11:51. A mostly straightforward puzzle from Robert this week, but with a few slightly trickier bits.
Definitions are underlined, anagrams indicated like (TIHS)*, deletions like this, anagram indicators are in italics.
| Across | |
| 1 | Sexist receives backing of legendary primate |
| BIGFOOT – BIGOT containing a reversal of, er, OF. Other bigots are available! | |
| 5 | We shout with glee regularly in pubs |
| BAWLERS – BA(W, |
|
| 9 | Uniform for Nato service vessel |
| URN – U (Uniform in the Nato alphabet), RN (Royal Navy, service). | |
| 10 | Fine subordinate found by senior winemaker? |
| ELDERFLOWER – ELDER (senior), F, LOWER [shudders]. | |
| 11 | Artisan curries prepared as appetisers |
| CURTAIN RAISERS – (ARTISAN CURRIES)*. | |
| 13 | Swollen nut, say, turned in grease |
| ENLARGED – EN, LARD containing EG reversed. In printing and typesetting, an en is half the size of an em and also called a nut. | |
| 15 | Knotty subject almost ending in feud |
| MATTED – MATTE |
|
| 17 | Marry in church after short divorce |
| SPLICE – SPLI |
|
| 18 | Go and look — one’s entitled |
| LIFE PEER – LIFE (go, energy), PEER. | |
| 20 | Odd habits etc incite cries to change |
| ECCENTRICITIES – (ETC INCITE CRIES)*. | |
| 23 | Action by cartels focusing on damage |
| PRICE FIXING – CD, ‘damage’ here meaning cost. | |
| 24 | Garden footwear with scratched edges |
| HOE – |
|
| 25 | Queen wearing fake ring, briefly in power |
| CONTROL – CON, T(R)OL |
|
| 26 | Suits and ties |
| MATCHES – DD, the second definition here meaning ‘marriages’. Neat! | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Sad case, half-cut, eating mostly comfort food |
| BLUE CHEESE – BLUE(CHEE |
|
| 2 | Voting process officer picks, not taking sides |
| GENERAL ELECTION – GENERAL, |
|
| 3 | Final letter to the Corinthians |
| OMEGA – CD. | |
| 4 | Vintner forced to accept five hundred for set meal? |
| TV DINNER – (VINTNER)* containing D (500). ‘Set’ here is a noun, not an adjective. | |
| 5 | Treasurer is part of a joint role originally |
| BURSAR – BURSA, R |
|
| 6 | Poison plant raising energy seizes stream |
| WOLFSBANE – reversal of E, NABS, FLOW. | |
| 7 | Old king with the hard edge redressed |
| EDWARD THE EIGHTH – (WITH THE HARD EDGE)*. | |
| 8 | God that’s flipping painful! |
| SORE – reversal of EROS. A very simple but delightful clue. | |
| 12 | They should get what’s coming to them |
| ADDRESSEES – CD. | |
| 14 | Noise on organ sounded criminal |
| RACKETEER – RACKET, homophone of ‘ear’. | |
| 16 | Learner in his Mini suffering lack of belief |
| NIHILISM – (L HIS MINI)*. Say what you want about the tenets of National Socialism… | |
| 19 | A legal test by an upper chamber |
| ATRIAL – A, TRIAL. I’m slightly unsure about the use of the word ‘by’ here. Perhaps meaning ‘via’? | |
| 21 | House not started, last of that block |
| INGOT – |
|
| 22 | Saga still seen online? |
| EPIC – or E-PIC. | |