Solving time: 15 minutes. I just avoided the red zone on this one by coming in a few seconds under 15 minutes but having written the blog I can’t explain what held me up. I don’t think it was any clue in particular so perhaps my brain was running a little slow.
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 | Irritation card game is cut short (5) |
| PIQUE | |
| PIQUE{t} (card game) [cut short] | |
| 4 | Run small van for living in on holiday (7) |
| SCAMPER | |
| S (small), CAMPER (van for living in on holiday) | |
| 8 | Clergyman is after English builder (7) |
| ERECTOR | |
| E (English), RECTOR (clergyman) | |
| 9 | Definitely not odd temperature leading to incident (5) |
| EVENT | |
| EVEN (definitely not odd), T (temperature) | |
| 10 | Reshuffled minister is on break (12) |
| INTERMISSION | |
| Anagram [reshuffled] of MINISTER IS ON | |
| 12 | Uncovered text, both nice and strange (6) |
| EXOTIC | |
| {t}EX{t} {b}OT{h} {n}IC{e} [uncovered] | |
| 13 | Carriage catch with gold on (6) |
| LANDAU | |
| LAND (catch – fish), AU (gold) | |
| 16 | “Been curd” menu got wrong — not checked (12) |
| UNENCUMBERED | |
| Anagram [got wrong] of BEEN CURD MENU. A great surface here as the item on the menu should have been “bean curd”. | |
| 18 | The man’s getting time for robbery (5) |
| HEIST | |
| HE IS (the man’s), T (time) | |
| 20 | Not in favour of a City way when grasping profit (7) |
| AGAINST | |
| A + ST (City way – street) containing [grasping] GAIN (profit). Most of the thoroughfares in the City of London are called ‘Street’; there are no ‘roads’. | |
| 21 | The woman gets warm in cover (7) |
| SHEATHE | |
| SHE (the woman) contains [gets…in] HEAT (warm) | |
| 22 | Really don’t look forward to days with book, say (5) |
| DREAD | |
| D (days), READ (book – it’s a good book/read). ‘Say’ mitigates the partial DBE. | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Childish anger follows regular helpings of prunes (7) |
| PUERILE | |
| P{r}U{n}E{s} [regular helpings], RILE (anger) | |
| 2 | Perhaps survey and search island on new river in Yorkshire (13) |
| QUESTIONNAIRE | |
| QUEST (search), I (island), ON, N (new), AIRE (river in Yorkshire) | |
| 3 | Illegal use of force breaking down exit — or not? (9) |
| EXTORTION | |
| Anagram [breaking down] EXIT OR NOT. I wasn’t sure about ‘force’ in the definition but Collins has it covered: Extortion is the crime of obtaining something from someone, especially money, by using force or threats. | |
| 4 | Short trip that is taken after class (6) |
| SORTIE | |
| SORT (class), IE (that is – id est) | |
| 5 | Champion in speed contest losing lead (3) |
| ACE | |
| {r}ACE (speed contest) [losing lead] | |
| 6 | We finally give thought to cutting dance for greater number (13) |
| PREPONDERANCE | |
| {w}E [finally] + PONDER (thought) contained by [cutting] PRANCE (dance) | |
| 7 | Ceremony set down on paper as it is said (4) |
| RITE | |
| Sounds like [it is said] “write” (set down on paper) | |
| 11 | Right person of brilliance to lead directors (9) |
| STARBOARD | |
| STAR (person of brilliance), BOARD (directors) | |
| 14 | With no way of proving age, is not taken out (7) |
| UNDATED | |
| Two definitions of sorts | |
| 15 | Poison remedy includes stripped bark (6) |
| CURARE | |
| CURE (remedy) contains [includes] {b}AR{k} [stripped] | |
| 17 | It follows the herd up street, first of all (4) |
| THUS | |
| T{he} H{erd} U{p} S{treet} [first of all] | |
| 19 | Gallery disposing of European rubbish (3) |
| TAT | |
| TAT{e} (gallery) [disposing of European – e]. There are four of them, two in London, one in LIverpool and one in St Ives, Cornwall. Named after Henry, the sugar tycoon, but for how much longer? | |
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