Solving time: 6:57
Fairly gentle midweek fare from Mara containing a balanced mix of clues. I was temporarily held up only by my LOI 10a which required all of the checkers to think of it.
Expecting the SCC to have a few empty chairs today…
Let me know how you got on…
Definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [directions in square ones].
| Across | |
| 1 | Game where striker put on trial (4,5) |
| TEST MATCH – MATCH (striker) put on TEST (trial) | |
| 6 | Selfishly keep pig (3) |
| HOG – Double definition | |
| 8 | Sailor runs into sea with little hesitation (7) |
| MARINER – R (runs i.e. cricket notation) into MAIN (sea) with ER (little hesitation) | |
| 9 | Pierce fine material, threading first of needles through (5) |
| LANCE – Insertion [threading] of first letter of N{eedles} into [through] LACE (fine material) | |
| 10 | Nothing going on? (8,4) |
| BIRTHDAY SUIT – Mildly cryptic definition signalled by the question mark.
If you are wearing your BIRTHDAY SUIT i.e. what you were wearing at the moment you were born, then you have nothing on. My LOI – I needed all of the checkers to get this. |
|
| 12 | Fundraising event in Tenerife, terrible (4) |
| FÊTE – Hidden [in] in Tenerife, terrible | |
| 13 | Ostensibly round balls, spheres primarily? (4) |
| ORBS – First letters [primarily] of O{stensibly} R{ound} B{alls}, S{pheres}
I believe this is what those in the know call an &lit (short for ‘and literally’). The TftT glossary (see the link in the menu on the right) says “With an &lit clue the entire clue consists of the wordplay and is designed to be read literally to give the definition.” |
|
| 17 | Wonderful, inspirational action? (12) |
| BREATHTAKING – Double definition, the second being semi-cryptic (signalled by the question mark) as the act of inspiration is to inhale i.e. take a breath. | |
| 20 | A wizard after Potter’s head, fast (5) |
| APACE – A then ACE (wizard) after P [Potter’s head i.e. the first letter of] | |
| 21 | Stealing tablet, turn grey (7) |
| PILLAGE – PILL (tablet) AGE (turn grey) | |
| 23 | Clear trap (3) |
| NET – Double definition, the first being tax-related e.g. ‘Bob made £1000 clear of tax’ is the same as ‘Bob made £1000 net of tax’. | |
| 24 | Fault is admitted by outsiders in team for bombings etc (9) |
| TERRORISM – ERROR (Fault) IS inserted into [admitted by] outsiders in T{ea}M i.e. the first and last letters | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Trained first of teaching assistants, yours truly (4) |
| TAME – T{eaching} A{ssistants} [first letters of] then ME (yours truly) | |
| 2 | Fish I snared, all at sea (7) |
| SARDINE – Anagram [all at sea] of I SNARED | |
| 3 | Soldiers in part of regiment (3) |
| MEN – Hidden [in part of] in regiment | |
| 4 | String of invective from one in job (6) |
| TIRADE – I (one) in TRADE (job) | |
| 5 | Evergreen, white plant (9) |
| HOLLYHOCK – HOLLY (Evergreen tree) HOCK (white i.e. German wine) | |
| 6 | Possible Indian hiding in bush in Dunstable (5) |
| HINDU – Hidden in [hiding in] bush in Dunstable | |
| 7 | Leader in government has moved to the slum area (6) |
| GHETTO – First letter of [Leader in] G{overnment} then anagram [has moved] of TO THE | |
| 11 | Tricky matter: ten for hospital care (9) |
| TREATMENT – Anagram [Tricky] of MATTER TEN | |
| 14 | Girl, one going after boy from South Asia (7) |
| BENGALI – GAL (Girl) I (one) after BEN (random boy) | |
| 15 | Get boat out at home (6) |
| OBTAIN – Anagram [out] of BOAT then IN (at home) | |
| 16 | State of insensibility in chaotic US port (6) |
| STUPOR – Anagram [chaotic] of US PORT | |
| 18 | Former gesture, completely accurate (5) |
| EXACT – EX (Former) ACT (gesture) | |
| 19 | Light timber (4) |
| BEAM – Double definition | |
| 22 | Sign initials on line, entering office (3) |
| LEO – Initials i.e. first letters of L{ine} E{ntering} O{ffice} | |
LOI Hollyhock. To convoluted fo me 😔
5:05. Done on a train yesterday so not commented on until today. I liked the &lit ORBS. HOLLYHOCK held me up most. Re AGE: My renewed (and reblued) passport arrived yesterday. My wife remarked that it had a black and white version of the photo in it. I said it was probably because I’m old and grey now. I’ll get my coat. Thanks Mara and Mike.