Greetings all. In the time since writing the blog I have been informed of a few incorrect parsings that I listed in the blog, and some clues were changed in the electronic version of the puzzle. I am leaving the original clues in here and modifying things as they were changed. Amendments and additions are italicised.
I have been off at a conference for a week and have not been keeping up with the puzzles, so I have either gotten rusty very quickly, or this one is pretty difficult, and just as I hit submit with my fingers crossed, and 19:12 elapsed on the timer… I have one error, a very silly typo in 26 across.
It is also getting late here, and there are a few I’m not 100% on… so check the comments if you disagree with something you see here, I will not be able to make corrections for several hours.
Away we go…
| Across | |
| 1 | Finally up late, not having had a meal (2,3,2,3) |
| TO CAP IT ALL – this is tricky wordplay – “up” is TO CAPITAL, then LATE, mising ATE(had a meal) | |
| 6 | Old politician’s wife, elevated, not right wing (4) |
| WHIG – W(wife) then HIGH(elevated) missing the character on the right | |
| 10 | Golf courses surrounding a camp, not for men (5) |
| OFLAG – anagram of GOLF containing A – “not for men” in the clue indicates this is a camp for officers | |
| 11 | Flaunt wealth, ultimately, as large, developing German company (9) |
|
LUFTHANSA – anagram of FLAUNT, This clue was changed, and L(large) was removed. The clue now reads “Flaunt wealth, ultimately, as developing German company” since the L from large was not needed in the anagram |
|
| 12 | Lead way, in that there’s no team that you’d not want to inspire! (6,8) |
| CARBON MONOXIDE – CARBON(lead in a pencil), then MODE(way) containing NO, XI(team) | |
| 14 | Appeal, instant, the solver once had, but not setter! (7) |
| SAMOYED – SA(sex appeal), MO(instant), YE’D(the solver once had) – I think this is referring to the Ugrian people being nomadic. It has been pointed out that this is referring to a dog that is not a setter. | |
| 15 | Burst with strain, making the most sound (7) |
| FITTEST – FIT(burst, temper), TEST(strain) | |
| 17 | Search thoroughly carried out before bed (7) |
| RANSACK – RAN(carried out), then SACK(bed) | |
| 19 | Calm, it’s said, the colour blue (3,4) |
| DIE DOWN – sounds like DYE(colour), DOWN(blue, sad) | |
| 20 | Director I wish to adapt European novel (5,4,5) |
| CIDER WITH ROSIE – anagram of DIRECTOR,I,WISH then E(European) | |
| 23 | Rates showing 100% increase at some point for empties (9) |
| EVACUATES – EVALUATES(rates) with the L(50) becoming a C(100) | |
| 24 | Fencing put out around boundary (5) |
| KENDO – KO(knock out) around END(boundary) | |
| 25 | Urge to proceed with Bill (4) |
| GOAD – GO(proceed), AD(bill) | |
| 26 | Sportsperson unhindered charges across river with old president (10) |
| FREESTYLER – FEES(charges) surrounding R(river) with the 10th US President of the USA, John TYLER | |
| Down | |
| 1 | One that’s from the left in revolution? (4) |
| TROT – double definition. OK – I was missing something here, the wordplay is TO, RT with RT indicating right all reversed | |
| 2 | Drinks manager’s measure to prepare in container (9) |
| CELLARMAN – ELL(measure), ARM(prepare) inside CAN(container) | |
| 3 | I go by parachute, flying in style overhead (7,7) |
| PAGEBOY HAIRCUT – anagram of I,GO,BY,PARACHUTE | |
| 4 | Touch isolated blocks with pincers (7) |
|
TALONED – TD(touch, touchdown) containing ALONE(isolated) Although my parsing of the wordplay works, it was pointed out, commenters pointed out that the intention was more likely TAD(touch) containing LONE(isolated) |
|
| 5 | Launch of abridged autobiography by aristocrat (4-3) |
|
LIFT-OFF – LIF |
|
| 7 | British poet, one to brood over king and emperor (5) |
|
HENRI – there’s two definitions and wordplay here – the wordplay is I(one) with HEN(brood) on top, surrounding R(king) I had missed that RI is Rex Imperator, King and Emperor |
|
| 8 | Makes no sense to put in retro English memorial (10) |
| GRAVESTONE – RAVES(makes no sense), TO inside ENG reversed | |
| 9 | Chuck something that has been bound to carpet? (5,3,4,2) |
| THROW THE BOOK AT – THROW(chuck), THE BOOK(something that has been bound), AT(to) | |
| 13 | Eccentric gorges this enormous breakfast? (7-3) |
|
OSTRICH-EGG – anagram of GORGES,THIS It was pointed out that the anagram was missing the C. The clue has been republished as Large thing laid across cape, somehow goes right around it The new wordplay is C(cape) inside an anagram of GOES,RIGHT |
|
| 16 | Recalled book on island — left tearful? (9) |
| EMOTIONAL – reverse TOME(book) on IONA(island), L(left) | |
| 18 | Purser maybe one on way to Jersey? (7) |
| KNITTER – two definitions, pursing ones lips, and making a jersey | |
| 19 | Burst of French welcomes civil engineer (7) |
| DEHISCE – DE(“of” in French), HI’S(welcomes), CE(civil engineer) | |
| 21 | What’s shot and ending in cinema? (5) |
| DRAMA – DRAM(shot) and the last letter in cinemA | |
| 22 | Secure way of working with gold (4) |
| MOOR – MO(way of working), OR(gold) | |
UP: “Towards a centre (such as a capital, great town or university)”
From Concise Oxford
UP: (Brit) “Towards or in the capital or a major city”
As often in “the up train” or “London train”
It has been a while and this was a tough one to come back to – and yes it was an old photocopied paper-based one from work. Without being under any time pressure this one spilled across four elapsed days and used up about an hour and a half of time in a number of sittings to get done.
Ended up with a correct grid but with 1a, 12a, 1d and 7d (apart from HEN + R) all totally unparsed. Had no idea of the poet or the autobiographical novel until I looked them up. Reckon that I’d seen DEHISCE before but had to check it before entering it.
Finished in the top left corner after settling on TROT instead of TROP, getting CELLARMAN to correct my unparsed TO TOP IT ALL to my unparsed TO CAP IT ALL.