For once, I have completed my blog in good time. As I write this, however, I am still struggling for something amusing to add at the end.
There is no competition, as far as I’m concerned, for Cyclops clue of the fortnight — 15/24 wins hands down (which phrase, incidentally, originates in horse racing, from a jockey’s gesture of letting the reins go loose in an easy victory).
| Across | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | ON THE HOUSE | As regards a big part of Westminster, it’s much to freebie-seekers’ liking ON = as regards; THE HOUSE = a big part of Westminster (usually, the House of Commons). Definition: much to freebie-seekers’ liking |
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| 9 | EVA | Moon-walking mate of the Führer? Double definition: Extra-vehicular activity (which I needed to google, though I find it is in Chambers); Eva Braun, mistress and eventual wife of Hitler |
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| 10 | STEP ON IT | Potential nepotist? Don’t crawl *(nepotist). Good surface reading for such a simple clue. |
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| 11 | IF ONLY | Ffion, abandoned, foot out, extremely lusty? I wish! *(fion) — anagram of Ffion, without F (foot); LY = extremely (outside letters of) ‘lusty’. Definition: I wish! Reference to Ffion Hague, wife of William, the Foreign Secretary |
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| 12 | CYPRUS | Miley claims power for the land Miley CYRUS, containing P = power |
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| 14 | RUN SHORT | Come to the end of Trots, Roth’s novel RUNS = trots (generally referring to what Dame Edna calls ‘intestinal hurry’; *(Roth) |
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| 15/24 | WINTER OLYMPICS | At which village Putin will tolerate no minor encampment (you might say) Clever clue — the Olympic Village is itself no minor encampment; and ‘encampment’ of minors could be taken to mean influencing them (were such a thing possible) to be gay. Refers to this story. But this, which is well worth watching, really sums Mr Putin up. |
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| 16 | FLABBY | Limp old pop group dropping its last member in hurry ABB[a]; in FLY = hurry |
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| 19 | IN CLOVER | Nick endlessly rattled by sex partner having an easy life *(Nic), with ‘rattled’ as the anagram indicator; LOVER = sex partner |
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| 21 | BICEPS | Arm-raisers wanting head from Baby Spice maybe? B = head from Baby; *(Spice) |
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| 23 | STRAIN | Tax only 10% of Stagecoach’s rolling stock? S = 10% of ‘Stagecoach’; TRAIN = [Stagecoach’s] rolling stock |
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| 27 | CLEAN SWEEP | Is a scrubber possibly putting on blubber for a complete change? CLEANS = Is a scrubber possibly; WEEP = blubber |
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| Down | |||
| 1 | SNOTTY | Arrogantly stand-offish and rather drippy Double definition, with ‘rather drippy’ meaning having a drippy nose |
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| 3 | THANKS BE | The banks reforming? Glory to God! *(The banks). Too much to hope for, alas! |
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| 4/26 | CUSTARD PIE | Silent in-yer-face style of humour? Much used in slapstick humour, including silent movies An unusual example |
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| 5 | RESIGN | Brenda’s taken up hint to make way for Brian? RE = Brenda (Elizabeth Regina) reversed; hint = SIGN. If the Queen were to resign, she would be replaced as monarch by Prince Charles (Brian). |
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| 6 | XENOPHOBIC | UKIP-like phone box’s dodgy electronic component? *(phone box); IC = integrated circuit, an electronic component |
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| 7 | EARL GREY | Peer who liked his drink, eagerly disposed to accommodate Right *(eagerly); with R = right Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey |
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| 13 | RINGLEADER | Call Cameron the head of an unprincipled bunch? RING = Call; LEADER = Cameron |
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| 15 | WING TIPS | Robin’s Left and Right extremes? The extremities of a bird, such as the robin |
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| 17 | LOBBYING | Producing a whopper, holding Bob roughly and applying pressure to member LYING = producing a whopper; holding *(Bob). Political lobbying is using persuasion to influence an MP’s vote. |
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| 18 | CROOKED | Bent copper’s chief taken to the cleaners C = copper’s chief; ROOKED = taken to the cleaners (cheated) |
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| 20 | VENICE | City corruption: hoarding English money centrally VICE = corruption; holding E = English, N = ‘money’, centrally |
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| 22 | PICKET | Take action against a scab? Sounds like it, too! Sort of double definition: ‘Picketing is a common tactic used by trade unions during strikes, trying to prevent dissident members of the union, members of other unions and non-unionised workers from working. Those who cross the picket line and work despite the strike are known pejoratively as scabs.’ Also sounds like “pick it”, which one might do to a different kind of scab. |
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| 25/2 | PAWN SHOP | Board members bound for establishment with balls? PAWNS = pieces on a chess board; HOP = bound. Originally part of the coat of arms of the Medici family, who established a trading and banking empire in Florence, three balls suspended from a curved bar is the traditional sign of a pawnbroker’s shop. just just |
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just
Well, the best I can do is a link for the dog owners among you:
Dog paradox
And a few Twop Twips:
ZOOS. Quell outrage when shooting, dissecting and feeding giraffes to lions by fitting them with lifelike ‘Katie Hopkins’ masks.
TEMPS. The best way to remember all your co-workers’ names is by eating their food in the fridge.
EXPERIENCE the thrill of Olympic curling by shouting at cleaners.
PARENTS. Avoid the penalty of enjoying smoking in the car by securing your children to the roof rack.
IF The Proclaimers won’t leave you alone simply move 1001 miles away from them and relax.
TEAM GB. At the snowman-building event in Sochi, annoy Putin by making it so all the snowmen’s willies are touching.
I’ve been enjoying the relatively easier difficulty level this year.
Although for a while I had CLEAN SOBER as 27a – CLEAN-ER (scrubber) with SOB (blubber) – which messed me up for a bit.
Thanks for explanation Jetdoc. I slotted in 15/24 as nothing else seemed to fit but missed all the subtleties of the clue. Clever one indeed.