Lorraine: Good Morning to you all.
Not such an easy solve this week I found, I did struggle with the N E corner. I do hope you all managed better than me.
Big thank you to Everyman.
| Across | |||
| 1. | One may get bitter if one is used (4,4) | ||
| BEER PUMP | cd ‘bitter’ is a type of beer |
||
| 5. | Mischievous member – is husband following one? (6) | ||
| IMPISH | (MP+IS+H) following I | ||
| 9. | Outstanding performer, girl in plant ignoring us (5,3) | ||
| CLASS ACT | LASS in CACT(us) | ||
| 10. | Son appearing in club concert (6) | ||
| UNISON | S in UNION | ||
| 12. | Country producing whisky, Africa’s first (5) | ||
| MALTA | MALT+A(frica) | ||
| 13. | Complex lecture by the Spanish sailor (9) | ||
| ELABORATE | ORATE after (EL+AB) | ||
| 14. | Country folk look round hydrogen plant (9,3) | ||
| PHEASANTS EYE i | PEASANTS+EYE around H | ||
| 18. | Shared views in popular stadium (6,6) | ||
| COMMON GROUND | COMMON+GROUND | ||
| 21. | Airman up for trial? (4,5) | ||
| TEST PILOT | cd | ||
| 23. | Friend describing university to a girl (5) | ||
| PAULA | (PAL around U)+A | ||
| 24. | Young cow provided that in here somehow (6) | ||
| HEIFER | IF in (HERE*) | ||
| 25. | To better score is excellent (3-5) | ||
| TOP NOTCH | TOP+NOTCH | ||
| 26. | Piece of classical music from Brahms on at arena (6) | ||
| SONATA | hidden: brahmS ON AT Arena | ||
| 27. | Charm one’s way in? (8) | ||
| ENTRANCE | cdd | ||
Down |
|||
| 1. | Grow into suit (6) | ||
| BECOME | dd ‘suit’ e.g. = “the dress becomes her“ |
||
| 2. | Make possible arrest, breaking Helen’s heart (6) | ||
| ENABLE | NAB in (h)ELE(n) | ||
| 3. | Nut, as I chop it, changes shape (9) | ||
| PISTACHIO | (AS I CHOP IT)* | ||
| 4. | Famous sculptor I challenge, unwisely, in Missouri (12) | ||
| MICHELANGELO | (I CHALLENGE*) in MO | ||
| 6. | Fruit – piece to be consumed (5) | ||
| MANGO | MAN(piece, as in chess/draughts etc.)+GO | ||
| 7. | Decidedly trendy black suit (2,6) | ||
| IN SPADES i | IN+SPADES | ||
| 8. | Impeded female deer, wild deer (8) | ||
| HINDERED | HIND(a female deer)+(DEER*) | ||
| 11. | Fashionable sophisticate, but not a woman, surprisingly (3,5,4) | ||
| MAN ABOUT TOWN | (BUT NOT A WOMAN*) clever anagram |
||
| 15. | Loaf of bread, key kitchen item? (3-6) | ||
| TIN OPENER | TIN+OPENER(key) from Collins on-line dictionary: “(British) a loaf of bread with a rectangular shape, baked in a tin“ |
||
| 16. | Female’s stretching across bed with cold drinks (8) | ||
| SCOTCHES | SHES around (COT+C) | ||
| 17. | Negligence round embassy (8) | ||
| OMISSION | O+MISSION | ||
| 19. | Station American in English college (6) | ||
| EUSTON | US in ETON | ||
| 20. | Ms du Maurier had pen repaired? (6) | ||
| DAPHNE | (HAD PEN)* | ||
| 22. | Gather fuel around lake (5) | ||
| PLEAT | PEAT around L | ||
|
|
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Amazingly even with M?l?a I couldn’t get Malta -I got fixated with the second missing letter being a vowel.
For 14a, I went through the alphabet for e?e and when I got to v that was enough. Never did get the first word.
I must have been very much on Everyman’s wavelength this morning because I raced through it. The only unknown was PHEASANT’S EYE but the wordplay was clear enough. 12ac and 16dn suggest that Everyman might have been compiling this one accompanied by glass of Scotland’s finest. OMISSION was my LOI.
I initially raised an eyebrow at “be consumed” = “go”, but on reflection they are synonymous in something like “watch that plate of chips go/be consumed”.
Like Andy B I whizzed through this one, with the exception of Pheasants Eye. I was relieved because I have absolutely struggled with the last couple of weeks.
The Trafites seems to have got the crossword numbering wrong. Is this not No. 3532?
Thanks ernie, numbering now corrected.
Whoops, my fault – thanks Gaufrid.
Nick
Yes, seemed easier than the last two but no problem with that.
Thanks Lorraine/Nick; PHEASANTS EYE was a new one but the cluing was clear. Typo in 11: woman rather than women.
I liked the SCOTCHES.
Robi @#7, thanks corrected.
BTW, I am surprised nobody mentioned 15dn – as I was typing up Lorraine’s notes, I had to look up the reference to “tin = loaf of bread” – I have never heard of it, even being 54 years old and English!
Nick
Nick@8 – I had no problem with tin=loaf. I must have shopped for more bread than you ………..
I have chidhood memories of being sent to buy a tin loaf – it always sounded funny to me but the baker seemed to know what was meant.
I managed this one (got 19d wrong – after thinking about Austin TX)after not finishing the last few weeks. I don’t understand where the AB bit of 13a comes from
thanks
Hannah
In 1978 having flown the whole family (7) up to Lake Kariba on a Viscount that was rocketed on its return flight (with the subsequent slaughter of all on board) we escaped the terror with relief to NZ. I’ve no doubt that I speak for all of us here, in this rather isolated backwater, that our heartfelt sympathies are with all passengers of MH 17 and their extended families. Back to the pleasant peaceful pastime of Saturday’s crossword challenge which proved as satisfactory and enjoyable as always. Thanks for the tin/loaf explanation and pheasants eye which I also got by deduction. My loi was mango.
Hi Hannah AB is a commonly used crossword abbreviation for able bodied (seaman).
I did this in under an hour which is good for me. Hadn’t heard of a tin loaf or a pheasants eye but Google confirmed they were right. Not sure about ‘describing’ in 23ac or ‘concert’ being ‘unison’ in 10 ac and ‘go’ for ‘consumed’ was an eyebrow raiser for me too. 2d and 11d were good clues. 27ac is getting very hackneyed.
Very pleased to have finished on sat I usually take til Sunday eve to finish …doesn’t mean I think it was easy tho, just must have had more luck than usual. Found tin meaning loaf very odd but get that it sounds like an old fash term.
Doe anyone know what as the relevance of ‘up’ in the clue for 21ac?
To Barrie , Doesn’t ‘ describing’ usually refer to ‘about’ or ‘around ‘ like wrapped around?
Apparently ‘ concert’ is a synonym for ‘accord’ ..can’t say I would ever use it in conversation without sounding like someone from the 19th c!!
I did this one in under an hour too, though I couldn’t get Malta, and hadn’t heard of 14 ac. If something is done ‘in concert’ it is done in unison. I suppose ‘up’ in 21ac. refers to the test pilot being up in the air.
Actually Ian I think AB is usually referred to as Able Seaman which is probably the lowest rank.
Thanks Audrey-you’re correct (but AB in crossword parlance is shorthand for a sailor).
Thanks Everyman and Lorraine
My favourites were 7d, 16d, 11a and 9a.
I failed to solve 14a and needed help to parse 13a & 6d.