Smashing way to start the day
Across
1 WAVE MECHANICS CH (children) in (WISE CAVEMAN)*
9 RECOUNT dd
10 VITALLY (crucially) VI (six) TALLY (match)
11 TILDE (mark) L (left) in TIDE (flood)
12 RACKETEER (to extort) RACKET (din) EER (always)
13 DEADLINE dd
15 SINBAD (the sailor) not SIN BAD
18 FRENCH (in Paris) FRE[elu]NCH
19 HANDICAP (disadvantage) HAND (worker) I (one) CAP (limit)
22 MINOR SUIT (bridge) (MINI TOURS)*
24 HABER (chemist) BA< in HER (the female)
25 LOBSTER (food) (STOR[a]BLE)*
26 FOULARD (soft untwilled silk) FOUL (muck up) A RD
27 BODY MASS INDEX (SEXY BONDMAIDS)*
Down
1 WORSTED dd
2 VACILLATE (hesitate) ILL (unfit) in VACATE (leave)
3 MOUSE (computer tool) O (nothing) in MUSE (inspiration)
4 CATERING (at reception) C (hundred) ATE RING
5 ADVICE (lawyer offers) AD (commercial) VICE (immorality)
6 IN THE WIND dd
7 SOLVE V in SOLE (only)
8 HYBRID (cross) HY (henry) BRID[e]
14 LACERATED (torn apart) LACE RATED (thought highly of)
16 BACKBOARD dd
17 MASTIFFS (dogs) TIFF (row) in MASS (mob)
18 FAMILY (nearest and dearest) AMI (French friend) in FLY
20 PARADOX (mystery) PARAD[e] (show) O (nothing) X (wrong)
21 QUORUM (enough people) status QUO RUM (odd)
23 NABOB (governor) NAB (grab) OB (old boy)
24 HOURI (Muslim nymph) HOUR (time) I (independence)
( )* = anagram [ ] = omit < = reversed dd = double definition
Thanks Jed and Bradman. Good stuff. I had to check the chemist (not really remembered from my school A level course) but the clueing and crossing letters set me on the right track. My cod was 3d – obvious as soon as you see it, but with elegantly “bemusing” wordplay 😉
Couldn’t find “haber” for chemist in my Chambers. Can anyone give me a bit more info about this word as it’s a new one for me.
Hello Gibichung
Fritz Haber, the German chemist known for his work on gases.
Mike
PS I vaguely remember studying the ‘Haber process’ in school chemistry many moons ago.
It gets a mention in the 12th Edition of Chambers.
Thanks mike04 – much appreciated!