One of those weekends where I found myself tackling the Eye crossword just after struggling with Cyclops’ alter ego Brummie in the Guardian. So by comparison this seemed easier than expected.
More than half complete on the first pass and the rest followed in short order. There were some nice clues in there though.
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SKI LIFT | A lot of straddling by sporty types here? (3,4) CD Needed all crossers |
| 5 | HICCUP | Sophisticated, switching front to back with an erection? Bit of a malfunction! (6) CHIC (sophisticated) shift C to end to make HICC, then UP erection |
| 10 | ROYAL SCOTS | Brenda for one, wanting sex, beds a whole regiment (5,5) ROYAL (Brenda for one) S[ex] COTS (beds) |
| 13 | PARTY PIECE | Labour scrap provides a bit of impromptu entertainment? (5,5) PARTY (labour) PIECE (scrap) |
| 14 | OFFSET | Make up for Dicky getting fix (6) OFF (dicky) set (fix) Last answered. Fooled into thinking about make-up |
| 16 | CRUNCH | Conservative to stand for election – origins of Cameron’s historic crisis (6) C[onservative] RUN (to stand for election) C[ameron’s] H[istoric] |
| 18 | JAMJAR | Interfere with broadcast by jerk, which has tacky content (6) JAM (Interfere with broadcast) JAR (jerk). This one took a while to see. |
| 20 | GROWTH | Farage’s end? Not quite – throw out the lump! (6) [fara]G[e] THROW* AInd: out |
| 22 | WHITE HOUSE | Old moral campaigner wants space for grand residence (5,5) Ref. Mary Whitehouse. Put a space in her name to make Obama’s gaff |
| 23/12 | BARE SKIN | Banker is loaded – much in evidence at a Miley performance (4,4) (BANKER IS)* AInd: loaded curious AInd? |
| 24/11 | BEER PUMP | Which helps publican piss on untrendy shoe (4,4) BEER (piss) PUMP (untrendy shoe). I thought everyone wore pumps these days, they just don’t call them pumps. |
| 25 | DEATH KNELL | It marks the demise of Ken L. – the lad’s done for (5,5) (KEN L THE LAD)* AInd: done for |
| 26 | SKEWER | Crappy week had by Speaker, outwardly – “Stick it!” (6) WEEK* AInd: crappy, inside (had by) S[peake]R. Enjoyable clue. |
| 27 | CZARIST | East European web domain ‘free’ art is of the nature of Russian-style absolute rule (7) CZ (East European web domain – Czech Republic) (ART IS)* AInd: free |
| Down | ||
| 2 | KNOCK OFF | Screw Nick! (5,3) DD |
| 3 | LEARN | Nigel at last has merit? Get wise! (5) [nige]L EARN (has merit) |
| 4 | FUSSPOT | Bustle fitted to Kitty the nit-picker (7) FUSS (bustle) POT (kitty) |
| 6 | I ASK YOU | Would you believe it? Wavering Ukip, power lost, say nothing (1,3,3) (UKI[p] SAY O (nothing)* AInd: wavering |
| 7 | CAPRICCIO | Cold CIA prick almost involved with Zero caper (9) C[old] (CIA PRIC[k] + O (zero))* AInd: Involved |
| 8 | PUMICE | Abrasive stuff stuffed up timid sorts (6) UP* AInd: stuffed, MICE (timid sorts). I cannot think of stuffed as a reversal indicator |
| 9 | COURT CIRCULAR | Which reveals the goings-on of royals having romance with flier (5,8) COURT (romance) CIRCULAR (flier) |
| 15 | SMARTARSE | Sting with annoying twit’s brain (9) SMART (sting) ARSE (annoying twit) |
| 17 | STARTLES | Gives the willies less shaking when slapper recruited (8) LESS* AInd: shaking, around TART (slapper) |
| 19 | JOHN DOE | Convenience Party (English) for the average male (4,3) JOHN (Convenience ) DO (party) E[nglish] Average dead male surely |
| 20 | GEE WHIZ | Bats weigh (including energy) unknown amount – bloody hell! (3,4) (WEIGH +E[nergy])* AInd: bats, Z (unknown amount) |
| 21 | CHEEKS | Is being impudent the makings of an arse? (6) Def. and CD wrote in Cheeky at first – realised when I had difficulty spelling skewer with a Y |
| 23 | BONER | Erection balls-up (5) DD Erection in the physical sexual sense, and boner as a mistake |
I must look gullible, but I’m not you know.
Bloke in the pub the other night was trying to tell me you can now get condoms made of bubblewrap.
I told him – that’s just poppycock.
TY. Your John Does may all have been stiff but I don’t think it’s actually a universal requirement. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Doe