Hi everybody. I was on course for a very good time, but that became just a normal Monday time as I stared for ages at 2d before thinking of the right answer. The other two cryptic definitions did not give me the same trouble. I liked the puzzle, and the delay at the end didn’t dent my enjoyment. Thanks Pipsqueak!
Definitions are underlined in the clues below. In the explanations, most quoted indicators are in italics, specified [deletions] are in square brackets, and I’ve capitalised and emboldened letters which appear in the ANSWER. For clarity, I omit most link words and some juxtaposition indicators.
| Across | |
| 7a | Fifty-fifty chance rugby match doesn’t start (5) |
| EVENS — sEVENS (rugby match) is missing its first letter (doesn’t start) | |
| 8a | Female bringing up young with pride? (7) |
| LIONESS — A cryptic definition which requires the solver to think of a pride of lions rather than parental pride | |
| 10a | Object I briefly see in catalogue (7) |
| ITEMISE — ITEM (object) + I + briefly SEe | |
| 11a | In the morning I leave Madrileno friend (5) |
| AMIGO — AM (in the morning) + I + GO (leave) | |
| 12a | Leased piece of land where Swedes may put down roots? (9) |
| ALLOTMENT — A cryptic definition designed to make you think of nationals rather than vegetables and with a more literal interpretation of “put down roots” than at first appears | |
| 14a | Replacement taking public transport back (3) |
| SUB — BUS (public transport) reversed (back) | |
| 15a | Watch yours truly being caught (3) |
| EYE — I (yours truly), soundalike (being caught) | |
| 16a | Feeble son stupidly sleeps in (9) |
| SPINELESS — S (son) + an anagram of (stupidly) SLEEPS IN | |
| 18a | Rent place in Croatia (5) |
| SPLIT — A double definition. (It seems such a shame that the Museum of Broken Relationships is in Zagreb rather than here) | |
| 20a | Penniless old German — or someone from Moscow? (7) |
| RUSSIAN — Missing P (penniless), [p]RUSSIAN (old German) | |
| 22a | Remarkable reason for not eating? (7) |
| NOTABLE — NO TABLE (reason for not eating?) | |
| 23a | Musical game with many moving pieces (5) |
| CHESS — Two definitions | |
| Down | |
| 1d | Food shop with decent sales, I suspect (12) |
| DELICATESSEN — DECENT SALES, I anagrammed (suspect) | |
| 2d | This is what soldiers might get up to (8) |
| REVEILLE — A cryptic definition of a soldiers’ wake-up call | |
| 3d | Drink that’s essential for Christmas-time (4) |
| ASTI — This is found inside (essential for) ChristmAS–TIme | |
| 4d | Claim stage is covered in beer (6) |
| ALLEGE — LEG (stage) is covered in ALE (beer) | |
| 5d | Fight debt a lot after messing up (2,6) |
| DO BATTLE — An anagram of (… after messing up) DEBT A LOT | |
| 6d | Hairy creature one’s pursuing still (4) |
| YETI — I (one)’s after (pursuing) YET (still) | |
| 9d | Expose affair in entertainment industry (4,8) |
| SHOW BUSINESS — SHOW (expose) BUSINESS (affair) | |
| 13d | Experimental equipment in trial underground (4,4) |
| TEST TUBE — TEST (trial) + TUBE (underground) | |
| 14d | MP’s niece somehow becoming a model (8) |
| SPECIMEN — MP’S NIECE is rearranging to form (somehow becoming) the answer | |
| 17d | Is tragic king overthrown in Middle Eastern country? (6) |
| ISRAEL — IS + LEAR (tragic king) reversed (overthrown) | |
| 19d | Music producer’s stolen money, I hear (4) |
| LUTE — Sounds like (… I hear) LOOT (stolen money) | |
| 21d | Charlie infiltrating established faith community (4) |
| SECT — C (Charlie) going inside (infiltrating) SET (established) | |
I knew what Swedes meant even being a Yank. But an area in a community garden here would most likely be called a plot.
DNF
Similar to one or two others, 16 minutes in and only REVEILLE missing. Gave it 1 minute more and threw the towel in.
I’d like to blame my very long day and late solve – but I fear I would only be kidding myself.
Other than that, a nice QC.
FOI: EVENS
LOI: DNF
COD: NOTABLE
Thanks to Pipsqueak and Kitty
Coming in for the finish, strong and still in clear single figures with two left, 16a SPINELESS (looking at wrong words for the anagram – ‘Feeble son’ in lieu of ‘sleeps in’) and 5d DO BATTLE.
We spent nearly 7 minutes on those two. What a tragedy took our time to mid teen’s.
Equally, what a delightful puzzle. So much to like – and we did
Particularly enjoyed 22a NOTABLE and 20a RUSSIAN
Thank you Pipsqueak and Kitty
All went well for us and a near PB. 2D was second one in due to one of us having played it on a bugle at Boys Brigade camp in their youth!
Very enjoyable. Thanks to Pipsqueak and a good blog from Kitty.