The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3513.
The usual rich mix, including the trademark film at 11A, David Lean’s acclaimed 1945 Brief Encounter, with screenplay by Noel Coward (and, of course, 20A has given a name to several films).
| Across | |||
| 1. | A bishop’s booklet, conceptual (8) | ||
| ABSTRACT | A charade of ‘a’ plus B’s (‘bishop’s’) plus TRACT (‘booklet’). | ||
| 5. | Endless dexterity required in vehicle drawn by reindeer (6) | ||
| SLEIGH | A subtraction: SLEIGH[t] (‘dexterity’) without its last letter (‘endless’). | ||
| 9. | Stable studies article during series of races (8) | ||
| CONSTANT | An envelope (‘during’) of AN (‘article’) in CONS (‘studies’) plus TT (‘series of races’). | ||
| 10. | Green permit displayed on front of caravan (6) | ||
| CALLOW | A charade of C (‘front of Caravan’) plus ALLOW (‘permit’) | ||
| 11. | Film barrister with experience (5,9) | ||
| BRIEF ENCOUNTER | A charade of brief (‘barrister’) plus ENCOUNTER (‘experience’). | ||
| 14. | Superior using a couple of books (Old Testament) (5) | ||
| ABBOT | A charade of ‘a’ plus BB (‘couple of books’) plus OT (‘Old Testament’). | ||
| 15. | Intricate patterns round southern parts of cathedrals (9) | ||
| TRANSEPTS | An envelope (’round’) of S (‘southern’) in TRANEPTS, an anagram (‘intricate’) of ‘patterns’. | ||
| 17. | Laid index out for New Orleans jazz (9) | ||
| DIXIELAND | An anagram (‘out’) of ‘laid index’. | ||
| 19. | A pair on part of airfield (5) | ||
| APRON | A charade of ‘a’ plus PR (‘pair’) plus ‘on’. | ||
| 20. | Dracula – wicked vampire, halted crossing lake (4,3,7) | ||
| VLAD THE IMPALER | An anagram (‘wicked’) of ‘vampire halted’ plus L (‘lake’). An epithet of Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, also known as Dracula (“son of Dracul”, Vlad II). |
||
| 23. | Key in on purpose (6) | ||
| LEGEND | A charade of LEG (‘on’ side in cricket) plus END (‘purpose’). | ||
| 24. | Share a hobby (8) | ||
| INTEREST | Double definition. I was a little uncertain by ‘share’ for INTEREST, but Chambers gives “stake, share” as a definition. | ||
| 25. | Plantation close to Riverdale, Georgia, perhaps (6) | ||
| ESTATE | A charade of E (‘close to RiverdalE‘) plus STATE (‘Georgia, perhaps’). | ||
| 26. | Nurse got boiled fish (8) | ||
| STURGEON | An anagram (‘boiled’) of ‘nurse got’. | ||
Down |
|||
| 1. | Knowing tramp’s got miles away (4) | ||
| ARCH | A subtraction: [m]ARCH (‘tramp’) without the M (‘miles away’). | ||
| 2. | Competitor getting under small tree for shelter (6,3) | ||
| SENTRY BOX | A charade of S (‘small’) plus ENTRY (‘competitor’) plus BOX (‘tree’), with explicit ordering of the elements in the down light. | ||
| 3. | About to handle withdrawal (7) | ||
| RETREAT | A charade of RE (‘about’) plus TREAT (‘handle’). | ||
| 4. | Focus on coin in box (11) | ||
| CONCENTRATE | An envelope (‘in’) of ‘on’ plus CENT (‘coin’) in CRATE (‘box’). | ||
| 6. | Alliance‘s former measures (7) | ||
| LEAGUES | Double definition. “Half a league, half a league, half a league onward” …Or would seven league boots strike a more familiar note? |
||
| 7. | Bay home leased (5) | ||
| INLET | A charade of IN (‘home’) plus LET (‘leased’). | ||
| 8. | King’s wife’s demise in novel (7,3) | ||
| HOWARD’S END | A charade of HOWARD’S (‘King’s wife’s’, for Catherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII) plus END (‘demise’). The novel Howard’s End is by E M Forster. |
||
| 12. | Cryptic clue to named painter (6,5) | ||
| CLAUDE MONET | An anagram (‘cryptic’) of ‘clue to named’. | ||
| 13. | Poorly valued, live music hall (10) | ||
| VAUDEVILLE | An anagram (‘poorly’) of ‘valued live. | ||
| 16. | Exercise runs rigorous? Keep at it (9) | ||
| PERSEVERE | A charade of PE (‘exercise’) plus R (‘runs’) plus SEVERE (‘rigorous’). | ||
| 18. | Like the dodo, once caught in shade (7) | ||
| EXTINCT | An envelope (‘in’) of C (‘caught’) in EX (‘once’) plus TINT (‘shade’). | ||
| 19. | Layman, a friend, visiting ancient city (7) | ||
| AMATEUR | A charade of ‘a’ plus MATE (‘friend’) plus UR (‘ancient city’). | ||
| 21. | General feeling of anxiety in Pyongyang stores (5) | ||
| ANGST | A hidden answer in ‘PyongyANG STores’. | ||
| 22. | Shock heads coming over (4) | ||
| STUN | A reversal (‘coming over’) of NUTS (‘heads’). | ||
Thanks, Peter.
Enjoyed this one from Everyman, as usual. I thought CLAUDE MONET was cleverly clued, but there was good stuff elsewhere too.
(If I may be permitted a piece of pedantry, there is no apostrophe in HOWARDS END. It’s a place, not a person.)
The usual smooth surfaces and economy of cluing from Everyman. An enjoyable puzzle. SENTRY BOX was my LOI after BRIEF ENCOUNTER.
Maybe I was having an off day but I found this a bit more difficult than usual.
Thanks PeterO; I’m not sure I understand box=tree. If it is just a type of tree this would seem to be a definition by example so maybe it should have a QM or ‘perhaps’ or some such.
I particularly liked the CALLOW caravan.