A warm welcome to PABUS is in order from what I can see. Apologies if this is not true.
In general I’m not a fan of puzzles that send me all over the grid to solve a clue, but I persisted here because a) I had to blog and b) this wasn’t as bad as some of the other puzzles with cross references.
This kept me bus-y and was a fun ride too. For the most part I was able to get the answers and parse them, but there are a few questions marks where I couldn’t annotate fully, so please add your comments to correct/enlighten me.
I noticed about=C/CA used in multiple clues. Not a big deal, just an observation.
Thank you PABUS for the daily fix.
All definitions in clues marked like this.
* anagram, + charade, – deletion, <= reversal, TD triple definition, DD double definition, CD cryptic definition, H hidden, ~ homophone
ACROSS
1, 17 The Beatles’ bus pass! (6,2,4) TICKET TO RIDE [CD]
4 About to drink gin and utter drivel (8) CLAPTRAP [about=C + to drink=LAP + gin=TRAP]
10 Maintenance // duty for the bus (7) SERVICE [DD]
11 Bus conductress about to put on her make-up? (7) CLIPPIE [about=C + make-up=LIPPIE]
12 The essence of an FT setter (4) CRUX [DD] Not very fair on those who don’t solve FT regularly?
13 Study varied lost art of singers (10) CONTRALTOS [study=CON + LOST ART*]
16 Become angry if confronted by a London bus? (3,3) SEE RED [confronted=SEE or SAW? + London bus=RED]
17 See 1
20 See 14
21 College that is just right for him (6) TECHIE [college=TECH + that is=IE]
24 Marine creature on Channel Island, has sex appeal, could get dressed (6,4) HERMIT CRAB [Channel Island=HERM + sex appeal=IT + dressed=rebuked=CRAB(v) ?]
25 Friend reverses at the end and turns on side (4) TEAM [friend=MATE->MAET<=]
27 Spice a drink and knock it back after mushy food (7) PAPRIKA [mushy food=PAP + A + drink=KIR<=]
29 Fittipaldi, // Lake & Palmer? (7) EMERSON [DD]
30 Ain’t lies awful in prayers (8) LITANIES [AINT LIES]*
31 Can’t see second information displays on bus (6) BLINDS [can’t see=BLIND + Second]
DOWN
1 International baggage may set a precedent (4,4) TEST CASE [international=TEST (cricket) + baggage=CASE]
2 Glass tube with end broken off found in vehicle, or in its engine (11) CARBURETTOR [glass tube=BURETTe inside vehicle=CAR + OR]
3 Girl is inside, sheltering (4) ENID [iNsIDE]* ? ERIN [H] See comments below
5 Spot is about to be covered in cream (8) LOCATION [about=CA inside cream=LOTION]
6 Tip adviser off – it’s out of government’s hands (10) PRIVATISED [TIP ADVISER]*
7 Theatre // agent’s // stuff (3) REP [TD]
8 See 23
9 Deposit books for bus that’s not in 10 (5) DEPOT [DEPosit + books=OT]
14, 20 Children’s song identifies what makes public transport go! (3,6,2,3,3) THE WHEELS ON THE BUS [CD]
15 Invites ELO to play a set (10) TELEVISION [INVITES ELO]*
18 Get a grip! (8) PURCHASE [DD]
19 It’s the end of the line for public transport (8) TERMINUS [DD]
22 Place of worship for the bloke on the railway (6) CHAPEL [bloke=CHAP + railway=EL]
23, 8 “Carnivals are entertaining” says 11, seeking payment (5,6) FARES PLEASE [~carnivals=FAIRS PLEASE] Is says on double duty?
26 Hale and hearty, so leave-taking is curtailed (4) WELL [leave-taking=fareWELL ?]
28 Inspection area is somewhat inhospitable (3) PIT [H]
Thanks Bhavan and welcome Pabus,
I had ERIN for 3d (hidden answer).
I saw TERMINUS as a CD.
There is a dish called dressed crab, which could be relevant to 24, although that would be a bit odd given the similarity to the whole answer.
I enjoyed the theme, but that children’s song should never have been invented.
Thanks Muffyword@1, I was feeling something was wrong with my parsing of 3d.
I think Muffyword’s right about 24ac, which makes it a rather lame clue. However, on the whole this was a jovial addition to the repertoire, and we must thank Pabus for coming on board (ha ha). And thanks again Bhavan for living on the other side of the globe. It’s good to brace oneself with an early-morning fifteensquared.
Not the world’s most difficult cryptic but great fun to solve, thank you Pabus. Thanks to Bhavan too.
Not the hardest. Didn’t like 21 – it’s sexist; there’s no shortage of female techies. I suppose it makes a pair with 11.
Agree 24 is a bit weak, although I certainly had “dressed crab” as my source of the final 4 (but sadly only a sandwich for lunch).
Some little gems nonetheless. No lettuce in my lunch either, more’s the pity.
A big welcome to Pabus.
‘Bus’is part of the name so is that why we had all the ‘bus’ clues.
Agree with you, Bhavan, that ‘says’ is both the homophone indicator and part of the cryptic definition (23,8D).
Welcome Pabus. On the whole at the easier end of the solving spectrum and none the worse for that. I did appreciate the concision of the clues, the smooth surfaces, and following on from some discussion here about dd’s, I thought 18 down was top notch. The usual reservations about 12 across; re Neb at 5, think you’re being a bit harsh, for the surface it has to be him or her – you takes your pick; and, as an ex bus conductor ( albeit a long time ago), I know whether ( or not) I was a clippie, as would any other conductor, and I can’t remember it being an issue. Thanks Bhavan (no problem for me with 23 down, I take your point but I think the surface reading is what counts here).
Thanks Pabus and Bhavan
Welcome Pabus! Congratulations on putting together a theme on such innocuous subject matter. 🙂
Found it a mixed bag of interestingly constructed clues along with some niggles. The main examples of the latter were the thricely used ‘about’ (all in the same proximity in NE corner), the looseness of CRAB – ‘could get dressed’ (unless there is some clever link that I haven’t seen), similarly with WELL (came here still uncertain whether it was the right answer, having parsed it similar to Bhavan) and the tense mixup at 16a.
Loved the ELP and ELO clues – both were favourites when I was growing up. Also thought that PAPRIKA and CARBURETTOR were both very good.
Some gimme clues – with the Beatles and children’s song giving a lot of free letters … and some obscurities with EMERSON Fittipaldi, the lesser known HERM and BUS BLIND all new to me.
The CRUX one is interesting – I personally like the ‘inside knowledge’ clues although they won’t age all that well.
For what it’s worth, a good pass mark from me on debut!