Nice and easy crossword. Lots of lovely clues with good surface stories throughout. Thanks ARMONIE
All definitions in clues marked like this.
* anagram, + charade, – deletion, DD double definition, CD cryptic definition, ~ homophone
ACROSS
1 Naval officer has love for humanity (10) COMPASSION [naval officer = COM + love = PASSION]
6 Blue-eyed boy not working, we hear (4) IDOL [~not working = IDLE]
9 One has faith in investments (4,6) UNIT TRUSTS [one = UNIT + has faith = TRUSTS]
10 Colours // fade (4) FLAG [DD]
12 One whose main interest is scientific (12) OCEANOLOGIST [CD]
15 Lady dines out? That’s unforgivable! (6,3) DEADLY SIN [LADY DINES]*
17 Bitterness of oven-cooked meze starter (5) VENOM [OVEN* + Meze]
18 Put up before court (5) ERECT [before = ERE + CourT]
19 Grudge about the Italian institute is irrepressible (9) RESILIENT [grudge = RESENT outside Italian = IL + Institute]
20 Expression doctor hears up front (4,2,6) TURN OF PHRASE [HEARS UP FRONT]*
24 Fire in bag (4) SACK [DD]
25 Lissome folk initially took additive (10) SUPPLEMENT [lissome = SUPPLE + folk = MEN + Took]
26 Rex remains impulsive (4) RASH [Rex + remains = ASH]
27 Control put forward and brought back (10) REINSTATED [control = REIN + put forward = STATED]
DOWN
1 Card in blackjack (4) CLUB [DD]
2 Impair military leader’s purpose (4) MAIM [Military + purpose = AIM]
3 Tunic a tailor prepared for delivery (12) ARTICULATION [TUNIC A TAILOR]*
4 Type of bath for glamour girl (5) SAUNA [glamour = Sex Appeal + girl = UNA]
5 Extrovert’s expenditure (9) OUTGOINGS [extrovert=OUTGOING + S]
7 Affairs of everyone one found in social events (10) DALLIANCES [everyone = ALL + one = 1 inside social events = DANCES]
8 Weird game title I authorised (10) LEGITIMATE [GAME TITLE I]*
11 Learn Glen’s smell is getting better (12) CONVALESCENT [learn = CON + glen = VALE + smell = SCENT]
13 Promoter and mentor keeping Egyptian leader right (10) ADVERTISER [mentor = ADVISER outside Egyptian + RighT]
14 Go and record songs for an album (4,6) MAKE TRACKS [D&CD]
16 Chapter quaintly mangled in certain religious works (9) SCRIPTURE [Chapter + quaintly mangled = RIPT inside certain = SURE
21 Mature scripture writer (5) RIPEN [scripture = RI + writer = PEN]
22 Review covers new opening (4) VENT [review = VET outside New]
23 Boss’s endless investigation (4) STUD [investigation = STUDy]
Thanks, Bhavan, I agree. Pleasant way to start the day. Thanks as usual, Armonie
Thanks Armonie and Bhavan
Agree that it was a gentle launch off to the week – pleasant notwithstanding !
I wonder if there is a different take on the double definition of 1d. ‘Card in black’ as one and ‘jack’ as the other. In baseball, apparently to jack is to hit a pitched ball hard for a home run.
Very pleasant. My one (very minor) irritation with it was to see what was the answer to 16 down printed directly beneath it in the clue to 21 down. Thanks B & A.
Jmac, see what you mean. I thought that editors checked for that sort of thing
“Nice and easy crossword. Lots of lovely clues with good surface stories throughout”.
Yes, Bhavan, that sums up Armonie’s crosswords.
He sticks to the conventional devices, no oddities.
While one wishes he would be a bit more adventurous, it is the quality clueing that doesn’t need this.
I think, 15ac (DEADLY SIN) is a gem.
bruce@aus@2 I had initially considered that same split since ‘club=card in black’ looked more accurate than than just card, but found this definition in Chambers:
blackjack (n) : A short leather-covered club with weighted head (N American)
jmac@3 and flashling@4, I’m afraid I don’t understand the criticism or see the problem with 16 & 21 down.
You wouldn’t have noticed that the same word is used in the clue below until after you got the answer to 16 down. Nor does the usage of that word help with or hinder answering 21 down, so I’m curious to know what the objection is to.
Bhavan @7: Of course if you solve all the clues in order it doesn’t make a difference; if, however, like me, you don’t immediately see the answer to 16, when you read the clue to 21 you are liable to have a “light bulb” moment and realize the answer to 16 has to be “scripture” without the pleasure of working it out for yourself. That’s all.