Unusual, but pleasant, to see a theme in a Tuesday FT.
For a moment I was afraid that a few clues would leave me in limbo, but I did a jig when the last twist was revealed and all of the dances fell into place.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | STRAWS S (second) T (time) RAW (freezing) S (son) |
| 5 | FATIGUES FAT (stout) I GUES[s] (endlessly I assume) |
| 9 | TRANSFIX TRANS (through) FIX (firm, as a verb) |
| 10 | NIECES I (one) in *(SCENE) |
| 11 | MINUET MI (note) + *(TUNE); a nice &lit. |
| 12 | ROOM-MATE OO (rings) M (married) M (maiden) in RATE (respect) |
| 14 | CONSTRUCTION CON’S (prisoner’s) TRUC[k] (vehicle almost) *(INTO) |
| 18 | HEART-TO-HEART *(ERATO HER THAT) |
| 22 | BARNACLE *(BALANCE + R[esistance]). “Crusty lodger” is a fine definition. |
| 25 | BOLERO BOLE (bottom of tree) R (run) O (round). “Bottom of tree” of course misled me into looking for an “E.” |
| 26 | JARGON J (judge) ARGO (old boat) N (new) |
| 27 | OUTMATCH OUT (open) MATCH (marriage) |
| 28 | RESTRAIN REST (a break) RAIN (shower) |
| 29 | REEKED REE[d] (cut grass) KED (fly). The ked, an ovine parasite, though wingless, is indeed classified as a fly |
| Down | |
| 2 | TURNIP TURN (roll) I P (start to prepare) |
| 3 | ANNOUNCER dd |
| 4 | SAFETY NET SAFE (peter) + Y (end of May) in *(TENT) |
| 5 | FOXTROT FOX (baffle) TROT (old leftwinger) |
| 6 | TANGO NAT[ive] reversed + G (good) O (old) |
| 7 | GLEAM L (left) and A (adult) in GEM (jet). |
| 8 | ELECTION *(I ONCE LET) |
| 13 | MAC MA (mother) C (caught) |
| 15 | ULAN BATOR *(BANAL TOUR) |
| 16 | TITILLATE I’LL (one will) in *(TATTIE) |
| 17 | SEPARATE *(A REP”S) + ATE (had meal) |
| 19 | TEA E (European) in TA (an expression of gratitude) |
| 20 | HOEDOWN O (love) in HE’D (that bloke would) + OWN (private) |
| 21 | ORACLE [c]ORACLE (heading away from boat) |
| 23 | NIGHT NIGH (almost) T (time) |
| 24 | CONGA C (clubs) ON (dealing with) G (grand) A (area) |
Hi Agentzero,
could someone explain the ‘hostess in boob tube’ bit of 3dn ?
Hostess in boob tube? I say!
As mentioned above, it’s a double definition.
The second definition is “I say”. One who says is an ANNOUNCER.
The first definition is a hostess on a TV programme, ‘boob tube’ being American slang for a TV set. Otherwise known as ANNOUNCER.
Macca
I forgot to tell you that it has nothing to do with any ‘hot, sexy’ dress.
Ah, I see. I’ve heard of the ‘tube’ for TV but not the ‘boob’ bit. There you go.
Thanks.