Solving time: 11:43.
Greetings from the Altanta Hartsfield Airport, where I am waiting for a plane to somewhere warm and dry (I’m taking part in this illustrious tournament). I was very worried when I submitted this because there are four entries that went in with crossed fingers, and now I have to try to come up with some explanation. My 11:43 is a scratch slower than my normal time, and with the puzzle out for two hours, my time is sitting second on the board, so this is definitely a head-scratcher. Please check comments, as I will be getting on a plane shortly after submitting this and am unlikely to make any changes until mid-moring UK time.
Away we go…
| Across | |
| 1 | Energetic person wants motor racing to update for new image (9) |
| FIREBRAND – Motor racing is F1, then REBRAND(update for new image) | |
| 6 | Put under joint ownership? A rejected suggestion (5) |
| SHRED – put under joint ownership is SHARED – remove A | |
| 9 | Adult taking short journey into America or European country (7) |
| AUSTRIA – A(adult) then TRIP(journey) missing the last letter inside USA(a part of America) | |
| 10 | Obvious gain for Tory PM (7) |
| BALDWIN – BALD(obvious), WIN(gain) | |
| 11 | Maiden goes off, retreating in rage (5) |
| STORM – M(maiden) and ROTS(goes off) all reversed | |
| 12 | Got rid of money and identity before getting caught (9) |
| CASHIERED – CASH(money) and ID(identity) containing ERE(before) | |
| 14 | One using ultrasound for detecting speed (3) |
| BAT – double definition, though I don’t think I have ever used BAT = speed, it is in the dictionaries | |
| 15 | Maybe they have shaken north’s pride (5,6) |
| THIRD PERSON – anagram of NORTH’S PRIDE | |
| 17 | Orders yours truly’s presented to workers without love (11) |
| IMPERATIVES – I’M(yours truly’s), then OPERATIVES(workers) missing O(love) | |
| 19 | Vehicle has problem with no engineers available (3) |
| BUS – This was one of my question marks – the first definition is obvious. I think the wordplay is REBUS(puzzle, problem) missing RE(Royal Engineers) | |
| 20 | Is prayer held by theologian to be badly out of favour? (9) |
| DISGRACED – IS, GRACE(prayer) inside DD(theologian) | |
| 22 | Silver currently making comeback, making dosh (5) |
| WONGA – AG(silver) and NOW(currently) all reversed | |
| 24 | “Yes, I am competent” is answer to this? That’s pleasing (7) |
| AMIABLE – “Yes, I am competent” could be a reply to AM I ABLE? | |
| 26 | Performance involving Roman couple in which female is greatly exalted (7) |
| DEIFIED – DEED(performance) containing I,I(roman couple of ones), containing F(female) | |
| 27 | Bird in sorrow hiding head (5) |
| EGRET – REGRET(sorrow) missing the first letter | |
| 28 | Boxer you observed during air journey cuddling wife (9) |
| FLYWEIGHT – another double container – YE(you) inside FLIGHT(air journey) with W(wife) inside | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Notes accommodation units — area likely to be flooded? (5) |
| FLATS – triple definition | |
| 2 | Roar after game and escape quickly (4,3) |
| RUSH OUT – SHOUT(roar) after RU(game) | |
| 3 | Cockney in smashing deal? It shows the pressure one’s under (9) |
| BAROMETER – ‘OME(Cockney in) inside BARTER(deal) | |
| 4 | Irish can act riotously, wanting no form of government (11) |
| ANARCHISTIC – anagram of IRISH,CAN,ACT | |
| 5 | Pal to arise, becoming knight (3) |
| DUB – BUD(pal) reversed… I DUB thee… | |
| 6 | Maestro in GB possibly (5) |
| SOLTI – this was my next question mark, but I think I have it… the definition is obvious, Georg SOLTI. Bear with me – the C major scale in tonic sol-fa would have the notes C(do), D(re), E(mi), F(fa), G(SOL), A(lah), B(TI) and then back to C(do). So the G and B spell SOLTI. | |
| 7 | Socialists admitting fighting to get payments deserved? (7) |
| REWARDS – REDS(socialists) containing WAR(fighting) | |
| 8 | Fights — what can stop them for a while? (4-5) |
| DING-DONGS – the wordplay is because a bell would sound to end and start a round of a fight | |
| 13 | March beginning to provide opportunity for celebration (2,6,3) |
| ST DAVID’S DAY – this was the third of the question marks, but now I look it up, ST DAVID’S DAY is on March 1st so it is the beginning of March. I only pieced this together with all the checking letters, it was my last in | |
| 14 | After short moment of hesitation two daughters had opportunity for romance (5,4) |
| BLIND DATE – BLINK(moment of hesitation) missing the last letter, then D, D (two daughters), ATE(had) | |
| 16 | Former Welsh rite given a new twist (9) |
| ERSTWHILE – anagram of WELSH,RITE | |
| 18 | Runner bumping into rival — what could be more annoying? (7) |
| PESKIER – SKI(runner) inside PEER(rival) | |
| 19 | Baby with absent father flags maybe (7) |
| BUNTING – the first part of the clue is a reference to “bye baby BUNTING, daddy’s gone a-hunting” | |
| 21 | Cheat needing form of therapy — one is devoid of feelings (5) |
| ROBOT – ROB(cheat) then OT(occupational therapy) | |
| 23 | Look at account that’s initially given after a 1965 crisis (5) |
| AUDIT – I’ve sorted out three of the four, and this was the last one. Took a little googlemachining, but I think I have it. Another one where the definition is obvious. The rest is the first letter of That, following A, UDI(Universal Declaration of Independence, a crisis that led to Rhodesia breaking from the UK in 1965). Phew… | |
| 25 | Trouble-maker turning up in row I avoided (3) |
| ELF – reversal of FILE(row) missing I | |
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