*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition.
A very good puzzle, once again. This took a little longer than usual to complete – and even longer to explain my answers – but that may just be a result of a nasty dose of jet lag, and my large, unwieldy cat’s insistence on attempting to sit on my shoulder throughout the solving and blogging process.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | APSE – [-l]APSE. |
| 4 | MASCAGNI – MANI[-c] “injecting” SCAG. Pietro Mascagni, composer, 1863-1945. |
| 10 | VACUUM-PACKED – VAC + UU + MP + [-b]ACKED. |
| 11 | XEROPHAGY – X + PORE< + (G “investing in” HAY). |
| 12 | GIRR – (R + RIG)<. |
| 15 | ALLOD – ALL + OD[-d]. |
| 16 | AGITATO – (A GITA[-n]O) “goes round” ‘T . |
| 18 | DIETICIAN – (I INDICATE)*. |
| 20 | INCEPTIVE – INCENTIVE “to ditch” N “for” P. |
| 21 | ONEROUS – ONE + ROUS[-e]. |
| 23 | RIDER – dd. A “free rider” in the US seems to be an individual without medical insurance, who is therefore unable to pay for emergency healthcare. |
| 26 | KIPP – KIP + P[-ackages]. P.J. Kipp was “the Dutch founder of a firm of manufacturers of scientific apparatus” in the 19th century. |
| 27 | CONYCATCH – (CO + CH) “seizing” NY CAT. |
| 28 | CONDITIONALS – (CONTAIN SOLID)*. |
| 29 | OFTENEST – (FETES NOT)*. |
| 30 | BLET – E[-ddie] “found in” BLT. |
| Down | |
| 1 | AVOGADRO – A + GOV< + A D + OR<. Amedeo Avogadro, physicist, 1776-1856. |
| 2 | PAVILION-ROOF – PROOF “including” (A VIOLIN)*. |
| 3 | SCARLETED – SCARED “about” LET. |
| 4 | MUEDDIN – MU[-s]ED + DIN. Alternative spelling of “muezzin”. |
| 5 | SPONGIEST – PONG “interrupting” SIEST[-a]. |
| 6 | CAPRI – CAPRI[-ce]. |
| 7 | ACHE – [-c]ACHE. |
| 8 | NEGATIVE POLE – (EG “enthralled by” NATIVE) “by” POLE. |
| 9 | IDYL – IDLY with LY*. |
| 13 | SACCULATE – S + ACCU[-mu]LATE. |
| 14 | FATIDICAL – FAT + I’D A CAL[-l]. I assume that FAT (from “good job”) is used in the sense of “a role or passage that enables an actor or musician to show his or her talent”. |
| 17 | OVERPAST – PAS “in” OVERT. |
| 19 | APRICOT – AP + RIC[-h] + O + [-hirs]T. |
| 22 | ORCIN – ORC + IN. |
| 24 | ECCO – [-s]ECCO. |
| 25 | HYDE – [-biograp]HY DE[-picted]. |