I found this another reasonably easy Azed – I managed to finish all but a couple of clues in about an hour without using references. Lots of good stuff as always, with the wordplay of 17dn particularly raising a smile. My next Azed blog will be for number two thousand and something – I hope to meet some readers and fellow bloggers at the forthcoming lunch in Oxford, which should be a great occasion to celebrate a remarkable achievement.
| Across | |
| 1. BLU-TACK | UT (old form of “as” in BLACK (ebony) |
| 7. JAMBS | M in JABS |
| 12. BRAINIAC | BRA (suport) + IN (on the spot) + 1 AC (first clue). I associate this word (presumably a portmanteau of “brain” and “maniac”) with the TV programme, but it was originally the name of a baddie in Superman comics. |
| 13. TRANSUMPT | (A PR MUSTN’T)* |
| 14. TYIYN | First letters of This Year Incredibly Young (and) New. It’s a monetary unit in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan (also spelt TIYIN). |
| 15. WIZEN | W[est] I[ndian] + Zen |
| 18. SPEISADE | I SAD in SPEE[D]. A Lance Speisade is an old name for a Lance-Corporal |
| 19. MOULDY | OULD (Scots form of “old”) in MY (Well I never!) |
| 20. STENO | NOTES* &lit. A stenographer is a shorthand writer. |
| 22. BRUNT | B + RUNT |
| 24. STRICH | “O this” is OSTRICH, a flightless bird. Old name for the screech owl. |
| 25. INCREATE | T (time) replaces S[urge] in INCREASE (profit) |
| 27. SOLID | I in SOLD (Spenersian for “pay”). |
| 28. NYAFF | Hidden in maNY AFFenpinschers |
| 31. SWEETMEAT | WE in (TASTE EM)* |
| 32. EBRIATED | ABDERITE* A variant of “inebriated”, so “Bacchian”. |
| 33. RYKES | R[anger] + [woodwor]K in YES. Ryke is a Scots form of “reach”, one of whose definitions is “pass”. |
| 34. ALIENOR | A + LIEN + OR |
| Down | |
| 1. BOTTOM FISHER | BOTTOM (bum) + H in (REF IS)*. A picturesque name for a trader who speculates in badly-performing (dodgy) companies. |
| 2. LORY | [T]YROL reversed. |
| 3. UDAIPUR | Composite anagram: SEEN + UDAIPUR is an anagram of ‘INDUS A RUPEE |
| 4. TONY | Three definitions: the theatrical awards, a fool (gaby) and fashionable (“tone-y”) |
| 5. CRUMPY | C + RUMPY (a tailless chicken). Another Scots word, meaning “crisp” (as well-friend food might be). |
| 6. KAMEES | KAME + ES (variant of “ess”) |
| 8. ANTISERA | ARTESIAN* |
| 9. MIRZA | R in (I’M AZ)* |
| 10. BALE-DOCK | ALE D in BOCK. As the rubric says, it’s listed in Chambers under BAIL. |
| 11. SCENE-SHIFTER | (FINEST CHEERS)* |
| 16. HOBNOBBY | O BN in HOBBY |
| 17. PLURISIE | URI (Geller, famous “bender”) in PILES*. A Shakespearean word for “abundance” |
| 21. NICAEAN | (AN ANCIE[NT])* |
| 23. TAPETA | P (soft) [ey]E in TA-TA (see you!) |
| 24. STREEL | Anagram of LEINSTER less IN |
| 26. CLERK | Hidden in chroniCLER Keeps, &lit |
| 29. YMPE | MP (“sitter”) in YE (old “you”). Old spelling of IMP |
| 30. FADO | The competition word – a type of melancholy Portuguese folk-song. |
Thanks for the blog, Andrew, and for clearing up a few doubts I had. I knew 2d had to be LORY, but couldn’t see why, and I entirely missed the Uri Geller reference in 17d.
I’m afraid I’ll miss the 2000 lunch but trust it will be a memorable occasion.
Agreed, not apparently many difficulties (apart from the usual ones you get with Azed, the almost unbelievable words). But I bet one will emerge to dash my hopes with my clue for FADO.
Initially felt sure that he had made a mistake with the hidden at 28ac, and that it was YAFFE as not (although almost) supported by Chambers, but no of course.
I echo your remarks about the Azed lunch soon Andrew, will be there.