With summer well and truly over – a puzzle from Hoskins is in the Saturday slot.
A fun puzzle, a little risque too but in my opinion all the better for that. 22ac had me thinking of Monty Python’s Meaning of Life and 1ac is so topical!
Many thanks Hoskins for such elegany surface readings and a fun solve.
Key:
DD Double definition; Rev. Reverse; * Anagram
Across
1 I can’t be arsed about a meeting called by May? (7)
(I cant be)* = CABINET
5 Computer firm stumped over web-based programs (7)
Apple (Computer firm) + Rev. st (stumped) = APPLETS
9 We’ll speak about a ramble when we’re out! (9)
(well speak)* = SLEEPWALK
10 African people returning from Oron banks (5)
Rev. hidden frOM OROn = OROMO
11 Its success might see happy queen opening drink (3,10)
Gay (happy) + er (queen) in libation (drink) = GAY LIBERATION
13 Ready for release on a restroom break? (2,3,3)
DD IN THE CAN
15 Chaps in pursuit of half-cut bandit? (6)
Men (chaps) after outlaw (half-cut) = LAWMEN
17 Bug company from the East in desire for IT? (6)
Rev. Co. (company) in lust (desire for it) = LOCUST
19 Import unlimited spirits? It might keep one going awhile! (8)
moment (import) + rums (spirits) – rs (unlimited) = MOMENTUM
22 Johnny Foreigner’s language learner takes to heart? (6,7)
French (Foreigner’s language) + l (learner) in ticker (heart) = FRENCH TICKLER (condom)
25 Men in a docked brown vessel (5)
Or (men) in a + tan (brown) – docked = AORTA
26 Nobody messes with Tony around ten in Barking (9)
(Tony)* around (tenin)* = NONENTITY
27 Old detective flushed and out of breath? (7)
Ex (old) + PI (detective) + red (flushed) = EXPIRED
28 Support snorting grams on my funeral procession (7)
Cor (my) + tee (support) around g (grams) = CORTEGE
Down
1 Price to pay having made love last in Mafia fling (4)
Cost (price to pay) swapping o (love) with a (last in Mafia) = CAST
2 Budweiser Corporation? (7)
Beer (Budweiser) + gut (corporation) = BEERGUT (not quite sure how this one works)
3 Irritable, having to take off second crap keeper? (5)
Snappy (irritable) – s (second) = NAPPY
4 Very sad short story about revolutionary Cuban? (8)
Tale (story) – e around Rev. cigar (Cuban) = TRAGICAL
5 Short lad getting in brews for boozers (6)
Kid (lad) – d in ales (brews) = ALKIES
6 Rugby player worried around a German breed (9)
Prop (Rugby player) + ate (worried) around a + G (German) = PROPAGATE
7 It goes up with the start of my self-love (7)
(it goes)* + m (start of my) = EGOTISM
8 News Romney spread about Clinton for Trump? (5,5)
(news + romney)* = SWORN ENEMY
12 Reorder off braille menu (4,2,4)
(off braille)* = BILL OF FARE
14 Gentle church song in which some take comfort? (4,5)
Easy (gentle) + ch (church) + air (song) = EASY CHAIR
16 Very unstable conical explosive (8)
V (very) + (conical)* = VOLCANIC
18 Companion with unopened lager and winning smile! (5,2)
CH (companion) + beer (lager) – b (unopened) + up (winning) = CHEER UP
20 Can English dressing cock up pâté dish? (7)
Tin (can) + e (English) around err (cock up) = TERRINE
21 Complaint from union about individual on drugs (6)
STD (complaint from union as in sexually transmitted disease) around one (individual) = STONED
23 One cruising eatery wanting liberal for date (5)
Diner (eatery) swapping l (liberal) for d(date) = LINER
24 Music producer one deceives on the radio (4)
Homonym of liar (one deceives) = LYRE
Cyclops meets Derek and Clive.
Definitely shades of ‘old’ Harry in this one and I did have to consult Google over the second word of 22a which puts me firmly into my age group!
Thought 2d was two words?
Big ticks here for 11a & 14d.
Many thanks to Hoskins and to twencelas for the blog.
Really enjoyed this! Good one, Harry, and more please – such fun.
We took ages to get started on this one, and can’t say we enjoyed it very much. We’re quite broad minded but this setter’s humour does pall after a bit.
But there were a few clues we liked – PROPAGATE for its misdirection (‘a German’ had us trying to fit in ‘ein’ somewhere) and SWORN ENEMY for its topicality; MOMENTUM and TERRINE were good, too.
In 2dn think gut = belly; Chambers has as one meaning of ‘corporation’, ‘a belly, especially a pot belly (informal)’
I did this on a train journey to London and my fellow passengers must have wondered what I was laughing at. In the end I had to get home to confirm10ac and I just couldn’t see15ac at all.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Nice one, Harry and thanks to twencelas
Incidentally, who else first thought of ONANISM for7dn?
The definition in 21 is “on drugs”, not “individual on drugs”
Didn’t enjoy it much, btw.
excellent stuff, Hoskins in form, love it.
Laughed out loud at 1a for the topicality. thought SLEEPWALK was very good, FRENCH TICKLER excellent, nice concise and smooth surface. NAPPY and ALKIES raised a smile, didn’t see SWORN ENEMY for a bit bit very satisfying and a wonderful clue. I also thought BILL OF FARE was good in a slightly more classic sense. TERRINE and STONED both brilliant.
Many thanks Harry, made my day, and thank you twencelas
I am polyorchid in all things.
Another superb puzzle by Hoskins. I’m always amazed by his ability to combine near-the-knuckle humour with stylistic excellence and at the same time maintain Ximenean standards of fairness.
Too many outstanding clues here for me to list them all, so I’ll nominate 2d, 3d and 8d as particular favourites.
Thanks to both setter and blogger.