The third Sunday Raich I’ve drawn on the trot, I think, so it seems the 152 calendar is somewhat in sync with that of the IoS. No complaints at all from me, as I always enjoy the puzzles set by our friend and colleague. There’s a reference to Easter at 2dn, but I couldn’t see any further seasonal material.
I’m a bit wobbly on a couple here, particularly 1ac.
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | CASH DISPENSER – unfortunately I’m not quite sure about this one, perhaps a cd? Where all the money is originally?. |
| 8 | FLAG – dd. A “jack” being a type of flag, and of course “droop”. |
| 9 | CHARTREUSE – (HATE RECURS)*. Something I vaguely remember from my student days. This was a sickly green concoction that needed very little encouragement to burst into flames. |
| 10 | WIDE-EYED – W[e]I[r]D[i]E[s] + hom. of “I’d”. |
| 11 | EARWIG – (A WIRE + [gettin]G)*. |
| 12 | STALE – S[ob] + TALE. |
| 14 | PROFOUND – PRO + FOUND. |
| 16 | SCHEMING – S + E + MING. |
| 19 | SWEET – from TWEET, with the leading T supplanted by S. |
| 21 | UMPIRE – cd. |
| 23 | RESONANT – I think this is NOSE< in RANT. |
| 25 | CREDIT CARD – DIRECT* + CARD, in that a Queen may be a playing card. |
| 26 | GRUB – GR + U + B. |
| 27 | CREME DE MENTHE – (MED in CREE) + MEN + THE. |
| Down | |
| 1 | CELSIUS – ([useles]S + CLUE IS)*. |
| 2 | SEGREGATE – (EASTER EGG)*. |
| 3 | DICEY – CE in DIY. |
| 4 | STAND-UP – S + TA + N + D.U.P. |
| 5 | ENTRE NOUS – EN + T + RENO + U.S. |
| 6 | SNEER – N in SEER. |
| 7 | RUSSIAN – a loose hom. of “rushin'”. |
| 13 | EPICENTRE – (PERT NIECE)* and a rather nice cryptic definition in “quaking heart”. |
| 15 | OVERNIGHT – OVER + NIGHT*. |
| 17 | CAMBRIC – CAMBRI[dge] + C. |
| 18 | GARBAGE – in GARAGE. |
| 20 | TONSURE – NOT< + SURE. |
| 22 | INDIE – from INDIA, with E[ager] in place of A. |
| 24 | SEDGE – [sun-kis]SED GE[orgia]. |
Hi Simon
For 1a, ‘all the money’ initially is ATM = cash dispenser.
Throughly enjoyed this. Favourites: the surface of 13, EPICENTRE; the definition of 1d, CELSIUS; and the definition of Creme de Menthe as ‘alternative to Chartreuse’… what a horrible idea!
Many thanks to Simon and Raich.
Did you manage to do the concise crossword, would be great if you could help out!
Many thanks for the excellent blog, Simon and, yes, Anax has confirmed what was intended in 1A. Thanks too to Wanderer for his comment.