Congratulations to Cyclops on his 500th puzzle, and many thanks for all the fun and amusement so far. Here’s to number 1000!
The preamble tells us to expect guest appearances from ‘names that have been a rich source of clue fodder over the past 19 years’ and, sure enough, the usual suspects duly made their appearance, clued without further definition.
| Across | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MURDOCH | Rebekeh’s first affair getting considerable coverage R = Rebekeh’s first; DO = affair; in MUCH = getting considerable coverage Usual suspect #1: Rupert Murdoch |
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| 5 | MAJOR | Bill’s back from holiday venue AC (account; bill) reversed, removed from Majorca, a holiday venue Usual suspect #2: John Major (… and note that ‘A permanent, more comprehensive and multi-media site is due to be launched in the next few months’. Betcha can’t wait!) |
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| 8 | ORGANIC | Screwed Monica’s head off — Republican grandee starts to break it up, which is natural *(onica), with ‘screwed’ as the anagram indicator, and ‘head off’ to indicate that the first letter should be removed; RG = Republican grandee starts (first letters). Reference to Monica Lewinsky (19a) |
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| 9 | EDIFICE | Balls provided, hard stuff gives erection? ED = Balls (Shadow Chancellor); IF = provided; ICE = hard stuff |
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| 10 | BIPARTISAN | Britain’s in a bad way with state intervention, Coalition style? *(Britains); with PA = state (Pennsylvania) |
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| 12 | ENVY | Resentment when diplomat fails to get round in ENV[o]Y= diplomat without O (round letter) |
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| 13 | RETAINER | Not one to give away what the lawyer pocketed? Double definition: one who retains; lawyer’s fee simply for being on the case, never mind whether they do any work |
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| 15 | ABSURD | Muscles crap? Time out, stupid! ABS = muscles; [t]URD = crap, without T (‘time out’) |
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| 16 | ARCHER | Protestor’s married off? [m]ARCHER = ‘marcher’ without M (married) Usual suspect #3: the ever-lovely and truthful Jeffrey |
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| 19 | LEWINSKY | Flew in Skytrain (not a low grade coach) Flew in Skytrain, without ‘F train’, a low-grade coach Usual suspect #4: Monica Lewinsky |
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| 22 | BUTT | Great capacity for wine, this arsehole Double definition: a wine cask — the butt or pipe was half a tun, approximately 475 to 480 litres. Therefore the imperial butt was 105 imperial gallons (477.33945 litres) and the US butt was 126 US gallons (476.961884784 litres); and a bottom (note that the typical US one is 126 US gallons; doesn’t surprise me a bit) |
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| 23 | DISCONTENT | Pissed off 3’s subject matter? Di’s content (see 3d) |
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| 25 | RAW MEAT | “Ill-conceived war”: Middle East article wants Tony’s head — due for a roasting? *(war); ME = Middle East; A = article; T: Tony’s head |
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| 26 | CAMERON | Was responsible for ejaculating “Right on!” CAME = was responsible for ejaculating; R = right; ON Usual suspect #5: David Cameron |
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| 27 | BLAIR | Put weight about to secure broadcast LB = pound weight, reversed; AIR = broadcast. Neither I nor ’im indoors are sure about the ‘secure’, though — it would normally be a containment indictor, and seems to have been included here simply for the sake of surface reading. As usual, other ideas welcome. Usual suspect #6: Tony Blair (and I warn you that the website at the end of this link is not for the squeamish). |
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| 28 | AT STAKE | In danger as a flaming heretic? Double definition: in danger; heretics were burned at the stake. |
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| Down | |||
| 2 | UKRAINE | State of the country: close to downfall and collapse ultimately UK = the country; close to RAIN = downfall; E = collapse ultimately. Definition: state |
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| 3 | DIANA | State “Not elected” Indiana minus ‘in’ = elected Usual suspect #7: Princess Diana |
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| 4 | CLINTON | Belittled Conservative draped round dressing material CON = Belittled Conservative; LINT = dressing material; with ‘draped round’ as the containment indicator Usual suspects #8a and #8b: Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton |
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| 5 | MADONNA | Divine gift, hogging the party MANNA = divine gift; DO = party; with ‘hogging’ as the containment indicator Usual suspect #9: Madonna |
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| 6 | JEFFERSON | President 4’s second Monica, so it’s said Middle name of President Clinton (4d). “Monica” (19a) sounds like “monicker”, originally tramps’ slang for a name or nickname. |
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| 7 | RECOVER | About Cameron’s lead: finished — get over it! RE = about; C = Cameron’s lead; OVER = finished |
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| 11 | SURPLUS | Remainder of Right and Left half breaking up in Southern America R L = Right and Left; half breaking UP; in S = Southern; US = America |
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| 14 | ARHYTHMIA | Army hit with a battering involving hydrogen — ticker malfunction *(army hit) including H = hydrogen arrhythmia (more commonly spelt with a double R) |
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| 17 | RHUBARB | Luvvie-style prattle, which is often forced Double definition: in a theatrical context, ‘a word muttered repeatedly to give the impression of indistinct background conversation’; a plant often grown under conditions known as ‘forcing’, notably in the Yorkshire rhubarb triangle |
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| 18 | RED HAIR | 21’s crowning glory: orchestrating the absolute end of Keir Hardie? *(R Hardie). Disappointed not to see myself at 21d after this clue… |
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| 20 | WOOD ANT | Sylvan creature has desire to grab balls on date WANT = desire; containing (‘to grab’) OO = balls, on D = date |
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| 21 | KINNOCK | Elected to penetrate slag IN = elected; inside (‘to penetrate’) KNOCK = slag (off) Usual suspect #10: Neil Kinnock |
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| 24 | TWEET | Have a piss in double time and tell all and sundry about it? WEE = have a piss; in TT = double time |
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Here’s a topical cricket picture for you:
Really enjoyed this. Many thanks all.
Hi jetdoc.
For 27ac, how about the idea of securing a trailer to the back of a car? I think that would stretch to the use here.
That was our best shot at an explanation. As you imply, though, it’s a bit unconvincing.
Thanks jetdoc and Cyclops. Enjoyable. As you warned, the contents of my stomach do not feel “secure” after following the link at 27a!
Thanks jetdoc. And Cyclops for all the puzzles.
I can’t see a problem with secure, To fix or attach (something) so as not to become loose, give way, fall off, or come apart;