Thanks to Andrew Kitching for the alert re the publishing error on this week’s Observer crossword web page; we never looked at the incorrect pdf file, so therefore solved this cold from the newspaper. Whether this week’s offering will still be a valid prize crossword, we do not know.
Again, another fairly easy jog, but the puzzle does seem to be getting a tad more difficult over the last two weeks.
Legend to solution comments:
* = anagram.
< = word reversed.
| Across | ||
| 1. | MARIA | M + ARIA |
| 4. | TWO SEATER | (ROW ESTATE)* |
| 9. | PENAL SETTLEMENT | ((SETTLE [order] + MEN [soldiers] after [to board, i.e. getting on] (PLANE)*) + T (heading for terrible) This is a bit contrived, we think – hard to work out the word play. |
| 10. | IMPRUDENCE | R in IMPUDENCE |
| 11. | SWAN | S + WAN |
| 13. | TORRENT | OR in TRENT – river |
| 15. | LINING | Hidden: popLIN IN Gaberdine |
| 17. | COLOUR | CO + L + OUR |
| 18. | LAST OUT | L.A. + STOUT |
| 20. | APEX | APE + X |
| 21. | EFFUSIVELY | FF + US + IVE in ELY |
| 24. | FRENCH ONION SOUP | (PHONE COUSIN FOR)* around N |
| 25. | AUTOMATON | AUTO = car + MAN around TO |
| 26. | DWELT | LEWD< + T |
| Down | ||
| 1. | MEPHISTO | (THIS POEM)* |
| 2. | RUN UP | ladder = RUN (as in stockings) + UP (ahead) |
| 3, 4. | ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT |
cryptic def. i.e. no cowboy films being made |
| 5. | OPTICAL ILLUSION | cryptic def. |
| 6. | EDEN | E + (END)* |
| 7. | TAE KWON DO | (DAN WE TOOK)* |
| 8. | RETINA | RE + TINA re = musical note (see re² in Chambers) |
| 12. | UNASSIGNED | UNAS + SIGN + ED |
| 14. | ROOSVELT | (RESOLVE TO)* |
| 16. | STAYS PUT | TAY in SS + PUT – river tay, put = express as in say |
| 19. | RAFFIA | RAF + (I in FA) |
| 22. | ELOPE | (subtract pen)ELOPE |
| 23. | SCAM | (C in SA) + M |
Agree. It has been getting tougher.