A puzzle that at first seemed tough, and then seemed elementary, and ended up being pretty enjoyable, after all.
Plenty of entertainment here and not much to moan about. Sharp clueing, good surfaces and a smattering of invention and wit. Thank-you, Alberich.
| Across | ||
| 1 | RICKETS |
Disease caught off insects (7)
Crickets [insects] minus c [caught]
|
| 5 | FIDGET |
Well bored by Democrat (eg) rambling, you may do this (6)
Anagram of D [Democrat] eg within fit [well]
|
| 8 | ITINERANT |
I can take a long time getting books for travelling (9)
I tin [can] era [long time] NT [New Testament, books]
|
| 9 | CECIL |
In outskirts of capital city one will find him (5)
EC [City (of London)] I [one] within c(apita)l
|
| 11 | CHINA |
Tea’s fashionable for imbibing here (5)
In [fashionable] within cha [tea]
|
| 12 | FOR A START |
Female’s cooking a roast? Turkey’s brought round to begin with (3,1,5)
F [female] anagram of a roast reversal of TR [Turkey]
|
| 13 | REFORMER |
For example Martin Luther King’s European past (8)
R [Rex, king] E [European] former [past]
|
| 15 | RUSTLE |
To steal is way to break law (6)
St [street, way] within rule [law]
|
| 17 | ACCOST |
Confront accountant about amount to be paid (6)
Reversal of CA [(chartered) accountant] cost [amount to be paid]
|
| 19 | DREDGE UP |
To mention what’s best forgotten is awfully rude, Penny agreed regularly (6,2)
Anagram of rude p [penny] regular letters of aGrEeD
|
| 22 | IMPORTANT |
I am left by social worker to provide material (9)
I’m [I am] port [left] ant [social worker]
|
| 23 | SKIER |
Sportsman’s a lazy fellow? Not very (5)
Skiver [lazy fellow] minus v [very]
|
| 24 | NOISE |
One with flair for protection racket (5)
I [one] within nose [flair]
|
| 25 | MARMALADE |
Forced to detain returning soldiers, sickness spread (9)
Reversal of RA [Royal Artillery] mal [sickness] within made [forced]
|
| 26 | HECTOR |
Bully for him! (6)
Double definition
|
| 27 | OVEREAT |
Team should undress in public? Get stuffed! (7)
(T)ea(m) within overt [public]
|
| Down | ||
| 1 | REINCARNATION |
Finding new body to control motor race (13)
Rein [control] car [motor] nation [race]
|
| 2 | CAITIFF |
Despicable sort, a murderer, endlessly spat (7)
Cai(n) [murderer] tiff [spat]
|
| 3 | ENEMA |
Medical treatment contributing to hygiene, mainly (5)
Hidden in hygiENE MAinly
|
| 4 | SNAFFLES |
After a bit son knocks off (8)
Snaffle [bit (for a horse)] s [son]
|
| 5 | FUTURE |
What will be the odds of fruit tree containing uranium? (6)
U [Uranium] within alternate letters of FrUiTtReE
|
| 6 | DACHSHUND |
With parent around, children avoid dog (9)
Ch [children] shun [avoid] within dad [parent]
|
| 7 | ENCHANT |
Can the new cast work magic? (7)
Anagram of n [new] can the
|
| 10 | LETTER-PERFECT |
Playing Romeo etc Peter felt able to deliver lines flawlessly (6-7)
Anagram of R [Romeo] etc Peter felt
|
| 14 | RESURGENT |
Reviving very important research first of all (9)
Res [research] urgent [very important]
|
| 16 | ORATORIO |
Large-scale piece or a smaller one about love (8)
Or a o [love, zero] within reversal of trio
|
| 18 | CAPRICE |
Fancy an island cottage for vacation? (7)
Capri [island] c(ottag)e
|
| 20 | EMIRATE |
State of America not about to change, note (7)
Anagram of america minus ca [circa, about] te [note]
|
| 21 | HAMMER |
Footballer who gives unconvincing performance? (6)
Double definition (alluding to West Ham United)
|
| 23 | SUAVE |
University bar outwardly is sophisticated (5)
U [university] within save [bar]
|
Thanks to Ringo and Alberich. I found this tough to start with as well, but left it and returned a bit later, and then made steady progress.
One small detail. There’s no reversal in 16d. It’s OR + A + TRIO surrounding (‘about’) O.
How many abbreviations can you fit into one puzzle?
Thanks both.
Absolutely first class puzzle.
Another good work-out from Alberich as you would expect.
With M?R?A???E I tentatively wrote in margarine (spread) which held me back as it wasn’t correct.
Thanks to Ringo for his comprehensive blog.
Thanks Alberich and Ringo
A pretty tattered puzzle from the backlog which was a joy to solve. Also found it a bit daunting to get into, but then seemed to get onto his wavelength and made steady progress to complete it.
A good variety of clues and misdirection throughout. Last few in were SKIER, MARMALADE and HAMMER.