Sunday Times 4489 (10 Jun 2012) by Tim Moorey

Author   daveperryPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time: 39:12

A pretty typical puzzle, with nothing too demanding. My time should probably have been quicker – I saw some fast times on the leaderboard from the trustworthy sources.

Nothing else to say about it, so I’ll move right along.

cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (–)*, and removals like this

Across
1 SNOWBALL – dd – An alternative term for the heroin-cocaine cocktail known as a speedball. It was what killed John Belushi.
6 UPBEAT = PB (lead) in U (university) + FEAT with F removed
9 mEATS
10 EXTRACTION = EXTRA + CAPTION with (A + P) removed
11 ITSELF = (STIFLE)*
12 TUCK’S + HOP
14 SIMPLE + TONS – A gull is a person easily taken advantage of, hence ‘gullible’
16 tENDS
18 manAGES
19 REIN + STALLS
21 PARTISAN – dd – a type of pole-arm that is more like a spear than an axe
23 SECOND – dd
25 BY AND LARGE = (DANGER ABLY)*
27 YEAH = HAcknEY rev
28 ST(R)EAM
29 DELOUSED = (SOUL)* in DEED
Down
2 N + EARTHING
3 WASTE = HASTE with W for H
4 ACE OF HEARTS = (THE CASE FOR A)*
5 LE(TIT)GO
6 USA – rev hidden in displeASUre
7 BATH + SHE + BA – According to the Bible, Bathsheba was made pregnant by King David while her husband was serving in the army.
8 A + GO/GO – I wasn’t sure about GO = ‘suit’, but in the sense of ‘gin goes with tonic’ I guess it works. Although that’s more ‘go with’ rather than just ‘go’. My LOI.
13 CASTS A SPELL = CALL about (STEPS AS)*
15 PAST TENSE = (SPENT ATE + S)* – nice semi-&lit
17 D(E + LINE)ATE
20 IGNORED = (GIRONDE)*
22 AS YE T – very droll!
24 COYPU = COY + Paraguay + Uruguay
26 LAMb

4 comments on “Sunday Times 4489 (10 Jun 2012) by Tim Moorey”

  1. Another perfect post Sunday lunch puzzle, when the old cryptic grey matter needs something gentler to deal with. Thanks to Tim for some great fun and Dave too.
  2. 17 minutes so a PB or something approaching it (I don’t actually know exactly what it is).

    The axe was new to me and I had forgotten to have another think about ‘two suits’ before reading the blog. Having done so, and assuming Dave’s interpretation is the correct one, I think the clue would better have read ‘Amateur with suits in abundance’.

    I was a bit surprised by 5dn in a Times crossword. More suited to Private Eye, I think.

  3. You can say, in context, of say a tie, ‘It goes nicely’, which is close enough to ‘It suits’ in my book. Jack, I don’t see much difference in your version, given that the setter is, I believe, alluding to two instances of the verb ‘go’. Further, his version is more helpful to the solver, especially those to whom the phrase is unknown/unfamiliar.

    Edited at 2012-06-17 05:08 pm (UTC)

  4. 14:56. DK SNOWBALL, but it was easy with the checkers and the definition. Also didn’t understand how EXTRACTION worked; thanks, Dave. I made the mistake of throwing in RIMS at 16ac (trims=nurses? I don’t know what I was thinking), which of course made 17d hard to get for a while. Like jackkt, I was surprised by 5d; but then, it’s Sunday.

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