Solving time: 39 minutes. There’s nothing outstanding here but it’s workmanlike and enjoyable enough, and quite welcome as I begin to recover from the excesses of Christmas. I’ve resolved not to stay up late tonight but I may yet find myself drawn into the ceilidh celebrations on BBC Alba.
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]. I usually omit all reference to positional indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.
Across | |
1 | Mum’s vehicle key — item found in handbag? (7) |
MASCARA : MA’S (mum’s), CAR (vehicle), A (key) | |
5 | Rest a load and lean back (3,4) |
PIT STOP : POTS (a load – e.g. pots of money) + TIP (lean) reversed [back]. Away from the frantic world of motor racing a PIT STOP can be a break in a journey for rest and refreshment. | |
9 | Very dark stream (3) |
JET : Two meanings, the first as in ‘jet black’ | |
10 | Matter ending on lap in spill — absorbed with this? (6,5) |
TISSUE PAPER : ISSUE (matter) + {la}P [ending] contained by [in] TAPER (spill – used for lighting things, as discussed here quite recently) | |
11 | Fitting uniform, it’s in black (8) |
SUITABLE : U (uniform) + IT contained by [in] SABLE (black) | |
12 | Possible sandwich filling for each container of sandwiches, say? (6) |
HAMPER : HAM (possible sandwich filling), PER (for each) | |
15 | Stuff served with culture hasn’t hurt, a relaxing discipline (4) |
YOGA : YOG{hurt} (stuff served with culture) [hasn’t ‘hurt’], A | |
16 | Skater requiring ploy to tamper with scoring method, of course? (6,4) |
STROKE PLAY : Anagram of [tamper with] SKATER PLOY. Scoring by counting the number of strokes taken in golf as opposed to some other method, I assume. | |
18 | Two bullets, one killing pest? (4,6) |
SLUG PELLET : SLUG (bullet #1), PELLET (bullet #2) | |
19 | Distinguish why, occasionally, North Korea’s leaders looking to the West (4) |
KNOW : W{hy} O{ccasionally} N{orth} K{orea} [leaders] reversed [looking to the West] | |
22 | Order drinks regularly, tasteless stuff (6) |
DIKTAT : D{r}I{n}K{s} [regularly], TAT (tasteless stuff) | |
23 | New ideas about horse almost conflict (8) |
DISAGREE : Anagram [new] of IDEAS containing [about] GRE{y} (horse) [almost] | |
25 | Settler: mark a series about one (11) |
COLONIALIST : COLON (mark) + A + LIST (series) containing [about] I (one) | |
27 | Old biker in government department (3) |
MOD : Two meanings, the second standing for ‘Ministry Of Defence’. To quote Wiki: “Mods and Rockers were two conflicting British youth subcultures of the early/mid 1960s to early 1970s”. The problem here is that Mods would never have been described as ‘bikers’ (that would be the Rockers) as their chosen form of transport was the comparatively weedy motor scooter. | |
28 | Fat and happy, in summary (5-2) |
ROUND-UP : ROUND (fat), UP (happy) | |
29 | Share hotel in state where one’s lost? (7) |
TRANCHE : H (hotel) contained by [in] TRANCE (state where one’s lost) |
Down | |
1 | Glorious thing seeing kid in tree (7) |
MAJESTY : JEST (kid) contained by [in] MAY (tree) | |
2 | Nothing supporting meeting, one’s very much exposed to criticism (7,4) |
SITTING DUCK : SITTING (meeting), DUCK (nothing) | |
3 | In departing, train say skidding off the rails (6) |
ASTRAY : Anagram [skidding] of TRA{in} SAY [‘in’ departing] | |
4 | Quite obtuse, all jerks on telly, ultimately (10) |
ABSOLUTELY : Anagram [jerks] of OBTUSE ALL, {tell}Y [ultimately] | |
5 | Attempt to sell bathroom equipment (4) |
PLUG : Two meanings | |
6 | Runner turned on a father protecting wife after time (3,5) |
TAP WATER : T (time), A, PATER (father) containing [protecting] W (wife) | |
7 | Ram position from below (3) |
TUP : PUT (position) reversed [from below]. ‘Ram’ as male sheep. | |
8 | Paint light under socket (7) |
PORTRAY : PORT (socket), RAY (light) | |
13 | As nurses run, going this way and that? (11) |
PALINDROMIC : ‘nurses run’ being an example of a palindrome | |
14 | European film about cool stuff mostly, one likely to be controversial (10) |
POLEMICIST : POLE (European), MIST (film) containing [about] IC{e} (cool stuff) [mostly] | |
17 | Crooked spire, and twisted (8) |
SPRAINED : Anagram [crooked] of SPIRE AND | |
18 | Cocktail Mark consumes something fishy (7) |
SIDECAR : SCAR (mark) contains [consumes] IDE (something fishy). Brandy, lemon juice and orange liqueur. | |
20 | Coax husband at last into circle with relative at the end (7) |
WHEEDLE : {husban}D [at last] contained by [into] WHEEL (circle), {relativ}E [at the end] | |
21 | Snare hasn’t closed — you can say that again! (6) |
MANTRA : MANTRA{p} (snare) [hasn’t closed] | |
24 | A politician supporting Conservative Party (4) |
CAMP : C (conservative), A, MP (politician) | |
26 | Newcastle United nothing like entirely ready for Bucharest? (3) |
LEU : Hidden in [nothing like entirely] {newcast}LE U{nited}. The Romanian currency. |
Edited at 2019-12-31 11:07 am (UTC)
I liked the &littish TISSUE PAPER and the surface for TRANCHE.
After 13d, I had to have another look at the Weird Al Yankovic palindrome song video. A classic.
Thanks to setter and blogger and bye-bye 2019
re- 7dn and 12ac I presume that a ram sandwich is contained in Tupperware? Suit yusselves!
FOI 1ac MASCARA
LOI 29ac TRANCHE
COD 14dn PALINDROMIC
WOD 7dn TUP with chestnut stuffing.
WHile stroke play is what you usually see at the professional tournaments on TV, match play is what many recreational golfers prefer. Hereabouts, a $5 Nassau is the commonest form of competition.
Definite COD to PALINDROMIC, as I don’t recall seeing such a clue before so it felt very original to me. Well hidden too.
FOI 1a MASCARA, LOI 29a TRANCHE, just after the enjoyable penny-drop of MANTRA. Also liked PALINDROMIC along the way.
Off to Wales later to spend the end of the year with friends—hope everyone else enjoys their evenings. See you in 2020!
At least it’s an easy COD nomination for PALINDROMIC, though some nice surfaces elsewhere (especially the underprepared football team and the selling of bathroom equipment)
Cheers, all
I remember cringing with embarrassment several years ago when a newsreader on Radio Scotland – which is supposed to be our national broadcaster – introduced “a special report from the MOD in Oban.”
Agree about mods not being bikers.
Wrap up well if you’re going first footing!
Edited at 2019-12-31 10:11 am (UTC)
When I take my meds tonight I shall put them in a whisky tumbler, pretend they’re a Talisker and offer you this toast from the ploughman poet:
Here’s a bottle and an honest man –
What would ye wish for mair, man.
Wha kens, before his life may end,
What his share may be o’ care, man.
So catch the moments as they fly,
And use them as ye ought, man.
Believe me, happiness is shy,
And comes not aye when sought, man.
Edited at 2019-12-31 09:34 am (UTC)
As others, COD to PALINDROMIC. And MASCARA FOI.
Thanks jack and setter, and I hope everyone has a sensible, happy evening.
Edited at 2019-12-31 10:31 am (UTC)
They may have made less noise and been slower but those small wheels made anything speedy on a slippery road quite hairy, as I remember. Not to mention the fur trim and the aerials… and the miniskirted passengers. O tempora o mores, as Verlaine might say.
I am in no way of Scottish blood but will savour a large Oban or Glen Moray before the night is out. The Big Diet starts tomorrow, target 5 kilos off. Time scale not stated!
Having spotted one in the QC, I was looking for a pangram here as well, but there’s no F’in Z !
New Year’s resolution : to enter my biffs in pencil ! My last two in were held up by “litmus” PAPER, which I can neither justify nor explain.
FOI MASCARA
LOI ABSOLUTELY
COD TAP WATER
TIME 12:49
Many of you will know that this was my annus horribilis. I wish each and every one of you a happy and prosperous 2020, and hope that those wishes are equally true for me !
As to the puzzle, it took me 30 minutes. A lot of that (well, a good few minutes) was spent trying to parse ASTRAY – it wasn’t that hard, I was just suffering from parse-blindness, I think. My ntLOI was PALINDROMIC, eventually biffed from checkers and then parsed.
Wishing everyone a happy New Year, and see you in 2020.
COD: PALINDROMIC. I also liked MANTRA.
So , workmanlike rather than inspired but pleased to complete the puzzle, there were moments wen I thought I’d fail miserably.
I failed to get the wonderful PALINDROMIC (COD -and note to self to remember such clues) and my sandwich had Butter in it, so I had the tap but not the water. Also had the TRA but not the man. Good fun though.
Happy new year to everybody.
David
And happy new year to all.
Edited at 2019-12-31 09:48 pm (UTC)