One of those where most went in easily but I had to put myself to bed before a couple in the top left corner, so they had to wait till the next morning.
I wouldn’t be surprised if I’ve misunderstood the wordplay on some.
Some particularly fine surface readings throughout this puzzle.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 6 | FACE SAVING FACE (Mug) SAVING (putting money in bank) |
| 8/3 | HANGOVER G[ordon] in HANOVER Ref: the Hanover Electorate |
| 11 | SPENCER PENCE (bits of cash) inside S and R from [Charle]s and [mothe]R Def: Once Di’s last (as in surname) Last in and understanding of wordplay sometime after that (phew) |
| 12 | PRIVIES I (one) inside RV (motorised caravan) inside PIES (tarts) Def. johns. Only understood the wordplay of this one while writing the blog: Tarts would hold one in motorised caravan for johns (7) |
| 13/15 | BROWN TROUSERS BROWN (The P.M.) TROUSERS (“pants” according to Obama) |
| 17 | COCKS UP DD |
| 18 | UNCOVER U[seless] N[aff] C[onservative] OVER (surplus to requirements) |
| 20 | CLARINET (ARTICLE [camero]N)* AInd: destroying |
| 22 | LORDS DD One whimsical – Def1: Political body Def2: No stranger to spin |
| 24 | OUT OF IT DD One cryptic/charade – Def1: Under the table Def2: sex (IT) all used up (OUT OF) |
| 25 | LAMPOON LAMP ON (light shining) around O (hole) |
| 28 | KISS MY ARSE KISS (Snooker event – when two balls touch very lightly) MY (Well – as in “Well, well, what’ve we got ‘ere then) ARSE (behind) |
| Down | |
| 1 | A FAST BUCK BUCK (throw up) after A FAST (a diet) Last one in. I was stupidly stuck thinking it was A (or I) something BACK |
| 2 | ACNE (CANE)* AInd: Remedy |
| 4 | END PRODUCT DD |
| 5 | TAXI DRIVER TAX (stress) I’D (Cyclops had) RIVER (flower) |
| 7 | SECONDS DD Though surely “Prescott’s post-dessert treat” would be fourths or fifths? |
| 10/27 | PISS POOR PISS (What peers do) POO (a number two) [b]R[own] (Brown’s number two) |
| 14 | OSCULATION (SO)< CU (copper) [e]LATION (Joy, topless) |
| 15 | TOP AND TAIL Reverse wordplay: Apply the answer to BROWN and you get ROW ([b]ROW[n]) |
| 16 | PRESENTER PRESENT (now) [arlen]E [partne]R Def: Could be Brucie Favourite clue award to this one for the surface reading: Could be Brucie’s now kissing butts of Arlene and partner (7) |
| 19 | CALUMNY UM (Er) N (short knight – in chess notation) inside (LACY)* AInd: creation Def: mud-slinging |
| 21 | RIFT [labou]R IF (uncertainty) T[ime] |
| 23 | POOP POO (shit) P[alin] |
| 25/9 | LAST GASP LAST (to endure) GAS (flatulance) P (pee) |
| 26 | OGRE (GORE)* AInd: on recycling |
Well I had the opposite. I got 1D immediately then found the rest tough.
Quality Cyclops puzzle as per usual.
I found next week’s (EYE 1248) a doddle for some reason 😉
looks like Private Eye printed the wrong crossword this week – it is the one from the last issue.
Private Eye say the correct crossword for this issue will be published on http://www.private-eye.co.uk on Friday 30 October.