Good morning! This was a real beat-the-clock job as we have to go to work! So apologies for anything we’ve missed or not explained adequately. Typically well-constructed Phi puzzle with lots of smooth surfaces and sprinklings of wit.
ACROSS
1.AWA(y) KING
5. HAL(f) I BUT
9. ANTEPENULTIMATE an(multi-patentee)*
10. (t)HIRST
11. SOBRIQUET (sober quit)*
12. T(RAVER’S)AL(e)
14. DO USE
15. SKI(R)T
16. GLYCAEMIC (e.g. icy calm)*
18. PNEUMATIC (I’m an E-cup t)*
21. HOSE A
22. ANOREXIA NERVOSA cryptic definition
23. O(VERSE)E
24. CAP IT AL(l)
DOWN
1. A B(AD H)AT
2. ALTERNATIVE VOTE Implied clue for ‘veto’
3. INPATIENT ‘impatient’ with a different second letter
4. GEN(i)US
5. H(ILL BILL)Y
6. LU(I)G I refers to Luigi Cherubini, a composer
7. BEAM US UP MR SCOTT cryptic definition
8. T(HEAT)RE(e)
13. SIGHT LINE
14. DEATHTRAP (hated)* then ‘part’ reversed
15. SOP RAN O
17. C(HAG)ALL
19. MEETS ‘esteem’ reversed without the ‘e’
20. C(YN)IC
Thanks handel.
Straighforward but enjoyable.
Particular favourites were i8ac, 15ac and 17dn.
25′
Thanks, Handel, for the prompt blog – hope it didn’t make you late for work! Usual Friday elegance, and as you say wit, from Phi. 18ac was funny and wouldn’t have been out of place in a puzzle from Paul.
One small query: I’m struggling to understand ill = grievous in 5dn.
And as any Trekkie would tell you (and I’m not one, since you ask) Captain Kirk never once said: ‘Beam me up, Scotty’ in the Star Trek series, despite the phrase entering popular culture.
KD – can’t help with 5d I’m afraid. If anyone can help me understand genius = inspirational in 4d and do = please in 14a I would be grateful. Still enjoyed the puzzle, though.
I don’t think it’s a literal translation of do = please – I think it’s more that “please employ” is equivalent to “do use”. Not sure about inspirational/genius: I suppose either inspirational must be acceptable as a noun or genius as an adjective, but can’t find either. For ill/grevious, both words can mean painful or hurtful, so I suppose they are acceptable as synonyms.
Seems like just you and me in cyberspace this evening, dialrib. I think do = please is along the lines of ‘Do help yourself’, ‘Do go ahead’ being equivalent to ‘Please help yourself’, ‘Please go ahead’.
Now you mention it, ‘inspirational’ for ‘genius’ is a bit odd. Genius can’t be an adjective, can it?
Whatever, as Kathryn would say. A good weekend to all.
Neal, you beat me to it. But as dialrib said, a good puzzle and an enjoyable start to the weekend.
Got about half.Again not heard of a number of them 1d for instance.Liked 7d! Still learning