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A delightful puzzle from Filbert. He is setter whose difficulty level can vary, I find, but this one was tractable, and notable for its fine surface readings throughout.
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 Tin cans recycled by European, for example
INSTANCE
A charade of (TIN CANS)* and E. The anagrind is ‘recycled’.
5 Ready for money, empty pocket
PROMPT
A charade of PRO, M and P[OCKE]T.
9 Letter from Greece in local newspaper
PHI
A charade of PH for Public House and I, for the once related, but now separate, sister paper to the Independent. Normally written as i.
10 Fellow feeling readier for coding with a Mac
CAMARADERIE
(READIER A MAC)* The anagrind is ‘for coding [with]’
12 Clear ocean, thus navy killing time
OPEN SEASON
A charade of OPEN, SEA, SO and N.
13 Cover over swimming pool
LIDO
A charade of LID and O.
15 Infantry heading for trap track back
TROOPS
A charade of T for the initial letter of ‘trap’ and SPOOR reversed.
16 Blue material one ripped from behind roughly
EROTICA
A charade of I TORE revered and CA for circa or ‘roughly’.
18 Leader seeing champ’s behind in guaranteed second
SUPREMO
An insertion of P for the final letter of ‘champ’ in SURE and MO. The insertion indicator is ‘in’.
20 Son pooped, always shitting?
SWEARY
A charade of S and WEARY. You have to read the brilliant surface as referring to someone who’s always saying ‘Shit’, and is thus SWEARY.
23 Bend over with cramp partly returning
ARCH
Hidden reversed in witH CRAmp.
24 Trouble solved by changing your locks?
BAD HAIR DAY
A cd. The ‘locks’ are referring to the ones on your head, of course.
26 Untidy ruin flattened when clearing the West End
DISHEVELLED
A charade of DISH and [L]EVELLED. ‘Clearing the West End’ is the instruction to removed the letter furthest to the left. The DISH/’ruin’ equivalent is given as a straight synonym in my Collins, but I can’t say I’ve ever come across it personally.
27 Scenes of comedy, perhaps, which parliament provides
ACT
A dd.
28 Soldiers in prison show remorse
REPENT
A charade of RE for Royal Engineers and PENT in its ‘shut in’ sense.
29 Rwanda – er, wrong approach
DRAW NEAR
A good call, I think. (RWANDA ER)*
Down
1 Better cut performance that’s had no rehearsal
IMPROV
IMPROV[E]
2 New Zealander contracted to expand brand making sports clothing
SKI-WEAR
An insertion of KIW[I] in SEAR. The insertion indicator is ‘to expand’.
3 Familiar defendant admits to murder, initially
ACCUSTOMED
An insertion of TO and M for the first letter of ‘murder’ in ACCUSED. The insertion indicator is ‘admits’.
4 Warm French cheese cut by hand on Hebridean island
COMPASSIONATE
An insertion of PASS and IONA in COMTÉ. The insertion indicator is ‘cut by’.
6 Go by bike using free energy
RIDE
A charade of RID and E.
7 Drink that’s carroty regularly getting into wee
MARTINI
An insertion of cArRoTy in MINI. The insertion indicator is ‘getting into’. Piss and shit in the same crossie. Result.
8 Dry place for golfer to stand on every shot he takes
TEETOTAL
A charade of TEE and TOTAL.
11 Funded foreign student chose Harrods bespoke clothing line
RHODES SCHOLAR
An insertion of L in (CHOSE HARRODS)* with ‘bespoke’ as the anagrind and ‘clothing’ as the insertion indicator. The Rhodes Scholarship is a long-established international programme allowing chosen scholars to undertake postgraduate study at the University of Oxford. Famous Rhodes Scholars include Bill Clinton and Kris Kristoffersen. One wrote ‘Me and Bobby McGee’ and the other had a lot of explaining to his wife to do.
14 Lovely light wine women at home cook with
ROSE WINDOW
A charade of ROSE, W, IN, DO and W. ‘I’m going to do/cook lasagne for tea.’
17 Fresh sardine sandwiches left for a Sardinian?
ISLANDER
An insertion of L in (SARDINE)* The anagrind is ‘fresh’ and the insertion indicator is ‘sandwiches’.
19 Elite’s more expensive purchases
PICKS UP
A charade of PICKS and UP.
21 Tiresome procedure, exercising dear pet
RED TAPE
(DEAR PET)* with ‘exercising’ as the anagrind.
22 A little boy’s terrified being swallowed alive
OYSTER
Hidden in bOYS TERrified. I tried it once, in the summer of 1982. Once turned out to be enough.
25 5-1 to the Germans produces mood
VEIN
A charade of V and EIN, for ‘one’ in German.
Many thanks to Filbert for the start to the Indy crossword week.
Thanks, Filbert and Pierre!
VEIN
An alternative thought:
1 to the Germans=EIN
I MISS L: Wondering what it signifies.
Delightful indeed! Particularly liked CAMARADERIE. Thanks, Filbert and Pierre.
[I’d agree with KVa@1, but I might be accused of being part of a “nexus”]
A very enjoyable puzzle. Not sure if Filbert’s getting gentler, or I’m getting on the right wavelength, but this felt like it went in fairly smoothly. Favourites ACCUSTOMED and COMPASSIONATE for the construction and OYSTER for the very effective disguise of the definition.
Thank you Filbert and Pierre.
Filbert reeled me in again! Got convinced 20a would be SQUITS and couldn’t make the down clue fit.
One of the few things I remember from O-level history is Disraeli claiming to have “dished the Whigs” by introducing more liberal reforms. I share Bodger’s enjoyment, favourites and question about whether Filbert is getting easier.
Thanks both. Got there after a lengthy struggle, with all solved, and two not fully parsed, being DISHEVELLED noting the obscure synonym for ruin, and COMPASSIONATE wherein the cheese has never managed a seat on my board
Started off at a fair lick but then slowed down somewhat. Got it all in the end though. Took ages to see the parsing of COMPASSIONATE which it had to be from crossing letters. LOI was SWEARY.
Thanks, Filbert and Pierre.
Thanks Filbert for a great crossword with many masterful surfaces. OPEN SEASON, IMPROV, SKI-WEAR, ACCUSTOMED, and ROSE WINDOW all got ticks from me. I missed ACT but all else went in easily. Thanks Pierre for the blog.