A fun challenge from PETO this Friday.
FF: 9 DD:7
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | STIFLE |
Prevent small fairy taking it back (6)
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S ( small ) reverse of [ ELF ( fairy ) IT ] |
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| 4 | PENCHANT |
Bent fictional detective seen in books by Poe regularly (8)
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PE ( PoE, regularly ) CHAN ( fictional detective ) NT ( books ) |
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| 9 | ASSIST |
Musician heading off to find help (6)
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bASSIST ( heading off i.e. without first letter ) |
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| 10 | STRANGER |
More unusual coming from an outsider (8)
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double def |
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| 12 | RILL |
Ear-splitting, not quiet, by small stream (4)
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shRILL ( ear splitting, without SH – quiet ) |
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| 13 | COURT CARDS |
Heard reportedly by eccentric son of king and queen (5,5)
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COURT [ sounds like CAUGHT ( heard ) ] CARD ( eccentric ) S ( son ) |
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| 15 | CONSIDERABLE |
Much to take into account before Lincoln tours Louisiana’s capital (12)
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CONSIDER ( take into account )[ ABE ( lincoln ) around L ( Louisiana, capital i.e. starting letter ) ] |
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| 18 | DISCONSOLATE |
Dejected by widespread desolation around South Carolina (12)
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[ DESOLATION ]* around SC ( South Carolina ) |
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| 21 | BELLADONNA |
Drug free Noel with band taking in LA (10)
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[ NOEL BAND ]* containing LA |
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| 22 | FACE |
Confront female expert (4)
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F ( female ) ACE ( expert ) |
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| 24 | CALLIOPE |
Muse about everybody that’s without work (8)
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C ( about) ALL ( everybody ) [ IE ( that is ) outside OP ( work ) ] |
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| 25 | MALICE |
Male Carroll character’s evil intent (6)
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M ( male ) ALICE ( caroll character, alice in wonderland ) |
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| 26 | SEMINARY |
Realise shortly before old queen goes around popular theological college (8)
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SEe ( realise, shortly ) [ MARY ( old queen ) around IN ( popular ) ] |
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| 27 | RELENT |
Become less intense about getting a fast time (6)
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RE ( about ) LENT ( fast time ) |
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| DOWN | ||
| 1 | SHAMROCK |
Fake diamond becoming country’s emblem (8)
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SHAM ( fake ) ROCK ( diamond ) |
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| 2 | INSOLENT |
Disrespectful during solitary meeting with conservationists (8)
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IN ( during ) SOLE ( solitary ) NT ( conservationists ) |
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| 3 | LASS |
Excellence not initially shown by girl (4)
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cLASS ( excellence, without starting letter) |
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| 5 | ENTERTAINING |
Going into hiding ain’t awfully amusing (12)
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ENTERING ( going into ) containing [AINT]* |
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| 6 | CHANCELLOR |
Risk having list of names raised by honorary university head (10)
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CHANCE ( risk ) reverse of ROLL ( list of names ) |
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| 7 | ANGERS |
Risks ignoring duke in French town (6)
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dANGERS ( risks, ignoring D – duke ) |
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| 8 | THRASH |
Refuse to hold Henry’s party (6)
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TRASH ( refuse ) containing H ( henry ) |
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| 11 | COME A CROPPER |
Fail to arrive before a policeman arrests Rex (4,1,7)
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COME ( arrive ) A [ COPPER ( policeman ) containing R ( rex) ] |
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| 14 | LITIGATION |
Oil giant worried over the Italian judicial proceeding (10)
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[ OIL GIANT ]* containing IT ( Italian ) |
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| 16 | PARADISE |
Show off around island in a state of bliss (8)
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PARADE ( show off ) containing IS |
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| 17 | TENEMENT |
Residential building providing temporary accommodation to house English soldiers (8)
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TENT ( temporary accommodation) containing [ E ( English ) MEN ( soldiers ) ] |
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| 19 | ABACUS |
A copper breaks graduate’s calculator (6)
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A [ CU ( copper ) in BA'S ( graduate's ) ] |
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| 20 | SLALOM |
Look into harsh criticism of one type of race (6)
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LO ( look ) in SLAM ( harsh criticism ) |
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| 23 | EASE |
Make less difficult with each step oddly (4)
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EA ( each ) SE ( odd letters of StEp ) |
Very enjoyable, nothing too obscure, quite a few smiles. I thought “the Italian” in 14d would be “il”, which screwed up my anagram fodder — was this deliberate misdirection?
I have never heard of “thrash” as a synonym of “party” before. I even consulted a few online “slang” dictionaries but didn’t find any relationship. Maybe it’s in Chambers – which is often cited as a reference in this forum.
Geoff, I also originally assumed that “the Italian” was “il” but the cross letters pointed me in the right direction.
Peter@2: Of course thrash meaning “a party (inf)” is in Chambers – page 1624 of the 2014 edition.
Same for me with 14d.
think maybe the “the” should have been omitted?
Such a relief to finish one after a rather tough week. Thanks Monk and Turbolegs.
Such a relief to finish one after a rather tough week, at least, for me!. Thanks Monk and Turbolegs.
After being thoroughly beaten by Monk on Wednesday and Methuselah in Thursday’s Indy it felt nice to complete Peto’s crossword. I enjoyed many clues including INSOLENT, BELLADONNA, and PENCHANT. Thanks to both.
A fairly straightforward and 5dn crossword. Plenty to like, such as PENCHANT, BELLADONNA, CALLIOPE and ABACUS.
Thanks, Peto and Turbolegs.
Thanks for the blog, a good set of clues.
Peter@2 thrash is now a bit out of date for a party along with bash. Rave was popular for a long time but now dying out. Surprisingly bop is the in thing with students these days.
Hi Everyone
To Peter @2 Thrash is used a lot there as they have Thrashing parties, have a nice day everyone.
Stay safe and keep on solving
To everyone, I should have added Ireland and it is common to have thrashing parties, sorry about my mistake.
Irish parties sound like a lot of fun.