I sped through this as fast as a hot knife through a slab of butter. A nice change from recent travails. 11’09”
How did you get on? Any PBs?
| Across | |
| 1 | Pakistani city’s expression of pleasure in folk wisdom (6) |
| LAHORE – AH in LORE | |
| 5 | Exercises old Turkish ruler before a horsey event (8) |
| GYMKHANA – GYM KHAN A | |
| 9 | Stirrer’s offspring crossing river after meal (8) |
| TEASPOON – TEA PO in SON | |
| 10 | Wearing formal dress, visit Asian warehouse (6) |
| GODOWN – DO in GOWN; ‘do’ as in ‘Sharon and me did Venice last year!’ | |
| 11 | Persian governor beginning to swig a gin? (6) |
| SATRAP – S~ A TRAP | |
| 12 | Small daughter embracing pale woman’s bird minder (8) |
| SWANHERD – WAN HER in S D | |
| 14 | Engineering con, he emerges as dealer in Cheshire? (12) |
| CHEESEMONGER – anagram* of CON HE EMERGES; Cheshire cheese, of course | |
| 17 | Big house rebuilt pine shelter by Iowa railway? (12) |
| PENITENTIARY – PINE* TENT IA RY; ‘big house’ is a slang term for prison | |
| 20 | Appreciative, having plenty of petrol to cover start of holiday (8) |
| THANKFUL – H~ in TANKFUL | |
| 22 | Wrapped son’s injuries (6) |
| WOUNDS – WOUND S | |
| 23 | Bishop involved in test of ethnic group (6) |
| TRIBAL – B in TRIAL | |
| 25 | Critical remark from chap cutting opening of bridge club (8) |
| BRICKBAT – RICK (random bloke) in B~ BAT | |
| 26 | Fellow with jewel, but wanting Liberal leadership (8) |
| HEGEMONY – HE GEM ON |
|
| 27 | English archdeacon following the Spanish team (6) |
| ELEVEN -EL E VEN (Archdeacon: as in the Ven Grantly in Trollope – as he might have been styled, at any rate) | |
| Down | |
| 2 | Malt vinegar porter possibly put on fish (6) |
| ALEGAR – ALE (porter possibly – i.e. beery stuff) GAR (fish commonly found in crosswords and Scrabble); basically, what it says on the label – malt/ale [vine]gar | |
| 3 | Let former pupils time violent disturbance (11) |
| OBSTRUCTION – OBS T RUCTION | |
| 4 | Company is breaking record in this place where all life exists (9) |
| ECOSPHERE – CO’S (company is) in EP HERE | |
| 5 | Information exists on cover of economics book (7) |
| GENESIS – GEN E~S IS | |
| 6 | Former of rock group’s first to be introduced to mother (5) |
| MAGMA – G~ in MAMA | |
| 7 | It may carry bricks intended ultimately to shore up house (3) |
| HOD – HO ~D | |
| 8 | Film last of participants in modern dance? (8) |
| NEWSREEL – ~S in NEW REEL | |
| 13 | Unusually lucky, he’s accommodating single shrub (11) |
| HONEYSUCKLE – ONE (single) in LUCKY HES* | |
| 15 | Shabby trick binding husband in the interim (9) |
| MEANWHILE – MEAN H in WILE | |
| 16 | Marine creature regularly seen swimming ashore? (8) |
| SEAHORSE – S |
|
| 18 | Ball fits in tiny piece of furniture (7) |
| TALLBOY – BALL* in TOY (tiny as in toy poodle – more small or miniature perhaps, but never mind); ‘fits’ appears to be an anagram indicator here, though it’s a bit of a stretch. ‘In fits’ might work. | |
| 19 | Fish had to form mental images (6) |
| IDEATE – IDE ATE | |
| 21 | Sheet of paper primarily focusing on a type of stew (5) |
| FOLIO – F~ OLIO | |
| 24 | Run past when speaking (3) |
| BYE – cricket – sounds like by | |
I didn’t notice while speeding through the solve, but the blog makes me wonder if the setter was paying tribute in 5d and 6d to the GENESIS track MAMA from 1983.
18:20 very quick for me.
CHEESEMONGER was delightful.
I went with Acetal, which sounds like vinegar. Alegar indeed!
My Grandad used to bring us a half-round Cheshire cheese every year – given to him for volunteering at Chester race course.
22:29
Though this puzzle currently has a Snitch of 58 (which equates to a 14 minute target for me these days), I didn’t find it particularly easy. NHO GODOWN (and didn’t manage the wordplay very quickly) and couldn’t have told you what HEGEMONY is – most of the rest was OK, even ALEGAR.
Thanks U and setter