Solving time: 9 minutes. I didn’t find this difficult but, as always, I shall be interested to see what others have to say.
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 | Work at taking in a drama (4) |
| PLAY : PLY (work at – a trade, for example) containing [taking in] A | |
| 3 | Quick way to switch off after electrical problem (8) |
| SHORTCUT : SHORT (electrical problem), CUT (switch off) | |
| 9 | One probing two songs missing intros — still an issue? (7) |
| ONGOING : I (one) contained by [probing] {s}ONG+{s}ONG [missing intros] | |
| 10 | Sailor returned before the swim (5) |
| BATHE : AB (sailor) reversed [returned], THE | |
| 11 | Girl seen between Rachel and Ena? (5) |
| HELEN : Hidden [seen between] {Rac}HEL and EN{a}. I’m not sure we’ve had an interrupted hidden word before, but it seems perfectly legitimate. | |
| 12 | Article on board ship following a straight course (6) |
| LINEAR : A (article) contained by [on board] LINER (ship) | |
| 14 | Awful villainy close in hi-tech area (7,6) |
| SILICON VALLEY : Anagram [awful] of VILLAINY CLOSE | |
| 17 | Argument about a bar’s latest set of charges (6) |
| TARIFF : TIFF (argument) containing [about] A + {ba}R [latest] | |
| 19 | Crime seen in financial newspaper? (5) |
| THEFT : THE FT (financial newspaper). Strictly speaking we need something to clue ‘The’ here as it’s not part of the title of the newspaper, but I suppose ‘The Financial Times‘ is common parlance. | |
| 22 | Acceptable video about a learner (5) |
| VALID : VID (video) containing [about] A + L (learner) | |
| 23 | Number, say, encountered in Bury (7) |
| INTEGER : EG (say) contained by [encountered in] INTER (bury). Note the legitimate use of the misleading capital letter here. | |
| 24 | Disinclination to shift hospital: greatly upset about that (8) |
| LETHARGY : Anagram [upset] of GREATLY containing [about] H (hospital / that) | |
| 25 | Live action’s beginning in region (4) |
| AREA : ARE (live), A{ction’s} [beginning] | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Predict he’s taking on Yard after getting support (8) |
| PROPHESY : PROP (support), HE’S, Y (yard) | |
| 2 | Rise in support given to a new nurse? (5) |
| ANGEL : A, N (new), LEG (support) reversed [rise] I wasn’t sure of a direct correlation here, but Chambers has angel as: colloq someone who works in the nursing profession. | |
| 4 | Drunk to secure romance in dance in Inverness (8,5) |
| HIGHLAND FLING : HIGH (drunk), LAND (secure), FLING (romance). Other Scottish locations are available. | |
| 5 | Bird starts to rummage on waste container (5) |
| ROBIN : R{ummage} + O{n} [starts], BIN (waste container) | |
| 6 | Whip about to meet pair of Liberals getting derisive comment (7) |
| CATCALL : CAT (whip), CA (about), LL (pair of Liberals) | |
| 7 | Watch maybe not showing minutes produces row (4) |
| TIER : TI{m}ER (watch, maybe) [not showing minutes – m] | |
| 8 | The best prison, we hear, will offer outdoor excursion (6) |
| PICNIC : Sounds like [we hear] “pick” (best), “nick” (prison) | |
| 13 | Panic diverted this year (8) |
| HYSTERIA : Anagram [diverted] of THIS YEAR | |
| 15 | Felt ale, newly brewed, should get promotional material (7) |
| LEAFLET : Anagram [newly brewed] of FELT ALE | |
| 16 | Thinking cannily when Egyptian King’s heading for Egypt (6) |
| ASTUTE : AS (when), TUT (Egyptian King), E{gypt} [heading] | |
| 18 | Elected, with upturn in support, in Asian country (5) |
| INDIA : IN (elected), AID (support) reversed [upturn]. The third appearance of ‘support’ in today’s Down clues! | |
| 20 | Little hesitation about the time — very keen (5) |
| EAGER : ER (little hesitation) containing [about] AGE (time) | |
| 21 | Round? Very — almost entirely egg-shaped (4) |
| OVAL : O (round), V (very), AL{l} (entirely) [almost] | |
Comments are closed.