OK, finally got time to do it. Sorry for the delay, it’s been a hectic weekend! I found this a bit easier than most Saturday puzzles, and finished it in 9:32. Not many clues to write about really.
Across
| 1 |
PUPPY,FAT – nice easy one to start off. If you see “boxer” in a clue, 99% of the time it’s the dog. |
| 9 |
WATERLOO – I thought this was pretty weak, but the answer was obvious enough. I’ve seen it clued as just “Battle station” before too, which I don’t like either! |
| 16 |
BESIEGE (see big,E)* – not the most common meaning of invest. |
| 22 |
LEFT – nice double definition. “Split” is used in the past tense here to mean “went away”. |
| 23 |
RE,ALE,STATE |
| 26 |
COLONIAL – nice anag. &lit. |
Down
| 2 |
UPT(put*),O,DATE |
| 5 |
T(WOS=sow rev)OME – some nice cryptic defs in the wordplay here. |
| 6 |
ITEM – I thought this was a nice idea when I first saw it a few months ago, but since then I’ve seen it in half a dozen different puzzles! |
| 7 |
AL(PAC=cap rev)A – ALA is part of Alabama, I think – a Southern state of the US. |
| 15 |
LOCAL RADIO – cryptic definition, but a little bit clumsy. |
| 16 |
BOAT RACE – between Oxford and Cambridge, who have dark blue and light blue colours respectively. |
| 19 |
US(U)ALLY – are we? I thought we were a fully-owned subsidiary these days… |
| 21 |
VI(A,B)LE |
Valentine
At 7d ALA is part of ALABAMA just as BAMA is. Do you think the O’BAMAs hail from the latter place?
Wow – this was so “easy” half of the crossword was omitted from the blog. Judging by the amount of comments the blog attracted (one before this one nearly 10 years later) – who can blame Mr Linxit for that?
Here they are in case any of the bunnies are interested:
10a Set aside rivalry, finally, on the floor of the House (6)
STORE (rivalr)Y
11a Lead with others in group from (same stable)*, possibly (4,6)
BASE METALS
12a Get beyond usual pointless bid (4)
PASS. A double definition – 7 points and below I’ll think we’ll find?
13a What separates the sides in Animal Farm?
NO MANS LAND
17a English chap who puts an end to occupation? (7)
E VICTOR. Sadly not a Liberator at all.
20a One who can use multiple media to compose (diverse art)* (10)
ADVERTISER
25a DiVIDE OScars, taking some for movies like these?
VIDEOS. A hidden answer – the straight-to-video efforts don’t usually bother the Oscars panel.
27a Teenager with concealed weapon in seaside resort (8)
Y ARM OUTH. Not mods and rockers at Brighton.
3d Showing indulgence for each failure I have (10)
PER MISS I’VE
4d Unreliable pilot in the dark (3,2,5)
FLY BY NIGHT
8d Deem vote against party right (8)
CON SIDE R
14d Doubly emphatic rejection of a form of purchase (5,5)
NEVER NEVER. Method of purchase involving the Peter Pan Pay-Day Loans Company?
18d Starts at sound of owl in branch (8)
OFFS HOOT. And they’re off!
24d Give biased view on revolution (4)
SPIN. Double definition including the use of political rhetoric?