Independent on Sunday 1,343 by Raich

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Another enjoyable Sunday puzzle from Raich, and I’m not just saying that because I know he’ll be reading.

Everything seemed to fall in very smoothly, with very few hold ups. I particularly appreciated that the cryptic definitions and homophones, clue styles which can often create a little bit of controversy, were as solid as the rest.

That said, I think the only one I did put a small question mark by was 21 across. My best guess is that that’s just a cryptic definition, with “better half” referring to “wife” or similar, but I do just wonder if I’m missing something.

Across
1 WAND Wife with something magical? (4)
W + AND.
3 IMPARTED Communicated the Speaker’s role to journalist (8)
I‘M + PART + ED.
10 RAGGEDY Artist returning breakfast item, extremely dry, poor in appearance (7)
RA + EGG< + D[r]Y.
11 AWFULLY Very much wishing for union initially hugged by partner (7)
W[ishing] F[or] U[nion] in ALLY.
12 ASTRONOMER ROYAL Queen’s employee watching Sky while on duty? (10,5)
A very nice cryptic definition.
13 MANIFEST Finish off policy statement, clear (8)
MANIFEST[o].
14 SALSA Dance proposal satisfactory in part (5)
Hidden in [propo]SAL SA[tisfactory].
17 ARENA Near a ground – this one? (5)
(NEAR A)*.
18 SARACENS Players from South America move fast against Poles (8)
SA + RACE + N + S.
21 MALE CHAUVINISTS They’ve strong views about better half? (4,11)
I think this is just a cryptic definition.
23 CONDUCT Criminal before Dutch court for behaviour (7)
CON + DU + CT.
24 STERILE Fruitless series of steps restricting monarch (7)
ER in STILE.
25 SPORTING Give information about wine that’s fair (8)
PORT in SING.
26 LEFT The French newspaper – socialistic (4)
LE + FT.
Down
1 WARSAW City was on way up after conflict (6)
WAR + WAS<.
2 NIGHTMARE Unpleasant experience, close thing at outset on sea for Romans (9)
NIGH + T[hing] + MARE.
4 MEANEST Intended to nick contents of desk – most despicable (7)
[d]ES[k] in MEANT.
5 AS FAR AS I CAN SEE The horizon, in my opinion? (2,3,2,1,3,3)
Two definitions.
6 TALLY Score high over years (5)
TALL + Y.
7 DRY-CLEAN Make stainless poet, who’s leaving den behind, cold and unproductive (3-5)
John DRY[den] + C + LEAN.
8 DEPOSIT ACCOUNT Unusually poetic aunts Doc finds source of interest? (7,7)
(POETIC AUNTS DOC)*.
9 BYGONE Former purchase, we hear, good, unique (6)
Homophone of “buy” + G + ONE.
15 LANDSLIDE Small-minded ignoring millions involved in electoral win (9)
(S[m]ALL [m]INDED)*.
16 HAMMOCKS Overacting, makes fun of basic beds (8)
HAM + MOCKS.
18 SPARTAN Fight revolutionary nationalist, austere (7)
SPAR + NAT<.
19 REVISE Again study translation of verse written about Island (6)
I in VERSE*.
20 ASCENT Rise – very little money, they say (6)
Homophone of “a cent”. We often find that “sounds like” clues can prove to be controversial, but I don’t think there can be any doubt about this one.
22 LENTO Slow at music, advanced at love? (5)
LENT + 0. LENT as in to lend or advance someone money.

 

* = anagram; < = reversed; [] = removed; underlined = definition; Hover to expand abbreviations

 

4 comments on “Independent on Sunday 1,343 by Raich”

  1. Thanks Simon. I’m sure you are right about 21 across. It was a LOL when the penny dropped.

    As close to the ideal as a Sunday Indy can get. And, like you, I am not just saying that because Raich will be reading.

    (Time for a nice sizeable Glenmorangie beside an open fire now.)

  2. Thank you for blogging, Simon.

    Raich is predictable (just like his football team), and I mean that in the nicest way. With an IoS puzzle, it’ll be clearly clued and without obscurity, and a pleasure to finish. With his (and my) football team, it’ll mean we’ll lose.

    ASTRONOMER ROYAL was my favourite in this one.

  3. Thanks Simon for the excellent blog and also to those who commented.

    I confirm that 21A is a cryptic definition with the idea that they see humanity divided into two halves, one much superior to the other. The clue also draws on ‘better half’ – jocular description of one’s wife.

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