Solving time: 8:14
Approaching medium-paced in my opinion, this is quite a mixed bag of clueing from the brow of Mara. There are six full anagrams, three partial anagrams, three hiddens and three double definitions alongside the usual collection of wordplay clues.
A slightly unusual clue at 15d should hopefully not delay for too long, particularly if you already have a checker or two in place. I was mildly stumped at the end by my LOI 3d and its slightly bewildering set of checkers – took a minute or so for it to suddenly leap into focus…
I hope you all enjoyed it as well – 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 | Dump plate if damaged (7) |
| FLEAPIT – Anagram [damaged] of PLATE IF
Typically, a FLEAPIT refers to an old and dirty cinema or theatre. |
|
| 5 | Call on grandma, mum and uncle last of all (4) |
| NAME – Last letters [last of all] of {o}N {grandm}A {mu}M and {uncl}E | |
| 7 | Landscape viewed, reportedly (5) |
| SCENE – Homophone [reportedly] of SEEN (viewed) | |
| 8 | Published letters for remote district (7) |
| OUTPOST – OUT (Published) POST (letters) | |
| 10 | Something frozen that is keeping cold (3) |
| ICE – IE (that is – abbreviation of ‘id est’) containing [keeping] C (cold) | |
| 11 | Even six pence extremely bad — too much money (9) |
| EXPENSIVE – Anagram [bad] of EVEN SIX and the outside letters [extremely] of P{enc}E | |
| 13 | In quarantine, the risk lower … (6) |
| NETHER – Hidden [In] within quarantine, the risk | |
| 14 | … lowest, possibly, for young birds (6) |
| OWLETS – Anagram [possibly] of LOWEST | |
| 17 | Text lab put out about each old weapon (6-3) |
| BATTLE-AXE – Anagram [put out] of TEXT LAB about EA (each) | |
| 19 | Located in suburb, a new block (3) |
| BAN – Hidden in [Located in] suburb, a new | |
| 20 | Single frightfully hot tongue (7) |
| ENGLISH – Anagram [frightfully] of SINGLE then H (hot) | |
| 22 | Woody plant right inside untidy bush (5) |
| SHRUB – R (right) inside anagram [untidy] of BUSH | |
| 23 | Close ranks to preserve banks! (4) |
| STOP – Hidden [banks] in ranks to preserve | |
| 24 | Tree, European fixture at spring festival? (7) |
| MAYPOLE – MAY (Tree – another name for the Hawthorn) POLE (European)
The Hawthorn is also known as the MAY as hawthorn blossom typically appears at the beginning of May in England. A pagan symbol of fertility, this tree is the ancestor of the Maypole, its flowers making up both the crown of the fairy queen and the wreath of the Green Man. Although beautiful, it is said that MAY blossom should never be brought into the home – partly because it is considered unlucky, and partly because the flowers smell so bad. In medieval times, the smell reminded people of the Great Plague! |
|
| Down | |
| 1 | Half a bone is replaced in hip (11) |
| FASHIONABLE – Anagram [replaced] of HALF A BONE IS | |
| 2 | Always best avoiding peak — this the highest! (7) |
| EVEREST – EVER (Always) The definition refers back to the word ‘peak’ in the first part of the clue. |
|
| 3 | Man, upset male in bits (9) |
| PIECEMEAL – PIECE (Man – in chess, man and PIECE are synonymous) then anagram [upset] of MALE
My LOI, which I stared at for at least a minute, with all checkers in place, before working out what to do with MALE… |
|
| 4 | Touring company moved to Peru (6) |
| TROUPE – Anagram [moved] of TO PERU | |
| 5 | Head: might that be screwed on? (3) |
| NUT – Double definition – the first, straight; the second, slightly cryptic | |
| 6 | Old pollsters welcoming a NZ native (5) |
| MAORI – MORI (Old pollsters) containing [welcoming] A
Market research company MORI (Market and Opinion Research International) was founded in 1969 and merged with Ipsos in 2005 to become Ipsos MORI. In 2022, the company was rebranded to simply Ipsos. |
|
| 9 | Traitorous motive in board (11) |
| TREASONABLE – REASON (motive) in TABLE (board) | |
| 12 | Calf, quite possibly, in US state? (3,6) |
| NEW JERSEY – Double definition, the first of which is somewhat whimsical – a young Jersey cow might be a NEW JERSEY | |
| 15 | 19 across rough game with Rob (7) |
| EMBARGO – Anagram [rough] of GAME with ROB
Unusual for the definition to be the answer to another clue. Noted too that they cross each other which might cause some consternation if 19a were trickier to solve… |
|
| 16 | Understand imperial measure (6) |
| FATHOM – Double definition
The measurement comes from the Old English fæðm “length of the outstretched arms” (a measure of about six feet). Its figurative sense of “get to the bottom of, penetrate with the mind, understand” is from 1620s. |
|
| 18 | On having departed this evening, stretched (5) |
| TIGHT – T |
|
| 21 | British leader I sent up, little rascal (3) |
| IMP – PM (British leader i.e. abbreviation for Prime Minister) then I all reversed [sent up – ‘up’ is apposite as this is a down clue] | |
Piecemeal defeated me; it really helps to know chess lingo! Talking of lingo can someone tell me what COD stands for please?
COD is Clue of the Day – there’s a useful glossary of such terms under the ‘Help’ menu at the top of the blog
Slow to get going and had to jump around the grid to get footholds. Lots of anagrams and rather strange surfaces in places.
LOIs piecemeal and fathom.
COD New Jersey for the laugh.
28:32 with no errors after I took far too long with the last two FATHOM and MAYPOLE. FOI – FLEAPIT, LOI – MAYPOLE, COD – NEW JERSEY. Thanks Mara and Mike