A lot of double definitions this week and one clue that I’m not completely sure about although looks as though it might be a dd (any help much appreciated). Otherwise not the easiest week, but plenty that were very nice. Perhaps slightly too reliant on the double definition type of cluing though…
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | MISUSE – MUSE around I’S |
| 4 | LAS VEGAS – LASS around VEGA |
| 9 | NEW AGE – GENWE* around A |
| 10 | STROLL ON – ROLL-ON after ST |
| 11 | APPETISER – A + {[PET + IS] in PER} |
| 13 | ADEPT – A + DEPT |
| 14 | AS THE CROW FLIES – [AS + THROW + FLIES] around EC |
| 18 | WARREN MITCHELL – W + NAMETHRILLER* around C(attle) |
| 20 | EXTRA – possibly a dd? Over = extra but I can’t really make head nor tail of “A wide, perhaps” |
| 22 | OPERATION – dd |
| 24 | ACROSTIC – “A + CROSS + TICK” |
| 25 | PIRATE – P(ublishing) + IRATE |
| 26 | TRAINING – dd |
| 27 | RECESS – dd |
| Down | |
| 1 | MANTA RAY – MAN RAY around [T(urbot) + A] |
| 2 | SEW UP – dd |
| 3 | SIGHTSEER – SIGHT + SEER |
| 5 | AFTER A WHILE – WHATARELIEF* |
| 6 | VIOLA – dd |
| 7 | GOLDENEYE – dd |
| 8 | SONATA – hidden in (Hender)SON AT ‘A(pollo)’ |
| 12 | SPRING ONION – S(hots) + PINGIRON* + ON |
| 15 | TRATTORIA – [AI + ROT + TART]< |
| 16 | LUCRATIVE – VITALCURE* |
| 17 | FLANDERS – F + LANDERS |
| 19 | REPAST – RE + PAST |
| 21 | ARSON – (p)ARSON |
| 23 | IMAGE – hidden in (Tem)IMA GE(zari) |
Common crossword abbreviations this week:
one = I
street = ST
the City = EC {this is the start of postcodes within The City of London also known colloquially as the City}
Western = W
first rate = AI {A1}
force = F
name = N
female = F
Morning Arthur. ‘A wide’ is an extra run in cricket.
Thanks Arthur. In cricket a wide is one form of an ‘extra’. Worth one extra run to the batting team.
Thank you A.
OK for most of the puzzle. Tried to fit APPERATIF into 11.
18a took a while – only understood it after getting it.
In 22a, had OPERATING so couldn’t get 17d. Then realized FLANDERS fitted if 22 was OPERATION.
I like the 5d & 16d anagrams.
Took a while to thik of SPRING ONIONs as ‘greens’ since I mostly eat the white bits.
Thanks Arthur. People have explained the cricket reference, but I also rather liked the golfing mis-direction in 12d.
I agree there were a few too many dd’s, but all in all I enjoyed this puzzle.