No complaints, but not much to shout about, either: a bit of a ho-hum solve for me, all in all, redeemed in part by fuss-free clueing and some nice surfaces.
Two or three of the synonyms seemed rather a stretch for me; it may well be that I’ve misunderstood (wouldn’t be the first time). I’m sure you’ll let me know if I have. Thank-you, Flimsy.
| Across | ||
| 1 | SUBSTANCES |
Illegal drugs attitude embraced by extra footballers? (10)
Stance [attitude] within subs [extra footballers]
|
| 7 | TEST |
Evaluation set over time (4)
Reversal of set t [time]
|
| 9 | ACRE |
Measure brill caught in river? On the contrary (4)
R [river] within ace [brill]
|
| 10 | REASONABLE |
Goal accomplished? Just (10)
Reason [goal (?)] able [accomplished]
|
| 11 | EVENTS |
Proclaims right of European matters (6)
E [European] vents [proclaims]
|
| 12 | ARTISTIC |
Criminal act – is it about rector’s description of Constable? (8)
R [rector] within anagram of act is it
|
| 13 | PROSPECT |
Search for specification on back of packet (8)
Pro [for] spec [specification] (packe)t
|
| 15 | OARS |
These could make you row as wind initially drops (4)
Anagram of row as minus w(ind)
|
| 17 | SITE |
Place to see, we hear (4)
Sounds like sight [to see]
|
| 19 | REACTION |
Response to race in broadcast (8)
Anagram of to race in
|
| 22 | ATHEISTS |
Heathens act heartlessly with robberies (8)
A(c)t heists [robberies]
|
| 23 | GREASY |
Fat, as in heavy (6)
As within grey [heavy (?)]
|
| 25 | UNFAMILIAR |
One wearing animal fur lit up novel (10)
I [one] within anaram of animal fur
|
| 26 | GERM |
European country ignoring any virus? (4)
Germany [European country] minus any
|
| 27 | METE |
Measure setter with both ends of tape (4)
Me [setter] t(ap)e
|
| 28 | DISCOVERED |
Found daughter is dressed (10)
D [daughter] is covered [dressed]
|
| Down | ||
| 2 | UNCOVER |
Run off, having caught chap bare (7)
Cove [chap] within anagram of run
|
| 3 | STERN |
Small bird’s grave (5)
S [small] tern [grave]
|
| 4 | ARRESTED |
Stopped and relaxed after a run (8)
A r [run] rested [relaxed]
|
| 5 | CHARACTERISTICS |
Architect’s arch is unfortunately losing hospital marks (15)
Anagram of architects arch is minus h [hospital]
|
| 6 | SHOUTS |
“Be quiet – completely!” son bellows (6)
Sh [be quiet] out [completely] s [son]
|
| 7 | TRANSPORT |
Torn strap – complicated to carry (9)
Anagram of torn strap
|
| 8 | SOLDIER |
Man flogged? That is start of retribution (7)
Sold [flogged] ie [id est, that is] r(etribution)
|
| 14 | STEVENAGE |
English town is flat in part (9)
Even [flat] within stage [part]
|
| 16 | KANGAROO |
Jumper’s manufactured from angora, OK? (8)
Anagram of angora ok
|
| 18 | INTENSE |
Eager, Ian’s opening new present, perhaps (7)
I(an) n [new] tense [present, perhaps]
|
| 20 | OBSERVE |
Look over batsman’s head and put the ball into play (7)
O [over] b(atsman) serve [put ball into play (in tennis)]
|
| 21 | ESPIED |
Watched editor eating second pastry (6)
S [second] pie [pastry] within ed [editor]
|
| 24 | EAGLE |
Dog leaves black bird (5)
Beagle [dog] minus b [black]
|
Thanks Ringo and Flimsy.
Well, I finished which is a minority event for me so I should not really complain but I also thought some meanings were being stretched:
reason=goal
completely=out
“Lit up” was a new anagrind too.
I had mis-parsed OARS so thanks for the explanation (in line with other stretched meanings, I had thought “soar” might be a synonym for “wind” with the initial letter dropping to the end…
Thanks Flimsy and Ringo
Nothing really complicated about this puzzle, although I had a serious issue with fat = GREASY – surely it must be ‘fatty’. I could only parse the word as GREASY, but could not shift the definition away from GREASE – weak clue at best for mine. I, as it turned out erroneously, plumped for the latter.
Collins has GOAL as a synonym for reason and both GREY and heavy are words that describe gloomy.