*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 8 | Beanpole: (Runner) Bean + lope*. |
| 9 | Bamboo: Baboo[n] around m(iles). |
| 10 | Footballer: (Ref too)* around ball. A none-too-subtle reference to England’s disallowed goal, I assume. |
| 12 | Errata: Hidden, rev in Avatar review.. |
| 14 | Chastise: This looks like Chas (as in Chas & Dave) + site*, although I can’t see any anagram indicator for site. I assume beat is the definition. |
| 15 | Egotism: E[r]gotism. |
| 17 | Ospreys: OS (oversize) + preys. Raven can mean to “prey repaciously”. |
| 20 | Reprises: Rep (sales rep = agent) + rises. |
| 22 | Indent: Intend with the d and t (first and last letters of tied) switched round. |
| 24 | Isnt: Inst*. |
| 25 | Real Estate: Rest around ale + ate. Def is pub, perhaps. |
| 27 | Circle: DD. |
| 28 | Lothario: Tool* around hair*. |
| Down | |
| 1 | Velour: Lou in ver[y]. (Very = jolly in the sense of “jolly good”). |
| 2 | Inst: In + first and last letters of stock market. |
| 3 | Nowadays: No ways around AD. “No ways” seems to be an acceptable alternative to “no way”. |
| 4 | Neglect: Leg* + c in net. |
| 5 | Iberia: [S]iberia. |
| 6 | Embittered: &lit. (Met debt ire)*. |
| 7 | Joyously: Joy + lousy with l moved down. |
| 13 | Antarctica: (Cataract In)*. |
| 16 | Gneissic: Eng< + is sic[k]. |
| 18 | Stiletto: (Nobby) Stile[s] + OTT<. |
| 19 | Assault: Ass + aut[o] around l. |
| 21/11 | Screen icon: (Nice censor)*. |
| 23 | Nutria: (I run at)*. |
| 26 | Tuan: U (text version of you) in tan(gent). |
At 14 I think the anagram indicator is ‘on’ for drunk.
I missed the Nina completely!
I think the nina suggests 10ac’s turned 21/11’s, but I think calling Vinnie Jones an icon is pushing it a bit…
Hi Neal
A slight typo in 16dn where you meant to write ‘is’ rather than ‘I’.
Yes, you’re right, NealH, I think, the theme is former footballers who turned to film with 10A, 21D, being intentional. I saw VINNIE JONES emerging fairly early on, but only saw ERIC CANTONA when I’d the grid full. Quite a hard puzzle, as I guess some less familiar words had to appear. Favourite clues BEANPOLE, GNEISSIC.
I found this one too hard today. Got most of the left-hand side and then was defeated by the rest. Monsieur Cantona’s footballing skills where certainly better than his acting skills. He was pretty handy at kung-fu as well of course.
… or were better, even.
Thanks NealH.
Enjoyed this one and like you didn’t see an anagram indicator in 14 across.Colin @1 – I’m sure you are right but it seems rather tenuous to me.
Otherwise all clues seemed fine,favourites being 17 across,6 and 16 down.
As usual I didn’t spot the nina but my knowledge of(recent)soccer players is very limited.
I noticed there’s also the link for 19d for both footballers, there’s a rather famous image of Vinnie Jones erm tackling Paul Gascoignes tackle as it were.
flashling, I know what you mean, and the pic has been published many times since the famous incident, but I think that’s serendipity … perhaps Mordred may drop in later to tell us otherwise.
Responding to KD’s invitation I have to say I was thinking of neither Vinnie’s handful nor Eric’s boot; just got inspired by Ken Loach’s film Looking for Eric. The Screen Icon was more of a joke than anything. Not being prescient, and having submitted the puzzle in January, any link to the disallowed goal (Blog 10Across) was the serendipity. I had hoped, however, that 18Down may remind some solvers of another midfielder’s raised heel.
Kathryn’s dad I too found this difficult.Got about 9 clues quite quickly then hit a brick wall.Ive never spotted a Nina ever and not finishing this won’t change that! I don’t analyse clues enough and when I see the answers I get annoyed because I should have seen it! Never would have got Gneissic or Tuan and still don’t understand others even knowing the answers.