After a stiff challenge from Loroso yesterday which was towards the more difficult end of the FT spectrum we now have an Orense which was certainly very much the opposite. A good puzzle for beginners and improving solvers.
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Across
1 Politicians on track for election? (7,5)
RUNNING MATES – cryptic def.
10 Get better software at university level? (7)
UPGRADE – UP (at university) GRADE (level)
11 Singer’s work organised by son, with love (7)
SOPRANO – S (son) OP (work) RAN (organised) O (love)
12 Still at home? Finally leave after breakfast (5)
INERT – IN (at home) [leav]E [afte]R [breakfast]T (finally leave after breakfast)
13 Lots in America complain about chest pains, ultimately (3,5)
CAR PARKS – CARP (complain about) ARK (chest) [pain]S (pains, ultimately)
15 Outdid a tricky performance from person who taught himself (10)
AUTODIDACT – an anagram (tricky) of OUTDID A plus ACT (performance)
16 Cute women must be protected by supporter (4)
TWEE – W (women) in (must be protected by) TEE (supporter)
18 Taxi crossing river might catch one! (4)
CRAB – CAB (taxi) around (crossing) R (river)
20 Animal painter men fancy (4,6)
PINE MARTEN – an anagram (fancy) of PAINTER MEN
22 A weapon in catalogue spreading fear (8)
ALARMIST – A plus ARM (weapon) in LIST (catalogue)
24 Belief that also comes from the east (5)
TENET – a palindrome (that also comes from the east)
26 Race, enthusiastic about encounter (3,4)
RUN INTO – RUN (race) INTO (enthusiastic about)
27 Wine firm providing cover for Independent series of columns (7)
PORTICO – PORT (wine) CO (firm) around (providing cover for) I (Independent)
28 Unparalleled time, and managed track, including finish (12)
TRANSCENDENT – T (time) RAN (managed) plus SCENT (track) around (including) END (finish)
Down
2 A French chap accepting university application (7)
UNGUENT – UN (a French) GENT (chap) around (accepting) U (university)
3 Need a tip off when there’s little difference, in the main (4,4)
NEAP TIDE – an anagram (off) of NEED A TIP
4 Votes against hooter being sounded (4)
NOES – a homophone (being sounded) of ‘nose’ (hooter)
5 Mad chemist at work, not given fair opposition (10)
MISMATCHED – an anagram (at work) of MAD CHEMIST
6 Fill time, with work increasing (3-2)
TOP-UP – T (time) OP (work) UP (increasing)
7 Flyer’s argument after fight (7)
SPARROW – ROW (argument) after SPAR (fight)
8 Oliver, for example, is in charge of meeting for game (7,6)
MUSICAL CHAIRS – MUSICAL (Oliver, for example) CHAIRS (is in charge of meeting)
9 Worry people suppressed by Cortes fighting around north (13)
CONSTERNATION – NATION (people) under (suppressed by) an anagram (fighting) of CORTES around N (north)
14 Acknowledgments from delegations after a day (10)
ADMISSIONS – MISSIONS (delegations) after A D (a day)
17 Temperature in red meat possibly was important (8)
MATTERED – T (temperature) in an anagram (possibly) of RED MEAT
19 V is for victory, in a way (7)
AGAINST – GAIN (victory) in A ST (a way)
21 Stress is rising in joint (7)
TENSION – IS reversed (rising) in TENON (joint)
23 Raising objective, admitting an obsession (5)
MANIA – AIM (objective) reversed (raising) around (admitting) AN
25 A short note on end of the recess (4)
APSE – A PS (a short note) [th]E (end of the)
Indeed a gentle solve, but not without its charms which brought a smirk to my face and even a chortle – 13ac, 2d, and 19d for instance.
Thanks to Orense for the amusement and Gaufrid for the clear parsing.
Thank you Orense and Gaufrid, we beginners are being spoiled today.
I did like CAR PARKS, NEAP TIDE, ALARMIST and NOES among many others.
Parking lots are not commonly “car parks” in America – think that’s one of your’n.
Shouldn’t ALARMIST be ‘one’ spreading fear?
AGAINST takes the prize.
Oop, before anyone jumps on me, I see the 13 clue could be read as “what they call lots in America, we know as ___ _____.”
And yes, there are ‘alarmist’ notions.
Thanks Orense and Gaufrid
Nothing too tricky with this one – setters all over went easier on us on Thursday. Finished with AUTODIDACT (which was new) and CAR PARKS.