Financial Times 12,908 by Cincinnus

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Weekend FT Prize Puzzle from October 25
A splendid puzzle this week from Cincinnus. I especially like 21A, 23A and 14D.

Across
1. ORWELL – OR (men?) + WELL (satisfactory)
4. BROMATES – anagram of BEAR MOST. Oh, come on Cincinnus, surely you could come up with something better than this!
10. BROADLOOM – anagram of LOAD in BROOM
11. ROMEO – ROME (capital) + O (letter from old)
12. TOGO – double definition
13. UNGROUNDED – GNU (animal) backwards + ROUNDED (turned)
15. NEEDLES – NEEDLES[s]. Is this a reference to anaesthesia by acupuncture?
16. EGRESS – SERGE (material) backwards + S[tage]
19. ENTRAP – anagram of PARENT
21. AUTOPSY – A (a) + U (fashionable) + TOPSY (girl). And a wonderful cryptic definition!
23. ARTICULATE – anagram of CURTAIL TEA
25. NUDE – anagram of UND[i]E[s]
27. MADAM – palindrome
28. CARETAKER – double definition
29. SARGEANT – homophone
30. EMERGE – E (eastern) + G[osling] in MERE (lake)

Down
1. ORBITING – OR (or) + BITING (piercing)
2. WOOD GREEN – WOO (court) + anagram of GENDER. What a fine anagram indicator.
3. LEDA – reverse hidden word
5. REMORSE – RE (note) + MORSE (inspector)
6. MARGUERITE – ARGUER (one in contention) in MITE (small child)
7. TIMID – TIM (chap) + I (one) + D[rive]
8. SWORDS – hidden word
9. POUNDS – double definition
14. ILFRACOMBE – anagram of A CLIMBER OF
17. SAPSUCKER – SAP (fool) + SUCKER (fool)
18. BY GEORGE – B[o]Y GEORGE
20. PELICAN – LI (large one) in PECAN (tree)
21. ACTORS – anagram of CAST OR
22. LAMMAS – M[alaysian] in LAMAS (monks in Asia)
24. TUDOR – TU (in Versailles you) + ROD (stick) backwards
26. ATOM – A (a) + TOM (cat)

2 comments on “Financial Times 12,908 by Cincinnus”

  1. I found this puzzle very enjoyable and satisfying and thought 23ac and 14dn two of the best anagram clues I’ve seen.

    I took OR in 1ac as being Other Ranks.

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