Everyman No 3,362

by

And the envelope contains…

Across
1. I’m so sexy in new lace undergarment (8)
CAMISOLE Envelope (‘in’) of MISO, an anagram (‘sexy’) of ‘Im so’ in CALE, an anagram (‘new’) of ‘lace’.
5. A couple of lines in poor song (6)
BALLAD Envelope (‘in’) of A LL (‘a’ ‘couple of lines’) in BAD (‘poor’).
9. Beginning to laugh, interrupting funny gag (8)
STRANGLE Envelope (‘interrupting’) of L (‘beginning to Laugh’) in STRANGE (‘funny’).
10. Article by good man on church’s position (6)
STANCE Charade of ST (‘good man’) + AN (‘article’) + CE (‘church’ of England).
12. Buddhist monk holding head of lowing animal (5)
LLAMA Envelope (‘holding’) of L (‘head of Lowing’) in LAMA (‘Buddhist monk’).
13. Popular French novelist’s crossing small British city (9)
INVERNESS Envelope (‘crossing’) of S (‘small’) in IN VERNES (‘popular’ ‘French novelists’).
14. Checking text from academic going round old English university (12)
PROOFREADING Envelope (‘going round’) of O (‘old’) in PROF READING (‘academic’ ‘English university‘).
18. Speculation after son’s dismissed? His crime? (12)
EMBEZZLEMENT Peculation is EMBEZZLEMENT, and also [s]peculation minus s (‘after sons dismissed’). An unusual style of clue. The Z from 3D made the answer obvious some time before I saw the wordplay.
21. Typeface used by Cambridge college lecturer penning first of novels (9)
CLARENDON Envelope (‘penning’) of N (‘first of Novels’) in CLARE DON (‘Cambridge college‘ ‘ lecturer’).
23. Ring about daughter’s cycle (5)
PEDAL Envelope (‘about’) of D (‘daughter’) in PEAL (‘ring’).
24. Beast kept by Pakistani male (6)
ANIMAL Hidden in ‘PakistANI MALe’.
25. A name in staircase window (8)
FANLIGHT Envelope (‘in’) of A N (‘a’  ‘name’) in FLIGHT (‘staircase’).
26. Hear about object, all the rage (6)
TRENDY Envelope (‘about’) of END (‘object’) in TRY (‘hear’ in the judicial sense).
27. On which runners make tracks? (3,5)
SKI SLOPE Cryptic definition.
Down
1. Keep left in station (6)
CASTLE Envelope (‘in’) of L (‘left’) in CASTE (‘station’ of life). Defining CASTLE as ‘keep’ is a little questionable.
2. New, in fish sauce (6)
MORNAY Envelope (‘in’) of N (‘new’) in MORAY (‘fish’, the eel). Mornay sauce is a white sauce with cheese, which may well be served with fish.
Moray eel
Moray eel
3. Czar’s aunt, originally from a Bolivian city (5,4)
SANTA CRUZ Anagram (‘originally’; not indicating a first letter this time, but an uncommon and effective anagrind) of ‘Czars aunt’. Among the various cities with this name, there is Santa Cruz de la Sierra, in Bolivia.
4. Sweet woman, crossing warden (8,4)
LOLLIPOP LADY Charade of LOLLIPOP (‘sweet’) + LADY (‘woman’).
6. Change flag when heading off (5)
ALTER [f]ALTER (‘flag’ ‘when heading off”).
7. Cause of one leering lasciviously? (8)
LINGERIE Anagram (’cause of’?) of I (‘one’) ‘leering’. The lure of the &lit probably accounts for the loose construction.
8. Put on, before season, an equestrian event (8)
DRESSAGE Charade of DRESS (‘put on’) + AGE (‘season’).
11. All given lift after morality play (5,3,4)
EVERY MAN JACK Charade of EVERYMAN(‘morality play’) + JACK (‘lift’). In addition to a crossword, Everyman is a 15 century morality play.
The frontispiece to Everyman (he's on the left)
The frontispiece to Everyman (he's on the left)
15. An Italian city, southern state capital (9)
ANNAPOLIS Charade of ‘an’ + NAPOLI (‘Italian city’, Naples) + S (‘southern’).
16. Liking page’s charm (8)
PENCHANT Charade of P (‘page’) + ENCHANT (‘charm’).
17. Rough sailor varies manoeuvres (8)
ABRASIVE Charade of AB (able bodied ‘sailor’) + RASIVE, anagram (‘manœuvres’) of ‘varies’.
19. A soldier entering a function slowly (6)
ADAGIO Envelope (‘entering’) of A GI (‘a’ ‘soldier’) in A GO (‘a’ ‘function’).
20. Gay bishop set on fire by male (6)
BLITHE Charade of B (‘bishop’) + LIT (‘set on fire’) + HE (‘male’). Remarkable surface!
22. Close to campsite, put down an antelope (5)
ELAND Charade of E (‘close to campsitE + LAND (‘put down’).

7 comments on “Everyman No 3,362”

  2. Nice Everyman puzzle, and thanks to PeterO for the good, pictorial blog.

    Didn’t realise PECULATION=embezzlement until I looked it up. As you say, the ‘z’ made the answer a possible.

    CAMISOLE and LINGERIE; I was waiting for knickers next.

  3. I really enjoyed this Everyman puzzle, even though I never managed to complete it. The surface readings of some of the clues — like 1a and 20d — were hilarious. Many thanks for your explanation of the clues I never managed to solve.

  4. A lovely puzzle that produced many smiles and some laugh-out-loud moments from me and my solving partner. Especially liked 20d. Thanks to Everyman and to PeterO for an entertaining blog.

  5. Thanks PeterO,

    Another very entertaining puzzle from Everyman with many superb clues including CAMISOLE, STRANGLE, PEDAL (simple but misleading), LINGERIE (almost &lit) and BLITHE (favourite). The latter clue was very amusing and appealed to my irreligious nature. Well done Everyman.

  6. Many thanks PeterO, especially for the reminder of Everyman, which I should have recognised at the time, grr!

    In 7d, I took the anagrind to be ‘lasciviously’, and the whole to be an &lit.

    The usual excellent fare from Everyman (the setter). Thanks.

  7. Thank you, Peter for a fine blog.

    Very entertaining puzzle – I too smiled at the clue for BLITHE, but there were many other good ones as well. I too had forgotten the Everyman morality play definition. Needed your explanation of EMBEZZLEMENT, never having come across peculation before.

    Everyman on excellent form.

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