Sunday Times 4622 (28 Dec 2014) by Jeff Pearce

Author   daveperryPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time: 32:17

This seemed quite a straightforward post-Christmas offering from Jeff. A reasonable number of easy starters, but a few slightly tougher ones as well. One or two words I wasn’t familiar with, like LONICERA & BATIK. I liked the semi-&lit at 27a, my COD.

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

Across
1 ESTABLISHMENT – dd
10 C(LEAR)AN + CE
11 DROOP = Olympic in DROP
12 sOFTEN
13 COMPLAINT = CO + (IMPLANT)* – Only one letter to be moved, so barely qualifies as an anagram
14 L + API(D)ARY
16 BIG BEN – cd (barely)
19 ALT + AIR
20 RAINDROP = “REIN” + DROP
22 MACADAMIA = MACADAM + AI rev
24 BABEL = L after BABE
25 SWAM + Initiation
26 L(EAST + W)AYS
27 BINGE DRINKING = (KID BEGINNING + Ratted)* – semi-&lit
Down
2 SWEET SPOT = SWEET + TOPS rev
3 A(PRO)N
4 LO + NICE + RA
5 STEAMY = SexY about TEAM – another semi-&lit
6 MEDALLION = (LEMON LAID)* – cut of meat
7 NAOMI = I MOAN all rev
8 SCHOOLMARMISH – dd
9 SPIT AND POLISH – because (SPIT + POLISH)* = SHIP’S PILOT – The anagram is implied by ‘These could make’ and ‘fuss about the rules’ is the definition.
15 untangleD + WIND + LING
17 BIRDBRAIN = BIRD (can, i.e. prison) + (IN BAR)*
18 CA(LAMA)R + trIes
21 S(MI)LED
23 COAT + Insulting
24 BAT + I + Knit

5 comments on “Sunday Times 4622 (28 Dec 2014) by Jeff Pearce”

  1. We can’t let a whole Sunday go by without at least one comment, Dave. You might think no one was reading.

    19:47 … I did appreciate the clear wordplay for the two “unknown” plants, LONICERA and MACADAMIA. It wasn’t until well after solving that I made the association between the latter and the nut and realised the accent wasn’t on the second syllable.

    Agree about the COD BINGE DRINKING. Very nice. Wasn’t quite sure about SCHOOLMARMISH, though … one of those clues where I feel like I’m missing something.

    Thanks, Dave and JP

  2. 18:33. I don’t always like Jeff Pearce’s puzzles but I thought this one was very good.
    I thought 8dn was just a cryptic definition: I can’t see two of them. I was very unsure about LONICERA, even with the very kind wordplay. It just doesn’t look like a word, although I suppose that’s true of lots of plant names.
  3. Thanks for explaining the ‘and’ in spit and polish, Dave. Also the bird in birdbrain. Otherwise agree with all the above, including especially weak 8d and very nice 27a.
  4. Mostly done within 30 minutes but hold-ups at the end took me to 45. ALTAIR was the last in. Didn’t know LONICERA and although the word LAPIDARY was familiar I had no idea what it meant. I rather enjoyed the seasonal cryptic at 16ac.
    1. The seasonal cryptic at 16ac was a bit too much of a challenge for those of us in Sydney where this crossword was not published until 10 January!

Comments are closed.