Lorraine: Good morning happy solvers,
Nice Sunday morning solve with nothing too taxing.
First in was 6dn and last in was 4ac. Favourites this week are;
11, 13 and 22ac, 1, 6, 14 and 21dn.
Big thank you to Everyman for a most enjoyable solve.
| Across | |||
| 1. | Short task involving one group of singers (5) | ||
| CHOIR | CHOR(e) around I | ||
| 4. | Relish a TV broadcast, a Sheridan play (3,6) | ||
| THE RIVALS | (RELISH A TV)* | ||
| 9. | One retaliating against English sovereign after first of attacks (7) | ||
| AVENGER | (V(verus, against)+ENG+ER) after A(ttacks) | ||
| 10. | Former partner, large in size, a model (7) | ||
| EXAMPLE | EX+AMPLE | ||
| 11. | After one chapter, praise one American novel (1,8) | ||
| I CLAUDIUS | I+C+LAUD+I+US | ||
| 12. | Headdress, one nicked by a despicable type on the way over (5) | ||
| TIARA | I in (A RAT) reversed | ||
| 13. | Marksman notes owl (12) | ||
| SHARPSHOOTER | SHARPS(as opposed to flat notes)+HOOTER | ||
| 17. | Stupid person crossing road with compiler and dog (6,6) | ||
| GORDON SETTER | (GOON around RD)+SETTER | ||
| 20. | Statue of sorcerer on island (5) | ||
| IMAGE | MAGE after I | ||
| 21. | Slander a small individual I introduced (9) | ||
| ASPERSION | A+S+(I in PERSON) | ||
| 22. | Sauce boat shattered when drop of chilli poured in (7) | ||
| TABASCO | (AS(when)+C(hilli) in (BOAT*) | ||
| 23. | Popular barrister to sum up (2,5) | ||
| IN BRIEF | IN+BRIEF | ||
| 24. | Patience has dream about beheaded spy (9) | ||
| TOLERANCE | TRANCE around (m)OLE | ||
| 25. | Keen listener describing good ending to programme (5) | ||
| EAGER | EAR around (G+(programm)E); ‘describing’=’going around’ | ||
| Down | |||
| 1. | Rascal is shaking girl (8) | ||
| CLARISSA | (RASCAL IS)* | ||
| 2. | Extra weight in saddle (8) | ||
| OVERLOAD | cdd | ||
| 3. | Distinguished academic, frightful gossiper for sure (6,9) | ||
| REGIUS PROFESSOR | (GOSSIPER FOR SURE)* | ||
| 4. | Discoloured, one outhouse below mountain lake (9) | ||
| TARNISHED | (I SHED) after TARN | ||
| 5. | Not fluctuating, small odds (5) | ||
| EVENS | EVEN+S | ||
| 6. | Their evil banter aroused tsar (4,3,8) | ||
| IVAN THE TERRIBLE | (THEIR EVIL BANTER)* | ||
| 7. | Come on the market with a soft fruit (6) | ||
| APPEAR | A+P(soft)+PEAR | ||
| 8. | Watches wife pocketing a yo-yo (6) | ||
| SEESAW | A in (SEES W(ife)) | ||
| 14. | One who may know a lot about tents? (9) | ||
| OENOPHILE | cd; ‘tent’ is a deep-red Spanish wine | ||
| 15. | Hitting out (8) | ||
| STRIKING | dd | ||
| 16. | Extremely stiff in coach? I must leave conveyance (8) | ||
| TRANSFER | S(tif)F in TRA(i)NER | ||
| 18. | Child upset and tense at an order that must be obeyed (6) | ||
| DIKTAT | (KID<)+T+AT | ||
| 19. | Caper for which doctor is put in prison (6) | ||
| GAMBOL | MB in GAOL | ||
| 21. | A cereal with fruit (5) | ||
| ACORN | A+CORN | ||
| … | |||
I failed on 14d -where I could only guess omniphile . Couldn’t see how tents worked but couldn’t see anything else.
I thought there was some clever clueing here: SHARPSHOOTER made me smile, and I also liked REGIUS PROFESSOR. I did get OENOPHILE after a couple of crossing letters – it’s just that Everyman doesn’t often do cds, so I wasn’t expecting one there.
Fine puzzle and blog; thanks to both.
Thank you to both Everyman and Lorraine! Another very enjoyable solve, but boy, did I get my wires crossed on 14 Down! It was the last to go in for me and I got it by the crossing letters. But I’d never heard of a wine called “tent” and just assumed that the answer was something to do with Omar Khayyam and a “jug of wine.” I mistook Omar Khayyam with the old movie, which I’ve never seen but heard the name of, “Omar the Tentmaker!” That’s how I accounted for “oenophile” and “tents.” And I can assure you that I wasn’t imbibing tent or any other wine while solving, so I can’t blame my muddled mind on anything but a lack of experience with Spanish reds which I shall do my best to remedy! There were many other fine clues in this puzzle. Like Kathryn’s Dad, I liked 13 Across. Other faves were 22 and 24 Across.
I got it all except for the oenophile but new to this blog – what does CD mean, please?
Hi Mary
Welcome to 15². I hope you continue to comment. CD is an abbreviation for a cryptic definition, ie one that alludes to the answer.