I found this Quixote one of the more difficult ones. There were plenty of easier starter clues but a number of more obscure words meant the bottom part of the puzzle was quite tricky to finish. There were lots of nice, well-constructed clues – 24 was a very neat &lit.
| Across | |||
| 1. | Components of a company troubling MD at present (11) | ||
| Departments | (MD at present)* | ||
| 7. | Long old type of show (5) | ||
| Panto | Pant + o | ||
| 8. | Writer, senior, falling apart, is beneficiary of fund (9) | ||
| Pensioner | Pen + senior* | ||
| 10. | It could be set in bleach possibly after end of repast? (10) | ||
| Tablecloth | Lot in bleach* after [repas]t | ||
| 11. | It sounds like western actor’s wagon (4) | ||
| Wain | Hom of (John) Wayne | ||
| 12. | Part of chemist’s equipment could be the answer (6) | ||
| Retort | DD | ||
| 13. | Colour of enclosure in which match is held (3,5) | ||
| Pea green | Pen around agree | ||
| 16. | Rock band with two number ones so bad (8) | ||
| Obsidian | (Band + II + so)* | ||
| 18. | Idiot who, dumping wife, gets female controlling destiny (6) | ||
| Clotho | Clot + [w]ho. Clotho was one of the Fates from Greek Mythology. | ||
| 21. | Something going in and out — there’s change around (4) | ||
| Tide | Edit rev. | ||
| 22. | One politician, prominent LibDem, admitting the French can be adamant (10) | ||
| Implacable | I MP + (Vince) Cable around la. | ||
| 24. | Chaser o’er ground? (9) | ||
| Racehorse | &Lit – (chaser o’er)* | ||
| 25. | Flighty type beginning to learn wisdom? (5) | ||
| Owlet | CD | ||
| 26. | Peruse end of funny article in pile needing no alteration (5-2-4) | ||
| Ready to wear | Read + [funn]y + tower around a. | ||
| Down | |||
| 1. | Eccentric person debating furiously, releasing energy (7) | ||
| Dingbat. | D[e]bating* | ||
| 2. | Started as religious individual before beginning to doubt (9) | ||
| Pioneered | Pi + one + ere + d[oubt] | ||
| 3. | Last message coming with short prayer brings a bit of applause maybe (6) | ||
| Ripple | RIP (last message) + ple[a] | ||
| 4. | Mammals fellow brought over a river (8) | ||
| Manatees | Man + a Tees | ||
| 5. | Nothing to hold a metal fixture (4) | ||
| Nail | Nil around a | ||
| 6. | Wise man imbibing what shouldn’t be drunk? Result is depression (7) | ||
| Sinkage | Sage around ink | ||
| 7. | Prayer that could take people to a different level (11) | ||
| Paternoster | DD – second meaning is a type of elevator with no doors | ||
| 9. | Silly bod nattering, no good, became financially embarrassed (3,4,4) | ||
| Ran into debt | (bod natterin[g])* | ||
| 14. | Girl star hugs drunkard turning up — a sugary type (9) | ||
| Galactose | Gal + ace around sot< | ||
| 15. | After school girl absorbs a unit of radiation (5,3) | ||
| Gamma Ray | Gam (a school of whales) + mary around a | ||
| 17. | Drink that biker may take with him (7) | ||
| Sidecar | DD – a type of cocktail | ||
| 19. | A dangerous animal deprived of tail invading sailor’s flat (7) | ||
| Tabular | A bul[l] in tar | ||
| 20. | Proportion of astronomers excited by Denebola but without extremes of emotion (6) | ||
| Albedo | D[en]ebola* – an astronomical ratio of the amount of light reflected to the amount received | ||
| 23. | Bird to detect audibly — last to ascend to the top (4) | ||
| Rhea | Hear with r moved to top | ||
Thanks NeilH any idea where the “lot” comes from in 10A?
I just took it to be set=lot.
Lovely puzzle. I think 13A is also &lit and a beautiful one
Thanks Quixote for a throughly enjoyable puzzle and Neal for the blog.
10ac: Chambers 2008 gives lot n a set; I would also call this a complete “& lit” clue.
Thanks, Neal. Definitely a good bit tougher than normal, imho. Got held up on the less common words like ALBEDO and OBSIDIAN. Nice to see some science-based clues, though – Quixote can usually be relied on to get one or two into the grid.
I too thought PEA GREEN might be a nod to the Owl and the Pussycat.
A really good Don puzzle, in his inimitable style, and some wonderful clues, but, being the pedant that I am, I would contest the &lit-ness of all among the candidates but RACEHORSE, on the grounds that extraneous elements are required to complete their required surface meanings.
RAN INTO DEBT seems a curious inclusion for the Scholarly One, being the only entry that stands out in terms of dictionary validity: but this is certainly not out of place in any way in one of the Indy’s famously liberal offerings. Long may it continue!
Another very enjoyable puzzle, but I’d have failed under competition conditions with 20D. It was obviously going to be an anagram with the answer either ALDEBO or ALBEDO, and I’d have chosen the former on the basis that Aldebaran is a star and the clue referenced astronomy. Even if the clue had contained a reference to whiteness I didn’t know ALBEDO’s Latin etymology so that wouldn’t have helped. You live and learn.
Andy B.
Tougher than usual we thought for a Monday. We’d never heard of 20d either and needed electronic assistance.
All the clues were fair and a not too strenuous start to the week.
Thanks to NealH and The Don.