This is Tim Moorey’s last crossword for the Sunday Times, so it is rather fitting that I fell hook, line and sinker for the trap he set the unwary solver, allowing Tim to 5dn as far as I was concerned.
My downfall was 3dn, which allows two solutions from the wordplay. My mistake was to put in the one I knew at least to be a word, but it turns out I was confusing my tapeworm (TENIA) with my ringworm (TINEA). What I should have done of course was to think ‘hold on, this wordplay is clearly ambiguous, which isn’t like a Tim Moorey puzzle – I wonder if he has left any other clues as to which might be the right answer?’ Then I would have found the nina and realised that FARIWELL FROM TIM probably wasn’t what was intended.
Thanks to Mr Moorey for many hours of solving pleasure to date, and I look forward to many more in Mephisto form.
Now come on Peter B, put us out of our misery: who’s the new Sunday setter going to be?!
Across | |
1 | Blubber about pound sterling being low |
FLAT – F(L)AT. | |
4 | US magazine owner is late |
BEHIND TIME – ref. the US weekly magazine. | |
9 | Carried on at first in large island |
BORNEO – BORNE, O |
|
10 | Loose Arab veil can be changed |
VARIABLE – (ARAB VEIL)*. | |
11 | Boater’s almost drifting, eh? |
STRAW HAT – STRA |
|
13 | Jenny taking state tests |
ASSAYS – AS(SAY)S. ‘Jenny’ is a DBE here too, but as it’s one of only two possible categories I think we can dispense with the question mark. | |
14 | New out, coloured nets to catch Scottish island fish |
RED MULLETS – RED |
|
16 | Get a steer on county in brief |
OXON – OX, ON. | |
17 | Having taken Bush’s lead, former PM’s in retreat |
LAIR – |
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18 | Because one enemy lawyer holds back appeal, it creates a stink |
ASAFOETIDA – AS A FOE DA containing a reversal of IT (sex appeal in crosswordland, if nowhere else any more). | |
20 | Harsh cut taken by police finally |
SEVERE – SEVER, |
|
21 | Bill, not at home ringing about low stool |
TABOURET – TAB (bill), OU(RE)T. Not to be confused with ‘tabour’, the drum from which the stool derives its name. | |
23 | What could make you tilt toes if badly fitted? |
STILETTO – (TILT TOES)*. &Lit. | |
24 | The small church specified gets top-level cover |
THAT – THAT CH. | |
26 | Heard monitor not working for movie star |
SCREEN IDOL – sounds like ‘screen idle’. | |
27 | Religious leader’s obscure stuff, heads scratched |
IMAM – |
Down | |
2 | Asian destination not good for climbing |
LAO – reversal of |
|
3 | Skin complaint developed by auntie, not for all to see |
TINEA – (A |
|
4 | Empty boudoir on top of hotel disguised this? |
BROTHEL – B |
|
5 | Own, most recent software to settle an argument? |
HAVE THE LAST WORD – ref. Microsoft Word. Having the last word ends an argument, but in my experience it doesn’t usually settle it. | |
6 | Standard reply half ignored some French people |
NORMANS – NORM, ANS |
|
7 | Excited mates left for a foursome? |
TEAM SPORT – (MATES)*, PORT. A foursome in golf is an example of a team sport. | |
8 | Pamper model coldly treated |
MOLLYCODDLE – (MODEL COLDLY)*. | |
12 | Put one in the picture about healing |
THERAPEUTIC – (THE PICTURE)* containing A (one). | |
15 | Port is behind a lot of cereal outside |
MARSEILLE – M(ARSE)ILLE |
|
18 | Welcome support mostly relating to ancient Iranian language |
AVESTAN – AVE (welcome), STAN |
|
19 | Spoken about young woman in ring road |
ORBITAL – OR(BIT)AL. I’m not very keen on BIT for ‘young woman’, but to my surprise it’s not listed as derogatory in any of the dictionaries. | |
22 | French friend is after thickly skinned cucumber, acquired taste perhaps |
UMAMI – |
|
25 | Not entirely appreciated US agency |
CIA – contained in ‘appreciated’. |
I’m sure Peter will announce if and when there is a new setter.
For some reason I particularly liked the CIA clue.
Thanks again, Tim.
I have a private theory about the identity of the new setter (no, not Jose Mourinho, though I realise he’s available for work) but I’ll keep it to myself …
Just like to join the chorus of thanks and good wishes to Tim – been a lot of fun.
While checking what the dictionaries thought I came across the Chambers definition of the hairstyle: ‘short at the front, long at the back, and ridiculous all round’. Those crazy lexicographers.
Sorry you’re lumbered with the Jumbo this year (and for a few more to come by my reckoning). Last year I was surprised when the puzzle came up as a Jumbo, and Peter B pointed out here that the Sunday before Christmas has been a Jumbo or other special puzzle for a long time. Suitably chastised, I of course forgot all over again this year. I didn’t have time for a Jumbo today so I did a bit and then put it aside. Somehow I’m rather glad about this: savouring it over a few sessions without worrying about how damned long it takes seems more appropriate.