Yesterday someone commented on the new kids on the block and said how well they are all doing, something with which I agree, and Donk is at the forefront of this group. Today’s crossword has, as has always been the case with him so far, some outstanding clues.
No doubt he has some cunningly concealed Nina, since so far he has not disappointed us, but I don’t see it today.
(Definitions in italics.)
Across
1 Request good breaks in weather for painter? (5,3)
SPRAY GUN
(pray g) inserted in [= breaks in] sun [= weather]
6 When reversing, can a driver’s head turn? (2,3)
GO BAD
(bog [= can])rev. a d{river}
10 Blue stuff eroded tiny cave to halfway? (7)
EROTICA
ero{ded) ti{ny} ca{ve}
11 Celebrity setter soon pens end of clue (7)
SOMEONE
me [= setter] in soon, followed by {clu}e — ‘pens’ is referring not to the end of clue, but to what immediately precedes it
12 Boring partner up the spout (5)
ERUPT
partnER UP The — a hidden that I missed for a long time — indicated by ‘Boring’
14 Here, blogs are reporting where Yorkshireman’s shot finished? (8)
INTERNET
“in the net”, as a Yorkshireman might pronounce this
15 Door’s opening in British Airways lounge, one without locks (6)
BALDIE
BA l(d{oor})ie
19 Follower of M People agreeing pitch? (6)
ENCAMP
The follower of M is N, or en; people agreeing = camp
21 What’s more, chap’s turned against old European (8)
YUGOSLAV
The wordplay is fine here, but the definition escapes me: (guy)rev. o Slav — the definition is presumably ‘What’s more’, but how this relates to Yugoslavia I can’t see I’m afraid. As several people have pointed out, the definition is ‘old European’ and it’s (also [=What’s more] guy)rev. v
24 These won’t help accountant see you before courts (9)
CATARACTS
CA [= Chartered Accountants] tara [= see you] cts — semi &lit. I think, certainly there’s an &littish quality here, but the precise terminology I’m a bit vague about
26 Pulled back down trousers for one artist (5)
DEGAS
(sad [= down])rev. [ie pulled back] round [ie trousers] eg [= for one]
27 Name woman involved in presidential scandal over blower (7)
MONIKER
“Monica” — ref Monica Lewinsky — the homophone indicator is ‘over blower’, in the wordplay at any rate
28 A hanged criminal – situation for Dutch politicians? (3,4)
DEN HAAG
(A hanged)* — Den Haag is the Dutch name for The Hague
29 None in current state can make retreat (5)
OASIS
0 as is [= in current state]
30 Knocking shop‘s doorbell for a change (8)
BORDELLO
(doorbell)*
13 See 2 down
Down
2,13 Plugs in grid for tube station, blokes install centrally (7,9)
PRODUCT PLACEMENT
Pro [= for] duct [= tube] place [= station] men [= blokes] {ins}t{all} — presumably the definition is ‘Plugs in grid’, but although product placements are types of plug, I can’t see where the grid comes in
3 For now, a team from Milan wears grey (2,7)
AD INTERIM
a d(Inter)im — not a Latin term I knew, but obvious enough from the wordplay, so long as you have heard of Inter Milan, that is
4 Place invested in must for wine deals (8)
GRAPPLES
grap(pl)es — grapes = must for wine
5 Exchange note when lawyer takes question (6)
NASDAQ
n [= note] as [= when] da [= DA, District Attorney] q [= question] — ref the Nasdaq
6 Reason for unnecessarily putting Gandhi’s evacuated wife in France (5)
GIMME
G{andh}i Mme [= Madame] — but a gimme is hardly a reason for unnecessarily putting [putting as in golf] — a gimme is a very short putt — your opponent may insist on your sinking it, but I can’t see how a reason comes into it
7 Show disgust at performer with feather duster, ignoring odd support (7)
BOOKEND
Boo Ken D{odd} — Ken Dodd used to perform with his feather duster, which he called his tickling stick — this took me ages to see, since I was trying and failing to find something of the form _K_E_N_D
8 Lewd cracks – finally complaint was lodged (5)
DWELT
(Lewd)* {complain}t
9 Forged steel I’ve put on box (8)
TELEVISE
(steel I’ve)*
16 Dodging a very ordinary party for Steve Jobs? (9)
AVOIDANCE
a v o i-dance — the late Steve Jobs, of Apple, called his products the i-Mac, the i-Pod, the i-Pad etc, so whimsically he might have called a dance an i-dance
17 Imagine most were jealous of round sink (8)
ENVISAGE
Envie{d} round sag — most = mostly here, something that seems OK to me but which I can’t actually find
18 1000/1 shot‘s detour is funny (8)
OUTSIDER
(detour is)*
20 Craft bean bags frequently for chains (7)
CATENAS
C{r}a{f}t {b}e{a}n {b}a{g}s — a catena is a chain
22 Trouble with those enabling hearing aid for sailor (7)
LUGSAIL
lugs [= ears, those enabling hearing] ail — a lugsail is a type of sail
23 Small vehicle, a black Beetle? (6)
SCARAB
s car a b
24 Brief appearance climaxed with solo’s finale (5)
CAMEO
came [= climaxed] {sol}o
25 Leaves collectors pulling clutch from brake system (5)
RAKES
bRAKE System — clutch = a group
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