A straightforward puzzle today from the Don, thanks to whom for a gentle workout.
FF; 9 DD: 7
| Across | ||
| 9 | IN THE SAME BREATH | Like two events coming together in a moment of inspiration? (2,3,4,6) |
| cryptic def; inspiration ~ BREATHE | ||
| 10 | IMAGO | This writer’s past being a sort of adult (5) |
| I’M (this writer’s) AGO (past) | ||
| 11 | ARISTOTLE | Philosopher is alert to changes (9) |
| IS ALERT TO* | ||
| 12 | TAKE APART | Presumably leave something for others to criticise (4,5) |
| cryptic def; read as TAKE A PART (leave something for others) | ||
| 14 | LLAMA | Everyone taken aback by mum becoming a beast (5) |
| LLA (everyone = ALL, reversed) MA (mum) | ||
| 16 | INSTRUMENTALIST | Minstrel is a nutter without hesitation, crazy player (15) |
| MINSTREL IS A NUTTer* (without ER – hesitation) | ||
| 19 | SPLIT | Coastal city is divided (5) |
| double def | ||
| 21 | SPECTATOR | Disgraced music producer has been given a time inside, one observes (9) |
| SPECTOR (disgraced music producer, harvey phillip, jailed for murder) containing [ A T (time) ] | ||
| 23 | ASSAILING | Donkey unwell? It’s troubling (9) |
| ASS (donkey) AILING (unwell) | ||
| 25 | NADIA | Help a new backward-looking girl (5) |
| AID (help) A N (new), all reversed | ||
| 26 | ITALIAN VERMOUTH | What you can drink? That’s it! (7,8) |
| ITALIAN VERMOUTH (it) | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | MINISTRIES | Small attempts to secure savings ultimately in government departments (10) |
| [MINI (small) TRIES (attempts)] containing S (savingS, ultimately) | ||
| 2 | ATTACK | What may sound like a plan for military action (6) |
| sounds like A TACK (plan) | ||
| 3 | DEBONAIR | What’s silly on a bride – or sophisticated (8) |
| ON A BRIDE* | ||
| 4 | TA-TA | Goodbye with repeated cheers (2-2) |
| cheers = TA, repeated | ||
| 5 | RESISTANCE | Opposition of soldiers is evident in attitude (10) |
| RE (soldiers) [IS in STANCE (attitude) ] | ||
| 6 | BRUTAL | Dry with a lake being reduced to minimum? That’s cruel (6) |
| BRUT (dry) A L (lake) | ||
| 7 | PASTRAMI | One wants no more butter put on beef (8) |
| PAST (no more) RAM (butter , something that butts) I (one) | ||
| 8 | SHOE | Oxford maybe is quiet round start of exams (4) |
| SH (quiet) O (round) E (start of Exams) | ||
| 13 | ADMISSIONS | Declarations in notices outside delegacy (10) |
| ADS (notice) outside MISSION (delegacy) | ||
| 15 | AFTERMATHS | Consequences of fat hamster having to move around (10) |
| FAT HAMSTER* | ||
| 17 | SALESMAN | Mean lass upset fellow on the road maybe (8) |
| MEAN LASS* | ||
| 18 | ANTINOMY | Contradiction from worker, one with refusal, gosh! (8) |
| ANT (worker) I (one) NO (refusal) MY (gosh) | ||
| 20 | TRIVIA | Short mistake going through things that don’t matter (6) |
| TRIp (mistake, short ) VIA (going through) | ||
| 22 | TE DEUM | Hymn strangely muted, little energy in it (2,4) |
| MUTED* containing E (Energy, little) | ||
| 23 | ARIA | Girl “just met”, first to come out with song (4) |
| mARIA (girl just met, west side story) wthout starting letter | ||
| 24 | GLEN | Good little man in depression in Scotland (4) |
| G (good) LEN (little for leonard) | ||
*anagram
Thanks to Bradman and Turbolegs. Very enjoyable. Thanks to a series of recent puzzles, I automatically think SPLIT when I see Croatia. Given the crossers I could not think of any alternative to TAKE APART but it still does not make sense to me in terms of the clue.
Thanks for this. Agree with ACD about TAKE APART but apart from that small detail – very enjoyable! Really liked ARIA ….put it in but did not know why it was correct….now I do.
Thanks Bradman and Turbolegs
One of the easiest puzzles by this setter that I have seen – almost on par with a Monday style crossword. The only reference checking required was to find out from which song Maria came from.
Finished in the SE corner with SPECTATOR and ANTINOMY.
ACD: to ‘take apart’ someone is to severely criticise or punish them – with a cryptic word play TAKE A PART (that is, leave something for others – by not taking it all).
TACK meaning plan was new to me. Otherwise thanks to setter and blogger.
TACK meaning plan was new to me. Otherwise thanks to setter and blogger.
ACD: no mention of Croatia in the clue …