Another superb themed puzzle from Virgilius, with the usual crop of outstanding clues, wonderful surface readings and many a smile raised. Solving time: 21 mins. The theme is phrases with the abbreviation PC.
* = anagram < = reversal
ACROSS
5 CLEMENT (Attlee). Labour PM appointed in 1945 at the end of World War II after a landslide election victory for Labour.
13 PEA Hidden The P of PC.
19 SEE The C of PC. Excellent surface. see(ing) = dating.
25 PRIVY COUNSELLOR The 1319 here gave me the theme, about 10 mins into solving.
It refers to the clue numbers. I’d first written “Councillor” but the crossing word resolved it, if I’m right. Collins for example gives both spellings.
26 REEFERS Double definition.
27 PER CENT PC
DOWN
1 C (OP S) HOP 9 is POLICE CONSTABLE
2 RALLY (tennis) court.
4 (Friar) TUCK Ref. Robin Hood
5 CON SORTING “Associating Tory with creating class distinctions”. Masterly.
6 ‘ECT (OP) IC 22 is HECTIC.
8 THE (URGe) Y Right part of fairway = its last (i.e. rightmost) letter
12 A (LLIG A) TORS (a gill)< (sort)*
14 AFTER LIFE (i.e. a life sentence)
17 A COL (colonel) YTE (yet)*
18 SHE-BEAR “One looking out for Ursa Minor, naturally” This was the one crossing the doubtful part of 25. I think what’s intended it that the she-bear would looking after its young i.e. the little bear (Ursa Minor – from Latin – stars)
23 TIL(D)E Another wonderful surface. A tilde would appear over the n of Senor in Spanish
24 SNAP Triple definition.
A slow start here, with about 5 clues filled in until I got 21/11ac and 15/1ac, and everything started to fall into place. I gave up on the SE corner, having fallen into the ‘Privy Councillor’ trap…
That caught me out too, although it was soon corrected as not much else could fit in 18d.
Found this one very tough for a Virgilius (about 17:30), but still a great puzzle.
Most will have noted the lack of a Virgilius puzzle last Tuesday and I didn’t feel it appropriate to comment on the blogs of other setters’ puzzles, but regretfully Virgilius has had to cut down on his crossword commitments because of the pressure of other work, so I won’t be able to bring you a Virgilius puzzle every week.
That’s a shame – can you say how often he will be appearing?
He’s aiming to submit puzzles at least once every two weeks.
Every two weeks is better than not at all, I suppose! Virgilius is probably my favourite Independent setter…