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If there is a theme to this crossword it is that several clues refer to the male member, some in ways that I, as a sensitive soul, find difficult to contemplate. Jacqui Smith is possibly the only female member present, well, present in the past if you see what I mean. No? I don’t think I’m making much sense either. Let’s chalk out the clues …
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 7 | HANGOVER G[ordon] inside HANOVER (electorate) |
| 8 | WATSON FATSO with a different fist letter, then [eammo]N Def: Holmes’s support |
| 11 | SUPER SUP (drink) ER (US TV Show) Def: Copper. Short for Superintendant |
| 12 | MELODRAMA (MODEL)* AInd: stimulated; RAM (drive) A Def: piece of ham – ham acting that is |
| 13 | IN RUINS (IRIS NUN)* AInd: remade |
| 15 | MAGICAL MAG (snipped organ – short for Magazine) I (Cyclops) CAL (the state) Def: Fabulous |
| 16 | NUMBER CRUNCHING NUMBER (not so sensitive) CRUNCHING (smashing) |
| 20 | JUGULAR Double Def, sort of, one of them refers to the phrase “go for the jugular” |
| 22 | FLOTSAM F[emale] LOTS (piles) A.M. (early in the day) |
| 24 | CLIMACTIC C[old] inside CLIMATIC (about temperature etc.) |
| 27 | URSULA (USUAL R[ex])* AInd: bust |
| 28 | IMPOLITE [p]IMP (Ponce doesn’t start) (TO LIE)* AInd: about. |
| Down | |
| 1 | THESPIAN H[ot] inside (PANTIES)* AInd: plastic |
| 2 | SNIPER SNI[p]PER Snipper as in a surgeon. Def: Critic |
| 3 | COERCIVE ER (Brenda) inside COC[k] then I’VE (one has). This and the preceding clue 2 were the last to be entered because I had to steel myself to stop wincing and avoid reading the clue surfaces |
| 4/23 | TEAM SPIRIT (IS PART TIME)* AInd: nuts |
| 5 | LAPDOG LAP (area of genitalia) DOG (follow) |
| 6 | ON CALL ON (working) then first letters of Conservative And Lousy Libdem |
| 9 | SAATCHI (AS)< (like flips) [th]ATCH[er] I (one) Def: Agency man |
| 10 | PLUM DUFF (M’LUD)* AInd: rudely, inside PUFF (spiel) |
| 14 | SECURITY (CURSE)* AInd: foul, I (one) T[or]Y |
| 17 | MUGGINS GIN (booze) inside MUGS (faces) Def: Silly old Cyclops. This sweet clue gets my favourite sticker: Silly old Cyclops faces having to get booze in (7) |
| 18 | CROSSBOW CROSS (interbreed) BOW (somewhere in London). You never have to wait long for a Jeffrey Archer reference around here. |
| 19 | GUMSHOE GUMS (sticks) HOE (tool) |
| 20/26 | JACQUI SMITH AC (account) inside (JIM QUITS)* AInd: falsified, then H[ard]. Probably the biggest loser from the expenses fiasco |
| 21 | LIABLE (LIBERAL – [bo]R[is])* AInd: wishy-washy Def: to blame |
| 25 | CAMP M[cKellen] inside CAP (national player) Does Ian McKellen do crosswords? I think he’d laugh if he saw this: National player takes McKellen’s lead, playing the Queen (4) |
I’m a London commuter who’s making great use of the new Bike Hire scheme since I discovered even old, fat blokes like me can do it. It’s doing nothing for my fitness though – I’m saving at least 20 mins a day: That’s time for another pint!
This crossword is educational – I didn’t know that an Australian constituency is called a Hanover. Though the answer HANGOVER was obvious anyway.
This is the first time I remember seeing “falsified” to indicate an acronym – the setter is always coming up with new ways to do this.
I didn’t know that an Australian constituency is called a Hanover
I thought the clue was refering to the Elector of Hanover; one of the German monarchs that selected the Holy Roman Emperor.
My Collins dictionary gives both of these.
Surely ‘pimp’ not ‘wimp’ at 28a?
malc you are correct – slip of the brain.