I found this tough, and persevered beyond 20 minutes as I thought it might be nice to actually finish a crossword this week. Alas, I threw in the towel at 23 minutes and clicked on 23ac, made trickier by being a bit unsure of 19d. Tricky all around, in fact, and the grid was half full half empty at the ten minute mark. 1ac, 9ac, 3d and 16d also held me up towards the (notional) end. Lots to like, I’m sure, but I was in the market for something rather gentler today – hardly the fault of the setter, of course, so many thanks to Teazel!
| Across | |
| 1 | They apparently approve going fast, like this? (8) |
| CLAPPERS – cryptic hint, referring to going like the clappers, which seems to derive from a clapper being the tongue of a bell. | |
| 5 | Confusion as this compiler joins ship (4) |
| MESS – ME (this compiler) joins SS (Steam Ship) | |
| 9 | Argue about what to make a hole with (5) |
| AUGER – anagram (about) of ARGUE. And to be effective with this tool is to auger well. (Sorry) | |
| 10 | Soldier’s secret? (7) |
| PRIVATE – double definition | |
| 11 | Cold sweet pleasant, having omitted starter (3) |
|
ICE – |
|
| 12 | Dawn, perhaps, for this train ticket? (3,6) |
| DAY RETURN – cryptic hint, dawn being the return of day. | |
| 13 | Beaker allowed to touch mouth (6) |
| GOBLET – LET (allowed) to touch GOB (mouth) | |
| 15 | Always in the right to turn back (6) |
| REVERT – EVER (always) in the RT (right) | |
| 17 | Very tiny boat, music playing (9) |
| SUBATOMIC – anagram (playing) of BOAT MUSIC | |
| 19 | Some Alaskan music? No, Jamaican (3) |
| SKA – “Some” of alaSKAn | |
| 20 | Amount of work covered by colleague is a sensitive reaction (7) |
| ALLERGY – ERG (amount of work) covered by ALLY (colleague) | |
| 21 | A little room, initially far distant (5) |
| ALOOF – A LOO (a little room) F (“initially” Far) | |
| 22 | A sharp twist in relations with king (4) |
| KINK –KIN (relations) with K(ing) | |
| 23 | Eighteen, for a golf course; why not indulging at the nineteenth? (8) |
| TEETOTAL – cryptic hint, and, like all good clues, simple when you see the answer. | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Charlie has utterly mad desire (7) |
| CRAVING – C(harlie) has RAVING (utterly mad) | |
| 2 | Point of view that may be right (5) |
| ANGLE – between a cryptic hint and a double-ish definition, the second as in right angles. | |
| 3 | In Peru cut short exciting trip once possibly (12) |
| PERADVENTURE – PERu “cut short” ADVENTURE (exciting trip). “Once” referring to the somewhat archaic use of peradventure. | |
| 4 | Salesman always making refund (5) |
| REPAY – REP (salesman) AY (always) | |
| 6 | In age, certain obliteration (7) |
| ERASURE – ERA (age) SURE (certain). | |
| 7 | Lie finally in hide to see some birds in flight (5) |
| SKEIN – E (liE “finally”) in SKIN (hide) | |
| 8 | Chairmen went off dealer in Bordeaux etc (4,8) |
| WINE MERCHANT – anagram (off) of CHAIRMEN WENT | |
| 14 | Tiny look over northern city of old (7) |
| BABYLON – BABY (tiny) LO (look) over N(orthern) | |
| 16 | Looking upset, finally accept reprimand (7) |
| TEARFUL – T (“finally” upseT) EARFUL (reprimand) | |
| 17 | Part of leg mishit ball (5) |
| SHANK – double definition | |
| 18 | Medal a Yankee wears, perhaps (5) |
| MAYBE – MBE (medal) that A Y(ankee) wears | |
| 19 | Turn at the bar and cry (5) |
| SHOUT – double definition, the first as in: my shout = my turn to buy a round of drinks | |
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