This was very tough indeed, some less than familiar phrases, finally tracked down, with some real gems when all became clear.
Solving time: 45 mins
* = anagram
ACROSS
8 CUTTING BOTH WAYS “Was saw this?” As good a clue as you could wish to see. Was = saw (reversed) and what a saw does.
14 IDEA OF REFERENCE A fear that people are referring to you when they are not. Black’s Directory is what the clue means, I think.
16 BRA IN CELLS Think I can say it now, as anyone entering would have sent their entry in, but this idea was also used by Nimrod in last Sat’s prize puzzle where I’ve a blog drafted to go up after closing. Rhyming slang for breast.
17 R(IS)E LATE Relate = marriage counsellers. Burlington Bertie “rose at ten thirty”. Old song.
18 ACK-ACK Cockney (h)ack. Bow typifying London.
21 JOHNNY FOREIGNER Another gem. Johnny = condom = French letter.
DOWN
4 ABSOLUTE ALCOHOL (Lola so touchable)* Used in cosmetics.
5 ST ET An instruction from Latin to ignore a correction and let the original text stand i.e. Let it be, which is a Beatles song. Ultimately gives the last letters ST and ET is a film well known to solvers.
6 TWO-HO R(S)EĀ Ā (howto)* steedS in mid-StREam
7 MYSTERY CUSTOMER Used to test efficiency of staff esp in service industries.
13 DEEP SECRET I think, a clam being found in the sea = deep
17 RE SIGN “Sign on the dotted line”#2 = number two i.e. do it again.
19 KEYS Refers to typing.
Too hard for me on thursdays!! just discovered your blog, good work, 9 L(EON)ARD O the mutant ninja turtle? not sure where duck comes into it though perhaps you could help as I’m new to the cryptic game.
Perhaps today’s crossword was extra hard to make up for yesterdays ‘slip-up’ !?! Heads should roll! š
Thanks for explaining 17ac R(IS)E LATE. Brilliant.
Carlos – Duck is 0, from the game of cricket where, if you fail to score a run, you’re “out for a duck”. Apologies if you knew that last bit – I don’t like to assume that all our readers and commenters are familiar with English/British games and sports.
Was a bit surprised to see LEONARDO for “turtle”. I think you’re right that it’s a ref to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles but I wonder if this is common (enough) knowledge? Funnily enough, I knew that Leonardo was a TMNT but I couldn’t tell you the names of the other three.
The last comment was mine btw. Forgot to log in to the site before commenting.
TMNTs: Donatello and Raphael are guesses for a couple before I cheat. Courtesy of Wikipedia, Michelangelo is the other. JUst think “Italian Renaissance artist/sculptor” and that should do the trick.
Some of the long ones were particularly hard, combining less that obvious phrases with cryptic definitions in a grid that gave them more unches than checked letters (with neither first nor last letters given). ‘Idea of reference’ and ‘mystery customer’ were both new to me, and not clued precisely enough to avoid all doubt. Even with 8 across (a fine clue, I agree) I had ‘running both ways’ first, which works – albeit not as well as ‘cutting.
PS What was 15 down?
15 down was AVIFAUNA A VI (F(A)UN) A Intricate.
21 across made me laugh out loud, when I finally got it.
Knowing Nimrod to be a fellow Arsenal fan, his recent obsession with Bristol City is rather worrying š
Allowances should be made for the effect of blank Champions League nights.
Another excellent puzzle by a superb setter.