An interesting and at times inventive puzzle that I ran through in 26 minutes.
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]. “Aural wordplay” is in quotation marks. I usually omit all reference to juxtaposition indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.
 Across |
|
| 1 | Inability to see approach quoted verbally by head (4-11) |
| NEAR-SIGHTEDNESS | |
| NEAR (approach), aural wordplay [verbally] SIGHTED / “cited” (quoted), NESS (head – headland). Aka ‘myopia’, this is not an inability to see, just things clearly that are in the distance. | |
| 9 | Fix male a part in song and dance (9) |
| RIGMAROLE | |
| RIG (fix), M (male), A, ROLE (part) | |
| 10 | Plot left half-finished for tree (5) |
| MAPLE | |
| MAP (plot), LE{ft} [half-finished] | |
| 11 | Problem with fool replacing oxygen in space (6) |
| HASSLE | |
| HOLE (space) becomes HASSLE when ASS (fool) replaces O (oxygen) | |
| 12 | Never to be? Almost that, translated (8) |
| VERBOTEN | |
| Anagram [translated] of NEVER TO B{e} [almost]. German for ‘forbidden’ which I suppose might be loosely translate as ‘never to be’. Edit: I am assured by those that know about these things that the definition here is &lit. | |
| 13 | Herb is sage, essentially, in unlimited clover (6) |
| LOVAGE | |
| {s}AG{e} [essentially] contained by [in] {c}LOVE{r} [unlimited] | |
| 15 | Ability to read what’s on low-fat labels — juicy or fruity? (8) |
| LITERACY | |
| LITE (what’s on low-fat labels), RACY (juicy or fruity). I must admit that I first thought of racy/juicy/fruity as synonyms for risqué or scandalous, but it seems that all three terms are used more innocently in wine-tasting. | |
| 18 | One thing in another — that’s the answer (8) |
| SOLUTION | |
| A semi-cryptic hint refers to chemistry where one substance is dissolved in another to make a solution. | |
| 19 | Pay homage to former queen always being recalled (6) |
| REVERE | |
| ER (former queen) + EVER (always) reversed [being recalled] | |
| 21 | Kingdom’s leading name is a married poet (8) |
| ISAMBARD | |
| IS, A, M (married), BARD (poet). Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806 –1859), civil and mechanical engineer. | |
| 23 | High time for something new (6) |
| UPDATE | |
| UP (high), DATE (time) | |
| 26 | Girl embracing Italian in friendship (5) |
| AMITY | |
| AMY (girl) containing [embracing] IT (Italian) | |
| 27 | And I learn about what increases blood pressure (9) |
| ADRENALIN | |
| Anagram [about] of AND I LEARN | |
| 28 | What sides in Crécy might indicate? Conflict, a long one (7,5,3) |
| HUNDRED YEARS WAR | |
| HUNDRED / YEARS (what sides in C{réc}Y might indicate), WAR (conflict). The definition refers back to ‘conflict’. Inventive! | |
| Down |
|
| 1 | Mounting, note pale outside of river mammal (7) |
| NARWHAL | |
| LAH (note) + WAN (pale) containing [outside of] R (river) all reversed [mounting] | |
| 2 | Protection of key island beset by rising waters (5) |
| AEGIS | |
| G (key – music) + I (island) contained [beset] by SEA (waters) reversed [rising]. From a Greek word for ‘shield’ this is sometimes used in the expression ‘under the aegis of’. | |
| 3 | Sailor seen in minimal weak illumination (9) |
| STARLIGHT | |
| TAR (sailor) contained by SLIGHT (minimal) | |
| 4 | Silly to continue (4) |
| GOON | |
| GO ON (continue). ‘Silly’ as a noun meaning a foolish person still grates on me but at least I’m aware of it now. | |
| 5 | Article on control needed to hold minute instrument (8) |
| THEREMIN | |
| THE (definite article), then REIN (control) containing [to hold] M (minute). Notably played in the theme to Midsomer Murders – the old episodes anyway. In the recent ones it’s drowned out by an orchestra. | |
| 6 | Protest with British farewell to the army? (5) |
| DEMOB | |
| DEMO (protest), B (British). Short for demobilisation. | |
| 7 | One living abroad losing right to wander about (9) |
| EXPATIATE | |
| EXPAT{r}IATE (one living abroad) [losing right]. The definition ‘wander about’ is listed as ‘rare’ in some sources as the meaning these days is more usually to elaborate or expand on a subject. | |
| 8 | Brought up OK around new favourite London area (7) |
| STEPNEY | |
| YES (OK) containing [around] N (new) + PET (favourite) all reversed [brought up] | |
| 14 | Ill-bred person, very European, going topless (9) |
| VULGARIAN | |
| V (very), {b}ULGARIAN (European) [going topless]. My LOI. | |
| 16 | Judgement on top batsman’s early drink of alcohol (3-6) |
| EYE-OPENER | |
| EYE (judgement – as in an eye for detail, getting one’s eye etc), OPENER (top batsman – the best usually go in first). A North American definition apparently that comes as news to me and gives new meaning to the title of a favourite stride piano piece. | |
| 17 | Chap surrounded by fruit who loves eating (8) |
| GOURMAND | |
| MAN (chap) contained [surrounded] by GOURD (fruit) | |
| 18 | Greens succeeded getting area covered by press (7) |
| SPINACH | |
| S (succeeded), then A (area) contained [covered] by PINCH (press) | |
| 20 | Queen in European country upset Reagan, perhaps (7) |
| ELEANOR | |
| E (European), LEA (country – tract of open ground, esp. grassland), then RON (Reagan, perhaps) reversed [upset]. There are loads of Queen Eleanors to choose from, but the English queen was Eleanor of Aquitaine who married King Henry II. | |
| 22 | Young man, a king or Russian noble (5) |
| BOYAR | |
| BOY (young man), A, R (king). NHO this despite having ancestors from that part of the world. Its only two previous appearances here were in Mephistos. | |
| 24 | Sanction unproductive without fine (5) |
| ALLOW | |
| {f}ALLOW (unproductive) [without fine] | |
| 25 | Interpret the meaning of when Conservative society’s abandoned right (4) |
| TRUE | |
| {cons}TRUE (interpret the meaning of) [when Conservative Society’s abandoned] | |
26:15, with fully 10 minutes on TRUE.
Like several other commenters, it seems, I instinctively want to spell the instrument theramin, but the wordplay left no doubt.
35:53 for the solve! Reached LOI UPDATE a few secs ahead of thirty mins and then alphabet trawled. Saw UP could be high but wanted to have AGE for time. Did a check somewhere around 34mins as no point trawling forever if TRUE (which was the only one I couldn’t parse) was wrong. Pleased to finish it.
Late finishing this as it was completed in three sessions, so no recorded time, but probably about the forty minute mark. All correct and parsed but I had my fingers crossed for THEREMIN which I’ve never heard of as a musical instrument. It sounded more like a drug to me, and it was only because I couldn’t construct anything else that it went in.
About 15 mins. Valmation seemed unlikely…… then saw vulgarian. True easy to work out once it’s obviously the answer. Misspelt theremin until verboten kicked in. Opener not necessarily best batsman, but is a top order batsman.
23.12 DNF. Quick for me. LOI TRUE was parsed but failed with an idiotic ISAMBERG thinking they were maybe the rulers of an obscure country once. Thanks Jack.
23:46
an interesting puzzle. like others, NHO BOYAR but seemed pretty clear. We seem to have had DEMOB quite a lot recently; I guess that’s one of the advantages of doing this regularly…
Thanks both!
66:10
A rare excursion over from the QC. Nothing too difficult, it just takes longer to get your head around some of the clues and remember the vocab. Plus a couple of guesses where the wordplay was generous enough (BOYAR). Really struggled with LOI TRUE, but got there in the end.
Defeated by True which was on the dastardly side, I thought.
21:49, with LOI UPDATE. I spent too long looking for words ending AGE.
Meads towards Haslingfield and Coton
Where das Betreten’s not VERBOTEN…
My guide to walks from Grantchester uses those two lines to give names to three of the walks, with the second line giving the name to a walk that uses a path across a military firing range where access is prohibited on days where firing is happening.
Thanks Jack and setter
A day late to this due to technical issues, but was a bit careless with my typing. 22,13 but mistyped STEONEY. Drat! Started quickly with GOON, STARLIGHT and NEAR SIGHTEDNESS, but slowed in the bottom half. TRUE was LOI. Thanks setter and Jack.