Cyclops getting in early with his opinion of Xmas at 1 Across?
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | HUMBUG HUM (stink) BUG (infection) Had me foxed till I got that first U. |
| 5 | FEROCITY (OF, ER)* AInd: ruined; CITY (bankers) Slightly loose definition I thought – you don’t have to be ferocious to be ruthless |
| 9 | BUFFOON BUFF (Brown) O (nothing) ON (working) |
| 10 | JARGON J (Jack) ARGON (a gas) |
| 11/12 | AS SAFE AS HOUSES CD Relatively easy CD – first answer put in which is unusual for a CD. (I normally look at the longest answers early on, after those that deliver first letters of course.) |
| 13 | IMMUNITY M (Monsieur: short chap in French) inside “I’M UNITY” Ref: This one Unity Mitford of the Mitford sisters wherein we learn the apt fact that she was born in Swastika, Ontario ! |
| 15 | RACIST AC (Bill) inside (STIR)* AInd: wrongly |
| 16 | LAPDOG LAP (area between waist and knees) DOG (follow) |
| 18 | FITTED UP FIT (attack) TED (familiar old PM) UP (over) Note to self: Must research a good URL referring to Birmingham Six, West Midlands Police etc. (failed) |
| 20 | ALARMIST A LA (in the manner of) (MRS T)* AInd: raving; around I (“independence”) |
| 22 | EFFIGY CD I like this one, I imagine like many I had “Fawkes?” pencilled next to the clue. This gets the favourite clue award: Guy likely to engender a burning desire in zealots? (6) |
| 24 | UNMASK UNMA[n] (almost cut off one’s balls) SK (South Ken.) |
| 25 | ABDOMEN (BAD)* AInd: wobbled; OMEN (sign) |
| 26 | LASHINGS DD Nothing to do with the House of Commons after all (- well, perhaps not). |
| 27 | MARTYR MARR (Political commentator) around T[or]Y (disheartened supporter of Cameron). Ref Andrew Marr known more for size of ear and length of arm than political bias(?) |
| Down | |
| 2 | UNBOSOM DD I wasn’t sure of this one from a definition point of view but I suppose it’s like getting something off your chest: Tell all and dispose of the knockers (7) |
| 3 | BAFTA BA (Barium) around AFT (behind) |
| 4 | GLOWERING Last to be written in but did so quickly after I got that initial G |
| 5 | FANTASY (ANY FATS[o])* AInd: affected |
| 6 | RAJAH (JAR)< A H |
| 7 | CARBUNCLE CD Brian’s quoted opinion of modern architecture – which has had a recent endorsement from a top designer: Guardian article |
| 8 | TROWELS CD I liked this one too. You have to lay it on thick y’know: Gross flatterers’ tools? (7) |
| 14 | UNDER OATH DD |
| 15 | ROTTERDAM ROTTER (arse) DAM (blockage) |
| 17 | ATLANTA (L.T.A)< then ANT (of Ant and Dec) A (one) Tricky until some crossing letters in place |
| 18 | FAT CATS (ACT)* AInd: uneasy; inside (FAST)* AInd: squandered |
| 19 | URGENCY UR (old city) GEN[t] (25% down) C[r]Y (call Treasury’s no.2 out; i.e. R) Another tricky bit of wordplay |
| 21 | INK IN IN KIN |
| 23 | FEMUR Hidden: low-liFE MURdoch |