Cyclops is giving us a very bleak analysis of the state of the world with a Trump heavy set of clues
However the puzzle itself proved to be one of the quickest solves for a while with only a few tricky clues. Indeed after the first pass I had only 7 left unsolved, and they were scattered across the grid so did not resist long
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 6/16 | SNOOPER’S CHARTER | Big Brother sort of thing – crap sort here’s no different (8,7) (CRAP SORT HERE’S NO)* AInd: different |
| 8 | EUROS | English otherwise upset, flooded by American cash (5) E[nglish], OR< (otherwise, upset) flooded (covered by) US (American) |
| 11 | ROAD TO RUIN | Trump, dismissing politician on radio, snapped “This is USA’s path now!” (4,2,4) (TRU[mp] ON RADIO)* AInd: snapped. Deficient definition “This is the world’s path now!” |
| 12 | ARKANSAS | A Republican state’s a Republican state (8) A R[epublican] KANSAS. |
| 13 | EXTEND | Welcoming next disaster, the leading characters in election debacle “reach out” (6) NEXT* AInd: disaster, inside (welcoming) E[lection] D[ebacle] |
| 14 | TRADE IN | Elected after abuse – “Lose ego and give something in return!” (5,2) IN (elected) after TIRADE (abuse) – I (ego) |
| 20 | SPRUNG | 20% of presidents, encumbered by uncontrolled guns, recoiled (6) PR[esidents] inside (encumbered by) GUNS* AInd: uncontrolled |
| 22 | BLUEBIRD | Conservative getting jail sentence: “it flies!” (8) BLUE (Conservative) BIRD (jail sentence). |
| 24 | DEEP IN DEBT | Taking Boris’s lead, needed tip – sad state of Britain now (4,2,4) (NEEDED TIP + B[oris])* AInd: sad. Ref. Definition: I would say now and for the foreseeable |
| 26/10 | FAST WORK | Abstain together with Labour, by which you soon achieve your goal (4,4) FAST (Abstain) WORK (labour) Last One In for no particular reason |
| 27 | SCREW | Southern boat people bleed (5) S[outhern] CREW (boat people). As regards the definition, screwing and bleeding are synonymous in the sense of cheating someone |
| 28 | THOROUGH | Comprehensive‘s done for – it holds sod all (8) O (sod all) inside THROUGH (done for) |
| Down | ||
| 1 | ON TOUR | Balls involved with dodgy turn, taking Strictly round the country? (2,4) (TURN + O + O (balls))* AInd: dodgy |
| 2 | ROCK HARD | Perverse alternative, sticking end of dick in leafstalk to get very erect (4,4) OR< then [dic]K inside CHARD (leafstalk). Someone’s been studying those 1932 Picassos |
| 3/25 | DEPRESSING NEWS | “Balls’ comeback urgent” – dope reveals what we don’t want to hear (10,4) ED< PRESSING (urgent) NEWS (dope) |
| 4/13 | HEAT EXHAUSTION | Sun exposure led to this cutting short of PM with the anxious trembling? (4,10) HEAT[h] (cutting short of PM) , (THE ANXIOUS)* AInd: Trembling. Perhaps the trickiest clue here. I didn’t see the HEAT[h] part of the wordplay till doing the blog |
| 5 | DRY-ROT | Cabinet damaged by this ‘Conservative Way’ U-turn? (3-3) TORY RD all reversed |
| 7 | SPARSE | Skimpy boxers do, so extend tops (6) SPAR (boxers do) S[o] E[xtend]. Misdirection of meaning of boxers got me – so one of the last clues solved |
| 9 | SCIENCE | Economics, say, since getting wrecked by committed Exit leaders (7) (SINCE C[ommitted] E[xit])* AInd: getting wrecked. Hmm. Is Economics really a science: Discuss |
| 15 | REPRESS | “Crush Right!” – female leader failing to hold Germany’s centre (7) R[ight] E[m]PRESS M from [ger]M[any] |
| 17 | RUB OFF ON | Theresa’s heart goes to vacillating buffoon: “Leave your mark on someone” (3,3,2) [the]R[esa] BUFFOON* AInd: vacillating |
| 18/12 | RED ANT | ‘Community member‘ row buries Miliband (3,3) ED inside RANT (row) |
| 19 | ABJECT | Forlorn thing: one has to replace ring (6) OBJECT (thing) with O (ring) replaced by A (one) |
| 21 | UMPIRE | Moderate Trump – i.e. tempered once temperature’s dropped (6) (TRUMP IE – T)* AInd: tempered |
| 23 | RESIGN | Queen secures pathetic Nige’s surrender (6) R (NIGE’S)* AInd: pathetic |
I do think Economics is a science…. although, ages ago, at school, one did Arts or Science and economics was in the Arts side. Now that’s showing my age, I guess!
Not convinced by ‘dope’ being ‘news’ though. it seems a long hop to make. I recognise dope as a sort of lowdown and the link is there. Just a bit tenuous I feel.
I enjoyed the solve though.
Not necessarily showing my age, it’s also been tagged “the dismal science” for quite some time.
Always wondered where the ‘title’ for these Eye blogs came from. Repress science? Abject umpire would be good after recent ODI cricket match – but Cyclops wouldn’t have seen that coming, with his one eye….
Thanks to S&B for usual fun solve
I make the title from any two answers – better if they are readable on the grid, or symmetrical as in this case – hopefully topical and humourous. On the latter count I failed dismally this time. Should’ve gone with Abject Umpire (or Thorough Screw)