Morning all, and thanks to Gaufrid for filling in for me at short notice last week. This – and I think I can safely say this without being accused of peacocking – was the easiest puzzle I’ve ever blogged for FifteenSquared.
One or two obscure-ish solutions added only a little spice to a very straightforward procession of charades and anagrams. Still, it takes all sorts, I s’pose, and I had no real grumbles. Thank-you, Falcon.
| Across | ||
| 1 | CROSS SWORDS | Argue with son into puzzles (5,6) |
| S [son] within crosswords [puzzles] | ||
| 7 | ORB | Globe made from gold brick, originally (3) |
| Or [gold] b(rick) | ||
| 9 | ACTED | In fact, Eddy appeared in films . . . (5) |
| Hidden in fACT EDdy | ||
| 10 | LANCASTER | . . . and Burt – learn afresh about actors (9) |
| Cast [actors] within anagram of learn | ||
| 11 | LORD NORTH | Former PM, and master bridge player (4,5) |
| Lord [master] north [bridge player] | ||
| 12 | TACIT | I must be bound by discretion, that’s understood (5) |
| I within tact [discretion] | ||
| 13 | CHATHAM | Talk with unskilled actor in Medway town (7) |
| Chat [talk] ham [unskilled actor] | ||
| 15 | ROCK | Female slipping out of dress for a diamond (4) |
| Frock [dress] minus f [female] | ||
| 18 | SAVE | Rescue husband in bar (4) |
| Triple definition | ||
| 20 | WESTERN | We back cowboy film (7) |
| We stern [back] | ||
| 23 | ROAST | Right oven for joint (5) |
| R [right] oast [oven] | ||
| 24 | CORKSCREW | County’s team should find an opener (9) |
| Corks [county’s] crew [team] | ||
| 26 | STEVEDORE | Port worker set off, drove out across centre of Rotterdam (9) |
| Anagram of set (Rott)e(rdam) within anagram of drove | ||
| 27 | BLAIR | Former PM (Lab), worried by Inland Revenue (5) |
| Anagram of lab IR [Inland Revenue] | ||
| 28 | TIN | An element of money (3) |
| Double definition | ||
| 29 | SPEAKERSHIP | Parliamentary office keeps parish busy (11) |
| Anaram of keeps parish | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | CHARLOCK | Daily, on strand, there’s wild mustard (8) |
| Char [daily, cleaner] lock [strand (of hair)] | ||
| 2 | OUTBREAK | Sudden occurrence abroad on holiday (8) |
| Out [abroad] break [holiday] | ||
| 3 | SEDAN | Danse macabre in saloon (5) |
| Anagram of danse | ||
| 4 | WOLFRAM | Heavy metal stuff’s beneath womaniser (7) |
| Wolf [womaniser] ram [stuff] | ||
| 5 | RANCHER | Owner of large farm managed US singer and actress (7) |
| Ran [managed] Cher [US singer/actress] | ||
| 6 | SPARTACUS | Gladiator in cap US star bizarrely portrayed (9) |
| Anagram of cap US star | ||
| 7 | ON TICK | Part of season ticket to be paid for at a later date (2,4) |
| Hidden in seasON TICKet | ||
| 8 | BERATE | Scold blackleg during social gathering (6) |
| Rat [blackleg] within bee [social gathering] | ||
| 14 | HEARTLESS | Male, uncultured and cruel (9) |
| He [male] artless [uncultured] | ||
| 16 | REPROACH | Rebuke professional inside range (8) |
| Pro [professional] within reach [range] | ||
| 17 | SNOWDROP | Flower, small at present, ahead of fall (8) |
| S [small] now [at present] drop [fall] | ||
| 19 | ENCLOSE | Include half of conger eels at sea (7) |
| Anagram of con(ger) eels | ||
| 20 | WARBECK | Pretender to the throne with foreign backer (7) |
| W [with] anagram of backer | ||
| 21 | PROSIT | Happy days, perhaps, for model (6) |
| Pro [for] sit [model] | ||
| 22 | HAVE ON | Wear ring in port (4,2) |
| O [ring] within haven [port] | ||
| 25 | SOBER | Serious honour received by senior (5) |
| OBE [honour] within Sr [senior] | ||
Thanks Ringo and Falcon.
Do agree with you Ringo – this was indeed quite an easy solve and perfect for people just starting out with the FT. The one clue that I had to look up was 20d, having never come across this colorful character before. I had all the cross-refs filled but still couldn’t figure out what the name was.
18 took me ages was convinced of the answer but tried lots like s(h)ave. Otherwise very quick.
Don’t moan or you’ll get Io. 🙂
Ta Ringo and Falcon.
Thanks Falcon and Ringo
Have usually found that the Thursday crossword is one of the tough ones in the FT week and was therefore a bit surprised to see this setter in the banner. Always enjoyable, but certainly on the more straightforward end of the spectrum.
SAVE and PROSIT were the last two in – found it difficult to find a direct reference for ‘happy days’ being a toast – looks like it was a form of greeting originating from China.
Also had not come across WARBECK before.
Was pleased to get an easy one when I boarded a plane for a 1a.m departure, but agree with brucew on the last few in. Smacks forehead on LANCASTER too. Need something of a similar level for the jet lag now.