Solving time: Gave up on 28ac after 10 mins. I did try again later, without success; it turned out that a crossing answer (25dn) was wrong.
The clues in this puzzle were extremely verbose with lots of superfluous words included to make the surface readings make sense. I think this is still preferable to clues with sound cryptic readings but nonsense surfaces, though I’m not sure. I have queries remaining about a couple of clues.
* = anagram, “X” = sounds like ‘X’.
| Across |
| 1 |
FIRMAMENT (hidden) |
| 6 |
SEPIA; I in rev. of APES |
| 10 |
POINTLESS (double definition) – not sure what purpose ‘a clue here’ serves. |
| 11 |
CONVALESCENCE; (A NOVEL SCENE C C)* |
| 14 |
SAD + NESS (= ‘head’) – clueing this as SAD + NESS is very weak. At first I thought the wordplay was a reference to S.A.D. (Seasonal Affected Disorder), but on reflection I don’t think so. |
| 16 |
EMPRESS; rev. of ME, + PRESS |
| 17 |
LIMP + OP + O |
| 19 |
TH[e] ROWER |
| 21 |
SOUL (= LOUS[e]*) + SEARCHING |
| 24 |
PIE + C.E. + MEAL |
| 26 |
YOKE + L |
| 27 |
SPRAT (double definition) – as in the nursery rhyme “Jack Sprat would eat no fat”. |
| 28 |
BANDY LEGS – I couldn’t solve this, thanks to an incorrect ‘N’ from 25dn, and I still don’t really understand it. Is it just a cryptic definition with puns on ‘supporters’ = ‘legs’ and ‘bowed’ meaning ‘bent’? |
| Down |
| 1 |
FORECAST + LE – ‘will occupy this’ is all superfluous here. |
| 2 |
RE(FIN)ED |
| 3 |
ARENA; A + (NEAR)* |
| 4 |
EX + PRES(SION)S – the Swiss town is Sion, but how does ‘newsman’ give PRESS? Maybe it should read ‘newsmen’. Either way, using ‘newsman/men’ for PRESS twice in one crossword (16ac) is pretty feeble. |
| 5 |
TRI; “TRY” – I think the question mark is because a try in rugby union is actually worth 5 points, although this isn’t relevant to the cryptic reading. What is relevant is that ‘tri-‘ is a prefix, not a word – surely these aren’t normally allowed as clue answers in standard blocked puzzles? |
| 6 |
SAT (= ‘deposited’) + IN + SPA + R – satin spar is a phrase for certain calcites, including gypsum (so the clue should really say ‘Gypsum, perhaps’ or similar). |
| 7 |
PRECEDE; C in (DEEPER)* |
| 8 |
APSE (hidden) – not the best. ‘Found in church’ is a typical Sunday Times incomplete definition, the words ‘a state of’ are all superfluous to the cryptic reading and the hidden word coincides with the end of a word (‘collapse’) which is frowned upon by many. |
| 12 |
CRESTFALLEN; (LEFT LANCERS)* – ‘in a sorry condition’ is doing double duty here, but it’s clear enough what’s going on. |
| 13 |
ASTRAGALUS; (A STAR + A SLUG)* – an ankle-bone. |
| 15 |
EMOLUMENT; (MOTEL MENU)* |
| 18 |
MASSEUR; (SUMS ARE)* – a good clue, with a more subtle definition (‘rubber’) which fits the surface reading well. |
| 20 |
W(R)INKLE – I didn’t know this could mean ‘a dodge or trick’, i.e. a device, and spent a while looking for an alternative here. |
| 22 |
COYLY; “KOI” + L[a]Y |
| 25 |
EBB (cryptic definition) – I wrote in EAN here, which fits the clue (“Drop, in the ocean”) – ‘to ean’ means (of a ewe) ‘to give birth’, i.e. ‘to drop’. Although it’s an obscure word I was sure this was right so couldn’t get the crossing answer at 28ac. I have to ask why the comma was included in the clue, as it ruins the surface reading and the cryptic reading would still be perfectly fair without it. |
My LOI was WRINKLE at 20d where it took me ages to equate WINKLE with FISH – it is a type of Shell – fish I suppose.
I did eventually get the BANDY LEGS at 28a once I had all the checkers except 20d’s one. The literal of “Complaint” is a bit curious and summons up queues of horsey types at the Doctor’s surgery which I found quite amusing.
A mere 2 omissions from this blog:
9a (Flier)* brought to grief by a gun (5)
RIFLE
23d Parrots featuring in a piece of tAPEStry (4)
APES