Solving time: 6:44
Apologies for the today’s brevity. There’s one clue I don’t understand (8d).
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 9 | BEER AND SKITTLES; [moder]N in (LIKE BEST TRADES)* |
| 10 | LAUNDERER (cryptic definition) |
| 14 | TIC-TAC (cryptic definition) – the system of hand signals used by tic-tac men at racecourses to relay betting information. |
| 17 | S(AR)ONG |
| 18 | RUNNER-UP – N (= name) inside rev. of PURE (= modest?) N.U.R. (= National Union of Railwaymen). |
| 20 | IN DUS[t] |
| 24 | FIRE IN ONE’S BELLY; E inside (ONLY BRIEF LINES)* |
| 25 | [chine]SE LECT[urers] – curiously, my penultimate solve though ‘of’ as an indicator of a hidden word is weak. |
| Down | |
|---|---|
| 2 | P + RE + CURSOR – the question mark is justified for ‘flasher on screen’ = cursor, and improves the surface reading by making it read as a question. |
| 3 | ELAN + D |
| 6 | EXTORTION; EX + rev. of (NO 1 TROT) |
| 8 | BULL MASTIFF – baffled by this, though I don’t have a dictionary with me: is it BULL MAS[s] + TIFF? |
| 9 | SEARCH PARTY (cryptic definition) |
| 13 | LANDSLIDE; (LAD IN DEALS – A)* – ‘wanting’ in the sense of ‘lacking’. |
| 15 | (L[eft] UP AT RAIN)* – almost a very good clue, but the cryptic reading doesn’t quite seem to work; ‘stormily’ is required rather than ‘storms’ (as either a noun or a verb). |
| 21 | DIRGE; rev. of D(GRI[m])E – ‘piece at end’ suggesting a funeral march. |
8 dn BU(n) + SMALL* + TIFF. Good puzzle, well-crafted clues, 17 mins for me
In INDUS, why is “dust” = “neglected”?
And I agree, “pure” = “modest” (18A) seems doubtful.
Wil Ransome
It’s IN DUST that means neglected I reckon
I’d doubts about “dust” too. Though it was a change from try coming off industry. I think pure = modest = chaste, say.