A fun puzzle – I really liked 5ac, 9ac, 21ac, 3dn, and 13dn. Thanks to Anto
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | KITCHEN |
Hunger when in range of where food is made (7)
|
| ITCH=”Hunger”, inside KEN=”range” [of knowledge or understanding] | ||
| 5 | SANCTUM |
Southern corporation holds party in this private space (7)
|
| S (Southern) + TUM=”corporation” as in a paunch/belly; around ANC (African National Congress, political “party”) | ||
| 9 | REMIT |
Issue moderate instructions (5)
|
| triple definition: REMIT as in ‘send’/’pass on’=”Issue”, or as in ‘diminish’/’lessen’=”moderate”, or as in ‘assigned task’=”instructions’ | ||
| 10 | PROFITEER |
Overcharge individual involved in special free port (9)
|
| I (individual) inside anagram/”special” of (free port)* | ||
| 11 | THE THINKER |
One considering work produced by Schrodinger in part (3,7)
|
| work (of sculpture) produced by Rodin, whose name is hidden in [Sch]-Rodin-[ger]
“One considering” also indicates THE THINKER |
||
| 12 | PAL |
Stately home lacking top class china (3)
|
| definition uses rhyming slang: ‘china plate’ = ‘mate’ = PAL
PAL-[ace]=”Stately home” minus ‘ace‘=”top class” |
||
| 14 | DINNER GUESTS |
Duke with private theory about time they arrive to eat … (6,6)
|
| D (Duke) + INNER=”private”, plus GUESS=”theory” around T (time) | ||
| 18 | MICHELIN STAR |
… Charlie’s mint stew, given a culinary award (8,4)
|
| anagram/”stew” of (Charlie’s mint)* | ||
| 21 | AXE |
Cut times in hospital department (3)
|
| X (x, as the multiplication symbol = “times”), in A&E (Accident & Emergency hospital department) | ||
| 22 | THREADBARE |
Simple end to storyline that’s somewhat hackneyed (10)
|
| definition: threadbare meaning ‘overused’
BARE=”Simple”, at the end of THREAD=”storyline” |
||
| 25 | HOUSEHOLD |
Family perhaps talked about method of disposal (9)
|
| sounds like (“talked about”) ‘how sold’=”method of disposal” | ||
| 26 | EXPAT |
Old country lover missing uproar, living abroad (5)
|
| EX=”Old” + PAT-[riot]=”country lover” minus ‘riot‘=”uproar” | ||
| 27 | CLEANER |
Daily for Conservative who’s not so thick (7)
|
| C (Conservative) + LEANER=”not so thick” | ||
| 28 | PILGRIM |
Tough on backside for traveller (7)
|
| I think this is GRIM=”tough”, after PIL from “backside” with a reversal/”back” of LIP=edge=”side” | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | KARATE |
King leads a charge to create defensive system (6)
|
| K (King) + A + RATE=fee=”charge” | ||
| 2 | TIMBER |
Watch over bishop making deal (6)
|
| definition: “deal” as in a soft wood
TIMER=”Watch” around B (Bishop, chess abbrevation) |
||
| 3 | HITCHHIKED |
Looked for a free ride as difficulty increased (5-5)
|
| HITCH=snag=”difficulty” + HIKED=”increased” (as in price hikes) | ||
| 4 | NIP IN |
Call briefly for Ulster fix that works either way (3,2)
|
| NI (Northern Ireland, “Ulster”) + PIN=”fix”; and NIP IN (or NI PIN) is a palindrome and can be read ‘either way’ | ||
| 5 | SLOPE ARMS |
Military order bad food to be given to sick mares (5,4)
|
| definition: a military order to hold a rifle to one’s shoulder at a slope
SLOP=”bad food” + anagram/”sick” of (mares)* |
||
| 6 | NAIL |
Collar that has to be filed? (4)
|
| double definition: the police might ‘nail’ or “Collar” a criminal; and a finger nail may need filing | ||
| 7 | TRESPASS |
Offence caused by very French attempt at seduction (8)
|
| TRES=très=”very” in French + PASS=”attempt at seduction” e.g. ‘to make a pass at someone’ | ||
| 8 | MORALIST |
Puritan it’s said is featured in film (8)
|
| ORAL=”it’s said”, inside MIST=thin layer=”film” | ||
| 13 | BUYANDSELL |
Blues Dylan composed depicting activity of dealer (3,3,4)
|
| anagram/”composed” of (Blues Dylan)* | ||
| 15 | NEIGHBOUR |
Wasted hour being one close to someone (9)
|
| anagram/”Wasted” of (hour being)* | ||
| 16 | EMPATHIC |
Principle covering politician, one having fellow feeling (8)
|
| ETHIC=”Principle”, around MP (Member of Parliament, “politician”) + A=”one” | ||
| 17 | SCHEDULE |
Programme announcing cast away over Christmas (8)
|
| sounds like (“announcing”) ‘shed’ ‘Yule’=”cast away” + “Christmas” | ||
| 19 | CAMPER |
More extravagant type of tourist transport (6)
|
| double definition: ‘camp’ as in affected behaviour; or a camper van | ||
| 20 | RECTUM |
Strange to hold medical procedure where waste emerges (6)
|
| RUM=”Strange” around ECT (electroconvulsive therapy, “medical procedure”) | ||
| 23 | END UP |
Stop over is where you arrive eventually (3,2)
|
| END=”Stop” + UP=”over” as in ‘time’s up!’ | ||
| 24 | HEWN |
Cut up hake woman gutted (4)
|
| H-[ak]-E + W-[oma]-N, with their insides removed i.e. “gutted” |
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