Private Eye/Cyclops 397 – Bless you
Posted by beermagnet on August 17th, 2009
Lots of anagrams this time with one interesting reverse anagram. That probably contributed to the feeling that nothing that was particularly difficult. I suspect I would have recorded a fast solve time if I had looked. A few chuckles along the way e.g. 15A, 22A and 17D
I’ve just noticed that the Eye/Cyclops archive link on the left here is only one step from Tartarus. Kind of suitable really.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | CAMP M[usical] inside CAP (national player) |
| 4 | SAFE SEAT SAFE (Conservative) SEAT (arse) |
| 9 | VIRTUOSO (SUITOR)* AInd: screwed inside V[ery] O (ring) |
| 10 | GEISHA (IE)< inside (SHAG)* AInd: messy |
| 11/8 | CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT A reverse anagram clue. (MORG[a]N EVENT)* anagrams to GOVERNMENT so Change of Government “could result in” … Anyway, after a few crossing letters this one readily fell from the definition. |
| 12 | ATTLEE (LATTE)* AInd: frothy, then E[xpenses] |
| 15 | NORTH KOREA (HOOKER RAN T[odger])* AInd: out. I did like this: Hooker ran out holding tip of todger – what a state! (5,5) |
| 16 | CHANCELLOR CHANCE (opportunity) (ROLL)< (Shag in retirement) |
| 19 | NUMB NUMB[er] Brenda is The Queen thus E.R. removed from NUMBER (figure) |
| 21 | BREAST BR[own], (SEAT)* AInd: precarious |
| 22 | NO EXCUSE (SEX ON CUE)* AInd: flopping. Favourite clue award for the almost &lit surface reading if you have the kind of imagination that pictures the scene: Sex on cue: flopping is unpardonable (2,6) |
| 24 | OFFISH OF FISH The definition, “Maybe Loach’s”, made me think of Ken Loach’s oeuvre |
| 26 | TICK OVER TICK (parasite) [l]OVER (Darling lacking will ultimately) |
| 27 | ALLERGIC (GARLIC)* AInd: pisspoor, around LE |
| 28/13 | TURNCOAT TURN (variety act) COAT (film) |
| Down | |
| 2 | ATISHOO CD/DD |
| 3 | PUTIN PUT (lay) I (one) [brow]N |
| 4 | SCOFFER S[izeable] COFFER (chest) Last one in because I was unsure of the definition – surely scoffer is more of a jeerer than a teaser |
| 5/25 | FAG HAG FAG (puff) [s]HAG I will admit I thought this term referred to older women who smoke a lot, rather than having any relevance to the company they keep (cf. Lillian from The Archers). Anyway, I learnt something. |
| 6 | SAINT JOAN (AS)< J[ack] inside (NATION)* AInd: stricken |
| 7 | ATHLETE [he]ATH (Heath unmanned), LET (allowed), [maggi]E One of those answers that seems to appear often |
| 12 | ABHORRENCE (ARCHER ON BE)* AInd: prepared |
| 14 | TENTATIVE TEN (Number associated with Brown, i.e. No. 10), TAT (rubbish), I’VE (Cyclops has possession) |
| 17 | HARMFUL H[ard], ARMFUL “A pint! That’s very nearly an armful!” Tony Hancock in Hancock’s half-hour “The Blood donor” |
| 18 | LUNATIC (NAUTICAL – A)* AInd: mishap |
| 20 | MASSEUR MASS (pack), (RUE)< I’m sure I’ve seen a very similar clue somewhere recently: Rubber pack on Paris street upended (7) |
| 23 | CLOUT C[legg] L[eft] OUT |
August 17th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Another great crossword – Cyclops is such a clever compiler, the clues are always excellent, and PI thematic.
Nick
August 17th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Really enjoyed this crossword… starting to get used to the style now. I thought 21A was very clever, as was 17D. My solve time was not helped at all by entering the very first answer incorrectly… I had 28/13 as STAR TURN (Rat’s variety act put on film). 4A also took me longer to solve than it really should have done (failed to spot the Conservative = safe)