… double nasty including the dynasty.
This was completed over two sessions. One on the train where half fell in during a 20 min commute home. On the second session rest I generally found what was left to do easier because I was helped by the crossing letters and more particularly I wasn’t so damn tired! That is, except for the last couple, 16/18 and 14. I found these two tricky for different reasons. For 16/18 I found it difficult to see the definition – even with the “?” it is not obvious – I thought “the police” must be part of the wordplay somehow, and “guys” in the sense of ridicule is not is tricky to see. And for 14 I thought first word must be “The” or maybe “Two”.
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | UGANDA | Roger somebody or other to discuss this country? (6) DD/CD Referring to “Ugandan discussions” the origin of this euphemism is explained here: Recurring_in-jokes_in_Private_Eye Though given the recent appalling anti-gay laws and unbelievable comments by the “Minister for Ethics” maybe a change is in order |
| 5 | CATCALL | To cry after pisspoor act is a bad thing for luvvies (7) CALL (cry) after ACT* AInd: pisspoor |
| 9 | OUTCOME | Having revealed your sexual inclination, climax – result! (7) OUT (Having revealed your sexual inclination) COME (Climax) |
| 10 | POLITE | Refined sex needs protective support (6) IT (sex) inside (protective) POLE (support) |
| 11/25 | ONLY JUST | “Barely lust!” Joy snapped grabbing penis at its centre (4) (LUST JOY)* AInd: snapped, around [pe]N[is] |
| 12 | DOPE PUSHER | One who puts pressure on idiot dealer (4,6) PUSHER (One who puts pressure on) on DOPE (idiot) |
| 13 | WHITE FLAG | Light a few twists as sign that you’ve had enough (5,4) (LIGHT A FEW)* AInd: twists |
| 16/18 | GOOD GUYS | Slush fund finally takes the piss out of the police? (4) GOO (slush) [fun]D GUYS (takes the piss out of) last= |
| 19 | EDUCATION | Miliband abandoned caution in Gove’s unreliable hands? (9) ED (Miliband) CAUTION* AInd: abandoned. |
| 21 | FRONT BENCH | Support beneath ministerial arses (5,5) Single Def really. For a while I had Green bench pencilled in |
| 26 | SPRAWL | Clasp raw legs, centrally spread (6) Hidden in ClaSP RAW Legs |
| 27 | SUBSIDY | Lunatic busy roping in Tony’s old sidekick for public financial support? (7) BUSY* AInd: lunatic, around SID (Tony’s old sidekick) |
| 28 | DYNASTY | Maybe House of Windsor‘s extremely dreary, repulsive … (7) D[rear]Y NASTY (repulsive) |
| 29 | TATERS | … crap Queen Elizabeths and King Edwards? (6) TAT (crap) ERS (Queen Elizabeths) King Edward – The best potato with which to make gnocchi according to Delia |
| Down | ||
| 2 | GROUNDHOG | Rodent Gordon – ugh! – going ballistic (9) (GORDON UGH)* AInd: Going ballistic. |
| 3 | NUTTY | Balls-like crackpot (5) Double Def. in the Eye style |
| 4/23d | A LOAD OF BALLS | Answer: Ed’s commitment is claptrap? (7) CD/DD Referencing Ed Balls (as usual) |
| 5/15/24 | CHEAP AND NASTY | Offensively worthless Andy’s penis is out – a chat is out (5,3,5) (ANDY’S PEN[is] (is out) A CHAT )* AInd: is out. Hmm. Crossing “NASTY”s |
| 6 | TIP UP | “Turn over” hint on having a stiffy (3,2) TIP (hint) UP (having a stiffy) |
| 7 | ALL IS LOST | Sun is back in one line agenda – prepare for the worst! (3,2,4) SOL< (Sun is back) inside A (one) L[ine] LIST (agenda) |
| 8 | LATTE | Recoil at terrorists stocking drink (5) Hidden in: RecoiL AT TErrorists |
| 14 | TRY IN VAIN | Scoring is futile: fail to reach satisfactory climax (3,2,4) TRY (scoring – as in Rugby) IN VAIN (is futile) last= |
| 17 | DOOMSAYER | Mayor does broadcast: his forecasts are dire (9) (MAYOR DOES)* AInd: broadcast |
| 20 | COHABIT | Live with your partner cook’s 50% drug dependency (7) CO[ok] HABIT (drug dependency) |
| 22 | RAPID | End of banker – paid off, pdq (5) [banke]R PAID* AInd: off |
| 25 | JOINT | Common carve-up? (5) DD needed the J |
Why call yourself a lollipop lady if you’re going to get all hysterical when someone licks you?
16/18 – thanks again for the explanation. Had the answer but did not know ‘guys’ could be used in the sense of ‘taking the mickey’. Never heard it in spoken English but maybe I’ve led a sheltered life.