Independent on Sunday 1,750 by Hoskins

by

The puzzle is available here.

 

Hi all.  No frills from me today because it’s too hot, but from our setter his usual brand of fun.  I don’t think things can ever be too hot for Hoskins!

Thanks to Hoskins, and over to you.

 

Definitions are underlined in the clues below.  In the explanations, quoted indicators are in italics, specified [deletions] are in square brackets, and I’ve capitalised and emboldened letters which appear in the ANSWER.  For clarity, I omit most link words and some juxtaposition indicators.

 

Across

1a    One likely to go walking when out? (12)
SOMNAMBULIST
Cryptic definition

8a    Group of cops backtracking in dock over regret (7)
EUROPOL
The answer is found reversed (backtracking) in LOP (dock) + O (over) + RUE (regret)

9a    Problem in centre of Saint-Denis covered in paper? (7)
TISSUED
ISSUE (problem) in the middle letters (centre) of SainT-Denis

11a   Side that can come with fish (5)
ANGLE
Two definitions

12a   Euro-MP regularly has quick look around plant (9)
GERMANDER
Alternate letters of (… regularly) EuRo-Mp has GANDER (quick look) outside (around)

13a   Avoid answering Bill if the First Lady’s about (5)
EVADE
AD (bill), when surrounded by (if …’s about) EVE (the first lady)

15a   Four-letter word upset nicest boy (9)
OBSCENITY
An anagram of (upset) NICEST BOY

17a   Military group foes track all over the place (4,5)
TASK FORCE
FOES TRACK anagrammed (all over the place)

20a   Outdated sexual advance ending in trouble (5)
PASSÉ
PASS (sexual advance) + the last letter of (ending in) troublE

21a   Put too much chilli in stuffing I serve cop (9)
OVERSPICE
An anagram of (stuffing) I SERVE COP

23a   Conservative leader? Disgusting oddball! (5)
CRANK
The first letter (leader) of Conservative + RANK (disgusting)

25a   Blue item of luggage one thought pretty pathetic (3,4)
SAD CASE
SAD (blue) + CASE (item of luggage)

26a   I oversaw The Scotsman and another national (7)
IRANIAN
I + RAN (oversaw) + IAN (the Scotsman)

27a   A politician assassinated by US cops on roofless house (12)
AMPHITHEATRE
A + MP (politician) + HIT (assassinated) + HEAT (US cops) + RE (on)

 

Down

1d    Obviously, I don’t know if husband wears small wig (5)
SHRUG
H (husband) is inside (wears) S (small) and RUG (wig)

2d    Old foreign coin female pal reminted (5,4)
MAPLE LEAF
FEMALE PAL anagrammed (reminted)

3d    A couple of lines I will snort right quickly (7)
ALLEGRO
A + L L (couple of lines) + EGO (I) is to take in (will snort) R (right)

4d    In hearing, pay off flappers one after the other (2,5)
BY TURNS
Sounds like (in hearing) BUY (pay off) and TERNS (flappers)

5d    Rabies is found in silly-billy’s saliva (5)
LYSSA
The answer is found in silly-bilLY‘S SAliva

6d    Dad uses IQ to thrash enlisted soldiers (9)
SQUADDIES
DAD USES IQ anagrammed (to thrash)

7d    French trio who play with each other for fun? (6,1,5)
MÉNAGE À TROIS
Cryptic definition – oh là là!

10d   A few days away for relations? (5,7)
DIRTY WEEKEND
Another cryptic definition hot on the heels of the last

14d   City abroad made smart after rebuilding (9)
AMSTERDAM
MADE SMART on being anagrammed (after rebuilding)

16d   Pregnant old flame exercises court worker (9)
EXPECTANT
A charade of EX (old flame), PE (exercises), CT (court) and ANT (worker)

18d   Singer smuggling international males’ old gear (7)
RAIMENT
RAT (singer) carrying (smuggling) I (international) and MEN (males)

19d   Similar to a looker I picked up and fancy (7)
EYELIKE
EYE (I picked up – homophone) and LIKE (fancy)

22d   Secret police making one finally unearth cache (5)
STASH
STAS[i] (secret police) changing I (one) into the last letter of (finally) uneartH

24d   Beer around four makes you full of life (5)
ALIVE
ALE (beer) around IV (four).
I may test this assertion today!

 

15 comments on “Independent on Sunday 1,750 by Hoskins”

  4. A menage a trois of cryptic definitions. No wordplay, just the entire clue as a defintion, but ambiguous. The abbreviation for cryptic definition is CD. What about CAD or the term ‘clue-as-definition’. Are they the same or different? I’m hoping a blogger might explain. I liked AMPITHEATRE and EXPECTANT. Thanks Kitty for a lovely blog and thanks Hoskins.

  5. Thanks, Hoskins and Kitty!
    Plenty to like and enjoy.
    ANGLE
    For two single-word def’s, 4 link words!
    A ‘fish n chips’ angle?

  6. EVADE
    “Ad for Bill?” “Not anymore!!!”
    That episode (not Hillaryous by any means)
    of lying under oath-an oral felony…

    ALIVE
    ALE on IV for liveliness. In a lighter vein, of course!

  10. Late in today as have been basking in the slightly cooler temperature here today – eat your heart out, Kitty!
    Couple of new and not drug-related(!) words learnt from our setter today in the shape of the old coin and the term for rabies but still plenty of typical ‘Arry clues on display. Favourites here were SHRUG, MENAGE A TROIS & DIRTY WEEKEND.

    Many thanks to both Hoskins and Kitty – hope you both get some more seasonably appropriate weather soon.

  11. I really enjoyed this puzzle, but then I like anagrams! Lots to like, favourite being Ménage à trois. Thanks to Hoskins and to Kitty.

  12. Hi Sofamore @4,

    Sorry for the late reply. I was being lazy and hoping somebody else would answer!

    As far as I know (which isn’t far), CAD was never defined beyond “Clue As Definition”, intended to be self-explanatory. I understand it to mean that the whole clue is the (or also works as a) definition. As such it could cover any case where this is such.

    However, I can’t recall cryptic definitions ever being called CADs, and don’t think CAD was intended to cover cryptic definitions.

    I have generally seen it used for &lit clues, where the whole clue is both wordplay and definition.

    I’ve also seen it used (I think) for those cases when a clue fits perfectly into a normal two part definition/wordplay split, but the whole clue would also make sense as a definition.

  13. CAD has an A in it whereas CD does not. Such as this are the myriad subtle distinctions that connoisseurs get all excited about.

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