Solving time: 11 minutes, delayed 3 minutes at the end by my last one in at 22ac.
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 | Actress handled vial nervously (2,9) |
| DE HAVILLAND | |
| Anagram [nervously] of HANDLED VIAL. Considering Olivia de Havilland began her acting career in 1933 I was going to remark that we were being expected to delve back into ancient history but I was amazed to find that she died only last year aged 104 so has only recently become eligible for an appearance in The Times crossword. She was still working in 2009. | |
| 8 | Willpower about to crack (7) |
| RESOLVE | |
| RE (about – on the subject of), SOLVE (crack) | |
| 9 | 144 in total (5) |
| GROSS | |
| Two meanings. A gross is 12 dozen, and one’s gross or total salary is the amount payable before deductions for tax etc. | |
| 10 | Whisky, for example, before good savoury item of food (6,3) |
| SCOTCH EGG | |
| SCOTCH (whisky), EG (for example), G (good). This time last year we were being treated to acres of press coverage debating whether or not a Scotch Egg constituted ‘a meal’ for the purposes of complying with government regulations on Covid restrictions in order to be allowed to enjoy a drink in a pub. Yet even after all that, and with the passage of time, I can’t recall whether this was ever officially established. My recollection is that one Cabinet minister said one thing one day and another said the opposite the next. This particular matter has not come up again so far this year, but plus ça change as demonstrated by what ministers have to say on the subject of the proposed forthcoming festivities, social gatherings and parties. I heard four completely differing interpretations expressed by four different ministers last week. | |
| 12 | Hand tool — test briefly upon return (3) |
| AXE | |
| EXA{m} (test) [briefly] reversed [upon return] | |
| 13 | Collect a cold cure concoction (6) |
| ACCRUE | |
| A, C (cold), then anagram (concoction) of CURE. Accountants and investors will be familar with this word. | |
| 15 | Breed of rabbit from African country, right for length (6) |
| ANGORA | |
| Angola (African country) becomes ANGORA when R (right) is substituted for L (length) | |
| 17 | Animal, partly domesticated (3) |
| CAT | |
| Hidden in [partly] {domesti}CAT{ed} | |
| 18 | Not entirely where studying may lead one? (2,1,6) |
| TO A DEGREE | |
| Two meanings, one vaguely cryptic | |
| 20 | Former statute, correct in every detail (5) |
| EXACT | |
| EX (former), ACT (statute – law) | |
| 22 | One may read this either way (3,4) |
| AGA SAGA | |
| Collins defines this as a novel or drama depicting the lives and concerns of the English middle classes, an allusion to the popularity of Aga cookers among the English middle classes, cf. kitchen sink drama. ‘Either way’ indicates that the answer is a palindrome. This clue took me some way over my target time. | |
| 23 | Second eleven shown in book mate circulated (7,4) |
| RESERVE TEAM | |
| RESERVE (book), then anagram [circulated] of MATE | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Nightclub in Sheffield is colourful (5) |
| DISCO | |
| Hidden [in] {Sheffiel}D IS CO{lourful}. I’ve never been completely happy with this definition of ‘disco’ but it has appeared so many times that I have learned to accept it and move on. | |
| 2 | Playing Dutch role, surrounded oneself with admirers (4,5) |
| HELD COURT | |
| Anagram [playing] of DUTCH ROLE | |
| 3 | Watched rival? United? (6) |
| VIEWED | |
| VIE (rival), WED (united) | |
| 4 | On stage (3) |
| LEG | |
| Two meanings, cricket, and a stage in a competition | |
| 5 | A very old blighter, round for fruit (7) |
| AVOCADO | |
| A, V (very), O (old), CAD (blighter), O (round) | |
| 6 | Comic character, reckless and wild (9,3) |
| DESPERATE DAN | |
| DESPERATE (reckless), the anagram [wild] of AND. More ancient stuff going back nearly as far as Olivia De Havilland’s film career! Desperate Dan appeared in The Dandy from 1937 until the demise of the comic in 2013. He was also referenced in last Friday’s QC set by Corellii. | |
| 7 | Callers upset with Tracy? That’s perfectly obvious (7-5) |
| CRYSTAL-CLEAR | |
| Anagram [upset] of CALLERS TRACY. Does our setter have to deal with many complaints, I wonder? | |
| 11 | Drink mother’s ruin — are legs almost buckling? (6,3) |
| GINGER ALE | |
| GIN (mother’s ruin) then anagram [buckling] of ARE LEG{s} [almost] | |
| 14 | Sword nicked young woman (7) |
| CUTLASS | |
| CUT (nicked), LASS (young woman) | |
| 16 | Decline to admit a Conservative’s in front (6) |
| FACADE | |
| FADE (decline) containing [to admit] A + C (Conservative) | |
| 19 | True masculine domain (5) |
| REALM | |
| REAL (true), M (masculine) | |
| 21 | Sailor, famous person, heading off (3) |
| TAR | |
| {s}TAR (famous person) [heading off] | |
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