This was probably my quickest ever solve of one of Don’s puzzles in any of his incarnations. There was only one answer with which I was not familiar (3dn) but this was readily obtainable from the wordplay.
As is usual with this setter, all the clues were scrupulously fair so there is very little for me to comment on other than to say that I enjoyed the puzzle, even though it could have presented more of a challenge. Thanks Bradman.
| Across | ||
| 1 | FRIGID | F (female) RIGID (stiff) |
| 5 | TAILSPIN | TAILS (possible word from cricket captain before match) PIN (fix) |
| 9 | STEERAGE | *(EAGER SET) |
| 10 | CANOPY | A N (new) OP (work) in C[lass]Y |
| 11 | WRENCH | WREN (Sir Christopher) CH (companion) |
| 12 | HUNTRESS | TRES (very French) in HUNS (invaders of Britain) |
| 14 | AMORTISATION | *(MOTORIST IN AA) |
| 18 | MICHELANGELO | I (one) *(CHALLENGE) in [r]OM[e] reversed &lit |
| 22 | DUODENUM | DUO (two) DEN (squalid accommodation) UM (hesitation) |
| 25 | TESTER | double def. |
| 26 | BITTER | BITTER[n] (north avoided by bird) |
| 27 | SECURITY | UR (old city) in SE (Home Counties) CITY (town of some size) |
| 28 | HEADLESS | double def. |
| 29 | LADING | [vesse]L A DING (a sort of noise) |
| Down | ||
| 2 | RETIRE | hidden in ‘aRE TIREd’ |
| 3 | GREENWASH | *(NEW AGERS) H[ypocrisy] &lit – “a specious overlay, or ineffectual display, of concern for the environment” (Chambers). |
| 4 | DEATH TOLL | (LETHAL TO-D[o]) |
| 5 | TEE SHOT | Cryptic def. – golf. |
| 6 | INCAN | CA (about) in INN (pub) |
| 7 | SENOR | SEN[i]OR (high up in the organisation? Not I) |
| 8 | IMPOSTOR | ST (street) in I’M POOR (I am without money) |
| 13 | TEA | T[h]E [m]A[n] |
| 15 | SCEPTICAL | *(I ACCEPT L[ot]S) |
| 16 | TROUSERED | USER (addict) E (drug) in TROD (walked) |
| 17 | FIGURINE | FIG (tree) URINE (water) |
| 19 | EVE | EVE[n] (yet falling short) |
| 20 | NEMESIS | *(MIS[s] SEEN) |
| 21 | BEATON | BE A[ppreciate] TON (fashion) – Cecil Beaton |
| 23 | DATED | A T (time) E[cumenism] in DD (theologian) |
| 24 | NORSE | *(SENOR) |
A very gentle puzzle from the Don, but most enjoyable. Favourite clues the &lit 18a, and 16d.
Thanks to Gaufrid for the notes – a typo in the solution to 1a.
Thanks Jezza, typo corrected. I was in a hurry to get the blog published before a 9am appointment and didn’t proof read it accurately enough.
Many thanks Gaufrid and Bradman.
This was another very enjoyable puzzle.
As soon as I saw Bradman’s name, I guessed that we’d get thrown a cricket question but it took me much longer to work it out.
And then when I hoped to visit this site again to check the FT, my Internet connection was acting up. Very frustrating!
Failed on 21d -didn’t know fashion =ton and never heard of beaton so not much chance of getting that one and also 3d.
18a is a very fine clue!
Well Gaufrid, “This was probably my quickest ever solve of one of Don’s puzzles in any of his incarnations”?
To be honest, for me it was more or less the opposite – that is as far as Bradman is concerned. I didn’t find it that easy at all.
But what’s more important: the cluing was impeccable as ever.
Like Thomas99 I liked MICHELANGELO, but 16d (TROUSERED) was very good too. As was 3d (GREENWASH). And 8d (IMPOSTOR).
Only a pity that in 27ac (SECURITY) the word ‘city’ that had to be entered was also present in the clue.
It’s always a pleasure to solve Bradman’s puzzles and this one was no exception!