This was an emergency blog thrown together in about 30 minutes so please forgive any errors, but let me know if you spot any so I can correct them. The actual solving took me around 45 minutes and I felt I was struggling at times, particularly in the early stages before things started to flow a bit. Here’s my blog…
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]
| Across | |
| 1 | Flag by the end of gloomy game (9) |
| BLACKJACK – BLACK (gloomy), JACK (flag) | |
| 6 | Baby’s pram initially covered in dirt (5) |
| SPOIL – P{ram} [initially] covered in SOIL (dirt). I had planned to come back and explain this further but it has now been covered in the comments below. | |
| 9 | Smaller than some European articles (5) |
| UNDER – UN (European article #1), DER (European article #2) | |
| 10 | In court rejected second apparent objection (9) |
| COMPLAINT – CT (court) contains MO (second) [reversed] + PLAIN (apparent) | |
| 11 | Order device primarily used in more precise navigational aid (9-6) |
| DIRECTION-FINDER – DIRECTION (order) then D{evice} [primarily] inside FINER (more precise) | |
| 13 | Sweets moved about near lips (8) |
| PRALINES – Anagram [moved about] of NEAR LIPS | |
| 14 | Line on chauffeur’s pants (6) |
| DRIVEL – DRIVE (chauffeur – vb), L (line) | |
| 16 | Escape from work after striking (6) |
| OUTRUN – OUT (striking), RUN (work). I had an error here when I stopped the timer as I could only think of “output” which didn’t quite work. On a further look OUTRUN fitted the wordplay but I wasn’t sure of the definition, however Collins has it as 2: to escape from by or as if by running | |
| 18 | Stays keen about county overlooked by daughter (8) |
| CORSETRY – CRY (keen – wail) about {d}ORSET (county) [overlooked by daughter]. One for Jimbo (the County that is)! | |
| 21 | I enjoy discussing actions investor misconstrued (15) |
| CONVERSATIONIST – Anagram [misconstrued] of ACTIONS INVESTOR | |
| 23 | One not heartless describing member with unpleasant rash (9) |
| IMPRUDENT – I (one), MP (member), RUDE (unpleasant), N{o}T [heartless] | |
| 25 | Retired military commander caught shoplifting, say (5) |
| CRIME – EMIR (military commander) + C (caught) reversed [retired] | |
| 26 | Throw out old coat shortly (5) |
| EXPEL – EX (old), PEL{t} (coat) [shortly] | |
| 27 | First class work following conclusion of trial in tense case (3,6) |
| TOP FLIGHT – OP (work) + F (following), {tria}L [conclusion] inside TIGHT (tense). “In…case” is the containment indicator. | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Sure United will be involved in tie (5) |
| BOUND – U (united) involved in BOND (tie) | |
| 2 | Berkshire village an old master portrayed originally (11) |
| ALDERMASTON – Anagram [portrayed originally] of AN OLD MASTER. Famous as the destination of CND Ban-the-Bomb marches in the 1950s. | |
| 3 | Turkish capital left by first couple meeting Greek character in port (7) |
| KARACHI – {an}KARA (Turkish capital) [minus first couple], CHI (Greek character) | |
| 4 | Records in waste briefly turning up outside busy place (8) |
| ARCHIVES – SCRA{p} (waste) [briefly] reversed [turning up] outside HIVE (busy place) | |
| 5 | Stunner goes round one day in exotic dress (6) |
| KIMONO – KO (stunner – knockout) goes round I (one) + MON (day) | |
| 6 | Officer perhaps flogged strapping individual losing head (7) |
| SOLDIER – SOLD (flogged), {t}IER (strapping fellow – one who ties, geddit?) | |
| 7 | Witchcraft portrayed by Holbein regularly (3) |
| OBI – Alternate letters of [portrayed by…regularly] {h}O{l}B{e}I{n} | |
| 8 | Best, but not the first, meeting, strictly speaking (9) |
| LITERALLY – {e}LITE (best) [but not first], RALLY (meeting) | |
| 12 | Joining party in poor health after check (11) |
| DOVETAILING – DO (party), VET (check), AILING (in poor health) | |
| 13 | Condemn act of piracy in plain language (9) |
| PROSCRIBE – CRIB (act of piracy) in PROSE (plain language) | |
| 15 | Impression of Oxford? Once Labour leader’s flipping favourite (8) |
| FOOTSTEP – FOOT’S (once Labour leader’s), PET (favourite) reversed [flipping]. “Oxford” being a type of shoe. | |
| 17 | Out of tune, qualitatively different (7) |
| UNEQUAL – Hidden in [out of] {tun}E QUAL{itatively} | |
| 19 | After treatment, lots going about in charge of a patient (7) |
| STOICAL – Anagram [after treatment] of LOTS going about IC (in charge of) + A | |
| 20 | Expression when kissed reportedly (6) |
| ASPECT – AS (when), sounds like [reportedly] “pecked” (kissed). In the sense of appearance, countenance, look etc. | |
| 22 | In races need minute to send messages (5) |
| TWEET – WEE (minute) inside TT (races – Tourist Trophy) | |
| 24 | Just defeat leaders of parties in poll (3) |
| PIP – First letters [leaders] of P{arties} I{n} P{oll} | |
Edited at 2016-09-03 09:35 pm (UTC)