The Trafites: Due to a sad week, the blog was a bit rushed today; this in memory of my dear wife’s brother, Polly, who died on Friday.
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Legend to solution comments:
* = anagram.
< = word reversed.
| Across | |||
| 1. | Mischievous child in difficult situation (6) | ||
| PICKLE | dd | ||
| 4. | Liqueur, Italian, knocked back by a girl (3,5) | ||
| TIA MARIA | (IT(alian)<)+A MARIA | ||
| 9. | Silk fabric matching it inside (6) | ||
| SAMITE | IT in SAME | ||
| 10. | Stable one working horse (8) | ||
| STALLION | STALL+I+ON | ||
| 12. | Look at first batsman, a revelation (3-6) | ||
| EYE OPENER | EYE(look at)+OPENER(batsman) | ||
| 13. | Greek character – he volunteers after short time (5) | ||
| THETA | HE+TA after T(ime) | ||
| 14. | Retrogade move giving support to protégé going on stage (8,4) | ||
| BACKWARD STEP | BACK+WARD+STEP(on stage) | ||
| 18. | Expression up north a serf used (4,2,6) | ||
| TURN OF PHRASE | (UP NORTH A SERF)* Great misleading def. mixed with word play |
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| 21. | Leader of expedition put down an antelope (5) | ||
| ELAND | E+LAND | ||
| 22. | I approach home with sincere intentions (2,7) | ||
| IN EARNEST | I+NEAR+NEST | ||
| 24. | Transfer diamonds in German city (4,4) | ||
| HAND OVER | D(iamonds) in HANOVER | ||
| 25. | Muddled situation resulting from other ranks being admitted to service (6) | ||
| MORASS | OR(other ranks) in MASS | ||
| 26. | Set off to make famous college in time (8) | ||
| DETONATE | ETON in DATE | ||
| 27. | Lifted boa – constriction finally follows (6) | ||
| STOLEN | STOLE(boa is a type of scarf)+(constrictio)N | ||
| Down | |||
| 1. | Eyewitness parking, bishop in Sayers novel (6-2) | ||
| PASSER BY | P(parking)+(B in (sayers*)) I wonder if this an &lit, not having read any Dorothy Sayers books? |
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| 2. | Pressure to keep two Frenchmen in business (8) | ||
| COMMERCE | MM in COERCE | ||
| 3. | Drunk started smoking (3,2) | ||
| LIT UP | LIT+UP in crossword parlance (and dictionaries), lit=drunk, but other than that I have never heard it used in any other context |
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| 5. | Not earning extra money from pursuit – charitable? (8-4) | ||
| INTEREST FREE | cd INTEREST(pursuit)+FREE(charitable) &lit | ||
| 6. | Being deciduous, they have roots (4,5) | ||
| MILK TEETH | cd milk teeth are deciduous, falling out as they do |
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| 7. | Added clause about a marauder (6) | ||
| RAIDER | RIDER around A | ||
| 8. | One’s published yearly, the recorded events of twelve months around university (6) | ||
| ANNUAL | ANNAL around U | ||
| 11. | Nine starting out, obstinately maintaining an attitude (12) | ||
| INTRANSIGENT | (NINE STARTING)* | ||
| 15. | Relaxed in NI county after injury (5,4) | ||
| WOUND DOWN | WOUND+(county)DOWN | ||
| 16. | “Foul” – audible cry in game (8) | ||
| BASEBALL | BASE(foul)+homophone of BAWL great clue |
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| 17. | Nozzle is not spraying, so discard (8) | ||
| JETTISON | JET+(IS NOT*) another great clue |
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| 19. | Stanislavsky’s acting technique course? (6) | ||
| METHOD | dd I had to google this, and am still not sure ‘method’ acting was S’s idea |
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| 20. | Girl in car, greedy type (6) | ||
| GANNET | ANNE in GT(Gran Turismo=car) | ||
| 23. | Dig up the earth around small hen house (5) | ||
| ROOST | ROOT around S | ||
| ROOSTqqqqqqqqqqqq | ROOT around S | ||
Thanks for the blog and sorry to hear of your sad loss.
Another more difficult crossword from Everyman and it took me ages to get four clues in the SE corner.
Some excellent clues with JETTISON and BASEBALL being very well-disguised. These were two of my last four.
A very entertaining puzzle.
Nick and Lorraine
I am saddened to hear this news. May Polly Rest In Peace.
I am sure all readers of this website appreciate your excellent blog, particularly under such tragic circumstances – thank you so much for your good work.
A reasonably challenging puzzle from Everyman with some good clues. I never knew that the word “pickle” could refer to a mischievous child.
I agree with Davy that JETTISON and BASEBALL were good, well-disguised clues.
Thanks Everyman. I look forward to your next puzzle.
Sorry for your sad news, Trafites.
Nice puzzle, though I never heart of ‘samite’, or ‘gannet’ in this sanse, but both were easily gettable and confirmed by Chambers, so no problem.
As well as those mentioned by others, I liked 1d and 27a. Thanks, Everyman.
I’d like to add my condolences, Nick and Lorraine, and appreciation of you letting us have your as usual comprehensive blog today.
Some excellent clueing as always from Everyman, JETTISON and BASEBALL in particular. SAMITE and PICKLE in the sense of a mischievous child were new to me, but I’ve known GANNET for ‘a glutton’ since I was very young. I suppose it comes from the bird’s aggressive way of capturing fish, plunging into the sea from great height and gobbling up its unsuspecting prey; or maybe just from its voracious appetite.
Sorry to hear the sad news, and thanks for still doing the blog in spite of all.
SAMITE at once brought to mind The Lady of the Lake “clothed in white samite…”, whilst one of my former colleagues was nicknamed GANNET (from his practice of finishing off the leftovers at our table in the canteen 😉 ).
Really weird that nobody has heard of a mischievous child as a ‘pickle’, as my Nan used to call us little ‘pickles’ and my sister Dolly use to call her son a little ‘pickle’. I thought it might be Portsmouth slang but Nick had never heard of it either, and had to consult Chambers. I wonder where it comes from then?
Thanks to everyone for all your words of comfort.
Lorraine.