Solving time: 30 minutes for all but 10ac as explained in the blog.
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]
| Across | |
| 1 | A range of binoculars? (5,2,6) |
| FIELD OF VISION : A cryptic definition. My first in, but initially I had it as ‘depth of vision’ which presented problems when I came to 1dn and 2dn. | |
| 8 | Two metals forming hook (4) |
| SNAG : SN (metal #1 – tin), AG (metal #2 – silver). Hook or some other type of projection was an original meaning of SNAG but these days it is mostly an unexpected obstacle or drawback. | |
| 9 | Couple to keep port clear? It has strings attached (10) |
| MARIONETTE : MATE (couple) containing [to keep] RIO (port) + NET (clear). For a while I had only the O and T checkers in place and I wasted time trying to justify PIANOFORTE. | |
| 10 | Object, on reflection, when woman’s injected white compound (8) |
| MAGNESIA : AIM (object) reversed [on reflection], containing AGNES (woman) [when…injected]. My knowledge of science let me down here because I came up with M(ANNE’S)IA from wordplay without realising how close I was to the correct answer. As I had already finished the rest of the puzzle I cheated to check for its existence and the on-line dictionary was too helpful in presenting me with the correct answer before I was actually ready for it. | |
| 11 | Get some wine, or lose it (3,3) |
| SEE RED : SEE (get), RED (some wine). ‘It’ being one’s temper. | |
| 13 | Very neat, original music outlet dismissing tango (10) |
| METICULOUS : Anagram [original] of MUSIC OUTLE{t} [dismissing tango] | |
| 16 | Faculty‘s revolutionary strategy half abandoned (4) |
| ARTS : STRA{tegy} reversed [revolutionary] [half abandoned] | |
| 17 | Companion for dam built at last in south of France (4) |
| STUD : {buil}T [at last] contained by [in] SUD (south – of France) | |
| 18 | Initiation here by holding wild parties? About time! (10) |
| BAPTISTERY : BY (containing) [holding] anagram [wild] of PARTIES itself containing [about] T (time). I arrived at the correct spelling via wordplay and enumeration; if left to my own devices I would have omitted the second E as that’s how I pronounce the word. | |
| 20 | It finishes on landing, in different ways (6) |
| FLIGHT : Double cryptic with reference to air journeys and stairs | |
| 22 | Get outside by drilling nonstop (8) |
| EXTERNAL : X (by – multiplied by) is contained by [drilling] ETERNAL (nonstop) | |
| 24 | Extra habit, not cape, a learner put on (10) |
| ADDITIONAL : ADDI{c}TION (habit) [not cape], A, L (learner) | |
| 26 | Perhaps Sally‘s East End stamping ground? (4) |
| AUNT : {h}AUNT (stamping ground) [East End]. The definition is a reference to ‘Aunt Sally’, the fairground game as discussed here quite recently. | |
| 27 | Call cameraman out of house, one in Bletchley Park? (13) |
| CRYPTOGRAPHER : CRY (call), P{ho}TOGRAPHER (cameraman) [out of house – ho]. To my shame I have lived only 7 miles from Bletchley Park for the past 36 years but have never set foot there. | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Sponsor a mad cardinal (11) |
| FUNDAMENTAL : FUND (sponsor), A, MENTAL (mad) | |
| 2 | Drive, say, almost disappeared (3,2) |
| EGG ON : EG (say), GON{e} (disappeared) [almost] | |
| 3 | Dud PMQs disputed in assembly of Dubai (4,5) |
| DAMP SQUIB : Anagram [disputed] of PMQs contained by [in] anagram [assembly] of DUBAI. Often misquoted as ‘damp squid’. | |
| 4 | Mess made by gunmen in US bank? Not half! (7) |
| FARRAGO : RA (gunmen) contained by [in] {Wells} FARGO (US bank) [not half]. Many a happy childhood memory here… | |
| 5 | Most of what’s in golf bag is decreasing? (5) |
| IRONS : Two definitions of sorts. Most golf clubs are called IRONS but a set can also contain ‘woods’. We had the ‘de-creasing’ device very recently. | |
| 6 | Clumsy modern European stage worker (9) |
| INELEGANT : IN (modern – in fashion), E (European), LEG (stage), ANT (worker). So simple to assemble from the kit supplied. | |
| 7 | Lousy egg container upended (3) |
| NIT : TIN (container) reversed [upended] | |
| 12 | Internet era transformed famous part of Olivier (11) |
| ENTERTAINER : Anagram [transformed] of INTERNET ERA. Laurence Olivier created the role of Archie Rice aka THE ENTERTAINER in John Osborne’s 1957 stage work and also played him in the 1960 film adaptation. | |
| 14 | Shame to trigger cut in car racing (9) |
| INDIGNITY : IGNIT{e} (trigger) [cut] contained by [in] INDY (car racing) | |
| 15 | Trace son about to obtain fashionable work (9) |
| SCINTILLA : S (son), CA (about) containing [to obtain] IN (fashionable) + TILL (work). I preferred yesterday’s soundalike of ‘One cultivating wickedness’. | |
| 19 | Mark’s part of following into writing that’s put out one November (7) |
| PFENNIG : F (following) is contained by [into] PENNI{n}G (writing) [put out one November – N]. One-hundreth of a German mark before the arrival of the euro. | |
| 21 | Blight? It isn’t heard of in parts of the country (5) |
| TAINT : Sounds like “‘t’ain’t” a version of ‘it isn’t’ as it may be said in some parts of the country | |
| 23 | Come to pass (5) |
| REACH : Two meanings | |
| 25 | Maybe vet fish hauled up (3) |
| DOC : COD (fish) reversed [hauled up] | |
Signed up for the championship. I’ll be quite happy if I don’t finish 240th. You might say ‘why bother?’ but I like a challenge and it’s a day in London – a rarity for me these days.