Good stuff from Mr C in this issue. Some tricky clues which I don’t think I could get without the crossing letters, but plenty pencilled in after a first pass to get going.
Longstanding readers may remember when I first started blogging this crossword I had just given up the evil weed coinciding with the smoking ban. Two years on I haven’t had a smoke since, so it can be done, and it’s as good a reason to celebrate something as anything, so: “Trebles all round!”.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 8 | HOODLUM (MOULD)* AInd: breaking. after HO[use] |
| 10 | ASHFORD (HAS)* AInd: screwed. FORD (a banger) |
| 11 | ALGECIRAS (CIA’S AL G[o]RE)* AInd pissed. I had to check the spelling of this one. |
| 12 | NASAL NASA (US Body sending people up) L[ength] |
| 13/15 | JOHN SERGEANT DD/CD One of the last I fully put in – I admit I had to check the E/A spelling of his surname |
| 18 | CAUTION (OUT)* AInd: deviously, around I (one), all inside CAN (jail) Def. Act like a copper. Not sure about this Definition, I always think of Coppers as PCs, and I suspect only someone at around inspector level can hand out cautions (not that I have any personal experience of receiving cautions – well, not for a few decades anyway). |
| 19 | GONDOLA O (love) L (hilLary’s middle) inside (GONAD)* AInd: busting |
| 20 | MEPHISTO (SHIT)* AInd: casual, inside (POEM)* AInd: rendition |
| 22 | IFFY [st]IFFY |
| 25 | DILDO (LID)< DO |
| 26 | IMBROGLIO I’M BRO[wn] (ILOG)* AInd: off |
| 28 | CHEER UP HE ER inside CUP |
| 29 | RUSHDIE RUSH (career) DIE (bite the dust) |
| Down | |
| 1 | CHEAPJACK CHEAP (budget) JACK (straw) |
| 2 | PONG [ping-]PONG |
| 3 | IMPRISON (NO SIR P.M. I[s])< Last one in. I thought the definition, ‘Give him time?’ was some wordplay. For a thoroughly misleading clue I’ll give it the sticky-backed gold star: Give him time? No, sir – Brown is only 50% backed (8) |
| 4 | CAESAR CAR (wheels) around (SEA)* AInd: sick |
| 5/24 | WHINGEING POMS (MP OWEN HIGGINS)* AInd: corrupted. This took an embarrassingly long time to get . |
| 6 | TOSSING OFF DD Both definitions in the Eye’s inimitable style, only one involving Jeffrey Archer. |
| 7 | ADULT (DUAL)* AInd: controlled, T (model) |
| 14 | HOUSE-FLIES HOUSE (MPs assembled) FLIES (slits in trousers) |
| 16 | HIGH COURT HIGH (pissed) COURT (Brenda’s entourage) |
| 17 | EASY MONEY (YES MAN YEO)* AInd: pisspoor |
| 19 | GAOL-BIRD (GOD BLAIR)* AInd: converted. Another outing here for the arrow-suited Archer: Archer at one time converted by “god” Blair (4-4) |
| 21 | SKIMPY [cla]I[ms] (fourth of claims) MP (politician) inside SKY (heavens) |
| 23 | EDICT ED (Balls), TIC with T moved to the end (front to rear) |
| 27/9 | LADY LUCK LADY (wife of knight of the realm) [p]LUCK (topless Yank) |
Just for info on 18a.
A caution of the “You are not obliged …” type can be given by any rank of police officer and also by non-police investigators (such as those in HMRC or Social Security). Indeed, in certain situations it is mandatory.
I forgot about the “You do not have to say anything …” caution on arrest. I was thinking of the formal “Police Caution” used instead of prosecution which is like an official “Don’t do it again, sonny. We know where you live”.