I don’t think I’ve blogged on a Wanderer puzzle before; if this was his or her début, then it was a good one. The grid layout (four-letter-words abounding) was a nice change, and the clueing was inventive, clever and (for the most part) flawless.
ACROSS
1. BELUGA Anagram of blue + reversal of Ag [chemical symbol of silver]
9. PECULIAR Even letters of aCtUaL fIg within pear [fruit]
10. ETCH (F)etch [get]
11. COLLECTIVE Collect [prayer group] + IV [fourth] + e(state)
12. WREN Double definition, alluding to the Women’s Royal Naval Service
13. PECCADILLO C(riminals) within anagram of LAPD (p)olice
17. ALMS (Paracetemo)l within a + m(ump)s
18. IMPEL I [one] + P(rince) within Mel [Spice Girl]
19. JAPE J [Jack] + initial letters of Asthma Probably Explains
21. PECAN TREES Anagram of trance within pees [does a wee]
23. NICK Double definition; I initially entered hack [take, tolerate, endure] until the crossing letters put me right
24. EAST ANGLIA Anagram of against ale
28. TARN Tar [one who sails] + N [northern]
29. PECULATE Ecu [old French coin] within plate [church collection]
30. AROUND A + round [of drinks, that may be ‘stood’ in a bar]
DOWN
1. PECTORAL Pect [sounds like pecked, kissed] + oral [by the mouth]
2. EUTHANASIA Euth [sounds like youth, teenager] + an + Asia [continent]
3. MATCH POINT Match [agree] + point [position]
4. OPAL Reversal of Po [Italian river] + a + L [litre]
5. ACRE The Israeli port is hidden in reversal of dovER CAlais
6. BLOT B [black] + Lot [Polish airline]
7. MARVEL Marvel(l) [Andrew, 17th-century metaphysical poet]
14. COPSE S [small] within cope [manage]
15. ABLE SEAMAN A(ha)B – quirkily, we then have to expand the initialism ourselves
16. INJUNTION In [(at) home] + junction [crossroads]
20. PECORINO Anagram of price on + O [zero, duck]
22. ERASER ER [Edward Rex, king] + as + ER [Edward Rex, king]
25. TOUT T [time] + out [off]
26. NEAR Hidden in zoNE A Radioactivity
27. LIED Double definition (ignoring the two different pronunciations)
If I recall correctly this is the fourth Wanderer over the last six months or so – and like the others sufficiently challenging, clever with some original clueing. Thanks Wanderer and Ringo for blog.
Thanks for the blog, Ringo, and Wanderer for an entertaining puzzle.
Favourite clues: 13 and 17ac.
In 11ac, I think ‘group’ is part of the definition: a collect is a single prayer.
Re 18ac: by one of those weird coincidences, today’s Guardian puzzle by Tramp! – but I know it’s not the same vagrant] has the Spice Girls as its theme.
Did any one notice that 6 of the answers all began with the letters ‘pec’?
I presume that this must have been deliberate on Wanderer’s part.
Although I am not a great fan of homophones my favourite clue was 2D.
Thanks to Ringo.
This was another fine puzzle by Wanderer but perhaps somewhat easier than his Nr 1 and Nr 3.
I also must say that this crossword surely had the edge over the otherwise much admired ‘wanderer’ in the Guardian today.
I liked 12ac (though being my last one in) – clever and playful.
Not sure whether my penultimate entry (BLOT) has a great clue.
Some sensitive solvers might raise a complaint about a clue like 2d (EUTHANASIA).
I will not – but I am sure that Wanderer would have to defend himself at another place (ie The Guardian).
In 26d (NEAR) there’s no real hidden indicator (well, there is ‘s).
We live in a minimalistic world, don’t we? 🙂
Thanks, Ringo.
I needed you for understanding 7d (MARVEL).
CoD? Difficult to choose.
Clues like 9ac, 12ac, 1d, 5d or 22d have their own individual merits.
Good crossword!