL (nothing) reversed [back] | |
7 | Desolate ground with elevated height made public (11) |
HEARTBROKEN – EART←H (ground) [with elevated height] BROKEN (made public) | |
8 | Small section of notable estate remains (4) |
LEES – Hidden in [small section of] {notab}LE ES{tate}. Dregs, or sediment in wine or beer. | |
11 | Only wearing blue, Conservative later accepted redundancy (12) |
OBSOLESCENCE – SOLE (only) is contained by [wearing] OBSCENE (blue) with C (Conservative) inside [later accepted] | |
13 | Most unrestrained, rampant wild flower (11) |
LOOSESTRIFE – LOOSEST (most unrestrained), RIFE (rampant). Of the primrose family, apparently – a new one on me. | |
14 | Abandoned types cavort topless during rave-ups (10) |
FOUNDLINGS – {b}OUND (cavort) [topless] inside FLINGS (rave-ups) | |
18 | Runs away from ill-disposed Israelis and gets in touch (7) |
LIAISES – Anagram [ill-disposed] of IS{r}AELIS [runs away] | |
19 | We’re told to consider religious faction equally split (7) |
TRISECT – Sounds like [we’re told] “try”, SECT (religious faction) | |
21 | Fearful African leader to join Union (4) |
AWED – A{frican} [leader], WED (join Union) | |
24 | Backing / expert (3) |
PRO – Two definitions |
Edited at 2016-11-05 03:55 am (UTC)
Edited at 2016-11-05 05:39 am (UTC)
We must also forgive him because I shoved in the word Chambers kindly lists only to tell you it’s wrong. That’s the sort of thing the wife does.
On the Chambers entry, I see no merit in a dictionary listing a word only to inform the reader that it’s a misspelling of the correct word! It also corrupts their on-line dictionary as a database because their Word Wizard, presumably using their dictionary as its source, accepts IDEALOGUE and confirms it is valid at Scrabble.
Edited at 2016-11-05 06:00 am (UTC)
Further I ballsed-up 20ac with TRAFFIC LIGHTS but they changed fairly quickly to TRAFFIC SIGNAL and I was able to proceed with caution.
COD 26ac DEXTROUS WOD 9ac LOTHARIO
I’m as ready to criticise Chambers as anyone but they are only recording usage, as we seem to be illustrating quite well!
Lees was new to me.
Thank you setter . Favourite 12a. David
Edited at 2016-11-05 09:34 pm (UTC)
I initially put IDEALOGUE but changed it on the basis of the wordplay. I then also realised that I’d never write IDEALOGY so it had to be IDEOLOGUE.
Was a good puzzle for a pleasant catch-up.
Thanks setter and Jack.
Thanks as always to setter and blogger.
Good blog Jack – thanks!