Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of March 21
It took me a while to complete the top right corner of this puzzle, not being familiar with ABBACY and finding 9A, 12A and 6D challenging — in the case of 9A because the obvious answer seemed too easy.
This blog did not get published on schedule, sorry. I must have done something wrong.
Across
1. PLACEBO – PLACE (spot) + BO (nasty smell)
5. ABBACY – ABBA (group) + C[aptain] + Y (year)
8. ANDROMEDA – AN (an) + DROMEDA[ry]
9. TOOTH – double definition. This clue strikes me as barely cryptic given that the two meanings defined are so similar.
11. HAIRY – double definition
12. BEEFEATER – E (European) + FEAT (act) in BEER (stout)
13. REGISTRY – RE (referring to) + GIS (soldiers) + TRY (attempt)
15. SCRAPE – double definition
17. TACKLE – double definition
19. SLAPDASH – SLAP (strike) + DASH (-)
22. GERMANIUM – M[arigolds] in GERANIUM (flower)
23. CHESS – CHE (revolutionary) + SS (ship)
24. TEMPI – anagram of P[iano] + ITEM
25. SOUP SPOON – SO UP (very happy) + SPOON (kiss). I think of a soup spoon as being a dining utensil, not a kitchen one, but I guess it is a kitchen utensil in a soup kitchen!
26. GLANCE – [chi]N in GLACE (smooth)
27. KEENEST – KEE[p] (carry on, though not quite) + NEST (home)
Down
1. PLAY HARD TO GET – double/cryptic definition
2. ADDLING – ADD (reckon) + LING (fish)
3. EBONY – E (English) + BONY (too light)
4. OVENBIRD – anagram of BIND OVER
5. AZALEA – Z (the last) + ALE (drink) in AA (those avoiding it)
6. BUTTERCUP – BUTTERC (homophone “buttock”) + UP (raised)
7. CROATIA – R (king) in COAT (film) + I (I) + A (a)
10. HORSE CHESTNUT – HORSE (animal) + CHESTNUT (joke)
14. SALVATION – SAL[i]VATION
16. SLAM DUNK – LAM (hit) + D (Germany) in SUNK (scuppered)
18. CARAMEL – CARA + MEL (two girls)
20. ACETONE – ACE (one) + TONE (temperature)
21. TISSUE – double definition. Nice one!
23. CASTE – T (tons) in CASE (crate)