Eileen has prepared a blog for this puzzle but has now lost her internet connection so there may be a delay in it appearing. Please be patient!
Eileen has still not got an internet connection so here is an analysis of the clues in what was a very easy, but enjoyable, puzzle. Many good surfaces and a few smiles along the way.
(edited at 11:35am)
Across
1 Cook sounds like an ass, we hear (6)
BRAISE – a homophone (we hear) of ‘brays’ (sounds like an ass)
4 Have faith in cover held back by worker (7)
BELIEVE – VEIL (cover) reversed in (held back by) BEE (worker)
9 Safe radio broadcast, as previously mentioned (9)
AFORESAID – an anagram (broadcast) of SAFE RADIO
10 Hours in pleasant alcove (5)
NICHE – H (hours) in NICE (pleasant)
11 Silver not from the right South Pacific country (5)
TONGA – AG (silver) NOT reversed (from the right)
12 Proper sign for US elections (9)
PRIMARIES – PRIM (proper) ARIES (sign)
13 Welshman doesn’t tell the truth in newspapers (7)
DAILIES – DAI (Welshman) LIES (doesn’t tell the truth)
15 Lust worried an eastern ruler (6)
SULTAN – an anagram (worried) of LUST plus AN
17 Greek letter about end of bailout is a disgrace (6)
STIGMA – SIGMA (Greek letter) around (about) [bailou]T (end of bailout)
19 Lose hope when changing diapers (7)
DESPAIR – an anagram (when changing) of DIAPERS
22 Greeting crew members with fish (9)
HANDSHAKE – HANDS (crew members) HAKE (fish)
24 After central heating I’ll cool off (5)
CHILL – CH (central heating) I’LL
26 Thick-skinned beast dropping back by European river (5)
RHINE – RHIN[o] (thick-skinned beast dropping back) E (European)
27 Cheeky about Russian leader? That’s unwise! (9)
IMPRUDENT – IMPUDENT (cheeky) around (about) R[ussian] (Russian leader)
28 Group taking long time dressing (7)
BANDAGE – BAND (group) AGE (long time)
29 He ordered lead and made well (6)
HEALED – HE plus an anagram (ordered) of LEAD
Down
1 Damned bishop didn’t run out (7)
BLASTED – B (bishop) LASTED (didn’t run out)
2 Decorate sailors after fuss (5)
ADORN – ADO (fuss) RN (sailors)
3 Observe woodwork going up and down (3-6)
SEE-SAWING – SEE (observe) SAWING (woodwork)
4 Birds used big nuts (7)
BUDGIES – an anagram (nuts) of USED BIG
5 McCartney from Liverpool in dancehall (5)
LINDA – hidden in (from) ‘liverpooL IN DAncehall’
6 New deal with China to supply spicy food (9)
ENCHILADA – an anagram (new) of DEAL CHINA
7 Still getting letters from Stevenson (4,2)
EVEN SO – hidden in (getting letters from) ‘stEVENSOn’
8 College grounds affected American (6)
CAMPUS – CAMP (affected) US (American)
14 Location of groundsheet upset no one? That’s the aim (9)
INTENTION – IN TENT (location of groundsheet) plus NO I (one) reversed (upset)
16 As to clues being cracked, it’s a hopeless endeavour (4,5)
LOST CAUSE – an anagram (being cracked) of AS TO CLUES
18 Ordering caviare demonstrates greed (7)
AVARICE – an anagram (ordering) of CAVIARE
19 Pass over pages on English or French port (6)
DIEPPE – DIE (pass) PP (pages) E (English)
20 Akin, so it is said (7)
RELATED – double def.
21 What Guevara’s masseur provided for angel? (6)
CHERUB – CHE RUB (what Guevara’s masseur provided)
23 Female graduate in old queen’s place (5)
SHEBA – SHE (female) BA (graduate)
25 Perfect croupier’s job description? (5)
IDEAL – I DEAL (croupier’s job description)
Thanks Orlando and Gaufrid. I found this easier than today’s Rufus, which is unusual
Thank you Orlando and Rufus. An ideal puzzle for beginners, certainly not ‘a hopeless endeavour’.
Sorry about that, I had Rufus on the brain. Thank you Gaufrid.
Thanks Orlando & Gaufrid.
Just right for a Quiptic with good variety. I liked the CAMP US.
A nicely pitched puzzle. My favourites are INTENTIONS and, for their topical surfaces, STIGMA and IMPRUDENT.
Thanks to Orlando and Gaufrid, and commiserations to Eileen.
Thanks Orlando and Gaufrid
Easy,as you say, but very enjoyable, with several smiles. I particularly liked the CHE RUB, and the contrast in pronunciation between DAI LIES and DAILIES was startling!
Thanks, Gaufrid, for stepping in. Eileen will be disappointed not being able to blog this one, because I know she’s a particular fan of Orlando (and I think he set the puzzle that was her first ever blog, a long time ago now).
Orlando always sets very good Quiptics: just right for real beginners, but also entertaining for more experienced solvers. We’re all choosing different faves, which is always a good sign. Mine was HANDSHAKE for its clever surface.
Nice to see Orlando back.
Yes thank you Orlando for a very well pitched puzzle for a beginner like me … only one cheat this time! A good confidence builder.