Sunday Times 4561 (27 Oct 2013) by Tim Moorey

Author   daveperryPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time: About 35 minutes

I found this a pretty straightforward solve. There were one or two I wasn’t overly keen on. I didn’t understand the relevance of Peebles in 1a, other than that it’s a town in the Scottish Borders, but the clue seems to work OK without it. I found the subdefinitions in 28 a bit strained as well.

I did like the marvellous surface in 7d, and the &lit in 19a.

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

Across
1 RE + SIDES – Although ‘Peebles’ seems entirely superfluous.
5 PERUSAL = (PLAyERS)* about U
9 GLISSANDI = (AS SLIDING)* – a neat semi-&lit
10 Oxford + MEGA
11 bandiT + RIFLE
12 TATA (farewell, or ‘fare well together’) in CANS (headphones)
14 N + INCOMe + PO + OP
16 STUNt
18 PITT = “PIT”
19 MAIN COURSE = (A CONSUMER)* about I – &lit
22 TEENAGER = TEE (sporting start) + NAG (horse) + ER (Her Majesty)
23 TIRANA = (AusTRIAN)* – The capital city of Albania
26 HEAR (try, as in a legal case) + forwarD
27 TRANSPORT = TRAiNS + PORT (left)
28 THEY SAY = T (Tango, NATO phonetic alphabet) + HEY (dance) + SAY (authority)
29 OCEANIC = (COCAINE)* – ‘supply’ is the anagrind, as in ‘in a supple way’
Down
1 bRIGHTON
2 SCI-FI – rev hidden
3 DI + SALLOW
4 S + cANE – ‘siemens’ is the SI unit of electrical conductance, abbreviation S
5 PR + I + MADONNA
6 ROOSTS = S in ROOTS
7 SPECTATOR = A in (PRESCOTT)* – That’s a great surface, and my COD.
8 LEADS ON – dd
13 APPARENTLY = (PLAY)* about PARENT
15 NOTRE DAME = (AND REMOTE)*
17 HO + TISSUE
18 POT’S HOT
20 ELASTIC = (CLIMATE’S)* with alarM removed
21 PAN (criticise) + DAS (the German)
24 ADO + RN
25 SAGO = “SAY GO”

7 comments on “Sunday Times 4561 (27 Oct 2013) by Tim Moorey”

  1. I was completely thrown by the Peebles reference in 1a. Is that all it is? The answer was obvious but I wasted time looking for some deeper significance in the name. A steady slog. 35 minutes. Ann
  2. Equally unclear what the Peebles is doing, pure surface padding I think, also the “together” in 12ac. “Vocal pieces fare well through headphones” looks better as a clue, to me..
    Minor typo in 9ac, dave, it s/be glIssandi
  3. 31 minutes for this one. I was equally foxed by the Peebles and didn’t know Siemens other than as a possible reference to sanitaryware.

    Jerry, I think ‘together’ is needed at 12ac in order to combine ‘fare’ and ‘well’ to clue ‘TA-TA’.

    Edited at 2013-11-03 04:52 pm (UTC)

  4. 12:03 .. so it certainly suited me. Lovely to see NINCOMPOOP. An underused word, imho.

    I think, but I could be wrong, that the Peebles reference is there because in Lowland Scots ‘stay’ can have the meaning of ‘live permanently’ as well as its more familiar transient meaning.

    Edited at 2013-11-03 09:06 pm (UTC)

  5. A relief to see others puzzled by Peebles; I like Sotira’s explanation, though, although I didn’t even know where Peebles is. I thought 9ac (GLISSANDI, Dave) was rather a giveaway, and barely a cryptic. 18ac not much better. Had no idea about Siemens; thanks for the explanation. Fortunately, it could be nothing other than SANE. I was delayed a bit on NINCOMPOOP, since for me it means moron not loony. COD to 19ac.
  6. A very good crossword, I thought.
    I must say I like the ‘new’ Tim Moorey; the former obscure version is long gone,I’m glad to say.
  7. In 4d, the surface reading refers to the electronics company Siemens, not the electrical unit, it seems to me. John in Vancouver.

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