Apologies for a slightly hurried blog today. I enjoyed this, and particularly liked 13ac, 24ac, 5dn, and 20dn. Thanks to Qaos
There is a theme in the answers around bridges and supporting structures
| ACROSS | ||
| 9 | EXPLORERS |
Penny wears fake Rolexes to impress Romeo, Cook and Drake? (9)
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| definition: explorers James Cook and Francis Drake
P (Penny) inside anagram/”fake” of (Rolexes)*, which also goes around R (Romeo, NATO alphabet) |
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| 10 | LARCH |
Demo initially lost 950 in wood (5)
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| definition: a type of pine
MARCH=”Demo” with M changing to L in Roman numerals, M (1000) changing to L (50) is a loss of 950 |
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| 11 | GIRDERS |
Soldiers detain king over communist supporters (7)
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| GIS (GI=soldier, GIs=soldiers) around both of: R (Rex, king) plus reversal/”over” of RED=”communist” | ||
| 12 | RESIDUE |
Engineers uranium inside remains? (7)
|
| RE (Royal Engineers), plus U (uranium) “inside”=’in / side’=in SIDE | ||
| 13 | TRUSS |
You ignoramus! Her reckless budget ends in disaster (5)
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| definition: reference to the disastrous mini-budget of former UK prime minister Liz Truss
anagram/”disaster” of the end letters from [yo]-U [ignoramu]-S [He]-R [reckles]-S [budge]-T |
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| 14 | CONSIDERS |
Thinks about fireman’s red – is no Chippendale revealed? (9)
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| reversed (“about”) and hidden (“revealed”) in: [fireman’]-S RED IS NO C-[hippendale] | ||
| 16 | EMERGING MARKETS |
Joining record set to be broken following European investment opportunities (8,7)
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| MERGING=”Joining” + MARK=”record” + anagram/”broken” of (set)*; following E (European) | ||
| 19 | TESTIFIER |
Trial by fire axed to protect independent witness (9)
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| TEST=”Trial” plus anagram/”axed” of (fire)*; going around/”to protect” I (independent) | ||
| 21 | CABLE |
College fellow left out of story in telegram (5)
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| C (College), plus [F]-ABLE=”story” without F for “fellow” | ||
| 22 | BEATS ME |
I don’t know the answer to strikes – make void? (5,2)
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| BEATS=”strikes” + M-[ak]-E voided of its inner letters | ||
| 23 | TIEDYES |
Stained fabrics in draw starting to discolour, of course (3-4)
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| TIE=tied game=”draw” + starting letter of D-[iscolour] + YES=”of course” | ||
| 24 | AMEND |
Change the last word down (5)
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| AMEN=”the last word” + D (down) | ||
| 25 | ESPERANTO |
Language earns poet bucks (9)
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| anagram/”bucks” of (earns poet)* | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | WEIGHTIEST |
It’s most important you and I gain 81 stone (10)
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| WE=”you and I”, around EIGHT and I=eight and one=”81″; plus ST (stone) | ||
| 2 | APERTURE |
During fitting, queen’s certain to lose small opening (8)
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| ER (Elizabeth Regina, “queen”) inside APT=”fitting”; plus [S]-URE=”certain” minus S for “small” | ||
| 3 | BOXERS |
Settlers kennel 10 dogs (6)
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| BOERS=”Setters” around X=10 in Roman numerals | ||
| 4 | BEDS |
Where to find roses in county (4)
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| double definition: flower beds; or Bedfordshire | ||
| 5 | ASTRONOMER |
One reviewing moon, star and limits of double quasar (10)
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| anagram/”reviewing” of (moon star)*, plus the ends/limits of [doubl]-E [quasa]-R | ||
| 6 | FLASHIER |
More glamorous bird, perhaps circling tree (8)
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| FLIER=”bird, perhaps”, around ASH=”tree” | ||
| 7 | BRIDGE |
Game of golf described by newly-wed (6)
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| definition: Bridge the card game
G (golf, NATO alphabet), inside BRIDE=”newly-wed” |
||
| 8 | SHOE |
Pastry delivered for loafer? (4)
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| sounds like (“delivered” to an audience): ‘choux’ pastry | ||
| 14 | CANTILEVER |
Social worker first punches intelligent support (10)
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| ANT=”Social worker” + I=number one=”first”; both inside CLEVER=”intelligent” | ||
| 15 | SUSPENSION |
Deferral of South American allowance (10)
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| S (South) + US (American) + PENSION=”allowance” | ||
| 17 | GLISSADE |
One’s unhappy breaking leg outside in dance movement (8)
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| (I = ‘one’, so…) I’S=”One’s”, plus SAD=”unhappy”; with anagram/”breaking” of (leg)* going outside | ||
| 18 | EMBAYING |
Shutting in criminal, maybe in top of gaol (8)
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| anagram/”criminal” of (maybe in)*, plus top letter of G-[aol] | ||
| 20 | STAYED |
Remained sober as instructed (6)
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| sounds like (“as instructed”): ‘staid’=”sober” | ||
| 21 | CHEERS |
Bishop leaves drinks after church in good health (6)
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| B (Bishop, chess notation), leaving [B]-EERS=”drinks”; after CH (church) | ||
| 22 | BEAM |
West starting to break up broadcast (4)
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| MAE (actress Mae West) plus start of B-[reak], all reversed/”up” | ||
| 23 | TYPE |
Katy Perry showing character (4)
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| hidden in [Ka]-TY PE-[rry] |
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