Just a brief intro for this Eye crossword.
I must save my energies for the Xmas monster that will appear in a couple of days.
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ESPECIAL | Sleep with CIA operative, being particular (8) (SLEEP CIA)* AInd: operative. |
| 5 | BIG TOP | A feature of Dolly’s entertainment venue (3,3) Double Def. Ref. Dolly Parton in an entirely sexist manner |
| 10 | BARON | Aristocrat needs to stop working! (5) BAR (to stop) ON (working) |
| 11 | STATESMAN | Trump’s unlikely to be seen as this guy from the US? (9) Double Def. Ref D T Rump in an entirely accurate manner |
| 12 | LAY DOWN | Sex partner getting depressed? Give up! (3,4) LAY (Sex partner) DOWN (depressed) |
| 13 | CHARTER | Hire husband to probe ex-president (7) H[usband] inside CARTER (ex-president, ref. Jimmy of that ilk) |
| 14 | THUMBS UP | Tom’s having an erection, OK? (6,2) THUMB(Tom, ref. Tom Thumb) UP (having an erection) |
| 16 | TOPIC | Theme from ‘Return of Historic, I POTUS’ (5) Hidden reversed in historiC I POTus |
| 19 | EXPEL | Bonking not started before half of pelvis put out (5) [s]EX PEL[vis] |
| 21 | HANDOVER | Biden-Trump’s more helpful than Trump-Biden’s (in faith and overtly)? (8) Cryptic Def. (is it cryptic?) Edit: No. It is Hidden in faitH AND OVERtly Thanks Kva |
| 24 | SIGHTED | Eyes as they should be; audibly expressed relief “about time!” (7) T[ime] inside SIGHED (audibly expressed relief) |
| 26 | POTOMAC | Too camp perhaps to be a natural feature of Washington (7) (TOO CAMP)* AInd: perhaps. The river that Washington D.C. straddles |
| 27 | TESTICLES | Check lice crawling on son’s balls (9) TEST (check) (LICE)* AInd: crawling, S[on] |
| 28 | MINCE | Pie filling to produce rather strained movement? (5) Double Def. |
| 29 | MOONER | Idler who makes a cheeky gesture (6) Double Def. |
| 30 | DRUNKARD | Doctor, new in UK – a short way to be an alcoholic? (8) DR (Doctor), N[ew] inside UK, A R[oa]D |
| Down | ||
| 1 | EMBALM | Prevent a stiff one from breaking down (6) Cryptic Def. |
| 2 | PARTY WHIP | Political enforcer needs to celebrate with joint (5,4) PARTY (to celebrate) W[ith] HIP (joint) |
| 3 | CONFORM | Do the same as jailbird with “previous” (7) CON (jailbird) FORM (“previous”, i.e. having a police record) |
| 4 | ARSON | Minister without Portfolio’s chief offence (5) [p]ARSON |
| 6 | INEXACT | Trendy business of copulation without head is not quite right (7) IN (trendy) [s]EX ACT |
| 7 | TEMPT | Allure of casual theft, ultimately (5) TEMP (casual) [thef]T |
| 8 | PIN PRICK | Secure member’s irritation (3,5) PIN (secure) PRICK (member) This is more usually one word |
| 9 | SAUCEPAN | Utensil, brass, associated with sleep over (8) SAUCE (brass) NAP< (sleep, over) |
| 15 | SCHEDULE | Plan D to get into cryptic clues, eh? (8) (D + CLUES EH)* AInd: cryptic. |
| 17 | PNEUMONIA | Dicky, main one up for a complaint (9) (MAIN ONE UP)* AInd: Dicky. |
| 18 | NEWS ITEM | Novel position on Mirror’s lead press story (4,4) NEW (Novel) SITE (position) M[irror] |
| 20 | LATRINE | Bog awful art in bar (7) (ART)* AInd: awful, inside LINE (bar) |
| 22 | OTTOMAN | Old empire‘s crappy motto gets to one (7) (MOTTO)* AInd: crappy, AN (one) |
| 23 | SCREED | Long boring account about Republican covered in semen (6) C (about) R[epublican] all inside SEED (semen) |
| 25 | GUSTO | Delight in slating US today? (5) Hidden in slatinG US TOday |
| 26 | POSER | Post Office’s, er, a vexed question (5) PO’S (Post office’s) ER |
I’m so skint this Christmas I just opened the door on the advent calendar and the bailiffs were there.
HANDOVER
Hidden in ‘faith and overtly’
Thanks KVa. I will correct that. I should have realised there was more to it.
There’s always something I miss these days
Thanks beermagnet and Cyclops. Another enjoyable puzzle. Looking forward to seeing his big one next week
Why is a reference to Dolly Parton’s famous Big Hair sexist?
23d Where does it say that screeds are boring? Quite unnecessary ro clue too so misleading
Well I always enjoy Cyclops, altho I do agree with beermagnet (great name btw 🙂) about the sexism.
I think most people’s screeds would be boring, unless they lead unbelievably eventful lives. I know mine are.
It was absolutely worth a visit here today for the D. T. Rump (there’s an emoji but I can’t show it), which I shall henceforth use, and especially for the hilarious signature, which I have immediately shared (and credited 😊) Thanks very much indeed.
Well, Croc, there’s only so much that needs to be said about floor levelling compound, surely?
Dolly Parton is as well known for her bust as her many talents. I believe she has celebrated the fact that it’s all part of the generous package that is Dolly. It’s become a matter for amusement not sexuality.
If I’ve got that wrong then that’s my fault, not casual sexism, which I deplore.
#8 Sorry, not Brummie – me!
Perfectly understandable reverting to you alter ego in this case Cyclops – you probably needed to get a bit of perspective on the subject.
The trouble is matters of sexuality are ripe for amusement and Dolly’s boobs have been of great amusement for over 40 years as this dreadful but thankfully short Country & Western song by MacLean & MacLean testifies: YouTube track from their terrible album MacLean & Maclean Suck their way to the top