Lorraine: Good morning one and all,
Very enjoyable crossword this week, to be honest I really had no problems and found this weeks offering very straight forward. Favourites were 26ac – very clever indeed, with 3dn and 9dn all very good.
Thanks to all who visit my blog and a big thank you to Everyman for a very enjoyable puzzle.
| Across | |||
| 1. | Pub against City in needle match (5,5) | ||
| LOCAL DERBY | LOCAL(pub)+DERBY | ||
| 6. | Animal kept for breeding gets endless attention (4) | ||
| STUD | STUD[y] | ||
| 10. | Living in a town in Darfur, Bangladeshi (5) | ||
| URBAN | hidden: darfUR, BANgladeshi | ||
| 11. | Almost risk bringing in Arab coach (9) | ||
| CHARABANC | ARAB in CHANC[e] | ||
| 12. | Stimulating drink (7) | ||
| CORDIAL | dd | ||
| 13. | Leaves foil, crumpled with time (7) | ||
| FOLIAGE | (FOIL*)+AGE | ||
| 14. | Flag showing major shipping hazards (5,3,4) | ||
| STARS AND BARS | STAR+SANDBARS(shipping hazards) | ||
| 18. | There’s talk of a bit of trouble during change-over (12) | ||
| CONVERSATION | A+T[rouble] in CONVERSION | ||
| 21. | Bird ran off in stadium (4,3) | ||
| BARN OWL | (RAN*) in BOWL(such as the ‘rose bowl’, cricket stadium) | ||
| 22. | A permit held by the sportsman (7) | ||
| ATHLETE | A+(LET in THE) | ||
| 23. | Mushy peas and tripe starter (9) | ||
| APPETISER | (PEAS TRIPE)* | ||
| 24. | Bar, stifling to staff (5) | ||
| BATON | TO in BAN | ||
| 25. | The queen of Carthage accomplished nothing (4) | ||
| DIDO | DID+O | ||
| 26. | What Bloomingdale’s always has in? (10) | ||
| APOSTROPHE | sort of cyrptic pun | ||
| Down | |||
| 1. | Boat set afloat (6) | ||
| LAUNCH | dd | ||
| 2. | Poles caught sabre dancing (6) | ||
| CABERS | C+(SABRE*) | ||
| 3. | Ageing, as the walrus undoubtedly is (4,2,3,5) | ||
| LONG IN THE TOOTH | another cryptic pun | ||
| 4. | Former church leader’s first to stand out (5) | ||
| EXCEL | EX+CE+L[eader] | ||
| 5. | Annual dinner of beef ‘Santa’ may provide (9) | ||
| BEANFEAST | (BEEF SANTA)* | ||
| 7. | Hothead showing sign of emotion at opponent’s ground (8) | ||
| TEARAWAY | TEAR+AWAY(opponent’s ground) | ||
| 8. | Drop iron? (8) | ||
| DECREASE | cdd | ||
| 9. | Admitted as a barrister shouted for drinks? (6,2,3,3) | ||
| CALLED TO THE BAR | yet another cryptic pun | ||
| 15. | Produces a meal at short notice – smashing result, with drink later (7,2) | ||
| RUSTLES UP | (RESULT*)+SUP | ||
| 16. | One holds a sword – he won’t strike poet (8) | ||
| SCABBARD | SCAB+BARD | ||
| 17. | Fearless, I unwisely printed (8) | ||
| INTREPID | I+(PRINTED*) | ||
| 19. | Socialist premier in tabloid (3-3) | ||
| RED-TOP | RED+TOP | ||
| 20. | Odd scene involving a session with a spiritualist (6) | ||
| SEANCE | A in (SCENE*) | ||
| 22. | A bishop, as seen in wall hanging (5) | ||
| ARRAS | A+RR(Right Reverand)+AS | ||
| … | |||
For once I got to feel like those Times solvers who solve it in around 5 minutes -except for 26a where i could have stared at all week and not got it. Had to use a solver on that one and had an “ah” moment when the penny dropped. Had thought of floors, departments, customers etc but of course off track.
This weeks was certainly not a fast solve.
Thanks, Lorraine. Interesting to see that CHARABANC (11 ac) is not dead after all. See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2028769/Aerodrome-charabanc-obsolete-scrapped-Collins-Dictionary.html This the 3rd time it’s appeared recently in puzzles blogged on the 15×15 site.
Many thanks, Lorraine.
I too struggled with APOSTROPHE, which was my last one in, and I needed your blog to see the parsing for STARS AND BARS – like Bamberger’s experience, stared at it for ages and still couldn’t see how it worked. I think your brain just ends up going down a cul-de-sac sometimes and can’t reverse out of it.
But as you say, a pleasing Sunday morning solve as usual. APPETISER made me smile, which is one of my criteria for a good crossword.
I like that criterion, K’s D. 🙂
Hi Cholecyst, fortunately the words have only disappeared from the pocket dictionary.
Ditto re 26ac.
Thanks Lorraine and Everyman.