This Neo puzzle didn’t take too long, although I learned a new word (14 across). No complaints and some clever clues.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | ACADEMIA ME reversed in ACADIA (Atlantic Provinces). Whence the Cajuns of Louisiana fame. |
| 6 | ESPIAL *(PIES) + AL[l] |
| 9 | RAISIN RA (artist) IS IN (available) |
| 10 | TETRARCH T[ime] + *(CHARTER) |
| 11 | ERGO OGRE (flesh-eating giant) reversed |
| 12 | PRECAUTION *(ERUPTION AC[count]) |
| 14 | PIS ALLER LL (students) E (English) in *(PARIS) |
| 16 | ELAN ELAND (antelope) minus D (many) |
| 18 | MINI hidden in rooM IN Islington |
| 19 | PHARISEE H (hot) ARISE (spring) in PE (Peru) |
| 21 | SPANISH FLY SPANISH (some Europeans) FLY (go by air) |
| 22 | APSE P (piano) in A SE (corner, i.e., southeast) |
| 24 | STARFISH *(HAS FIRST) |
| 26 | ANIMAL LA (in Paris, the) MINA (Harker woman), all reversed. Nee Murray, the heroine of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. |
| 27 | MYSORE MY (compiler’s) SORE (angry) |
| 28 | TV DINNER cd |
| Down | |
| 2 | CHAIR HAI (“yes” in Japanese, hence “confirmation from Tokyo”) in CR (credit) |
| 3 | DISLOCATION DIS (underworld god) + O[ld] CAT (feline) in LION (big one, i.e., feline) |
| 4 | MONOPOLY MO (second) NO (refusal) POLY (college) |
| 5 | AT THE DROP OF A HAT *(FATHER HAD POTATO) |
| 6 | ENTRAP PARTNE[r] (team-mate, almost) reversed |
| 7 | PEA P[ower] followed by first letters of Electrical Activity |
| 8 | ANCHORAGE dd. This was very nice I thought. A “road” is a sheltered area of water, e.g. Carrick Roads in Cornwall or Hampton Roads in Virginia |
| 13 | TREPIDATION *(TRIO PAINTED) |
| 15 | IDIOPATHY I (one) + OP (surgery) in *(DAY HIT) |
| 17 | MARYLAND MARY (Godmother (!)) LAND (property) |
| 20 | ASPIRE AS (when) + R (king) in PIE (confusion) |
| 23 | SPARE dd |
| 25 | RIO RIOT (rebellion) minus T (team leader) |
Thanks Agentzero. Agreed that there were somehighly ingenious clues.
Many thanks for blogging, Agentzero, and I fully agree with your conclusions.
This crossword was immaculately clued, even though initially I had some doubts about that – because, for a change, I didn’t fully understand some definitions.
Always thought that DIS was just the underground, but it was indeed a God too.
Had to think about ASPIRE = ‘rise up’, but again perfectly alright.
In 2d I was focused on seeing CHAIR too long as ‘a control meeting’ (a noun), instead of ‘to control meeting’ (a verb).
I didn’t know ‘road’ for ANCHORAGE, but now I do know, it’s a rather clever clue.
When I saw 22ac, my first thought was CHAP (CH+A+P), but – I know – wrong thought!
[but I liked the fact that there’s a construction possible in this clue that’s not leading to the right answer]
Outstanding clues for me perhaps two short ones, ELAN and PEA, both very well constructed with lovely surfaces.
Yep, good crossword, mr B!
Very well-clued, so that even the French expression is easily solved. Enjoyable lunch-time fare, together with a roast-beef sandwich from the deli!
Thanks Agentzero.
Pretty good crossword from Neo with some unusual vocabulary.Didn’t know IDIOPATHY or HAI(in 2 down)but both were gettable from the wordplay and check letters.
17 down:I may be wrong about this(being a heathen!) but wasn’t Mary the mother of Jesus who was (supposedly) the Son of God? 🙂
Favourite clues for me,8 down and 26 across.
Hi Scarpia
Yes, that’s what Neo (cheekily) meant by “Godmother.” Took me a moment to see that, I was looking for FAIRY at first.
Hypostases, man. If you’re into it – I confess I am not, at this time.
Many thanks to the Zero, and to all for comments. Cheers!