It seems that the ‘theme’ this week was multiple word phrases with six throughout the crossword including one 6 word composite and another 5 worder. Otherwise little of note and nothing that should have held anyone up for long.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | ALLEVIATE – A + VILETALE* |
| 6 | COSTA – COST + A |
| 9 | LEG IT – LEGIT |
| 10 | LOUDMOUTH – LOUD + MOUTH |
| 11 | MATELOT – MATE + LOT |
| 12 | PATELLA – A + TELL in PA |
| 13,15 | PUT ONES HAND TO THE PLOUGH – dd |
| 19 | ELAPSED – PLEASED* |
| 21 | PILLAGE – PAGE around ILL |
| 22 | GALLIVANT – GALLANT around (St) IV(es) |
| 23 | TOTAL – TOT + AL(one) |
| 24 | DORIS – hidden in BrentforD OR ISleworth |
| 25 | EYE-OPENER – EYE + OPENER |
| Down | |
| 1 | AFLAME – L in A + FAME |
| 2 | LIGHT UP – LIGHT + UP |
| 3 | VITAL STATISTICS – a sort of cross between a cd and dd |
| 4 | ALL AT ONCE – ALL AT ONE around C(onservative) |
| 5 | EQUIP – QUIP after (jok)E |
| 6 | COME TO A FULL STOP – FULL STOP after COME TO A |
| 7 | SQUALID – SQUA(d) + LID |
| 8 | ASHRAM – ASH + R + A + M ref. James Bond |
| 14 | SALTPETRE – SALT + RE around PET |
| 15 | TRAILER – dd |
| 16 | HEARTEN – HEAR + TEN |
| 17 | BEGGED – B + EGGED |
| 18 | TELLER – dd |
| 20 | DRAKE – D + RAKE |
Common crossword abbreviations this week
liberal = L
run = R
about = RE
bishop = B
died = D