Apologies for the late appearance of this post. After loonapick’s IT problems yesterday it appears that something has prevented Turbolegs from being with us today. So, to avoid any further delay, here is just an analysis of the clues.
.
Across
1 Monk needing a bit of money I look at (10)
FRANCISCAN – FRANC (a bit of money) I SCAN (I look at)
7 Female star’s boldness (4)
FACE – F (female) ACE (star)
9 A maiden all right or out of control? (4)
AMOK – A M (maiden) OK (all right)
10 Unexpected drink coming up around end of bar (10)
SURPRISING – SUP (drink) RISING (coming up) around [ba]R (end of bar)
11 Followers following wild man outside party (6)
FANDOM – F (following) plus an anagram (wild) of MAN around (outside) DO (party)
12 Quiet and looking embarrassed, inside I have trembled with fear? (8)
SHIVERED – I’VE (I have) in (inside) SH (quiet) RED (looking embarrassed)
13 Daughter feeling change for the worse (8)
DEMOTION – D (daughter) EMOTION (feeling)
15 Like visitors playing with a sort of style (4)
AWAY – A WAY (sort of style)
17 Objections about a short piece (4)
STUB – BUTS (objections) reversed (about)
19 You’ll catch female in dither giving adverse reaction (3,5)
HAY FEVER – YE (you) around (‘ll catch) F (female) all in HAVER (dither)
22 Delivery of goods second rate – something that makes you sick? (8)
BAILMENT – B (second rate) AILMENT (something that makes you sick)
23 Revolutionary actors on the rampage (6)
CASTRO – an anagram (on the rampage) of ACTORS
25 Where sad birds gathered to provide a sort of message (5,5)
ROUND ROBIN – double def.
26 A bit of a character giving Jerry grief (4)
ATOM – A TOM (character giving Jerry grief)
27 Kind / to work as key operator (4)
TYPE – double def.
28 Jumpy little creature here looking silly in hat (10)
TREEHOPPER – an anagram (looking silly) of HERE in TOPPER (hat)
Down
2 Stars send message, creating storm (7)
RAMPAGE – RAM (stars) PAGE (send message)
3 A king comprehended by boy as being “definitely not in fine clothes”! (5)
NAKED – A K (king) in (comprehended by) NED (boy)
4 One in ghastly mansion suffering at night? (8)
INSOMNIA – I (one) in an anagram (ghastly) of MANSION
5 Information being freely given with hearts being laid bare? (5,2,3,5)
CARDS ON THE TABLE – def. & cryptic indicator
6 Nymph showing readiness to be naughty – ass led astray (6)
NEREID – an anagram (to be naughty) of RE[a]DINE[ss]
7 Encouragement good person gets to intercept enemy with anger (9)
FOSTERAGE – ST (good person) in (gets to intercept) FOE (enemy) RAGE (anger)
8 Degree of intensity in former African leader, new leader (7)
CANDELA – mANDELA (former African leader) with the first letter changed (new leader)
14 Where rider may be found / taking everything into consideration (2,7)
ON BALANCE – double def.
16 What sounds like casual greeting to the first Mrs Lennon? It’s flowery (8)
HYACINTH – def. & cryptic indicator (‘hiya Cynth[ia]’)
18 Insulation may be provided by this special coat, yes? (3,4)
TEA COSY – an anagram (special) of COAT YES
20 Where personal decoration may be displayed, noble having been given honour (7)
EARLOBE – EARL (noble) OBE (honour)
21 Mysterious cult religious education included (6)
SECRET – RE (religious education) in (included) SECT (cult)
24 Appearing at end of street, a politician creates impression (5)
STAMP – ST (street) A MP (a politician)
Thank you for providing the blog, Gaufrid.
I quite liked this, especially 19, 23ac & 16d. Thank you, Bradman.
Enjoyed this – partly because I felt it was on the slightly easier end for Bradman.
A real LOL on 16dn!
Re: 14D : How is a rider found “on balance” ?
Is balance a type of horse or vehicle ?
Does it have something to do with a bill ?
I know equestrians try to ride in balance. Is it related to that ?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Nregan
I thought it was referring to a traditional pair of weighing scales, those with a horizontal bar pivoted in the middle. Chambers has “an object that rests on or astride of another, such as a piece of wire on a balance for fine weighing”.
Sorry … why did the sad birds gather round Robin?
custard
It’s from the nursery rhyme ‘Who killed Cock Robin’, the last lines of which are:
“All the birds of the air fell a-sighing and a-sobbing,
When they heard the bell toll for poor Cock Robin.”
The full rhyme can be found here:
http://www.rhymes.org.uk/who_killed_cock_robin.htm
Thanks Gaufrid and Bradman.
It took a while to see the parsing of HAY FEVER but got there in the end.
Not spectacular, but a good workaday puzzle.
I recall that a Round Robin was originally a round ribbon. It was a petition to the King with the top joined to the bottom so that there were no names at the start of the list of signatories – so the King would be unable in theory to identify the ringleader (or did I just dream that?)
Gaufrid @4
Thanks.
I see also that Collins has
5. (Chemistry) a small weight that can be slid along one arm of a chemical balance to make fine adjustments during weighing
I should have looked a bit harder.
Thanks Bradman and Gaufrid
Must’ve lost this one in the pile – actually did it back in Feb but only got to check it off tonight – so for the sake of posterity !!!
Looks like I also found this a bit easier than normal from the Don across a number of shortish sessions. There was only HAVER and TREEHOPPER that I hadn’t heard of before – so an easier day for the obscure words too. Liked both the humorous HYACINTH and the clever ROUND ROBIN.
Finished in the NE corner with FOSTERAGE (this definition that was different – so maybe 3 obscurities), FACE (made harder by having MANDELA instead of CANDELA at 8d) and the fixed up CANDELA last of all.