Some unusually easy clues in today’s puzzle from Cinephile, offset by a couple that needed something a bit more than general knowledge. I found it a relatively gentle start to the morning.
The thematic clues that lacked definition were all items of household linen, three items of bedding and two words for the same item that protects one from spilt food. We also had BC and AD in their full forms appearing in the grid, defined as ‘early days’ and ‘later days’.
Across
1 DUVET COVER V (5) in DUET (2) C (100) OVER (more)
6 SARI hidden in ‘impreSARIo’
9 ANTIBIOTIC ANT (insect) IBI[s] (tailless wader) OTIC (for the ear)
10 STYE STY (pen) E (energy)
12 BEFORE CHRIST FOR in BEECH (timber) R (take) I (one) ST (street)
15 ANIMALIST *(I TALISMAN)
17 SHEET cd
18 DALEK DALE (valley) K (knighthood)
19 SERVIETTE R (right) VIE (fight) in SETTE[r] (I have no right)
20 NEW ENGLANDER NE (north-eastern) LAND (ground) in WENGER (football manager)
24 TILT dd
25 ANNO DOMINI AN NOD (agreement) O (love) MINI (something small)
26 NAPE N (northern) APE (primate)
27 REFERENDUM REFER (allude to) END (final) UM (hesitation)
Down
1 DEAL dd
2 VOTE V (volume) *(TOE)
3 TABLE NAPKINS *(PLATE IN BANKS)
4 OVOLO VOL (book) in OO (rings) – an architectural moulding which, according to Collins, has the alternative names ‘quarter-round’ and ‘thumb’. Nowadays it seems that joiners simply refer to it as ‘quad’ (or ‘quadrant’) but this doesn’t appear to have made it into the usual references as yet.
5 EPICENTER EPIC (saga) ENTER (go into)
7 ANTOINETTE *(NEAT NOTE IT)
8 IDENTITIES I (one) DENT (depression) I (one) TIES (restriction)
11 CHESHIRE HOME CHESHIRE (wartime pilot) HOME (aristocratic premier) – Group Captain Geoffrey Leonard Cheshire, Baron Cheshire, VC, OM, DSO and Two Bars, DFC and Sir Alec Douglas-Home (Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC)
13 PADDINGTON PADDING (unnecessary words) TO N (pole)
14 PILLOW SLIP PILL (medicine) OWS (cries of pain) LIP (edge of mouth)
16 INSOLENCE SOLE (fish) in INN (pub) CE (church)
21 NOOSE O (ring) in NOSE (where bull would have it)
22 BIRD dd – a reference to Charles (Charlie) Parker, American jazz saxophonist, whose nickname was Bird
23 FILM cd
Thanks, Gaufrid.
As you say, this was rather easy for a Cinephile – and a rather odd theme! I did rather hastily enter LIST, since I knew the term ‘enter the lists’, for 24ac, on the first run through but, fortunately, PADDINGTON quickly put me right when I got to him!
I thought 11dn was rather weak, since Cheshire Homes were founded by Group Captain Leonard Cheshire, so it was hardly cryptic. [They’re now called Leonard Cheshire Disability care homes now, I’ve just discovered.]
Why in 12a does R mean take?
Thanks
Hi Oldham
r is the abbreviation for recipe, the Latin for ‘take’, and is/was generally used on doctor’s prescriptions.
Many thanks Gaufrid.
This crossword definitely proves that I am still not at the same level as Gaufrid and Eileen.
Normally, I get into a Cinephile rather quickly, but this time not really.
And (eventually) making a start with STYE and ANTOINETTE didn’t help, because they were crossing each other in the outskirts of the grid.
For me, it was nót an easy Cinephile [but today’s Araucaria was even worse, not even completed it yet, so no comments from us today – haven’t even looked at the blog].
Even so, some great clues.
A very ‘refreshing’ theme, non cultural, quite unexpected.
With some very good clues, like SERVIETTE and TABLE NAPKINS.
Other highlights: PADDINGTON, NEW ENGLANDER, ANNO DOMINI and NOOSE.
Just like Eileen, not so happy with 11d.
Meanwhile, I think, SHEET is pretty poor too.
Don’t think this crossword was easy, but ‘not too bad’ [as they say in this country].