Good stuff as usual from Everyman. Apologies for the late appearance of the blog. You’re right: I forgot it was my turn.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
1 Leading figure accepted support with hesitation
STANDARD-BEARER
A charade of STANDARD for ‘accepted’, BEAR and ER.
9 Complain about deceiver
LIAR
A reversal of RAIL in its ‘complain’ sense: ‘he railed against the decision’.
10 Expert politician can start to gain encouragement
PROMPTING
A trademark multi-part clue from Everyman: PRO plus MP plus TIN plus G.
12 Outdoor work English rain ruined
OPEN-AIR
And another: OP plus E plus (RAIN)*
13 Track bearing north and south and back
SPONSOR
An insertion of NS in SPOOR.
14 Inflexible doctor with refusal left one suffering itch
MONOLITHIC
A charade of MO for Medical Orderly or ‘doctor’, NO for ‘refusal’, L for ‘left’, I for ‘one’ and (ITCH)*
16 Mug following wizard
FACE
A charade of F and ACE.
18 Going westward in trek under attack
NUKE
Hidden reversed in trEK UNder.
19 Break from working not possessed by fearful energy
CONTRAVENE
An insertion of (NOT)* in CRAVEN plus E. The anagrind is ‘working’.
21 Cakes made with rice as arranged, about fifty
ECLAIRS
An insertion of L in (RICE AS)*
22 Strong batting, perfect?
INTENSE
If you’re batting in cricket, then you’re IN; then you need TENSE, of which ‘perfect’ is an example.
24 Just qualified after event’s leader gave up
EQUITABLE
ABLE for ‘qualified’ comes after E for the first letter of ‘event’ and QUIT for ‘gave up’.
26 Gold used by artist to create atmosphere
AURA
A charade of AU for the chemical symbol for ‘gold’ and RA for ‘artist’.
27 Moving dirt, spared poor burrowing arachnid
TRAPDOOR SPIDER
(DIRT SPARED POOR)*
Down
2 Rubbish, tons ready
TRIPE
A charade of T and RIPE.
3 Number above thousand in assembly as a rule
NORMALLY
Because it’s a down clue, it’s NO above M in RALLY.
4 Hopes to have endless jelly and food
ASPIRATIONS
A charade of ASPI[C] and RATIONS.
5 Swindle involving upper-class pair
DUO
An insertion of U in DO for ‘swindle’.
6 Use line in poem strangely unknown
EMPLOY
An insertion of L in (POEM)* followed by Y for the mathematical ‘unknown’.
7 Control, say, put back
REINSTATE
A charade of REIN and STATE.
8 Court star with degree of error, sadly losing love
ROGER FEDERER
Appropriate for Wimbledon week: it’s (DEGREE[O]FERROR)* with ‘sadly’ as the anagrind.
11 Opening remark about church and people
COMMENCEMENT
An insertion of CE and MEN in COMMENT.
13 Sins in tales designed to produce piety
SAINTLINESS
(SINS IN TALES)*
15 Family upset before I praise a racing driver
NIKI LAUDA
A charade of KIN reversed, I LAUD and A. Bit tricky if you’re not into F1 (and he did feature a good while ago).
17 Processed meat finished on drive over island
PASTRAMI
A charade of PAST, RAM and I.
20 Elevated biography covering time with depth
LIFTED
An insertion of T in LIFE followed by D.
23 Courage never wavering
NERVE
(NEVER)*
25 Shout of disapproval from oaf, right away
BOO
BOO[R]
Many thanks to Everyman for this week’s puzzle.
Thank you Everyman. Hello again, Pierre, you must be fed up with me by now (if you had to solve the Indy as well as the Everyman this morning, and write both blogs, it is no wonder that you are late).
I enjoyed this solve last Sunday. I don’t remember any problems, NIKI LAUDA is relatively recent in my timeline.
I particularly liked the clues for INTENSE, EQUITABLE, TRAPDOOR SPIDER, ASPIRATIONS and COMMENCEMENT.
Another good puzzle. Thanks, Everyman and Pierre.
Pierre, although it’s a while since NIKI LAUDA was racing in F1, he is interviewed regularly in his role as non-executive chairman of the Mercedes team, particularly whenever Hamilton and Rosberg clash during races. Also, the 2013 film Rush centred on his rivalry with British driver James Hunt, so younger fans of fast cars probably know him from that too.
Another good puzzle from Everyman, for the most part straightforward, though I did struggle a little at the end on 19ac. 15d I was pleased to get from wordplay and a vague recollection of the name.
Perfect fare for a cold wet Saturday. Contravene and Eclair were loi.
Thanks Pierre and Everyman.
Like Barrie contravene was my LOI – weird clue I barely get it, had a few elec helpers for a handful.. but then again I always do just a little. My new word today was spoor
Good puzzle though I struggled with 19 ac too and also 13 ac. Liked Niki Lauda.
It’s not Wimbledon week here. It’s the start of the Olympics. Maybe we can expect some clues from them too in a month’s time.
Really enjoyed “contravene” even if it was the last one for me also. To me this typifies what a cryptic clue should be – a mixture of everything. Heard Niki Lauda interviewed on the radio this morning about the recently deceased Chris Amon. Said some wonderful things about him, showing great respect for the New Zealander. The timing of this clue was most appropriate here.
Good puzzle, thanks to all.
The best I can say about this crossword is nothing