Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of April 24
Here we have a few rather standard clues (6A, 25A) along with a few gems (10A, 11A and 21D). As usual, I found it very satisfying.
Across
1. POSTNATAL – POST (letters) + NATAL (somewhere in South Africa)
6. WOMAN – W (west) + OMAN (country). I have seen this clue before.
9. ALL IN – hidden word
10 NIGHTCLUB – NIGH (near) + CL[ifton] in TUB (Bath)
11. METATARSAL – anagram of MEAT + TAR (sailor) + SAL[t] (another [sailor] wanting T)
12. MAMA – M[ongoli]A + M[ongoli]A
14. EPIGRAM – I (one) + P (penny) in MARGE (Mrs Simpson) all reversed
15. DONOVAN – DO (perform) + NOVA (star) + N (name)
17. WEEKEND – WEE (small) + KEN (boy) + [lan]D
19. DIVINER – DIVINE (heavenly) + R (river)
20. RITZ – homophone (“writs”)
22. HALF A DOZEN – HAL (prince) + anagram of OF ZENDA
25. ISLINGTON – I SLING TON (incredible claim of one throwing weight about)
26. NO END – anagram of DONNE
27. NINNY – N[on] (from 3 down) + IN (in) + NY (US state)
28. DESPERATE – S[quadron] in anagram of REPEATED
Down
1. PSALM – SAL (girl) in PM (political leader)
2. SOLITAIRE – [l]OLITA (controversial novel with no leading character) in SIRE (father)
3. NON-STARTER – anagram of OR ENTRANTS
4. TANTRUM – TANT (so much French) + RUM (spirit)
5. LAGGARD – LAG (convict) + G[u]ARD (non-U jailer)
6. WATT – W[ould] A[rrange] T[est] T[ubes]
7. MALTA – MALT (whisky) + [sod]A
8. NO-BRAINER – anagram of OR NEAR BIN
13. IN EVIDENCE – double definition
14. EDWARDIAN – anagram of DAWN RAIDE[r]
16. VENEZUELA – E[mile] Z[ola] in VENUE (location) + LA (French article)
18. DRATTED – D[og] + RATTED (caught vermin)
19. DEFENDS – FED backwards + ENDS (tips)
21. TALON – hidden word
23. NUDGE – G[irl] in NUDE (with no clothes on)
24. ONLY – ON (working) + L (fifty) + Y (years)
Thanks, Pete, for another excellent blog in a Lonely Place, I fear.
I am completely with you in your Pick of the Gems in the preamble – I would even like to add two more.
The ‘Prince of Zenda’ construction in 22ac (leading to HALF A DOZEN) is sheer brilliance, we thought.
And what a splendid surface in the NO-BRAINER of 8d.
Yes, there were – indeed – some fillers [or obvious ones], and yes, there isn’t any fiendishness or complex construction, and yes, the crossword isn’t very hard – all that is true, but solving a Cincinnus on a Sunday afternoon is always such a delight that our Lazy Sunday Afternoon turns into a Sunny Afternoon … 🙂
Ah, those Roaring Sixties.
Mellow Yellow Fellow (DONOVAN) is a bit obvious then, isn’t it/he?
The only critical remark we had was on the use of Land’s End (17ac). Fine device, but leading to a solution that contains the letters END. A pity.
[Btw, fun to see Mr Curl using the same device last Tuesday in the Guardian (Orlando 25,001)]
For us this was Cincinnus par excellence.