Spring has arrived and a crossword from Tack fills the Saturday slot.
And some lovely surfaces hiding some quite complex wordplay. Highly enjoyable and challenging.
11ac – very original assuming I’ve parsed as intended; 10ac amusing and topical; 14ac musical reference and well hidden definition; 2dn amusing and 7dn for originality are five of many clues of note. And then there’s 22dn – absolutely marvellous when you see it!
Thanks Tack – quite a work out
Key * anagram; underline definition; Rev. reversed; DD double definition
Across
1 One gets drinks supply during Prohibition (6)
arm(supply) in ban (Prohibition) = BARMAN
5 10 mice fish, extraordinarily (8)
(mice fish)* = MISCHIEF
9 Smacks boundaries around cricket ground after opener is dismissed from behind (8)
fours(boundaries) around Rev Oval(cricket ground) – o = FLAVOURS
10 Where Foreman could be hurt (6)
Cryptic definition INJURY (foreman of the jury)
11 What the definition here doesn’t yet do for narrow-minded groups online (4,8)
Cryptic reference to the fact that Chambers dictionary does not have the modern definition = ECHO CHAMBERS
13 It’s become pudding (4)
Sa (it) + go (become) = SAGO
14 OK Computer overshadowed by a second big hit when making a comeback (8)
Rev. a mo (a second) + ko(big hit) around HAL (computer) = OKLAHOMA
17 North American primarily overseeing the shop counter (8)
Cryptic definition ? = STOREMAN
18 Must hit balls with purpose when being broadcast? (4)
Homophone of knead(balls with purpose) = NEED
20 Fancy dress functions in circuit clubs, perhaps (8,4)
business(functions in circuit) + suit (clubs perhaps) = BUISNESS SUIT
23 Sailor bound to drink nip of tawny port (6)
Os (sailor) + end (bound) around t (nip of tawny) = OSTEND
24 If you will raise tons, we will perform (2,2,4)
(raise + t + we)*B = AS IT WERE
25 Sees red liberal wearing old school tie finally succeeded (8)
l(liberal) in ex(old) + pod(school) + e (tie finally) + s (succeeded) = EXPLODES
26 Unlimited legitimate retreats providing food fit for animals (6)
Rev. legalise (legitimate) – ends = SILAGE
Down
2 Wife leaves fool for friend (4)
wally(fool) – w (wife) = ALLY
3 Picture buff doctor that is pursuing lover essentially promising proposal (9)
MO (doctor) + ie(that is) around v(lover essentially) + goer (promising proposal) = MOVIEGOER
4 Bagel not having “gross” filling (6)
not around ugh(gross) = NOUGHT
5 Economists are travelling across America delivering great news (5,2,4,4)
(economists are)* around us = MUSIC TO ONE’S EARS
6 Big energy rises possible to apprehend (8)
sizeable(big) moving e (energy) up = SEIZABLE
7 Veil three consecutive letters and then two more (5)
hij(three consecutive letters) + ab(two more) = HIJAB
8 Beethoven’s hearing aid reduced temperature somehow (3-7)
(temperature -e)* = EAR-TRUMPET
12 Discover former lover carrying ecstasy on a street in Seven Sisters area (4,6)
suss(discover) + ex (former lover) after e(ecstasy) + a + st(street) EAST SUSSEX
15 Down at heel halfhearted rogue in piece of cloth (9)
(down at heel – e)* = HANDTOWEL
16 Loomed over current politician in the van (8)
I(current) + mp(politician) + ended (over) = IMPENDED
19 Oscar engaged in level game (6)
quits(level) around o (Oscar) = QUOITS
21 Birdie regularly, eagle periodically – perfect! (5)
bIrDiE + eAgLe = IDEAL
22 Trace car from 1966 (4)
D registration (car from 1966) = DREG
Thanks both. I found this tough, not aided by e.g. HANDTOWEL enumerated as a single word, though there’s some really good content. The word EAR TRUMPET (happily two words) always amuses me, so gets my gold medal, yet I’m unsure how fancy any BUSINESS SUIT I ever wore was, and wondered whether bagel clued as NOUGHT should have a question mark accompanying it.
17a North AMERican; primarily Overseeing The Shop; counter = all <.
Quite tough, but very enjoyable. It’s also a pangram.
Thanks to t&t
20a functions = SINES in circuit = BUS -> BU(SINES)S.
A couple of parsing tweaks:
18a KNEED = hit balls with purpose.
20a SINES (functions) in BUS (circuit). – (edit: just beaten to it by FrankieG)
Thanks to setter & blogger.
Very enjoyable puzzle as our blogger says. Plenty of reasonably challenging constructions disguised by some fun surfaces. And, yes, a pangram to which I was alerted, somewhat predictably, by the combo of INJURY and SEIZABLE. I agree with twencelas’s faves – the def for OKLAHOMA is splendid – and would add MUSIC TO ONES EARS which has another super and very credible surface plus HIJAB for the innovative cluing and splendid spot of the adjacencies.
Thanks Tack and twencelas
That was tough. I need a bit more help for why sa=it and end=bound.
No chance for me on DREG, and I sort of gave up in some other places, so a DNF for me.
TFO @1: Bagel for 0 is legit tennis terminology (a 6-0 set is a bagel, and it’s even a verb: if you win a set at love, you’ve bageled your opponent). So I don’t think a question mark is truly needed. Incidentally, a 6-1 set is increasingly called a breadstick, but I think it’ll be a long time before we start seeing that one in crosswords!
Sa is sex appeal or It – you have it. Quite an old favourite. A bound is also an end – as in limit
Hard Tack, for this sailor.
11(ac) seems to be an arch side-swipe?
If so, I am in the setter’s lifeboat.
I had, and I still have, some head-scratchers: SAGO / STOREMAN / OSTEND .
I’m not convinced.
Does 16(ac) work?
Well….in horseracing, we call a horse and rider who take off at the front, to be “in the van” . Vanguard.
Military, I think ?
So my parse was [ over ] ENDED, with [I] [MP] at the front.
18(ac) whatever it be, and whichever type of balls, kneed and knead both work. I know which one of the two that I would prefer.
A very clever puzzle, some great devices, but just a few clues a tad off-kilter, for me.
Then again, any puzzle that I manage to complete, is, by definition, a good one.
Tackyou, Tack, we shall meet again.
Thanks @twenceslas. I should have remembered sa, have seen it before, you’re right. End =bound is unconvincing though!
Thanks Tack and twencelas.
Blown away by the anagrams – MUSIC TO ONE’S EARS, EAR-TRUMPET and HANDTOWEL.
Also liked, NOUGHT, INJURY, OKLAHOMA, EAST SUSSEX, BARMAN, and ECHO CHAMBERS.
Parsed 20a as SINES in BUS (address bus, data bus etc).