Independent 7,158/Nestor

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A nice, tough puzzle from Nestor with some lovely clues. I have to admit I struggled with the NW and SW corners though and there are a few I don’t understand even after resorting to help!

Across
7 FOCUSSED – FO[-e],CUSSED
9 APACHE – APACE straddling H
10 SCHEME – Hidden in ubermenSCH EMErges
11 SPECIMEN – MICE rev. in S,PEN
12 INNER SPACE – (PRE[-g]NANCIES)*
14 ALSO – Not sure how this one works – “Are people in capital playing strings and other things too?”
15 CATE BLANCHETT – CA[-r]TE BLANCHE + T[-ex]T – Fantastic clue
18 BRAN – BRAN being letters common to BRAIN (mental strength) and BRAWN (physical strength)
20 ELEVEN PLUS – ELEVEN (prime) + PLUS (advantage)
22 DATABASE – A and B (both sides of single) + AS in DATE
24 CLOTHE – LOTH in C (of)E
25 HETERO – HERETO with T and R swapping
26 TAKE THAT – THAT (which) after TAKE (individual perspective)
Down
1 VOLCANIC – GIRL rev. in THA[-t] rev.
2 EUGENE – [-r]ENEGUE rev.- A Very difficult clue, which requires you to have a knowledge of the Pink Floyd song and not to be fooled by the capital W on Welsh. Or, if you’re like me, requires you to cheat and press the ‘Reveal’ button!
3 OSTENSIBLE – T (rabbit’s foot) in O SENSIBLE
4 GAZE – “Gays”
5 SALIVATE – (I’VE A LAST)*
6 CHEERS – CHE[-at]ERS
8 DISPARAGEMENT – I SPAR A GEM in DENT
13 ECCLES CAKE – CC in (LAKE EEC’S)*
16 TINTAGEL – LEG AT NIT rev.
17 TOUCH PAD – UCH + P in TOAD (as in ‘of Toad Hall’, I think!)
19 REAPER – RE-APER
21 PRONTO – RON in PRO
23 AGOG – Cheated with this one too and not sure how it works: “Curious earlier acceleration in fall?”

6 comments on “Independent 7,158/Nestor”

  2. I think 14ac is A + L(ondon) S((ymphony O(rchestra) – ‘people in capital playing strings and other things’.

    Nick

  3. Another wonderful puzzle from Nestor, who seems always to find new ways to approach things. And all rigorously and precisely clued.
    I got EUGENE from the wordplay without understanding exactly what it referred to so thanks for explaining that.

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