Independent on Sunday 1,565/23 February

It’s Hoskins. It’s sex. It’s drugs. It’s rock’n’roll. And bodily functions. Which is fine if you like that sort of stuff, but (as we discovered when I blogged a previous Hoskins IoS offering) it’s not everyone’s tasse de thé.

 

 

 

Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
cad clue as definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed

definitions are underlined

Across

1 A memorable lay one can’t get out of head?
EARWORM
A cd. You need to read ‘lay’ in its ‘song’ sense, although I’m sure Hoskins intended the sexual connotation to mislead the solver. The sense that the solution gives is a song that you can’t get out of your head, despite usually wanting to. The word is cognate with the German word Ohrwurm, which means ‘earwig’ (but literally, ‘earworm’). The Germans started using the word in this sense in the 1960s, and we have since adopted this usage. The insect we now call an ‘earwig’ was in fact called in earlier times an ‘earworm’. Interesting article here if you have two minutes to spare.

5 It has a bell end and gives pleasure if blown
TRUMPET
You can’t say this clue doesn’t have a sexual connotation. It’s another cd. If you don’t get the ‘bell end’ and ‘blown’ bit then you’re probably not going to enjoy Hoskins’ crosswords very much.

9 One who gives you soap and flannel
FLATTERER
Another cd.

10 On punching good daughter, primate looked amazed
GAPED
An insertion of APE in G and D.

11 Scoffing can be worrying
EATING
A dd.

12 Check grass brought round for ruminant
REINDEER
A charade of REIN and REED reversed.

15 Violent jets of gas brute uncle let loose
TURBULENCE
(BRUTE UNCLE)* Let’s get flatulence on the board as well.

17 We’re told ‘cock’, perhaps, is offensive
FOUL
It is, to some people, including those who won’t like this clue. A homophone of FOWL.

19 Feel a need for wife to meet social worker
WANT
A charade of W and ANT.

20 Danger in me suffering with a lot of wind?
MEANDERING
Eructation or flatulence in the surface reading – your call. (DANGER IN ME)*

22 Bloody US agent arresting one that’s high
RAREFIED
A charade of RARE and I inserted into FED.

23 Boozer loves to drink drop of lovely red
BAROLO
A charade of BAR and L for the first letter of ‘lovely’ inserted into two Os (‘loves’).

26 Article on uni opening hospital in Bath
SAUNA
An insertion of U in SAN, followed by A as the ‘article’. SAN is short for ‘sanitorium’, hence ‘hospital’.

27 Lost, but I … I am so wanting to get somewhere!
AMBITIOUS
(BUT I I AM SO)*

28 Back or rump or bits of sow’s entrails
ENDORSE
A charade of END, OR and S and E for the first letters of the last two words of the clue.

29 Adders regularly seen by ancient city ruin
DESTROY
A charade of DES for the even letters of aDdErS and TROY.

 

Down

1 We lie with effort about massive erection
EIFFEL TOWER
(WE LIE EFFORT)* continues the sexual theme.

2 A certain type of cooking pan
ROAST
A dd.

3 Stupidly go out with ex around noon for food
OXTONGUE
An insertion of N for ‘noon’ in (GO OUT EX)*

4 Horse, ecstasy and smack are on the rise
MARE
You’ll never be short of drugs references with this setter. A reversal (‘on the rise’, since it’s a down clue) of E and RAM.

5 Furious recent tugs could make one thus
TURGESCENT
Let’s bring masturbation into the picture as well. (RECENT TUGS)* A cad.

6 Very important bloke, top dog at summit!
URGENT
A charade of [C]UR and GENT. You need to take ‘top’ as an imperative, meaning ‘cut off the head of’ to make the clue work.

7 Good spirits, Italian lager and sausage
PEPPERONI
A charade of PEP and PERONI for the brand of lager.

8 Edwardian dresser police officer upended
TED
A reversal of DET. I think the setter is referring to the 1950s’ phenomenon of the Teddy Boys, who were considered to be smart ‘dressers’. A rock’n’roll reference to go with the sex and drugs.

13 Somehow you girls lie in a scrupulous way
RELIGIOUSLY
(YOU GIRLS LIE)*

14 Slowly but surely go down? Pervert!
DEGENERATE
A dd. Read into the clue what you will; those on Hoskins’ wavelength will see gender equality for 5ac.

16 Maintain and operate a cycle or small car?
RUNAROUND
A charade of RUN, A and ROUND. The definition is of a small, cheap car that’s not used much and mainly for short journeys.

18 Get a star involved in racy water sports?
REGATTAS
(GET A STAR)*

21 Nothing’s flipping free from dishonesty in business
AFFAIR
A reversal (‘flipping’) of FA for f**k all or ‘nothing’ and FAIR.

24 Old and harshly uninviting smell
ODOUR
A charade of O and DOUR.

25 Society girl American knocked up in the sack
ABED
A reversal of DEB and A and our final sexual reference.

26 What’s up with that woman!
SHE
Well, if EH? can be ‘what?’, then EHS can be the plural. Reverse that (‘up’) and you’ve got your answer.

Many thanks to Hoskins for this Sunday’s puzzle.