Time taken: 18:29.
I think I’ve hit the stinker for the week, and I’m still a little unsure of some wordplay that I hope comes as I write up the blog. There’s some well hidden definitions in here, and not a lot that went in at a first glance.
I wonder what will be the major hold-ups for the blog regulars, in my case it was the first part of 6 down and the 18/20 crossing. Since I am usually asleep when the majority of the comments come in, check below if anything is answered, and I’ll check in with a postscript in the early PM.
Postscript: The opportunity of an early tee time on a glorious day kept me from checking back in, but it does appear something did slip through the fingers of the seter and the editor with “towing the line” instead of “toeing the line”. The SNITCH number confirms this as the most difficult puzzle in three months.
Away we go…
| Across | |
| 1 | City where lives must go on as normal (5) |
| PARIS – IS(lives) next to PAR(as normal) | |
| 4 | Pad cushioned and strapped? (4,5) |
| FLAT BROKE – PAD(flat, apartment) and BROKE(cushioned as a fall) | |
| 9 | Lender almost smiling: it’s on the house! (9) |
| LIBRARIAN – RIANT(smiling) missing the last letter next to the astrological house of LIBRA | |
| 10 | Narrow margin’s inches (5) |
| NOSES – double definitions, the first used mostly in horse racing | |
| 11 | Private collection primarily including the works of such as Balzac (6) |
| GALLIC – the private is a GI, and the first letter of Collection containing ALL(the works) | |
| 12 | One put on trial, eg, hoped thus finally to reform (8) |
| SHEEPDOG – anagram of EG, HOPED and the last letter of thuS | |
| 14 | Sweets and chocolate bar that has approval from the sovereign? (12) |
| MARSHMALLOWS – a MARS bar, then if you have approval from the sovereign, then HM ALLOWS | |
| 17 | Get wrong Times reprint for distribution (12) |
| MISINTERPRET – anagram of TIMES,REPRINT | |
| 20 | Al Capone’s version? (8) |
| ALUMINUM – the definition is the chemical symbol Al. The rest implies using the American pronunciation, which I have had to do since I started teaching chemistry in North America in 1995 | |
| 21 | Take things easy at first — in time place very busy (6) |
| THIEVE – the first letter of Easy inside T(time) and HIVE(place very busy) | |
| 23 | Request team playing hands to one side (5) |
| ASKEW – ASK(request) and the team in bridge is E,W | |
| 24 | Equipped with answer to expose Marxist on City Council (9) |
| ACCOUTRED – A(answer) then OUT(expose) RED(Marxist) after CC(City Council) | |
| 25 | I close venue for undesirables urgently (2,7) |
| IN EARNEST – I, NEAR(close), NEST(venue for undesirables) | |
| 26 | For which we say golfer should be dismissed, oddly! (5) |
| EAGLE – an all-in-one with the wordplay being alternating letters in wE sAy GoLfEr. I play in a league where you may be dismissed for having an eagle, the Mediocre Golf Association. | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Union of College with High that’s illegal here (8) |
| POLYGAMY – POLY(college) and GAMY(high). Fun clue. | |
| 2 | Filth of river: one lifted dog out of water (8) |
| RIBALDRY – R(river) then I(one), and LAB(dog) reversed, followed by DRY(out of water) | |
| 3 | One chap’s rival wins fresh conflict (7,5,3) |
| SPANISH CIVIL WAR – anagram of I(one),CHAP’S,RIVAL,WINS | |
| 4 | Toss drink and lose it (4) |
| FLIP – triple definition – to toss, a drink(such as egg flip) and to lose it | |
| 5 | Take out girl — one I left consumed with passion (10) |
| ANNIHILATE – ANN(girl) then I(one), and I, L(left) inside HATE(passion) | |
| 6 | Store stuck with live bingo (6,9) |
| BONDED WAREHOUSE – BONDED(stuck), W(with), ARE(live), HOUSE(bingo) | |
| 7 | I must keep small boy towing the line (6) |
| ONSIDE – ONE(I) containing SID(small boy). Reference to towing the line in sportsball. | |
| 8 | Standard, partially declining, is never going up (6) |
| ENSIGN – hidden reversed in decliniNG IS NEver | |
| 13 | Work with football team keeping one quiet long into the night? (10) |
| MANIPULATE – the football team is MAN U, insert I(one) and P(quiet), then LATE(long into the night) | |
| 15 | Refer to eccentric golfer’s top: an impressive jumper! (4,4) |
| TREE FROG – anagram of REFER,TO then the first letter in Golfer | |
| 16 | One present of a shirt for nurse to wear (8) |
| ATTENDEE – A, TEE shirt containing TEND(nurse) | |
| 18 | State of fruit topping one put together (6) |
| HAWAII – I think this is A(of), after HAW(fruit) and I and I(ones) put together. There’s suggesions in comments that it is HAW, then A1 for topping/top rated, I for one. | |
| 19 | Deer and young bear perhaps raised in cave (6) |
| BUCKLE – ELK(deer) and CUB(young bear) all reversed. I liked this clue a lot. | |
| 22 | Historic payment that is put on the books (4) |
| SCOT – SC(scilicet, that is), on OT(Old Testament, books) | |
Better progress last night and the last few fell this morning — the same culprits as many others.
BUCKLE was excellent as was ALUMINUM. Also tried putting in qs; also wondering about artificial intelligence. Much enjoyed after the false start and realising that it was tough but not impossible
Obviously a v v late post so may remain unread but thanks for all the entertaining posts especially on use of language
And thanks to the setter and George as well of course