Sunday Times 4,285 – Mamma Mia!

Most people like me who subscribe to the Times crosswords always find the Sunday version a breeze (compared to the daily puzzles) and this one is no exception. If I am not mistaken, the very first cryptic crossword puzzle that I completed was a Sunday Times, way back in the early 1970’s when I would religiously send off the completed puzzle. In all my attempts in the years I was in UK, I never once got a prize… sigh  🙁

It is gratifying to note that the ST proof-reading has improved and there does not seem to be any typo or other mistakes that can be so annoying.

Across

1 ORCHESTRA *(choirmaster minus IM)
6 HOP IT Ins of OP in HIT
9 JAPER Punch is JAB; substitute PER (a) for B (book)
10 SPRAY CANS cd
11 CUT THE MUSTARD *(trust Ted a chum)
14 BOLDEST Ins of OLD in BEST
16 ONE STAR *(Sheraton minus H) This is a sort of &lit since a head must roll if the normally 4 or 5 star Sheraton is reduced to one
17 LARGISH *(girl has)
19  JUST NOW Cha of Just (fair) NO (number) W (short week)
21 GOOD SAMARITAN *(anagram to do is)
24 INANIMATE Ins of an & I (one twice) in INMATE (prisoner)
26 USURP U (university) SURP, rev of PRUS (Pru’s frrom Pru has)
27 BASIL dd The non-herb Basil is of course the character played by John Cleese in the British sitcom Fawlty Towers.
28 MISSHAPEN *(seamanship minus a)

Down

1 OBJECT BALL Cha of Object (protest) ball (dance) for a term used in billiard parlours
2 CAPITAL We normally start a clue with a capital letter
3 EARTH ha
4 TEST MATCHES Quite a clever and witty cd
5 AIR ha
6 HAYMAKERS dd The non-farm term is for wild swinging blows

(c) abbreviation for public limited company + audit (scrutiny)
8 TOSH dd See Chambers 1 & 3
12 SHOW JUMPERS Ins of JUMPER (Jersey) in SHOWS (spectacles)
13 DRAWING PIN Cha of DR (doctor) A Wing (one side) PIN (leg) Very devious definition
15 EDITORIAL Ins of I in *(tailored)
18 RAG BAGS Rag (tease) bags (a great deal)
20 NO TRUMP N (name) O N (first letters of on the) RUMP (bottom)
22 ROUGH sounds like “ruff”
23 LIMB “life and limb”
25 AIM The hackeyed phrase Mamma Mia was one of Abba’s hits and was often spouted by that stereotype Italian in that British TV series Mind Your Language, which was a spectacular hit in Malaysia in the 80’s. In those VHS days, I remember having to tape this show for my children who then played each episode over and over.