I found this one a pretty stiff challenge, but that may simply be because when I see that the setter is Scorpion I tend to panic a little. The wordplay is complex, but very well-worked and everything comes together nicely. NERD was probably my favourite.
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | BASK – B + ASK. |
| 3 | GRINDS DOWN – GR + (D in SWINDON*). |
| 9 | INTEGRATE – (IN T[h]E GREAT)*. |
| 11 | ACTOR – [ta]ROT CA[rd]<. Ref. Tom Cruise. I’ll keep my thoughts on him to myself! |
| 12 | A BIT ON THE SIDE – HEDONIST* “during” (A BITE). |
| 14 | TUGGER – (G[reen] G[rass]) “trespassing” TRUE*. |
| 15 | VALHALLA – (ALL + A[ppreciate] + H[ousehold] + LAV)<. |
| 17 | NEMATODE – DONE* “fencing” TAME<. |
| 22/24 | A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD – A LEVEL + PLAYING FIELD. |
| 25 | AERIALIST – (A + SITE*) “includes” LAIR<. |
| 26 | ON THE SKIDS – HONEST* + KIDS. |
| 27 | BYES – B[atsman] + YES. |
| Down | |
| 1 | BRIGANTINE – BRIE “contains” (NAG< + TIN). |
| 2 | SITTING PRETTY – (STING “rakes in” IT) + PRETTY. |
| 4 | RIALTO – RIO “embraces” ALT. “Alt” is German for “old”. |
| 5 | NYE BEVAN – ABE[rga]VENNY. |
| 6 | SPANISH ARMADA – SPA + (HARM “in” DIANA*). |
| 7 | OATMEAL – O + ATM + AL. |
| 8 | NERD – [compute]R in DEN<. A fine &lit. |
| 10 | GO OVER THE EDGE – (0 + OVERT + HEED) in EGG<. |
| 13 | LARYNGITIS – (SIT ANGRILY)*. |
| 16 | IDLE TALK – ([newshoun]D + TALE*) in ILK. |
| 18 | MEANEST – ME + A NEST. |
| 20 | TRINITY – dd. I’m reliably informed that there are Trinity Colleges at at least Cambridge, Oxford and Dublin universities. |
| 21 | SPIRED – SPIED “around” R[uins]. |
| 23 | AFRO – (FOR A)*. |
Tremendous puzzle – clues so well-constructed with some excellent surface readings. Maybe I’m getting used to the Scorpion style but I can solve them more quickly that when Scorpion first appeared. Re Trinity, Dublin University is Trinity College. I doubt however if that is the one referred to.
I don’t know, first Christ Church from Araucaria now Trinity from Scorpion! Practically the first clue I got too.
In 7dn you have a typo in the word play. It’s ALE[x]* rather than AL. I couldn’t imagine a word with ATM in it and spent some time trying to add TELLER onto things unsuccessfully.
I agree with nmsindy. Tremendous puzzle. Lapidary surfaces, ingenious construction. I hope Scorpion lurks around here and knows how much his work is appreciated.
Great stuff, this. Definitely one of the hardest we’ve seen in a while I think (I was defeated by a handful of clues), but so many good surfaces and heaps of clever wordplay. Loved the NERD clue too!
This was a very satisfying solve – difficult, but well worth the effort. Thanks, Scorpion.
I thought 9ac was IN T[h]E GREAT broadcast (ie “on the radio”) = GRATE.