Standard fare from Neo
I’m in Belfast filming a TV quiz show with Dave Tilley and Jane Teather, so this blog is coming from my hotel room.
The puzzle didn’t take terribly long to solve, although I did spend awhile trying to think of a Conrad story that would have fitted into 4dn before checking letters pointed out the error in my thinking.
My favourite clues were 4dn (after I realised where I was going wrong), 11ac and 28ac.
If I had one minor quibble with the puzzle, it felt a bit dated, with references to Soviet, Mikhail Tal and aerograms, but for us oldies (if 52 qualifies me for that tag!), it was fine.
Last two in were FECUND, because I couldn’t see past REFUND for a little while and UNITED, which was obvious, but took a second to parse.
I don’t think there’s a theme or NINA, but then I’m not good at spotting those anyway…
Thanks, Neo
| Across | ||
| 1 | DEBONAIR | Suave and refined socialite who floats around? (8) |
| DEB ON AIR | ||
| 6 | MIRAGE | Anger appropriate to principal motorway an illusory thing (6) |
| RAGE applied to M1 | ||
| 9 | BENDER | Drinking session ale knight and duke swallowed (6) |
| BE (N D) ER | ||
| 10 | SPLINTER | Variable indefinite number triples? That’s an irritation (8) |
| *(n triples) | ||
| 11 | ETNA | Constant smoker worried about gas inhaled (4) |
| <=ATE about N (Neon = “gas”)
Etna, on Sicily, is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, hence “constant smoker”. |
||
| 12 | GLASWEGIAN | Large egg was broken by Scotsman – one from Govan? (10) |
| *(l egg was) + IAN (“Scotsman”) | ||
| 14 | GOURMAND | One excessive fellow into fruit (8) |
| MAN in GOURD | ||
| 16 | AMID | Surrounded by morning papers? (4) |
| A.M. + I.D. | ||
| 18 | DERV | Fuel taken from under vans (4) |
| Hidden in “unDER Vans” | ||
| 19 | REPROVED | Soviet includes test given rocket (8) |
| RED includes PROVE | ||
| 21 | ASTRONOMER | More on star from me? (10) |
| *(more on star) | ||
| 22 | ROSE | Flower came up (4) |
| Double definition | ||
| 24 | ANCESTOR | Forefather catching cold, one Greek sage at Troy (8) |
| A NESTOR catching C | ||
| 26 | TRIBAL | Joke playfully accepted by chess champion loyal to group (6) |
| RIB accepted by TAL
Mikhail Tal was a Soviet chess grandmaster and world champion from 1960 to 1961. |
||
| 27 | FECUND | Greatly productive association of states fills money reserve (6) |
| E.C. fills FUND | ||
| 28 | YEARLING | In Argyle knit the makings of a jumper? (8) |
| *(in argyle) | ||
| Down | ||
| 2 | EVENT | Still time to ride competitively (5) |
| EVEN + T
As in three-day eventing |
||
| 3 | OLD MAN RIVER | Nimrod confused with Ravel in fluvial song (3,3,5) |
| *(Nimrod Ravel) | ||
| 4 | AEROGRAM | Letter from girl on a return (8) |
| <=MARGO RE A | ||
| 5 | ROSS AND CROMARTY | Conrad’s story bizarre about spoil in old county (4,3,8) |
| *(Conrads story) about MAR
Ross and Cromarty is now part of the Highlands, a beautiful place to visit if you can find one of the three nice days we have here in Scotland every year! |
||
| 6 | MALAWI | Country mum’s first rule? (6) |
| MA + LAW 1 | ||
| 7 | RUN | Carry, pass, score (3) |
| Triple definition | ||
| 8 | GRENADINE | Syrup of pineapple to store at home (9) |
| GRENADE (aka “pineapple” due to its appearance) storing IN.
GRENADINE is a syrup normally made from redcurrants and pomegranates. |
||
| 13 | GLAMOUR GIRL | She has it good – to thrash soldier we have on both sides? (7,4) |
| G + LAM + OUR G.I. + R L (“both sides”)
A glamour girl would have “it” (sex appeal) |
||
| 15 | OBEISANCE | Respectful expression where I see bacon cooked (9) |
| *(I see bacon) | ||
| 17 | OPERETTA | Choose tenor before getting involved with a show such as this (8) |
| OP(ERE)T T A | ||
| 20 | UNITED | Maybe Oxbridge man in team (6) |
| UNI TED | ||
| 23 | SPAIN | Saint suffering in Catholic country (5) |
| S + PAIN | ||
| 25 | EMU | English character in Greece gets leggy bird (3) |
| E + MU | ||
*anagram
Thanks Neo and loonapick
This stretched across the day as I only had short gaps in what turned out to be a very busy day at work (unfortunately, nothing as exciting as filming).
Was pleased to get the long clue without references (well after unsuccessfully looking up Joseph Conrad’s works) – and it probably was my favourite as well. Got OLD MAN RIVER easily enough but on checking the Show Boat song is actually OL’ MAN RIVER.
Like your parsing of 20d (which was my last one in) – had thought of it as a double definition – the first being the tenuous union of Oxford and Cambridge graduates in a social status context. Sort of works … but doesn’t.
Also could not spot a Nina or theme – which is unusually two in a row now from this setter !
At the risk of appearing picky with 11ac, the symbol ‘N’ is for Nitrogen
Not picky – accurate!!
Thanks loonapick and Neo.
I neede your help to understand Mikhail Tal at 26 (which was my LOI) but otherwise fairly straightforward.
If there is a Nina, it’s jolly well hidden.