Pretty straightforward Paul today, but full of fun.
ACROSS
1 s(kim)py
4 pi-l-char-d
9 tackle : typical Paulish schoolboy humour – made my day
10 pa(m ay)res : author of “I wished I’d looked after my teeth” and many, many other almost identical poems. Apparently the online version incorrectly had this as an (8) rather than a (3,5). If this were my puzzle, I’d be cross.
11 petit bourgeois : (u bigot is to peer)*
13 take to task
14 stye
16 duff : e.g “plum duff”
18 (i)sle-eveless : I assume this is a reference to “isle of man”. Nice touch that Adam alone would be “eveless”
21 who-pig-old-berg
23 train set : (nitrates)*
24 tongue in cheek : (necktie enough)*
25 (d)r(y)-i.e-sling
26 bender : after considerable debate : you get plastered (drunk) while on a bender, and a knee is something which bends, hence a “bender”. You’re not remotely stupid or alone if you got “render”.
DOWN
1 collectorS ITEms
3 p-all-i-ate
5 in a nutshell
6 charge
7 air-port : “air” as in “His early work had an air of freshness and originality” – yes, something of a stretch
8 omitted on purpose – simple anagram
12 bottle green
15 p(e)m- broke
17 foot-age : ref to Michael FOOT – Labour leader in that period
19 en(rag)ed : (need)* around “losing your rag”
20 spinal : “la nips” in reverse
22 you really need help with this one ??
Some great clues here – especially 9ac [a real ‘laugh-out-loud’ one, 11ac 21ac 3dn.
Thanks for 26ac: I [stupidly] had ‘render’.
No wonder I had trouble with 10ac – the online version has (8) for the enumeration instead of (3,5). Now that I get it, “time for Queen” is a nicely misleading indicator of MAY.
Apart from that, quite an easy one as you say, with Paul’s trademark “naughtiness” sneaking in at 9ac.
THe more I think about it, the less I like “bender” and more I like “render” … “rendering” is plastering” and “to render” is an obedient kind of submission (“render unto Caesar”).
Eileen: you are not alone in having – stupidly or otherwise – put RENDER for 26ac.
Stan, that was exactly my reasoning, but I think the intended definition is “Get plastered on one”, plus knee=something that bends.
Yes you’re right Andrew – it’s not like me to have a crisis of confidence about an answer
I normally revert to a foetal position when I see Paul’s name but today I claim a rare victory.
On the render/bender front, I put in render but am starting to like bender more.
Cheers Kenny, I think “Render Bender” is a fitting title for today’s puzzle.
Well, I conceded right at the beginning! ‘Bender’ is much cleverer.
‘Pam Ayres’ as a word of eight letters really stumped me.Otherwise a great puzzle.
Just one thing that’s been bothering me and I thought someone might have commented on: 7dn: ‘character’ = ‘air’?
7dn: Is it possibly air as in “style”, “demeanour”? Bit of a stretch…
Can someone it run explain 25ac for me?
That’s all I could think of, John, but wasn’t ever so happy.
re 25ac: I made it ‘wine’ definition; dRy [lips meaning edges] IE that is + SLING [drink]
My rationale for 7dn and 25ac was the same as John R and Eileen respectively, and I had BENDER!
This one took me a bit longer than most recent Pauls – names at 10ac and 21ac were a bit recalcitrant and although 11ac seemed an obvious anagram it took me a while to work it out.
I’m a “bender” man myself – err, let me rephrase that – oh don’t bother. Anyway, I can see there’s a case to be made for “render” so I turned to the on-line service to see what is the “official” answer using the “cheat” button, which said …
… SENDER !!
(No comment)
Yes indeed – according to the online version we are supposed to have SENDER. Curse of The Grauniad strikes again, surely??
Can anyone come up with any reasoning for SENDER, however bizarre and warped and however full of wishful-thinking ? I can’t offer a prize, but respect will be due.
You’re all wrong – it’s TENDER! … what you feel the morning after being plastered, and, er… you kneel to tender your resignation?
The paper version has SENDER, too!
How does 13d work?
13d is DEW (early moisture) + AT (odd letters of ACTS) in (i.e. “breaking through”) TIER (layer)