One of those puzzles that looks easy when you see the answers but certainly not when attempting to solve – first-rate
Across
1 CALAMITIES disasters A LAM (bash) in CITIES (big towns)
6 SCUP porgy fish [bes]S CUP (trophy)
9 ORDINAL church book DIN (noise) in ORAL (exam)
10 TO SCALE properly modelled TOSCA (opera) LE (the French)
12 CONFIDANTE intimate CON (prisoner) IF< (poem about) DANTE (poet)
13 ICE rocks [l]ICE (insects minus first letter)
15 BREAST joint to eat B[a]R (pub not a) EAST (point)
16 PLACATED calmed down A T (short time) in PLACED (put)
18 IN LEAGUE dd
20 24 A THORN IN THE FLESH constant irritation
A THORN (old Norse character) IN THE FLESH (live)
23 ENT from Lord of the Rings hidden in [m]EN-T[rees]
26 ARMENIA country MEN (soldiers) in ARIA (song)
27 INGRATE unappreciative character hot IN GRATE
28 EYRE Jane E (English) river YARE (Norwich) minus A (thanks for all who pointed out – EBRO of course – Jed)
29 INCOHERENT unintelligible HER (the woman) in (NOT NICE)*
Down
1 CLOT idiot C (caught) LOT (Bible character)
2 LADRONE pirate [trave]L A DRONE (idler)
3 MANIFESTATION demonstration (FAMINE)* STATION TV channel
4 TOLEDO steel city (TOOLED)*
5 ENTANGLE catch ENT (22 + 1 = 23down) ANGLE way of looking
7 CHARIOT carriage RIO (port) in CHAT (talk)
8 PRETENDING putting on an act
PRIEST (ordained minister minus IS) ENDING (finishing)
11 SEED CATALOGUE for gardener SEE (notice) (COAGULATED)*
14 OBLITERATE get rid (A ROBE LET IT)*
17 QUATRAIN stanza with 4 lines QUA (as) TRAIN (puff-puff)
19 LATIMER bishop IT< (sex back/up) in LAMER (more feeble)
21 ON STAGE for audience to see (TANGOES)*
22 MERINO sheep ERIN (Ireland) in MOOR minus OR
25 PEAT garden stuff A in PET (pussy perhaps)
( )* = anagram [ ] = omit < = reverse dd = double definition
Thanks Jed,
I had EBRO at 28ac – E B(i)RO
My favourites were SEED CATALOGUE and INCOHERENT.
A really good crossword.
I also had EBRO at 28a.
Many thanks to Bradman, and to Jed for the review.
Another vote for EBRO
Thanks for parsing of MERINO – I guessed it
Two good crosswords in a row!
Men- tre es I thoufght was nice, and the long one ffor THIRN IN THE FLESH. very good.
Yes – agree with Ebro – Jane Eyre was the character in the Bronte novel – not the writer
Although I got 5D I could not see where the ‘ent’ came from. Now I know.
Thanks, Jed
Once more a really good crossword by The Don (who deserves the capitalisation).
I found this puzzle considerably harder than other ones by this setter (in all his disguises).
I knew 5d had to be ENTANGLE but failing on 23ac the interaction between these clues was wasted on me.
Thanks, Jed.