Nice start to the week from Monday regular Filbert. Mondays were traditionally the easier day of the week, not always any more it seems.
This a tribute to Roger Federer or just FED to some, who recently retired, around the grid we have ROGER IS THE GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) and TENNIS PLAYER and other fitting lights. I may have missed some in the grid.
(t)OFF – noble & HAND to pass – with the back of (cour)T removed. Tennis thematic to start us off.
A block of dUPLO ADded
POETRY – rhymes often & IN MOTION – with pace
WE inside TET – an offensive during the Vietnam war
EG – for one in RR – Rolls Royce & U(nionist) in a strange FELT*
Final letter of (dow)N & TO reversed & CH – code for Switzerland – Federer is Swiss.
FE- Iron & D(uke)
A slice of whaT A STYlist. Surface seems a bit odd, I get when Filbert is trying to say.
W(eight) from (w)INNER & SOLE – only
CAB for taxi & two letters of mERc
A changed [WE ARE DUE FISH]* & bEaNs – alternate letters – regularly
TIC – jerks around A C(our)T. again surface fits the theme
O – zero removed from NO(o)N – twelve & PLUS – bonus
PROM with the P moved to the end
H(usband) removed from OF T(h)E NEST
A loft for a possible clue as def. RAG – kid reversed & RET(ired)
D(irector) G(eneral) – the boss of the BBC & I for 1 all in E’ER – poets ever.
Well things certainly can look untidy after. RUM – strange & MAG(azine) – glossy perhaps & ED(ition)
I’LL TREAT – I’ll pay
Double def I guess
An off [NINETY LEAPS]* & a short R(un)
HERE – present & a WIT – a card all carried by – on top of – in a down clue H(enry)
R(iver) & ENC(losed) all in FLOE – ice sheet
A shuffled [BY PUSH]* & L(arge) & A(merican)
U(ni) inside a reinvented TANGO*
YE- you & start of I(nvest) all in ENG(lish)
All in one clue – A SIN – vice all inside CO – company, business.
Cryptic def for where chicks could be tweeting – see 12A
I didn’t notice the nina – I never seem to – so many thanks to flashling for pointing it out. The symmetry of the highlighted terms – particularly if tennis player is added – is delightful. And there are neat little references throughout. I have already commended this to someone who is a Federer fan.
There were some absolute gems hidden in this puzzle. The definition for UPLOAD, the rhyming creation that is POETRY IN MOTION, the Federer reference and construction in NOTCH, the def in CAPER, the misdirection in NONPLUS, the brilliant reference in SAW OFF and image in TENNIS PLAYER and then the &littish CASINO to finish off. A tour de force, indeed. And two ugly words very well clued in OFTENEST and SUBPHYLA.
Having said all those positives, am I allowed a query or two to balance it out? INNER SOLE does not appear as a single word anywhere I’ve looked; insole does. Is TOFF noble? I accept there is overlap between the sets but it felt a bit of a stretch as synonym and I feel TACTIC as a singular is struggling a little to fit the ‘Expert moves’ definition in the clue, unless we are taking a series of moves as a single tactic. Small points that did not prevent solve – though the first had me scratching my head for a moment.
Thanks Filbert and flashling
Fantastic puzzle (resisted temptation to say “ace”).
Great surfaces. Thanks to Filbert & Flashling
I meant to say great surfaces especially grass
Having reflected in the shower, I think I can withdraw the TACTIC query. I guess a gambit involving several moves in chess is a tactic and Federer’s tactic might have been to play from the base line though the plural would still be my natural choice.
Great way to start the week. I liked the Nina and answer-based theme which I only spotted near the end. There were some elements in the clues but they weren’t too obvious as I was solving.
Apart from the Nina and theme, I’ll pick the ‘ship from memory’ and ‘Tossed trunk’ defs as my picks today.
Thanks to Filbert and flashling
I cant believe this!
What a great start to the week!
Top spin on a worthy subject-which didnt get my goat at all
(I’lll get me coat)
Lovely – midway through I wondered if there was a Federer theme, but promptly forgot. It did give me the S in 7D though, which was useful!
Thanks Filbert and flashling.
3d Had me looking at ways to connect Par Garret(t) and Billy the kid !
Thanks flashling and Filbert.
What a terrific puzzle!
Saw the nina towards the end, which helped with 7d LOI.
Likes
TWEET, INNERSOLE, AUF WIEDERSEHEN, NONPLUS, EDGIER, and CASINO
Thanks Filbert for an excellent crossword. I spotted ROGER IS THE GOAT but somehow did not connect the nina to TENNIS PLAYER or other thematic answers. Great clues all around with REGRETFUL, AUF WIEDERSEHEN, ILL-TREAT, and the all-in-one clue CASINO being favourites. Thanks flashling for parsing — I was at a loss in figuring out OFFHAND and the non in NONPLUS.
Found this a real challenge for my relative inexperience to handle. Glad I eventually finished it!
Thanks to all, Roger will be missed!
Fantastic nina (fully agree with the sentiment expressed therein) and a fabulous puzzle, I applaud the setter’s creativity.
In a very strong field I’ll highlight 19,23&26a plus 22d.
Thanks F&f for a top puzzle and review.