No hallucinatory drugs were used in the construction of this blog, but this setter’s past form may have led me to imagine one or two things that aren’t really there.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
1 Hasn’t YMCA changed the guy in the sailor outfit?
YACHTSMAN
Well, from memory it was In the Navy where the sailor outfit made an appearance. I personally was more in love with the construction worker, although the leatherman had a certain rugged attractiveness. If you are not following any of this, just clock the fact that it’s (HASNT YMCA)* and we’ll move on.
6 Don’t go and whip on Eric’s bottom
CLASH
A charade of C for the last letter of ‘Eric’ and LASH. Hoskins should have put ellipses between these two clues. The leatherman’s accessory of choice was a whip, I think, although sadly he wasn’t called Eric. His outfit certainly clashed with that of the Native American, though.
9 Most blue films, in the end, set dad off
SADDEST
(S SET DAD)* Dodgy moustaches, riding crops, porn … and we’re only on the third clue. Who is the setter again?
10 Herb-covered Australian hot dog?
SAUSAGE
An insertion of AUS in SAGE.
11 Dry ice mostly needs to go on the far side of a room
ATTIC
A charade of A, TT for ‘dry’ and IC[E].
12 Clue in Bow and the dog who might solve it?
SCOOBY DOO
Bow is cockney territory, so you’d need to know that SCOOBY DOO is cockney rhyming slang for ‘clue’. Very often abbreviated, as in ‘I haven’t got a Scooby’. And the cartoon hound was indeed a detective of the canine variety.
13 High-brow music, Ted? Cut and run!
OPERATE
A charade of OPERA and TE[D].
15 Coach commercial won’t feature line outside of Norway
TRAINER
The setter is asking you to remove the L for ‘line’ from TRAILER and insert N for ‘Norway’ instead.
17 Hoskins would moon jerk displaying signs of stupidity
IDIOTIC
A charade of I’D, ‘Hoskins would’, IO for the ‘moon’ of Jupiter, and TIC. If you’ve got this far in Hoskins’ career, you won’t need telling that to ‘moon’ is to wave your naked arse about, so the surface does mean something.
19 What’s-his-name is a right pain in the behind
SO-AND-SO
A dd: we use this phrase in two ways, the second of which is preceded by ‘right’ to make clear that the person referred to is a pain. Great surface.
20 One might say: “Son, I’m said to get drunk”
ADMISSION
(SON IM SAID)* with an extended definition.
22 Pulled Toby half-cut, then married
TOWED
A charade of TO[BY] and WED.
24 Strong perfume making leading conservative go for model-type
INTENSE
The same trick as in 15ac: you need to take C for the first letter of ‘conservative’ out of INCENSE and replace it with T for the Model T Ford.
25 One of us at home is turning ruddy contrary
INSIDER
A charade of IN, IS reversed and RED reversed. The reversal indicators are ‘turning’ and ‘contrary’.
27 Drinks fast and kisses amorously
NECKS
In that order, probably. A dd.
28 Didn’t drink, having retired without disgrace
ABSTAINED
An insertion of STAIN for ‘disgrace’ in ABED for ‘retired’. Our setter has resisted the temptation to bring our friend AB the sailor back again, although the opportunity for further smut with sailor outfits is obvious.
Down
1 One for you experienced solvers (just the top ones)
YES
It’s the first letters of the third, fourth and fifth words of the clue. If you were a YES vote, for example, you would be ‘one for’ the motion proposed.
2 Editor about to have whip round for trainee
CADET
An insertion of ED reversed in CAT. More whipping. There’ll be bondage soon.
3 Ditch books about American leader? That’s incisive
TRENCHANT
An insertion of A for the first letter of ‘American’ in TRENCH and NT for the books. More whipping (Matthew 27:26).
4 Confrère of Whistler‘s mother upset English model cuddling son
MATISSE
A charade of MA, and S for ‘son’ inserted in E SIT, all reversed. The reversal indicator is ‘upset’. I can’t really make any sense of the surface and the definition only seems to work in that Whistler and MATISSE were both artists. I can’t find anything that relates them otherwise, but perhaps someone else can.
5 To edge into traffic abroad, hooter’s needed first
NOSE OUT
A charade of NOSE and OUT.
6 Blimey, that won’t be finished for a little bit
CRUMB
CRUMB[S]
7 Wild sailor with individual dancing at the front
ABANDONED
Our sailor does make another appearance (the one with the moustache was certainly wild, and danced at the front a lot). A charade of AB, AND, ONE and D for the first letter of ‘dancing’.
8 Room heir had to get refurbished for pile
HAEMORRHOID
(ROOM HEIR HAD)* Listen, it’s Harry.
11 An old ambition crushed can be a terrible thing
ABOMINATION
It certainly can. (AN O AMBITION)*
14 Mysterious giant mice in another dimension!
ENIGMATIC
(GIANT MICE)*
16 A new sparkling wine to drink when with a Russian princess
ANASTASIA
A charade of A, N, and AS in ASTI followed by another A.
18 Fancy tea during which Hoskins is sat with Her Maj
CHIMERA
An insertion of I’M (‘Hoskins is’) and ER for Elizabeth Regina in CHA for ‘tea’. I have obligatory bird links; our esteemed setter seems to have obligatory Brenda references.
19 Lads holding English pub up? Call for help!
SONNIES
Given that SONNIES has to be the plural of SONNY, then that must be the ‘lads’ we need, but I’m not sure I’d ever use the word in the plural. ‘Listen, sonny …’ for sure. ‘Listen, sonnies …’ I don’t think so. Whatevs, it’s E and INN reversed in SOS.
21 With love on the rise, kisses a couple of Carols?
SONGS
More kisses, or in this case SNOGS. Since it’s a down clue, if you move O for ‘love’ upwards, you get your answer.
23 Starters of whelks in diner excellent, nice spread
WIDEN
The first letters of the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh words of the clue.
26 Free travel (as long as not heading to England)
RID
RID[E]
Many thanks to Hoskins for the Monday Indy entertainment. I’ll get the nurse to bring my medication now and ask her to dig out my copy of Cruisin’.
Fun puzzle. LOI was SONGS which I daftly couldn‘t parse so thanks, Pierre, for this.
Great fun. Wouldn’t be hard to pick this in a blind tasting. I think NOSE OUT was my favourite; not sure about SONNIES either, Pierre. Thanks to H&P
I did like 8d.
Enjoyed this, thanks to both Hoskins and Pierre.
Anyone else notice the nearly double definition for OPERATE? I briefly wondered if ’twas intentional – cut and run so close, except cut would have to have done double duty.
All done apart from the parsing of SCOOBY DOO (one bit of rhyming slang we didn’t know) and SONGS (just couldn’t see it). We weren’t too impressed with SONNIES, either, and thought Hoskins might have painted himself into a corner as there aren’t that many words that fit the pattern S_N_I_S and most of them are somewhat obscure.
“… one or two things that aren’t really there.” We can see CHIMERA as one – or were you referring to something else, as in your comment on 9ac?
Plenty of good clues, though, but no real favourites.
Thanks, Hoskins and Pierre.
The usual lightness of touch from The Hosk and not too difficult. Plus a most entertaining review. Purrs all round.
My only question mark is that I don’t think the clue for INTENSE needs the “leading” – but that’s a tiny thing.
I think it might be IDIOTIC of me to attempt to pick a favourite clue.
Thanks Harry and Pierre.
@allan_c
Sin Bins?
I thought SUNNIES (sunglasses)might be in Chambers, but it isn’t
He’s back, our friend Hoskins, after he apparently went missing the whole of last week. 🙂
Whay can I say? All great fun.
Never heard of the scooby doo thing but it went in without a problem and I’m afraid I wasn’t very taken by ADMISSION (20ac), but you can’t have it all, can you?
The grid was once more one with a cross in the middle (I call it ‘an FT grid’). Hoskins uses these kind of grids more often than others (I mean than other grids, not other setters). Or am I wrong? That said, unlike a lot of solvers, I cannot be bothered too much about grids. I just take them as they come.
Many thanks to Pierre & Hoskins.
I came to grief in the NE corner where I had to reveal 2 letters after being stuck for 10 minutes with 6a 12a and 8d unsolved. I couldn’t get COR for blimey out of my head. Once I had the O at the end of 12, SCOOBY DOO banished any thoughts of Spotty Dog, and CRUMB appeared as if by magic. I obviously forgot to put myself in Hoskins mode though, as the required type of pile took another few minutes messing around with paper and pen. A tough one Harry! Thanks H and Pierre.
A day late but couldn’t miss out on a Hoskins gem. This one didn’t disappoint – several exclamation marks on my sheet and only one black mark, awarded to 19d.
Suspect that Mrs J wouldn’t approve of Hoskins displaying his 17a talent!
Liked the thought of the editor having a whip round for the trainee but think the surface read of 11d puts that one top of the pile.
Many thanks, Harry – sorry you couldn’t make it on Saturday – and thanks to Pierre for the amusing blog.