Solving time: 1:27:01
I struggled with this one to start with, but once I got into my stride I sped up a bit. On the whole, an enjoyable puzzle with quite a few good clues. The three &lit (or semi-&lit) clues at 10, 16 & 47 were all good, plus I liked 26, 39 & 40, but 32 gets my COD.
cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (–)*, and removals like this
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | BATTLEFIELD = BAT / FIELD about (LET)* |
| 7 | HANDICAPPER = “HANDY KAPPA” |
| 13 | COLON |
| 14 | AFRICAN = FRI in (A + CAN) – I’ve never heard of Kikuyu, and with so many possible words to choose from, I can’t help but wonder why the setter picked one so obscure. |
| 15 | INVECTIVE = C for N in INVENTIVE |
| 16 | WATERFOWL = W + (WE FLOAT)* about R – &lit |
| 17 | STEPSISTER = STEPS + (RITES)* |
| 20 | TERRIER = TIER about (ER + |
| 22 | EELWORM = (ROW + LEE) all rev + M |
| 24 | IKEBANA = IKE (Eisenhower) + A |
| 25 | ROUGH-HEW = ROUGH (sick) + “HUGH” – it took me a while to work out what the second word was going to be |
| 26 | CANTERBURY + BELL – I’m not good on flowers and plants, so I wasn’t familiar with this one. The second word was obvious, but I needed several checkers before the first word occurred to me. This is ‘see’ in the sense of a bishopric, or, as in this case, an archbishopric. |
| 28 | HO-HUM = initials of H |
| 29 | S(TUP)ID – a tup being an uncastrated adult male sheep. It’s one of those words that tends to only crop up in crosswords. Unless you happen to be a sheep farmer, I suppose. |
| 30 | DILLETANTE = DANTE about (TITLE)* |
| 33 | LONESOMELY = LELY (Dutch portraitist) about (ONE’S + OM) |
| 35 | BORE + AS – I thought I knew most of the Greek Gods, but I’ve not heard of this one before. The God of the north wind and bringer of winter. |
| 37 | AS + SAY |
| 39 | BUSMAN’S HOLIDAY – cd |
| 41 | N(A + USE)OUS |
| 44 | CHA / TEA + U |
| 45 | FI |
| 46 | LAMB + KIN |
| 47 | HINDUSTANI = (INDIAN THUS)* – semi-&lit |
| 49 | CO(I)FFE(US)E |
| 53 | S(KED)ADDLE – A saddle being a joint of meat, and a ked being a parasite found most commonly on sheep. So, another one for the sheep farmers. |
| 54 | LEEWARD = DRAW + EEL all rev |
| 55 | RHONE = “ROAN” |
| 56 | APOCALYPTIC = (PAL A CITY COP)* |
| 57 | SPEEDOMETER – cd – for ‘Dash’ read ‘Dashboard’ |
| Down | |
| 1 | BACK(WAT)ER |
| 2 | TALK THROUGH ONE’S HAT – dd |
| 3 | LINER = ONE-LINER without the ONE |
| 4 | FLAVOURLESS = |
| 5 | E |
| 6 | DECASYLLABIC – dd – who knew there was a word for having ten syllables? |
| 7 | HENCEFORTH = HEN (one laying) + C |
| 8 | NAILS – dd |
| 9 | IN VEST + IT + URE – ‘partially dressed’ for IN VEST was quite good |
| 10 | ARCH-ENEMY = (MANY CHEER)* – semi-&lit |
| 11 | P + RIM |
| 12 | REEL = “REAL” – as in the expression ‘The Real McCoy’ meaning the genuine article |
| 18 | HAVE ONE’S WORK CUT OUT – dd |
| 19 | RAILLERY = REAR rev + Y |
| 21 | IN + HUME + |
| 23 | M(ART)INE + T |
| 27 | BULLY + OFF – a hockey term |
| 28 | HALF + BACK – a rugby league position, of which a stand-off is one, and a scrum half is the other |
| 31 | TRANSOM – hidden |
| 32 | Pusillanimity Sandy initially displayed in parts of Hay Fever? (12)COWARDLINESS = S |
| 34 | MISGUIDEDLY = “MISS GUY” + DE |
| 36 | SMALL-MINDED = S (son) + MINDED (objected) about MALL (precinct) |
| 38 | BIMETALLIC = (LIMIT CABLE)* |
| 40 | AMERICANA = A + MAN + A |
| 42 | SONNETEER = S |
| 43 | W(RECK)AGE |
| 48 | SWEET – dd |
| 50 | FO + RUM – FO for Foreign Office, a government department. It still exists but is now officially termed the Foreign and Commonwealth Office |
| 51 |
|
| 52 | N(E + R)O |
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