Independent 6432/Virgilius

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A very quick puzzle, for me, helped by the letter patterns of the long across answers and some obvious anagrams. Some very good cluing, as usual, but no noticeable theme.

cd = cryptic def.
dd = double def.

Across
6 BURN YOUR BRIDGES — cd — good cryptic def.
9 POINT OF NO RETURN — cd — ref. tennis point. This is one of those cryptic defs that might really be a double def depending on how loose a definition one expects for one part.
10 STAY THE COURSE — (SE ROUTES + YACHT)* —
15 AITCH — nowHere = aitch — a simple clue but very effective as I pencilled in HERET on my first pass assuming an unknown Hebrew character.
16 ICE — C in IE — namely = i.e.
17 PRESS — dd
19/25 KEEP RIGHT ON TO THE END OF THE ROAD — cd — air here refers to the song.
22 CROSS THE RUBICON — THE RUB in CROSS+ICON — ref 6 ac.
Down
1 TRAIN SET — TRAIN+SET
2 CYST — iCY STream
3 OUTFITTING — FIT+T in OUTING
4 EBRO — thE BROads — one of those classic crossword rivers but nicely hidden in a good surface.
5 PIPES OF PAN — (EP POP FAN IS)* — I thought they were the PAN PIPES but I guess both forms makes sense.
6 BOPS — dd
7 GLUER — G+(RULE)*
8 SIN — I in S+N — South and North make a bridge partnership.
11 APHORISING — A+P+HO+RISING — very good word play.
12 ELECTORATE — cd — excellent play on seats and standing.
13 EASY — E+(SAY)*
14 RACK — dd
18 ETON CROP — ETON+CROP — a short haircut
20 ELOPE — cd
21 ENID — I in END
22 CAT — dd — queen = cat. I don’t recall where the other half of the clue comes from, possibly a nursery rhyme or proverb.
23 HOOD — dd
24 BREW — BR+E+W — BR = British Railways.

2 comments on “Independent 6432/Virgilius”

  1. I think the theme was the similarity of all the long across phrases all meaning committing yourself. As always from Virgilius, incredible to fit it all in.

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