Another sound Everyman puzzle for our Sunday morning education and entertainment. By the time you read this, no creature will be stirring, not even a murine one, so a chance for me to send best wishes to all regulars and lurkers on the Everyman Fifteensquared thread (especially our NZ contingent), to my fellow Everyman bloggers Gaufrid, PeterO and flashling, and of course to our redoubtable setter himself.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
1 Tons in store, say, for competitor in field event
SHOT-PUTTER
An insertion of T for ‘tons’ in SHOP, followed by UTTER for ‘say’.
6 Unwanted messages in charts going around
SPAM
A reversal of MAPS.
9 Storm, test for men at sea throughout
FROM STEM TO STERN
(STORM TEST FOR MEN)* with ‘at sea’ as the anagrind. A phrase mainly used to describe ships, so the nautical surface reading is appropriate (though not necessary).
11 Supervisor in favour of returning call
FOREMAN
A charade of FOR and NAME reversed.
12 Burden quietly accepted by old journalists
OPPRESS
An insertion of P for the musical ‘quietly’ in O and PRESS.
13 Chapter, part containing good unfinished record of events
CHRONICLE
An insertion of NIC[E] in CH and ROLE.
16 Raging against one breaking cover
LIVID
A further insertion: of V for versus or ‘against’ and I in LID.
18 Careless in head of state’s absence
SLACK
A charade of S and LACK.
19 Cheerful people I spot, excited about film
OPTIMISTS
An insertion of MIST in (I SPOT)*
20 Anger acceptable in show
PROVOKE
Lots of insertions this morning. This one is of OK in PROVE.
21 Musical piece from applicant at audition
CANTATA
Hidden in appliCANT AT Audition. And no, ‘at audition’ wasn’t a homophone indicator, was it?
23 Criticism popular doctor alters, changing dressing
STICKING PLASTER
A charade of STICK, IN, GP and (ALTERS)* with ‘changing’ as the anagrind.
24 Outfit beginning to accumulate capital
RIGA
A charade of RIG and A for the first letter of ‘accumulate’ gives you the Latvian capital.
25 Like an idealist, waited to receive right cereal
STARRY-EYED
Another insertion to end the acrosses. Everyman’s asking you to put R and RYE in STAYED.
Down
1 Cut off, erring in appeal for help not sharply defined
SOFT-FOCUS
And one to get us going with the downs: of (CUT OFF)* in SOS.
2 Smell food, so hurry, deprived of regular portions
ODOUR
The even letters of fOoD sO hUrRy.
3 Upright fellow with second innings in game
POSTMANS KNOCK
A charade of POST, MAN, S and KNOCK for the children’s game. KNOCK is an informal word for ‘innings’ in cricket. Let’s not mention the cricket.
4 Metal casing that is forming connection
TIE-IN
An insertion of IE in TIN. The insertion indicator is ‘casing’.
5 Outgoing traveller, on time after departure, missing one
EXTROVERT
A charade of EX[I]T, ROVER and T.
7 Maintains power over substitutes
PRESERVES
A charade of P and RESERVES. Works because it’s a down clue.
8 Without source of light I’m upset
MINUS
A reversal of SUN and I’M.
10 Extra flexible with translation of any term
SUPPLEMENTARY
A charade of SUPPLE and (ANY TERM)*
14 Group filled with energy when working and thinking
REASONING
An insertion of E, AS and ON in RING.
15 Finish with king and fool bound together
CLOSE-KNIT
A charade of CLOSE, K and NIT.
17 Wanted around Panama, lost hope
DESPAIRED
Another insertion: of PA in DESIRED.
20 Difficult question for exhibitionist
POSER
A dd.
21 Cloak right for illicit activity
CAPER
A charade of CAPE and R. I wouldn’t normally use CAPER for something ‘illicit’; for me it’s more of a prank, or an adventure. It’ll be in dictionaries.
22 Restless, say, bothered about part of Bible
ANTSY
And an insertion to finish off. You need to insert NT for New Testament or ‘part of Bible’ in (SAY)* The anagrind is ‘bothered’. My sense is that this is mainly American English, although you do hear it more and more in British English these days.
Many thanks to Everyman as always.
Thank you for an enjoyable puzzle, Everyman. It was such a great pleasure to solve it. My favourites were starry-eyed, slack, antsy, reasoning, extrovert & from stem to stern.
Thanks also to Pierre.
Thank you Everyman for an enjoyable puzzle and Pierre for a helpful blog.
I first thought of COVER for 21d, but it would not parse, the google online dictionary gives as one meaning for CAPER “an illicit or ridiculous activity or escapade”. I think ANTSY is derived from “Ants in your pants”.
Season’s Greetings to everyone.
An enjoyable Everyman that I found to be a little trickier than usual. 9ac was new to me, so took a little teasing out. The other longer clues took similarly longer to fall, causing much of the delay.
Happy Christmas to Pierre, and all the Everyman solvers and bloggers, and to our setter himself. ?
That question mark was supposed to have been a smiley face. Gah!
Thanks to all the bloggers for their sterling work (or should it be decimal) and thanks to Everyman for the consistently high standard of puzzle.
Favourite clue here was OPTIMISTS but I’m afraid I’m not in that group. Last one in was OPPRESS although the clue seems quite straightforward.
As is very rarely the case these days – can’t actually remember the last time – I got 1ac at first glance ( thanks no doubt in part to our Dame Val). This led to a fairly quick solve. Or so I thought. Who in their right mind would put Orpheus in at 12ac and think it was correct. Me. Duh!
Thanks to all.
A few tricky ones this time. Had ‘realised” for 14 d instead of ‘reasoned” so couldn’t get that last corner, and gave up to watch the cricket. And the tennis!! Wonderful day of sport.
Thanks for the good wishes Pierre and belated happy new year to you too.
Easier puzzle today, as I curl up in front of tennis and cricket on telly. I was at the tennis yesterday for the semis and it was hot as hell.
Everyman, HNY to you too. Oh, what the hell, happy new year all round.
Since we are all owning up to our mistakes I had clove knot for 15d and didn’t like it …, close knit is SO good am mad I missed it. Must be my hol brain am solving in hiding from incessant sun on the coromandel.
Loved 1ac too and also a rare time I had it solved first
I had trouble with 1ac, shouldn’t have I know with our girl Val! I also forgot foreman had an E, so not my day. Got there in the end, despite the brain in holiday mode.. Thanks to all
I only started the crossie this morning as was out all day yesterday. A pretty simple pen-in in the end. South West took a little bit of working out but the rest was a pleasant enough solve in between some NFL plays. Go the Patriots!
Wasn’t till I eventually got reasoning that I was able to finish that corner, but enjoyed sticking plaster, and starry eyed. the hot weather was my excuse for a very late start today.