I always enjoy blogging AZED puzzles, all those new words that I would otherwise never have known. Thank you AZED.
I will be away this weekend so may not be able to make corrections or respond to comments until later.
| Across | ||
| 1 | SUFIC |
It’s typical of Muslim mystic to satisfy without further education at intervals (5)
SUFfICe (to satisfy) missing FE (further education) – ‘at intervals’ means the F and E are not consecutive |
| 5 | FISHFAG |
One who plied her trade on the quay maybe lives with husband in private flat, retiring (7)
IS (lives) with H (husband) in GAFF (private flat) reversed |
| 11 | PIE COUNTER |
Source of patronage in old US treated pioneer with cut (10)
anagram of PIONEER with CUT |
| 12 | AGLEAM |
Get silver to shine as of old – like this? (6)
AG (silver) LEAM (to shine, obs) |
| 14 | TAVA |
Large vessel overturned on a griddle (4)
VAT (large vessel) reversed on A |
| 15 | FENITAR |
Alternative to lime juice, fine when drunk by sailor? (7)
FINE* anagram=drunk by TAR (sailor) |
| 16 | BOWAT |
Scotsman’s lantern, weak, on board? (5)
w (weak) in BOAT (on board) |
| 17 | EMEND |
Make editorial changes to conclusion this writer penned (5)
END (conclusion) containing (penning) ME (this writer) |
| 18 | OUTLASTED |
Was surviving sailor brought back in exposed? (9)
SALT (sailor) reversed in OUTED (exposed) |
| 22 | KAHIKATEA |
You may see NZ parrot consuming most of his leaves in this tree? (9)
KAKA (New Zealand parrot) containing HIs (most of) then TEA (leaves) |
| 23 | STEWS |
Old-style bordello is oozing with ultimate in lust within (5)
SEWS (is oozing) containing lusT (ultime letter of) |
| 25 | BRIMS |
Toneless old scold comes close to overflowing (5)
BRIMStone (old scold) missing TONE |
| 26 | CHANCRE |
Hard swelling? Risk letting edge of cleaver slice it (7)
CHANCE (risk) containing (letting…slice it) cleaveR (edge of) |
| 28 | RICK |
Blunder in cricket – or a stack (4)
found in cRICKet and double definition – a rick is also a ricket (blunder) |
| 29 | ATHENE |
Stretch in bath energized heavenly figure (6)
found inside (a stretch of) ATH ENErgized |
| 30 | ANTECHAPEL |
A panel wandering round college, through which devout student passes? (10)
A PANEL* anagram=wandering containig TECH (college) |
| 31 | EKPWELE |
Troubled cricketer we spotted dividing half of XI? It’s no longer current (7)
KP (Kevin Peterson, troubled cricketer) WE inside (spottted dividing) ELEven (XI, half of) – former curreny of Equitorial Guinea |
| 32 | SNIBS |
Catches, group of seven maybe pouching ball, all dismissed, sent back (5)
SINS (group of seven deadly sins, maybe) containing (pouching) Ball missing ALL, all reversed – catches on a gate for example |
| Down | ||
| 1 | SPAG BOL |
Cuts up round contents of bag, mixed, for pasta dish (7, 2 words)
LOPS (cuts) reversed (up) round BAG* anagram=mixed contents of |
| 2 | FELT |
Handled roofing material? (4)
double definition |
| 3 | ICE-CALK |
Nail to prevent slipping, kind holding internal pouches (7)
ILK (kind) holding CECA (internal pouches, in the intestine) |
| 4 | COAPT |
Adjust outer garment with soft lining (5)
COAT (outer garment) containing P (soft) |
| 6 | INTESTINE |
Some guts essential to win test in exams 9)
found inside wIN TEST IN Exams |
| 7 | STONE |
Rock or pop family (5)
double definition – Sly & the Family Stone |
| 8 | FRATER |
Comrade Hal lost off racing yacht (6)
halF RATER (racing yacht) missing HAL |
| 9 | ADVANCEMAN |
US security officer, one damn worried about former Secretary of State (10)
A (one) DAMN* anagram=worried containing Cyrus VANCE (US Secretay of State) |
| 10 | GUARD |
Bit of body protection, what new batsman asks for (5)
double definiton – in cricket a request to the umpire to ‘take guard’ or align ones stance with the stumps |
| 13 | GROUPTHINK |
Source of mission statement thru op somehow absorbed by oddball? (10)
(THRU OP)* anagram=somehow inside GINK (fellow man perjorative, oddball?) |
| 15 | FISHCREEL |
It may display fresh plaice pa set out (9)
anagram (it may display) of FRESH pLaICE missing PA (set out) – definition is &lit. This could also be read as only semi-&lit but with an implicit anagram. |
| 19 | DARSHAN |
A hand put out receives rupees, resulting in sadhu’s blessing? (7)
(A HAND)* anagram=put out containing RS (rupees) |
| 20 | PASTELS |
Medium bit of steak in plate’s minced (7)
Steak (first letter, a bit of) in PLATE’S* anagram=minced |
| 21 | SEACAP |
Sou’wester maybe, as once, speeds up enveloping one (6, 2 words)
PACES (speeds) reversed (up) containing A (one) |
| 23 | SCREE |
Rock (loose and worn) from one singing shrilly (not Cher) (5)
SCREEcher (one singing shrilly) missing CHER |
| 24 | SCUTE |
Shilling, quaint old coin (5)
S (shilling) CUTE (quaint) |
| 25 | BATHS |
Pool, at least 16 gallons approx. (5)
a BATH is a Hebrew liquid measure containing about six and a half gallons, so BATHS plural has to be at least that much. |
| 27 | KEPI |
Is it like pickelhaubes? Only a bit! (4)
found inside (a bit of) liKE PIckelhaubes – a French military cap, a pickelhaube is a German military helmet |
definitions are underlined
Thank you for the blog PeeDee.
It’s not just the new words for me, it is the precision. And the humour.
I have done many barred puzzles but Azed produces stuff the, sorry, The Times mob think learners should use to see how a well constructed clue should look.
And he’s been doing it once a week for forty plus years.
It really is a shame that The Observer doesn’t point Everyman users at these puzzles, and if they can’t be arsed to provide explanations to point them here for help.
And that so few visitors to this place don’t occasionally feel like trying his puzzles (I originally wrote ‘having a go at’). Without pointing a finger anywhere in particular, you can solve Azeds with a dictionary, ok, often you need Chambers to confirm stuff, but I don’t think I can remember a puzzle that required much more than general knowledge, in the broadest sense, unless heavily hinted at in the preamble.