ST 4226 (Sun 27 May) – Artful dodgery

Author   talbinhoPosted on Categories Daily Cryptic
Solving time: 8:10

No real hold-ups at the end on this one, but overall I thought this was harder than usual.

* = anagram, “X” = sounds like ‘X’.

Across
1 OLIVER TWIST; (OR VILE)* + TWIST
10 U (= ‘you say’) + VEAL
11 INNOCENCE; “IN NO SENSE”
12 CAS(CAD)ING
13 FLUFF (double definition) – the Compact OED gives ‘fluff’ = ‘trivial or superficial entertainment or writing’. I think ‘some player in action?’ suggests ‘fluff’ in either the dramatic or sporting sense of ‘bungle’.
14 T(ERR)OR
16 OMELETTE (cryptic definition)
18 MEDIC + A + TE (= ‘note’)
20 PEDDLE; “PEDAL”
23 [n]EVER Y[et]
26 ELECT + RODE (“ROAD”)
28 CLEAR THE AIR (double definition)
Down
1 LEE(D)S – ‘lees’ (n pl) is the sediment that forms during the fermentation or ageing of wine or other alcoholic drinks.
3 VOL + CAN + O
5 WINE GUMS; (W[elsh] USING ME)*
6 SACKFUL; (CU + FLASK)*
7 QUICK-TEMPERED; (M + PECK QUITE)* + RED (= ‘cardinal’)
8 INDUCTED; (C[o]NDUIT)* + ED – ’roundabout’ = O is a bit stretched, although I suppose ‘ball’ = O is widely accepted.
9 SELF-DEPENDENT; (FEEL SPENT END D[ay])*
15 REDEEMED (double definition) – an uncle is a pawnbroker.
17 A(THE)ROMA – new word to me, meaning a cyst, apparently from the Greek athere meaning ‘porridge’.
19 CRYSTAL; CRY + (LAST)*
22 S(TREE)T
25 COAT (= ‘Ulster, perhaps’) + I – one of these.

4 comments on “ST 4226 (Sun 27 May) – Artful dodgery”

  1. I put this too but the online solution says REDEEMER which doesn’t quite seem to make sesne to me!

    Sue

    1. i agree: I had REDEEMED as well: I don’t see how REDEEMER can work: “Having saved, bought back from uncle?” — unless there’s an implicit “he” missing?

      –ilan

      1. Phew, thanks – I was worried that I hadn’t spotted this week’s deliberate mistake.
  2. Like last week – another fistful of “easies” omitted from the blog:

    11a By no interpretation heard to be showing probity (9)
    INNOCENCE. SL in no sense.

    24a Transported from inlet to front door (9)
    ENTRANCE D

    27a Obvious scheme in which I participate (5)
    PLA I N

    4d Fruit is appearing in the fall (6)
    RA IS IN

    21d Formerly quite enough for a specimen (7)
    EX AMPLE

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