Independent 7376 by Glowworm

by

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism

An elegant puzzle with some very good clues, although very much on the easy side. 24 was my favourite clue, although I quite liked the cryptic def in 1 across as well and there was a nice touch of &lit in 4 down.
 

Across
1 Facelifts: CD/DD – “prepare to find one’s level = face the lifts in a building”.
6 Adieu: (Kate) Adie + U(-turn).
9 Council: Hom of counsel.
10 Lioness: (Se[a] lions)*. The fact that lion appears as part of both the clue and the answer made this one of the weaker clues.
11 Stall: I think this is a DD, stalls being the compartments that house animals like greyhounds at the start of races.
12 Lorgnette: GR< in notelet*.
13 China: Hidden in batch in argos.
14 Negligent: Neglige + n (new) + T(-shirt).
17 Panellist: (Nell is) in Pat. Def is “Cowell’s one”.
18 Amuse: A(=american) + muse. Muse can mean a poet as well as a source of inspiration for artists.
19 Imbroglio: I’m (=Glowworm’s) + bro + initial letters of “getting lost in Oxford”.
22 Opera: Op (= out of print) + era.
24 Chignon: Ch[elsea] + (no gin)*. Def = bun (a type of hairstyle)
25 Sealant: Set about Alan (Bennett).
26 Offer: CD = “off ‘er”.
27 Spymaster: Spy aster around M[ay].
Down
1 Focus: Seems to be Fo + Cu’s, but I’m not sure why Faroe Islands is FO. The IVR code for Faroe Islands is FR, but perhaps it’s FO in some other context.
2 Caucasian: (Can USA CIA)*.
3 Local call: DD.
4 Falkland Islands: (Landfall’s kinda)*.
5 Self-righteously: (Our gifts Shelley)*.
6 Acorn: A (=advanced, as in A-levels) + corn.
7 Inert: Odd letters of fIaNcE wRoTe.
8 Unsheathe: Un + she around heat. Def = draw (verb).
13 Capriccio: (Christina) Ricci (US actress) in capo. I think capo here refers to a leader of a band of mafiosi.
15 Inamorata: (Marian to a)*.
16 Exuberant: Don’t entirely follow this. It seems to be Ex-U (=direct from University ?) + BE (Bach of Eng) + ran (=managed)+ t, but I can’t quite see why the t is “bar that’s overflowing”. Possibly something to with a T-bar lift.
20 Brief: Brie + [loa]f. Def = prime (verb).
21 Owner: Hidden in thrown erant.
23 Aster: [Mon]aster[ies] (monies = cash removed).

8 comments on “Independent 7376 by Glowworm”

  1. Great blog, NealH. In 16 down, I think you are right with overflowing being the definition. Quite an easy puzzle – FACELIFTS was my favourite clue also.

  3. Hi Neal
    Re 1dn, Collins gives FR as the IVR for Faeroes but both Collins and Chambers have FO as the IVR for the Faeroe (or Faroe) Islands.

  4. Thanks, Neal. On the easy side, but enjoyable with some clever clues. FACELIFTS was indeed cleverly clued, and I also liked BRIEF. Kate Adie is probably not the best known Kate in the world, but since she’s a big Sunderland fan we’ll forgive Glowworm on this occasion.

    FO is also the internet domain name for the Faeroe Islands.

  5. Still don’t get the the final T in 16d, must be reading it wrong, for 13d I have seen Fabio Capello refered to as the Capo in several newspapers.

  7. At least three T-bars “a metal bar with a T-shaped cross-section; a T-shaped fastening on a shoe; spec. a type of ski-lift consisting of a series of T-shaped bars whereby skiers are towed uphill”

    Good, apart from lioness.

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