A very difficult puzzle, which I was not able to finish – clues I struggled with listed in full below – any help provided would be much appreciated. The theme is “The Scottish play” (Macbeth by Shakespeare) which also allows a reference to Hampden Park.
* = anagram < = reversed
ACROSS
9 ECLAMPSIA Ma< in (special)* Fitting = having a fit
11/12D THANE OF CAWDOR (Who can do after)* Thematic and it gave me the theme – it’s the Shakespeare play I know best.
12/23D HAMPDEN PARK (Ham pp darken)* Scotland’s equivalent of Wembley.
13 “Character must die” (5) ??U?D The 1st letter of this crosses 1 down at its 6th letter. (With that letter revealed as M, thanks Fletch, this is MOULD, I’d say – Yes, it is)
15 T(H)E SCO TTISH PLAY (this aptly)*
19 “Summon again where king quits, having grasped argument against Spain” (9) With ??C?N?E?E, it has to be RECONVENE – I can see the argument against (CON) and Spain (E), but not the rest of the wordplay. (Understand this now, thanks to Conrad – R E(CON) VEN E, even = quits)
21 CINNA “Sinner”. Killed in a mutiny.
22 MA (CBE) TH Math is an Indy setter.
23 PO (W) E RED Horrible refers to genre of Poe’s writing, I think (horror)
24 “Wanting wee (5)” ??O?T Think it may be SHORT as double definition. (Yes, it is.)
25 AI R POTATO (taproot)*
DOWN
1 “22A’s line brings tungsten closer, boring through rock” (10). 22A is Macbeth and I have ?E?T???T?R, that R being from the slightly doubtful RECONVENE. Tungsten suggests there may be a W there (its atomic number), but I can get no further.
(Thanks, Fletch, for this PE (N TAME) TER – not sure I understand definition tho’)
4 ASIF As if
6 THE M INCH
7 PE (DD) LE
8 M ANN
14 LETTER HEAD
15 LA(d)Y H AND S ON many = D = 500
17 CONTENTS Excellent double definition
18 LUNARI AN (Urinal)*
22 “Sounder food from a standard pack(4)” M?(maybe an S from SHORT)? Have no idea what this is.
(Thanks, Fletch, it may be MAST hidden, indicated by pack – I completely missed that possibility.) (Yes, it is.)
Could 22d be MAST (hidden)?
19 across. I think quits is even, of which ene is a poetic form.
1d could be pentameter, if Peter were the rock – not sure about the rest!
Right I see it now, N = tungsten closer, tame = boring.
PENTAMETER: I had a quick look at Macbeth and it seems to be written largely in pentameters, so a pentameter could I suppose be argued to be Macbeth’s line.
MAST: Very clever hidden, if you can accept “pack” as a hidden indicator – I missed this – but still don’t understand “Sounder”.
Conradcork on RECONVENE: I’m sure it’s even, not ene. That gives the V, for it’s “argument against” = “con”. I don’t really like the “where”, though.
Very good crossword – lots of excellent clues.
Sounder is a collective noun for wild boars. Mast is pig food.