I have not blogged a Silvanus puzzle before, always nice to get someone new for my Sunday blog! Thank you Silvanus.
| Across | ||
| 1 | ENDLESS | Lonely day spent without a break (7) |
| friENDLESS (lonely) missing (spent) FRI (day) | ||
| 5 | PARAGON | Perfect example of soldier working to defend head of Government (7) |
| PARA (soldier) ON (working) contains (to defend) Government (head of, first letter) | ||
| 9 | CYNIC | Pessimist occasionally crying is melancholic at heart (5) |
| CrYiNg Is (occasionally, every other letter) then melanCholic (at heart, middle letter) | ||
| 10 | ORIGINATE | Start of uncontrolled emigration seeing millions leave (9) |
| anagram (uncontrolled) of EmIGRATION missing M (millions) | ||
| 11 | STATISTICS | They’re vital for those who model data (10) |
| cryptic definition/definition (and &lit too) | ||
| 12 | PULL | Influence university lecturer to visit public library (4) |
| U (university) L (lecturer) inside (visits) PL (public library) | ||
| 14 | COSMOPOLITAN | Sophisticated cocktail (12) |
| double definition | ||
| 18 | LIVERPUDLIAN | Northerner‘s meat pie left in bagging area (12) |
| LIVER (meat) PUD (pudding, pie) L (left) then IN containing (bagging) A (area) | ||
| 21 | RARE | Gunners drew after dismissal of both wingers. Extraordinary! (4) |
| RA (Royal Artillery, gunners) then dREw missing outside letters (after dismissal of both wingers) | ||
| 22 | STAGNATION | Inactivity of Ugandan oddly disregarded when filling position (10) |
| uGaNdAn (oddly disregarded) inside STATION (position) | ||
| 25 | SPECTACLE | Disrespect a cleric hosting exhibition (9) |
| found inside (hosted by) disreSPECT A CLEric | ||
| 26 | TALKS | Summit of tall chimney having opening at the back (5) |
| STALK (tall chimney) with opening letter moved to the back | ||
| 27 | OUTRAGE | During power cut there is right indignation (7) |
| OUTAGE (power cut) contains R (right) | ||
| 28 | TRY IT ON | Attempt to deceive in how to choose particular suit? (3,2,2) |
| double definition | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | EXCISE | Cut out for duty (6) |
| double definition | ||
| 2 | DENIAL | Losing heirloom ultimately for duke, servant gets dismissal (6) |
| mENIAL (servant) losing M (last letter of heirlooM) and gaining (D (duke) | ||
| 3 | ESCRITOIRE | Piece of furniture Eric’s damaged before suppressing anger (10) |
| anagram (damaged) of ERIC’S then TO (before, e.g. ten to eight) on top of (suppressing) IRE (anger) | ||
| 4 | STOUT | Stone put on, blooming beer! (5) |
| ST (stone) put on OUT (blooming) | ||
| 5 | PRINCIPAL | Essential broadcast for leading actor (9) |
| sounds like “principle” (essential) | ||
| 6 | RAID | Attack personal record briefly in review (4) |
| DIARy (personal record, briefly) reversed (in review) | ||
| 7 | GRATUITY | Present from eccentric artist guy shunned by society (8) |
| anagram (eccentric) of ARTIsT GUY missing (shunned by) S (society) | ||
| 8 | NEEDLING | Extremely loud backfiring inside reconditioned engine, it’s irritating (8) |
| LouD (extremes of) reversed (backfiring) inside anagram (reconditioned) of ENGINE | ||
| 13 | PLEASANTRY | Jocularity of agricultural working class, welcoming introduction from landowner (10) |
| PEASANTRY (agricultural working class) contains (welcoming) Landowner (introduction from, first letter) | ||
| 15 | MOUSTACHE | Walrus, typically floppy stomach gathering mud, discovered close to shore (9) |
| anagram (floppy) of STOMACH contains (gathering) mUd (discovered, no covering letters) then shorE (closing letter of) | ||
| 16 | ALFRESCO | Learner pursues first in Art painting outdoors (8) |
| L (learner) follows Art (first letter of) then FRESCO (a painting) | ||
| 17 | OVERHEAT | Become agitated about race (8) |
| OVER (about) HEAT (race) | ||
| 19 | VIOLET | No end of affection for intense colour (6) |
| VIOLEnT (intense) missing (no…for) affectioN (end of) | ||
| 20 | UNISON | Complete agreement from offspring studying for degree? (6) |
| a UNI-SON might be a son at university, offspring studying for a degree | ||
| 23 | GUEST | Visitor, supposed to be announced (5) |
| sounds like (to be announced) of “guessed” (supposed) | ||
| 24 | STOA | Starts to stroll through ornate ancient colonnade (4) |
| first letters (starts) of Stroll Through Ornate Ancient | ||
definitions are underlined
I write these posts to help people get started with cryptic crosswords. If there is something here you do not understand ask a question; there are probably others wondering the same thing.
Excellent workout. Some really tricky clues. Managed to complete with VIOLET & TALKS my last ones in.
Thanks to Silvanus and PeeDee.
So now I know that STALK is a tall chimney.
probably wont come up again. Hope not.
compus – I agree, the clue for 26 across would be more at home in Azed than the IoS. Much harder than the rest of the clues.
Worth the solving time for 18a alone. Brilliant clue.
I think there’s a typo for gratuity in the blog. It should be GUY not GUT.
Thanks PeeDee and of course Silvanus
thanks @gsolphotog, fixed now
I agree with copmus. To me a tall chimney is a stack not a stalk. Otherwise very enjoyable.
Excellent puzzle. Took me too long to figure out how 1a worked (silly girl) and I did have to check on the tall chimney but thought the clue was fair enough.
Particularly liked the 11a data, Northerner’s meat pie, loud backfiring and the fat walrus.
Many thanks to Silvanus (more please) and to Peedee for the blog.
My normal Sunday routine used to be solving a wonderful Virgilius crossword over an unhurried breakfast, but sadly Mr Greer retired last week from his regular Sunday Telegraph slot. I have to say that this splendid offering from Silvanus today made up for that loss very nicely.
This was a joy from start to finish. I too had never come across STALK meaning a tall chimney but the clever definition made 26a a very good clue in my book. 14a, & 15d made it to my podium with 18a nosing ahead of them in first place.
Many thanks to Silvanus and to PeeDee.
I really enjoyed this – like everyone else I was held up with the tall chimney but hopefully if it ever turns up in Crosswordland again, I’ll be ready for it
Thanks to Silvanus and PeeDee
A couple of nice clues but a lot of real old chestnuts too. I suppose Christmas is coming.
Many thanks to PeeDee for his decryptions and to everyone else for taking the time to comment. It’s always greatly appreciated.
Very late getting to this, but it was worth the wait.
I liked the ENDLESS LIVERPUDLIAN TALKS and more.
Thanks Silvanus and PeeDee.