I found this very easy but very enjoyable, as always from Nestor.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | (BANAL MINUTIAE N)* – UNMAINTAINABLE. Had to UNsomethingABLE really. |
| 11 | RE,CU in SQUAT |
| 12 | A RANT in TELL,A |
| 17 | (MINOR YET)* – ENORMITY |
| 19 | IS,TA(N)BU,L – good clue, with a convincing surface reading. |
| 22 | alternate letters of “tElEpLaY” – the definition is, I think, a reference to the other meaning of the word: a devious or evasive person. |
| 26 | OV(ERR)A,TED – this had to be right but I didn’t understand why TED would seem to be “spread”. Just looked it up and it’s a verb meaning “to spread out (newly-mown grass) for drying”. |
| Down | |
| 3 | A,NERD(going up),A LINE |
| 4 | (N for K)OSHER |
| 5 | QUI in A LINE – the slightly wacky surface reading made the definition quite easy to spot (for me anyway). |
| 6 | hidden in “doNER Kebab” – a new word to me. A cross between a nerd and a jerk perhaps? |
| 8 | (EARTHINESS UGLY)* – ESTUARY ENGLISH. |
| 9 | LET THE SIDE DOWN – don’t understand some of this: “forgetfulness” is LETHE, and “teen’s initial” is T so that explains LET THE. So where does SIDE DOWN come from? |
| 14 | (CUP MERRIER)* – PREMIER CRU. |
| 21 | H[end for AR]Y – very cleverly done this: ARE (unit of land measurement) is A, first of “readers” is R. Both are replaced by “end” in “Harry” to give (Stephen) HENDRY, the snooker player. |
| 24 | CAR,ON – had to guess this as I’d never heard of Leslie CARON. |
I think its SIDE’D OWN insolence would have
I’m glad that the CARONs are getting the cryptic recognition we deserve.