Independent 8178 by Alchemi

by

So it’s my privilege to wrap up 2012 with Indy new boy Alchemi on yet another wild and wet morning to end the year.

As far as I can tell there’s no nina or obvious theme going on today, I was partially expecting a New Year theme of some sort but can’t see one.

Thanks to all the setters/bloggers, commentators and Eimi for the fun from the last year, NMS’s review of the year should be good, happy New Year to you all, Phil.

Across:

1 BLENDS LEND in B(eanfield)S
4 STAR WARS START + WAR(s)
10 APPLE TREE A(gent) + P.P. + LET + R(eal estat)E + E(nglish)
11 FROWN ROW in F (loud) + N
12 TANK TA + N + K
13 MONTEVIDEO [MEN DIVE TOO]*
15 NOISIER [(d)ERISION]*
16 DELUGE LUG in DEE
19 WEEVIL WEE + VIL(e)
21 SIEVERT SIEVE + T(roubleshoote)R rev.
23 BUCK ROGERS ROGER in BUCKS
25 STUB BUTS rev
27 SWAMI SWAM + I (electric current)
28 CENTIPEDE [NICE PET]* + D(elicat)E
29 DOGGEDLY [DODGY LEG]*
30 PARROT PAR + ROT
Down:    
1 BLASTING (A + ST (The Saint)) in BLING
2 EXPENSIVE [PEN’S (female swan’S) + IV] in EXE
3 DOES Double definition
5 TREATED EAT instead of I in TRIED
6 RIFT VALLEY FIR rev + TV + ALLEY
7 ALOUD Hom of ALLOWED
8 SENIOR I in SENOR
9 ARMOUR (h)ARM (y)OUR
14 SILVER MINE VERMIN in LIES*
17 GREAT BEAR Hom of GRATE BARE
18 STABLEST STABLES + T (square)
20 LOGICAL GI in LOCAL
21 SHRINK H(ou)R in SINK
22 ABUSED US in A(ustralian) BED
24 CLANG CLAN + G(ood)
26 LIRA L(earner) + I.R.A.

 

 

 

8 comments on “Independent 8178 by Alchemi”

  1. Thanks Alchemi for a thoroughly enjoyable puzzle and flashling for the blog.

    A couple of typos in the blog: at 28ac you have = for + (and an intrusive “a”) and at 2dn you are missing the S in the parsing.

    [Edit thanks Pelham]

  2. I couldn’t spot a nina or theme, either – just a pleasant straightforward puzzle solved in about 15 minutes. Thanks to Alchemi and flashling.

    And a Happy New Year to all.

  3. Thanks, flashling. Nothing here to detain me very long either, but none the worse for that. I just stumbled on 23ac when I confused my BUZZ Lightyears with my BUCK Rogers. I thought TREATED was a clever clue.

    Many thanks to Alchemi.

  4. Monday puzzles are meant to be snacks rather than full meals. “Thoroughly enjoyable” and “pleasant” therefore indicate mission accomplished.

    Thanks to flashling, those who have commented and those who have solved. And a happy new year to all.

  5. Thanks Alchemi and flashling.

    An enjoyable and easy stroll today but as K’s D says it was no less enjoyable for being on the easy side.

    We’d agree about 5d as well.

    Happy New Year to everyone!

  6. Last time Alchemi set there was general encouragement for a new setter, which is good, and general tolerance of his failings in that crossword, which is not. So I was expecting to have some quibbles today. Well I have, but they’re very minor, and I thought some of the clues (those for TREATED, RIFT VALLEY and ARMOUR) were excellent and the whole thing very enjoyable.

    The quibbles, for what they’re worth: in 10ac we have ‘vacant real estate’ for ‘re’, which is unconventional although I can see no harm in it; and in 8dn we have ‘I intrude on’ when it should (?) but of course can’t be ‘I intrudes on’.

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