What more is there to say about Dac? This is the usual consummate performance from the master, albeit at the easy end of the scale and containing nothing to hold people up for long. Even the citrus fruit at 24ac can be taken on trust. And thank goodness I didn’t need to know anything about Thiepval in 6dn.
Definitions underlined and in maroon.
| Across | ||
| 1 | AMBIENCE | Atmosphere changed in empty Berkshire cinema (8) |
| (B{erkshir}e cinema)* | ||
| 5 | TURBID | Confused group of workers wanting right offer (6) |
| TU r bid | ||
| 10 | CHEAPIE | Shortly cook a pastry dish that’s not expensive (7) |
| che{f} a pie | ||
| 11 | EVEREST | Mountain break with sea view oddly lacking (7) |
| {s}e{a} v{i}e{w} rest — ‘with’ doesn’t indicate any particular order | ||
| 12 | TAKE A DEEP BREATH | Pause to participate in lung capacity test? (4,1,4,6) |
| 2 defs, the second one whimsical | ||
| 13 | MAINTAIN | Support chief facing endless disgrace (8) |
| main tain{t} | ||
| 15 | HEDGE | Row of shrubs near hospital boundary (5) |
| h edge — ‘near’ surely isn’t a link-word; rather, it means ‘near ‘h’ is ‘hospital boundary” | ||
| 17 | ANTIS | They’re against getting involved in important issues (5) |
| Hidden in importANT ISsues | ||
| 19 | LADYLIKE | Description of many women idly swimming in Windermere? (8) |
| (idly)* in lake | ||
| 22 | PRESENT LAUGHTER | Play here, subsequently stifling expression of disgust (7,8) |
| present [= here] la(ugh)ter — this play | ||
| 24 | SWEETIE | Variety of citrus fruit that’s dear (7) |
| 2 defs, although I’d never heard of the first one and took it on trust | ||
| 25 | PAISLEY | Man, say, needs money to go round Scottish town (7) |
| pa(isle)y — isle as in Isle of Man | ||
| 26 | SELLER | Mentioned place to find wine merchant (6) |
| “cellar” | ||
| 27 | PETERSON | Jazz musician‘s favourite numbers about to make a comeback (8) |
| pet (nos re)rev. — referring to Oscar Peterson | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | ALCOTT | Chapter at start of book penned by key US author (6) |
| al(c OT)t — although some would argue that OT is books not book — Louisa May Alcott | ||
| 2 | BREAKFAST CEREAL | Originally bran flakes a caterer distributed? (9,6) |
| (b{ran} flakes a caterer)*, &lit. | ||
| 3 | EXPLAIN | Interpret old proposal one introduced (7) |
| ex-pla(1)n | ||
| 4 | CREPE | Pressure to stuff Indian pancake (5) |
| Cre(p)e | ||
| 6 | UNEARTH | Dig up from plateau near Thiepval (7) |
| Hidden in plateaU NEAR THiepval | ||
| 7 | BEER AND SKITTLES | Features of licensed bowling alley: great fun (4,3,8) |
| Skittles are a feature of a bowling alley, and if it’s licensed then beer is too | ||
| 8 | DUTCHMEN | Some Europeans munched nuts, having tons to consume (8) |
| (munched)* round t | ||
| 9 | WEAPONED | Carrying gun, perhaps, ineffectual person catches headless chicken (8) |
| we({c}apon)ed — not a word that comes to the forefront, but no doubt there | ||
| 14 | ALL AT SEA | The entire navy’s confused (3,2,3) |
| The navy is at sea and if the entire navy is at sea then it is all at sea — this clue has I think to be read as ‘The entire navy’s ___ : confused’ | ||
| 16 | HARPISTS | Musicians performing rap hits succeeded (8) |
| (rap hits s)* | ||
| 18 | SHEATHE | Protect small moorland plant river washed away (7) |
| s heathe{r} | ||
| 20 | LIGNITE | Source of fuel left to burn (7) |
| l ignite | ||
| 21 | CRAYON | Pants crony put in a drawer (6) |
| a in (crony)* — the anagram indicated by ‘pants’ (ugh, but I suppose I just have to go along with it: it’s become quite common recently) — the clue to be read as ‘make an anagram of ‘crony’ and then insert [= put in] ‘a” — a crayon is something that draws and so is a draw-er | ||
| 23 | AMPLE | Liberal politician, outwardly ‘ealthy (5) |
| ‘a(MP)le | ||
*anagram
Well. FOI was a very confident MCBAIN at 1D. American author (prolific if not good) … C(hapter) before B(ook) surrounded by MAIN (“key”). Took a very, very long time to untangle that.
From then on, plain sailing and very enjoyable. Thanks to both.
Another gem from Dac, but the clue for LADYLIKE is exceptional, even by his standards.
Thanks to Dac and John
Another Dac, another satisfying puzzle. 12ac was a write-in but the rest was a steady solve. I didn’t know SWEETIE as a citrus fruit but saw it as SWEET for a variety as in ‘sweet clementines’ plus IE (= that’s) so I got the right answer for the wrong reason. Favourites were WEAPONED and HARPISTS.
Maybe not a puzzle for absolute beginners, but certainly a good one for improvers.
Thanks, Dac and John.