I think this is the first time I’ve blogged a Donk puzzle, and in fact it may be only the setter’s second appearance on a Sunday.
This kept me busy most of the week, needing at least three sessions to finish it off. There is some fairly tough vocabulary in there, and the clueing is inventive and original, yet fair, with some well-hidden definitions.
| Across | ||
| 1 | COAT HANGERS | C-word offends supporters wearing suits? (4,7) |
| C + OATH + ANGERS | ||
| 7 | WOW | My mother in US flipped! (3) |
| From MOM, but flipped vertically. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this device before | ||
| 9 | OSIER | Tree one in Kent area covered in gold (5) |
| (I in South East) in OR | ||
| 10 | ESSEX GIRL | From six, ‘er legs up in the air? (5,4) |
| (SIX ER LEGS)*, and perhaps a rather racy &lit. Being largely unfamiliar with the county, one couldn’t possibly comment | ||
| 11 | EYESORE | Witness statement reported horror (7) |
| hom. of “I saw” | ||
| 12 | ENDORSE | Champion steed to finish rather than heading to hospital (7) |
| END + [h]ORSE | ||
| 13 | POKER FACE | Social network feature female accesses to run unreadable profile (5,4) |
| POKE + (Female in RACE) | ||
| 16 | PLUM | Prize fruit (4) |
| dd. | ||
| 17 | TSAR | Ruler’s partial to drastic backtracking (4) |
| [d]RAST[ic]< | ||
| 19 | HAG-RIDDEN | Worried friend of Potter needs joint (3-6) |
| HAGRID + DEN. I was pleased to work this out: the term itself was not familiar, and I had but a vague recollection that the Harry Potter books have a character named Hagrid | ||
| 23 | AMALGAM | Mixture of hot rock rolled to cover aluminium (7) |
| Al in MAGMA< | ||
| 24 | PIT STOP | GP changing time of visit following cutback suggestion (3,4) |
| TIP< + STOP. The definition, “GP changing time” is very well hidden indeed. It’s GP as in Grand Prix, of course | ||
| 26 | HARD LINES | Script full of tongue-twisters? Bad luck! (4,5) |
| dd. | ||
| 27 | UPSET | Triumphs for Zidane, and dismay (5) |
| UPS + ET | ||
| 28 | ELM | Muppet cut wood (3) |
| ELM[o] | ||
| 29 | ATMOSPHERIC | Notes supplier with Porsche crashing over one in background (11) |
| Automated Teller Machine + (I in PORSCHE*) | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | CLOSE-UP | In Europa League, perhaps, misplace shot from nearby (5-2) |
| LOSE in CUP | ||
| 2 | ANIME | Drawing style from a music magazine one’s received (5) |
| I in (A + New Musical Express) | ||
| 3 | HARBOUR | Lots of minutes written about retired supporter’s house (7) |
| BRA< in HOUR | ||
| 4 | NIECE | French place accommodating English girl further down the line (5) |
| English in NICE | ||
| 5 | EASTER EGG | Programmer’s surprise as reggae set broadcast (6,3) |
| (REGGAE SET)*. | ||
| 6 | SEXED UP | The other class finds Pixar film exaggerated claims (5,2) |
| SEX EDucation + UP. The film didn’t ring a bell, but that was not a significant hindrance here | ||
| 7 | WHIP-ROUND | Fundraiser greeting priest in The Cut? (4-5) |
| (HI + PRiest) in WOUND | ||
| 8 | WALLET | Case of rubbish robot put on back to front (6) |
|
WALL-E + [fron]T |
||
| 14 | KISSAGRAM | Recipient of pecking order marks one up, concealing slump (9) |
| SAG in (MARKS + I)* | ||
| 15 | AD HOMINEM | I’m home and somehow it’s become personal (2,7) |
| (I‘M HOME AND)* | ||
| 18 | REGALIA | Crown jewels extremely rude Donk displayed during celebration (7) |
| R[ud]E + (I in GALA) | ||
| 20 | IN TRUTH | To be honest, I’m not regularly a baseball player (2,5) |
| I[m] N[o]T + Babe RUTH | ||
| 21 | NEPOTIC | Grass in 4 cut poorly, favouring 4? (7) |
| POT in NICE* | ||
| 22 | MASHIE | Old club that’s after mums? (6) |
| MA + SH + I.E. | ||
| 24 | POSTS | Is dispatching those propping up the bar (5) |
| dd. | ||
| 25 | TASER | 17 essentially struggling without ecstasy – it’s a shocker (5) |
| Ecstasy in TSAR* | ||
* = anagram; < = reversed; dd = double definition; hom = homophone
Another fine puzzle from young Donk – it took me two sessions to finish off too – but then I quite often find that the case with puzzles in the Indy. Thanks to him and to Simon for the blog.
Nice one from Donk. All gettable but a lot of clues took some time to appreciate their subtlety. My CoD was AMALGAM but there were several that would run it a close second. And a facepalm moment when I twigged PIT STOP.
Thanks to setter and blogger.
I did enjoy this one, but it had me beat – couldn’t see WOW (hmmm…) or WALLET. It’s funny, I saw PIT STOP straight away (and I hate F1). I thought UPSET was a particularly clever clue, and ESSEX GIRL made me smile. I know a good number of Essex Girl jokes, but most of them are not suitable pre-watershed. (‘Why do Essex Girls take the pill? So they know what day it is.’)
Another very good puzzle from Donk, and thank you to Simon for a helpful blog.
My Essex girl other half was not altogether impressed, ok she laughed, WOW took a while to see, thanks DONK and Simon.
Many thanks to Simon for the blog and to everyone who commented. Hope you all have a great Xmas!
Another good offering from Donk! Thanks both!