A gentler one today from Teazel, if you’re prepared to do a bit of shrugging-and-entering along the way. Three cryptic definitions and two cryptic hints felt a touch excessive (and I do like a good cryptic definition), and was the cause of most of the shrugging. All quite gettable, I found: at 7 minutes I was nearly half yesterday’s time, done just beforehand. And plenty to like, particularly among the downs, with 7d, 14d and 19d being my favourites – many thanks to Teazel!
| Across | |
| 1 | Originally on African soil it supplies refuge (5) |
| OASIS – “originally” On African Soil It Supplies | |
| 4 | A piece of crockery may be flying (6) |
| SAUCER – cryptic-ish definition, referring to flying saucers. Coined in 1947; their name during WWII was “foo fighters”. Last year the Pentagon released some grainy videos of “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena”, as covered in the NY Times. | |
| 9 | Peer over there before much time has passed (5,2) |
| EARLY ON – EARL (peer) YON (over there) | |
| 10 | Danger of salesman returning: I left (5) |
| PERIL – PER (Rep = salesman, returning) I L(eft) | |
| 11 | But lots of other insects do this too (3) |
| FLY – cryptic definition, because not just flies fly. Originally a fly could mean any winged insect. | |
| 12 | Persecuting the Baskervilles? (8) |
| HOUNDING – vaguely cryptic hint: the Baskervilles were hounded by the titular hound. Let’s move on… | |
| 15 | One used to paint trading vessel, a dizzying experience (6-7) |
| ROLLER-COASTER – ROLLER (one used to paint) COASTER (trading vessel) | |
| 17 | Carefully adjust enjoyable melody (4-4) |
| FINE-TUNE – FINE (enjoyable) TUNE (melody) | |
| 18 | Victory almost a breeze (3) |
| WIN – “almost a” WINd (breeze) | |
| 20 | Cog, for example, excessively tough on the outside (5) |
| TOOTH – TOO (excessively) TH (TougH “on the outside”) | |
| 22 | Little pebbles hard during one run (7) |
| SHINGLE – H(ard) during SINGLE (one run, in cricket) | |
| 23 | Superheroes, these military servants? (6) |
| BATMEN – another cryptic hint, I’d say, more than a double definition, unless we have become so supersaturated with superhero nonsense that there are a whole load of Batmen, fighting a criminal colony of Penguins, perhaps…coming to a screen near you soon, no doubt. | |
| 24 | Wrong American gets a hole in the head (5) |
| SINUS – SIN (wrong) US (American) | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Order to soldiers for some blazing coals (4,4) |
| OPEN FIRE – double-ish definition | |
| 2 | Go wandering and find accommodation across river (5) |
| STRAY – STAY (accommodation, as in a temporary residence) across R(iver) | |
| 3 | Menu suggestion for one preparing to be shot? (3,6) |
| SAY CHEESE – cryptic definition, with a pun on “one being shot” = “one having their photo taken”. I liked this one very much, with the neat surface description of a last meal. | |
| 5 | Like quiet poisoner (3) |
| ASP – AS (like) P (piano = quiet) | |
| 6 | Goodness! Note damaged headdress (7) |
| CORONET – COR! (goodness!), anagram (damaged) of NOTE | |
| 7 | Turn over bread list (4) |
| ROLL – triple definition, and a nice one. | |
| 8 | Need curious changes after a while (2,3,6) |
| IN DUE COURSE – anagram (changes) of NEED CURIOUS | |
| 13 | Criminal spied rare hangings (9) |
| DRAPERIES – anagram (criminal) of SPIED RARE | |
| 14 | King’s daughter succeeded after his sons? (8) |
| PRINCESS – S(ucceeded) after PRINCES (his sons) | |
| 16 | Knocked unconscious, and available for inspection? (4,3) |
| LAID OUT – double definition | |
| 18 | Keep shaking cart (5) |
| WAGON – to wag on might be to keep shaking | |
| 19 | Butt, or small cask (4) |
| STUB – S(mall) TUB (cask) | |
| 21 | Part of Plymouth, miles away from home (3) |
| HOE – M(iles) away from HOmE | |
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