We got through this very fast indeed – I don’t think there’s much that should have caused problems. The surface readings are very nice throughout.
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8. | ACHILLES | CHILL in SEA = “tide” reversed |
| 9. | AGENTS | A + GEN = “knowledge” + ST reversed = “backstreet” |
| 10. | NUTS | STUN reversed |
| 11. | BACKGROUND | BACK = “old” (as in “back issues”) + GROUND = “stadium” |
| 12. | CARNAL | R in CANAL |
| 14. | IMITATED | TATE in DIM = “foolish” + I = “one” reversed |
| 15. | BEDROOM | ED[ward] = “little boy” in BROOM |
| 17. | ASPIRIN | ASPIRIN[g] |
| 20. | ETHEREAL | REA[d] = “read pretty nearly” in ETHEL = “noble woman”. Googling ‘ethel “baby names” meaning’ suggests that “Ethel” means “noble” |
| 22. | CINEMA | (CAME IN)* |
| 23. | PLAYED DOWN | PLAYED = “Acted” + DOWN = “fine feathers” |
| 24. | DODO | DO = “party” + DO = “another” |
| 25. | INTERN | Hidden answer |
| 26. | EARLIEST | EARL + (TIES)* |
| Down | ||
| 1. | ACCURATE | AC = “account” + CURATE |
| 2. | TIPS | Double definition |
| 3. | GLOBAL | GAL = “old girl” around LOB = “tennis shot” |
| 4. | PSYCHIC | (SPY)* + CHIC = “smart” |
| 5. | BARGAINS | BAR = “pub” + GAINS + “profits” |
| 6. | DECORATION | DEC = “December” + ORATION = “speech” |
| 7. | STANCE | ST = “holy man” + AN = “one” + CE = “church” |
| 13. | NURSERYMEN | NURSERY = “place for tots” + MEN = “males” |
| 16. | OVERDONE | Double definition: Mistress Overdone is in Measure for Measure |
| 18. | IMMODEST | IM = “I’m” + MODES = “fashions” + T = “time”; “not lacking” is just acting as a link, like “with”, I think |
| 19. | ALLOWED | [h]ALLOWED |
| 21. | TALENT | TA = “thanks” + LENT = “fast” |
| 22. | CANARD | NA[me] “Name half hidden” in CARD = “communication” |
| 24. | DRIP | DR = “doctor” + PI = “good” reversed; PI as in “pious”, I think only seen in crosswords nowadays… |
Many thanks, mhl, this was as easy as they come.
The only problems that I encountered were: in trying to fix a geographical location to Desdemona’s passing (15a); and in sorting out 20a and 16d.
I’m no good on Shakespeare.
Very easy. Did the paper’s resident glitcher paste in the Quick Crossword in error?
Straightforward in every respect. 15ac last to go in. 27′ to complete.
After yesterday’s more tortuous approach this did feel a lot easier (<15mins) – no doubt something fiendish is planned for tomorrow and Saturday after luling me into this false sense of superiority
Nice to see my favourite Shakey in the mix today.
Mistress Overdone keeps a bawdy-house in the suburbs. Nobody now plays her as anything other than as a prototype of Cynthia Payne, although as we all, as word enthusiasts, know that’s not what ‘suburbs’ meant in them days.
No complaints here – it’s nice to have the odd easy puzzle. I only hope that those who are new to cryptic crosswords managed to have a go, as there was almost nothing obscure in any of the cluing (other than maybe the Shakespeare reference).
Thanks, mhl. Easy but enjoyable. The most trouble I had was with TIPS and NUTS. Took a while before I remembered ‘nut’ as ‘enthusiast’. Didn’t know the association of ‘ethel’ with ‘noble’ — thanks for that!
Spare a thought for those of us who are newer to the game! If it weren’t for the likes of Rufus, Logodaedalus, Arachne and Gordius I would have given up ages ago, bored of getting (initially) a couple of clues at best in a Paul or Araucaria.
I very nearly completed today’s (missed 16dn) and couldn’t get 2dn or 10ac having mistakenly entered ‘Hercules’ for 8ac and ‘Revocate’ for 1dn (there was a parsing logic there somewhere, stronger for 1dn admittedly…). It’s in getting near completing these and learning the tricks of the trade that there’s an incentive to keep plugging away at the tougher setters.
Shakespeare, Shmakespeare…. no access to Google = no blimmin chance with classics-related-clues as far as I am concerned. Phooey.
I didn’t get 15a or 16d due to gaps in my knowledge, but unlike Jimbo, I consider the clues fair enough. What has society come to if Shakespeare is considered obscure?
a good crossword, many of the clues made me smile, but got held up by 15a and 16d. I was expecting erudite answers but eventually felt slightly cheated with the actual answers.
re the ongoing guardian typo/web imcompetence issue there was a letter in todays paper from a recent prize crossword winner who received a note along with her dictionary that ended in “Kind Reguards”
Stiofain