It’s that time of the year for a crossword from Courtier. Thanks to Courtier. Definitions are underlined in the clues.
Across
1 They are a recognised doubles pair (13)
DOPPELGANGERS : Cryptic defn: Not say, the Williams sisters at Wimbledon, but two living persons who are not related but look like each other.
8 Lawyer joins artist to find site of an Indian masterpiece (4)
AGRA : AG(abbrev. for “Attorney-General”, the legal officer who represents the state in legal proceedings, or chief lawyer for the state, you might say) plus(joins) RA(post-nominals for a member of the Royal Academy of the Arts, an artist).
Defn: …, speaking architecturally, viz. the Taj Mahal.
9 Period spent in the park bar with four measures (6,4)
COMMON TIME : TIME(period) spent in the COMMON(a public park).
Defn: …, musically speaking, or 4/4 time.
10 Nothing is impossible shows Swiss champion (6)
HINGIS : Hidden in(… shows) “Nothing is impossible“.
Answer: Martina, 1997 Wimbledon singles champion.
11 Peel a small flower and graze (4,4)
SKIN BURN : SKIN(to peel the skin off, say, fruit) + BURN(a small flow-er;stream).
Defn: An injury to the skin caused by friction.
12 Newly carved best ivory in so many words. (9)
VERBOSITY : Anagram of(Newly carved) BEST IVORY.
14 Back a saint if it feels comfortable (4)
FITS : Reversal of(Back) [ ST(abbrev. for “saint”) + IF].
Defn: …, as with, say, clothes.
15 Mathmatical(sic) formula editor printed in various colours (4)
PIED : PI(given by the formula, “circumference of a circle/its diameter”) + ED(abbrev. for “editor”).
16 Dishonest way of delivering service. (9)
UNDERHAND : Double defn: 2nd: … to your opponent in tennis.
20 Support space where secrets are discussed (4,4)
BACK ROOM : BACK(to support) + ROOM(space).
21 Refuse to go round the hospital for wild party (6)
THRASH : TRASH(refuse to be got rid of) containing(to go round) H(abbrev. for “hospital”).
23 Celestial double act (6,4)
BINARY STAR : Cryptic defn: Not, say, Morecambe and Wise, but luminous bodies in space.
24 Refuse to go on railway at Christmas (4)
NOEL : NO(expression of refusal) plus(to go on) EL(nickname for any elevated railway system).
25 Sorts out the rackets and enters the arena (5,3,5)
TAKES THE COURT : Anagram of(Sorts) OUT THE RACKETS.
Defn: … to play a tennis match.
Down
1 Do it around the country, first escaping injury from a pet (3,4)
DOG BITE : [DO IT] containing(around) GB(abbrev. for Great Britain, the country) + the 1st letter of(first) “escaping“.
2 Telephoned after parking to report a crash (5)
PRANG : RANG(used the telephone) placed below(after, in a down clue) P(abbrev. for “parking”).
Defn: … involving a motor vehicle or aircraft.
3 Removes tax up to a point (7)
EXCISES : EXCISE(a tax on certain goods and commodities sold in a country) plus(up to – but “up” would suggest a reversal in a down clue) S(abbrev. for “south”, a compass point).
Defn: … by cutting off, often surgically.
4 The last statement in court proceedings (4,3,3,5)
GAME, SET, AND MATCH : Cryptic defn: Phrase that wraps up the scores in a tennis match.
5 A small area that is for relations commonly (6)
NOOKIE : NOOK(a small secluded or sheltered area, say, in a corner or recess in a room) + IE(abbrev. for “id est”;that is).
Defn: Sexual relations in common parlance;slang.
6 Verify this meant without a public institution (9)
ESTABLISH : A reverse clue.
This (answer) + “meant” minus(without) “a” = “establishment”;public institution.
7 Former champion has a politician and gunner on board (7)
SAMPRAS : [A + MP(abbrev. for a Member of Parliament, a politician) plus(has) RA(abbrev. for one in the Royal Artillery, colloquially, the Gunners) ] contained in(has … on board) SS(abbrev. for “steamship”, originally “screw steamship”, as in the SS Canberra).
Answer: Pete, Wimbledon singles champion many times over.
13 Suffer serious injury to recover from loss of service (5,4)
BREAK BACK : Cryptic defn: To recover from;to come back from a setback, in this case, a service break;loss of service in a tennis set.
15 Expert on keys is in a new gym session (7)
PIANIST : Anagram of(… new) contained in(?) PT(abbrev. for “physical training”, during a gym session, say). I can’t come up with a satisfactory answer for the missing indicator…does “gym session” imply one is in a gym?
Defn: … on a piano.
17 Go into the last two scenic places with a fever (7)
ENTERIC : ENTER(to go into) + the last2 letters of(the last two) “scenic“.
Answer: … fever: either typhoid or paratyphoid fever.
18 Promising potential not applicable to an aroma (7)
NASCENT : NA(abbrev. for “not applicable”) plus(to) SCENT(an aroma).
19 The last two lonely fathers about to reveal small growths. (6)
POLYPS : The last 2 letters of(The last two) “lonely” contained in(… about) POPS(informal term for fathers).
22 Make an excursion with some French to Namibian town (5)
RUNDU : RUN(to make an excursion) plus(with) DU(an indefinite article in French signifying “some”, as in “du vin”).
Thanks Courtier and scchua
Enjoyed this more than the previous puzzles by this annual setter – finishing it in two short sessions. A few new terms for me ENTERIC FEVER (as an alternative name for typhoid), THRASH (for a party) and RUNDU (must confess to not too many towns or cities at all in Namibia).
All of the rest, although relatively straightforward, was all quite clearly clued, finishing in the SW corner with DOUBLE STAR and POLYPS.
All in, but I didn’t know what was going on with COMMON TIME and I see what you mean about PIANIST.
Sorry to be pedantic but C=2 x pi x r, so pi = C/2r.
Four highlights for me. My knowledge of Namibian geography has increased exponentially, the reverse clue device for ESTABLISH, the nod to to Wimbledon and best of all scchua’s picture of multiple polyps as seen at a colonoscopy. Not exactly what you expect to find on a crossword blog!
Thanks to scchua and Courtier
You’re right, WordPlodder. Blog corrected.