A classic Paulene challenge though no Araucarian cross-refs nor complex multi-word anagrams. But still some charming and clever clues… as per usual I always feel entertained and gratified having solved Paul. Lots of clever cryptic definitions and allusions in the wordplay.
Across
| 9 | HAR(L)E,QUIN – to HARE is to “hurry”. |
| 10 | T,RUTH – the def is a CD referring to the “truth always hurts” I suppose. RUTH is “pity” and “climax in excitement” I suppose yields the ultimate T? |
| 11 | GA(S LAM)P – SLAM (for “slate”, as in criticize) in GAP |
| 14 | COIN,TRE[e],AU – our COIN’s “silver” and a birch is a kind of TREE. I thought this was the weakest clue in terms of surface. |
| 16 | STRAPPED FOR CASH – rather amusing CD. |
| 19 | POST(NAT)AL – ref. post-partum blues and the POSTAL service. |
| 21 | SH,TUM – from the Yiddish for shut up. |
| 22 | BR(OM)IDE – it’s a compound and OM is “Order of Merit” and one member of a union could be a BRIDE. |
| 22 | TOO,T(S[ore])IE – slang for your toe. TIE is our “relationship”. |
| 25 | A(EROP)LANE – rev(pore=opening) in A, LANE. |
Down
| 1 | GAME’S UP – two meanings |
| 2 | P,R(IS,ONE)R – I suppose “walls of RochesteR” are the first and last letters. |
| 3 | L(EG)ACY – what’s left! |
| 4 | [p]LUMP |
| 5 | UNFRUITFUL – haha. Dates are very useful cryptically as fruits and meetings. |
| 7 | PU(MI=rev(I’m))CE – PUCE is a dark purple. |
| 8 | WHEE[l] |
| 14 | CHEW THE FAT – two meanings, ref. Jack being lean and his wife not so. |
| 15 | UNHAMPERED – I suppose if you’ve forgotten your hamper, you’re… |
| 17 | PAN(PIP)ES – to PIP someone at the finish line is to “just beat” them… nice. |
| 22 | B,RRR – amusing clue. Third of feBruary is B and the 3R’s are what we tried to learn in primary school. |
| 21 | S(L)OPPY – soppy (sentimental) and sloppy (moist) are both wet. |
| 23 | TART – two antonymical meanings. |
14a Jack Spratt’s wife “would eat no lean” – therefore she would chew the fat.
(Sorry, 14d!)
2dn: I agree that ‘walls of Rochester’ = R R
Rochester has a Victorian prison, now a detention centre for young offenders, so is this clue an &lit?
Typically satisfying Paul crossword, with amusing words and clever clues to accompany them (I particularly enjoyed WHEE, SHTUM and BRRR)
i agree with 22D (BRRR) is a nice clue -=- should have blogged it. which i just did. Anyone find it in a dictionary?
22dn: Have just checked BRRR – it’s in Chambers: “imitative of shivering with cold”
re 1down: chips is slang for a ship’s carpenter, as “bones” is for ship’s doctor. plus bound = hop. Hence fish and chip (s) hop