Quite a challenge!
First of all, apologies for the lateness of this blog, but I have had technical problems all day. I eventually got access to the puzzle about an hour ago, and it has taken that long (and the Internet) to get this finished.
There is a theme of “three sisters” in the puzzle.
| Across | ||
| 1 | RESIST | Do not be tempted by ugly sister (6) |
| *(sister) | ||
| 4 | ABBESSES | Religious leaders maybe bless ushers on a regular basis (8) |
| (m)A(y)B(e) B(l)E(s)S (u)S(h)E(r)S | ||
| 9 | TEAPOT | Volunteers to keep key drug in crockery (6) |
| E (“key”) in TA (“volunteers”) + POT (“drug”) | ||
| 10 | LACHESIS | Sovereign takes pains with Iceland’s fate (8) |
| L (pound = “sovereign”) + ACHES + IS (.is is Iceland’s internet code)
Lachesis was one of the three Fates in Greek mythology. |
||
| 12 | INELEGANT | Graceless supporter one caught in current trap (9) |
| LEG AN (“supporter one”) caught in I NET (“current trap”) | ||
| 13 | STEAM | Power plant part includes one (5) |
| A in STEM | ||
| 14 | ACTINGOODFAITH | Taking part of Toad almost his downfall, to be completely honest (3,2,4,5) |
| ACTING (“taking part) +*(of toad hi) | ||
| 17 | I SAW THREE SHIPS | Stormy Weather is his, with special backing from Carol (1,3,5,5) |
| *(weather is his) + <=Sp. | ||
| 21 | EMILY | See about note for one of three sisters (5) |
| ELY (“see”) about MI (“note”)
EMILY refers to Emily Bronte, one of three sisters. |
||
| 22 | ATTRIBUTE | Quality cats essentially praise (9) |
| c(AT)s + TRIBUTE | ||
| 24 | CORDELIA | One of three sisters gets my back trouble after clearing out doghouse (8) |
| COR (“my!”) + D(oghous)E + <=AIL
Cordelia was King Lear’s youngest daughter (of three). |
||
| 25 | LINNET | End of sentimental film about pub singer (6) |
| (sentimenta)L + E.T. (“film) about INN
A linnet is a small songbird, therefore a “singer”. |
||
| 26 | DARKSOME | Gloomy party keeps ships in the Middle East (8) |
| ARKS in DO + M.E. | ||
| 27 | MARSHY | Soggy god has reason to leave wife (6) |
| MARS + (w)HY | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | RATTIGAN | Hunting vermin is pointless with a northern playwright (8) |
| RATTI(n)G + AN
Terence Rattigan, who wrote The Browing Version, The Winslow Boy and Separate Tables, among others. |
||
| 2 | SPAREST | Most frugal cuts set in stone (7) |
| PARES (“cuts”) in St. (“stone”) | ||
| 3 | SHONE | Quiet individual excelled (5) |
| SH (“quiet!”) + ONE | ||
| 5 | BLASTED HEATH | Burt Lancaster, initially, when prime minister could have met three sisters here (7,5) |
| B(urt) L(ancaster) + AS TED HEATH
From Act 1, Scene 3 of Macbeth Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more: |
||
| 6 | EPHESIANS | Ancient Greeks record material with centre part moved to the end (9) |
| EP + HESSIAN with the central S moved to the end.
Ephesus is now in Turkey, but was in Greece in ancient times. |
||
| 7 | SUSPECT | American muscle in a way dodgy (7) |
| US PEC in St. | ||
| 8 | SESAME | Some disheartened by identical plant (6) |
| S(om)E + SAME | ||
| 11 | PAROCHIALISM | Distracted, I spoil a march, not seeing the bigger picture (12) |
| *(I spoil a march) | ||
| 15 | NEWLYWEDS | Happy couple will yawn off and on being overwhelmed by requirements (9) |
| W(i)L(l)Y(a)W(n) in NEEDS | ||
| 16 | OSWESTRY | Is obliged to hear about society in Shropshire town (8) |
| OWES TRY about S | ||
| 18 | STIRRER | Support without winning Queen’s Teaspoon? (7) |
| STIRR(up) + E.R. | ||
| 19 | IGUANAS | One sort of fertiliser not round like reptiles (7) |
| 1 + GUAN(o) + AS | ||
| 20 | FENCED | Fought being restrained (6) |
| Double definition | ||
| 23 | IRINA | One of Chekhov’s sisters fashionable in Irish academy (5) |
| IN (“fashionable”) in Ir. A | ||
*anagram
Thanks Chalmie and loonapick
My second Chalmie, I think. Very well constructed, by no means easy, but very enjoyable nonetheless.
Very enjoyable. A nice spot with ‘Ted Heath’ in 5.
Thank you both.
Ephesus was never “in Greece” but its people were Greek.
Well done, loonapick — I finished (with great difficulty), but needed your elucidation on a couple of clues. Terrific brain-wrestle, Chalmie. I too enjoyed the ingenuity of TED HEATH
Coby
I stand corrected – Ephesus was a Greek colony.
Thanks loonapick, and sorry for your technical problems, which kept me on tenterhooks all day!
Thanks to those who have commented using the key phrase “very enjoyable”, since that’s all I really care about.
Comments eagerly awaited on Friday’s puzzle!
Some wonderfully clever clueing here, but too much nerdy general knowledge required to solve this, so I found it hopelessly frustrating and derived little enjoyment from it.
Thanks Chalmie and loonapick
Only got to this one today and took a number of short sessions to get it done in between a busy working day. Found it a very enjoyable but challenging puzzle and particularly liked the clever take with the three sister theme.
Lots of interesting variation in the clue devices and a few new terms, including – RATTIGAN, LACHESIS and IRINA (Prozorova) together with the great piece of work to include TED HEATH in the Shakespearean quote about the three witches (sisters).
Was pleased to be able to complete and parse all of it – finishing in the SE corner with OSWESTRY and MARSHY the last couple in.
Thanks loonapick and Chalmie – pleased to say I too enjoyed this.
I did wonder about the ‘in’ in the clue for 24 – would ‘sailing to the Middle East’ have worked better?
I loved the idea – from the blog – that Ephasus used to be in Greece. Gave me an image of the Turks raiding and taking it away stone by stone – only teasing. I really appreciate your hard work loonapick.