Sunday Times 4509 (28 Oct 2012) – one of Dean’s best

Solving time: 67:48

I struggled to get on Dean’s wavelength for this one, particularly in the NW corner. But it was certainly worth persevering with, as most of the clues were quite brilliant.

As for a COD, just pick any of them!

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

Across
1 DEFROCK = DECK (floor) about (FOR)* – ‘sack cloth’ was a wonderfully disguised definition.
5 SHUTTER = SH (not a word) + UTTER (to say)
9 SPROG = Show Girl about PRO (for)
10 TREMBLING = TREBLING (making 3000 from 1000) about M (1000)
11 ALIENATOR = (RATIONALE)*
13 NYLON – hidden
14 LONGSHORE DRIFT = (LORD OF THE RINGS)* – a marvellous anagram.
17 HIGHLAND CATTLE = (A CLAN HELD TIGHT)*
19 CRIER = RE (on) + I (one) + RC (Catholic) all rev
20 TV DINNERS = The Van Dyke Show about INNER (16 = personal)
22 RETICENCE = aRrEsT + lICENCE – ‘issued’ is really only there to improve the surface as the wordplay would work just as well without it.
24 VEGAN = EG (for one) in VAN (front) – well disguised wordplay
25 SURPrise + L + US
26 MARS + HAL – Curiosity is the name of NASA’s roving vehicle currently exploring Mars, and HAL 9000 was the malfunctioning computer in Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey
Down
1 DI(SMALL)Y
2 FOREIGN MINISTER = REIGN (power) + MINI (little) in FOSTER (advance)
3 mORGAN
4 KIT – “strip” is the definition, as in football strip. The wordplay is poKer + IT (sex). It’s a lot of clue for just three letters, but it works well.
5 SPEARHEADED = A + RHEA’D all in SPEED
6 URBAN AREA = U + (BAR NEAR A)*
7 TRIAL OF STRENGTH = (OR FLATTER THINGS)*
8 REGINA = (A + NIGER) all rev
12 TWO-MAN TENTS = (MATT NEWTON’S)*
15 SPHERICAL = LAPS rev about (H + ERIC) – It’s a great excuse for a YouTube clip of the great Eric Morecambe.
16 PER + SON + ALl
18 ICARUS = IS about CAR (wheels) + Up
21 NEVER = R + EVEN all rev
23 hELM

5 comments on “Sunday Times 4509 (28 Oct 2012) – one of Dean’s best”

  1. Goodness me, this was a struggle, with many clues not fully understood until the grid was completed.

    By an amazing coincidence I also took 67 minutes to solve it but as I don’t record seconds I can’t say whether I just beat your time, Dave, or vice versa. Congrats on the blog, it can’t have been easy.

    I just remembered there was one minor quibble re 2dn. Assuming we’re talking the UK parliament (a reasonable assumption in the Times) a foreign minister doesn’t have to be an MP. Those old enough may remember the Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home who had previously been Foreign Secretary in the MacMillan government whilst sitting in the House of Lords.

    Edited at 2012-11-04 03:08 am (UTC)

    1. You should really be citing Lord Carrington (1979-82), but I doubt very much that we’ll see another.
      1. Well that’s another example that underlines my point and I don’t understand why one is more valid than the other. But anyway I wouldn’t want to detract from the overall excellence of this offering.

        Edited at 2012-11-04 05:00 pm (UTC)

  2. I do enjoy these Dean Mayer puzzles. They have the wit and wisdom of Anax/Loroso without quite so much of the strain on the brain. I loved the clue to Kit. I needed both checking letters to get it.

    Lenny

  3. Took me just over an hour in 2 sessions. I spent far too long on 1a but it was a laugh-out-loud moment when I finally got it. What a brilliant definition. The anagram at 14a was unbelievable. I got the answer from definition alone and kept looking for a connection with the book.I would never have thought that you could make a perfect anagram out of LotR! This puzzle was a joy. It certainly cheered up this wet and windy Sunday morning. Ann

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