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Thanks to Guy for this morning’s challenge.
A combination of breezy and trickier clues. A tiny bit of general knowledge needed, but Guy’s tight clueing meant that nothing was unsolvable. A clever puzzle with plenty of smiles from me. Many thanks to Guy!
(IN MEAL)* (*that’s fishy) and wrapped with FT (newspaper, Financial Times)
GOT (bought) after S[ho]P (cleared out) + [b]I[n] (contents of)
MADE* (*crackpot) sandwiches ASS (idiot)
ALI’S SON (boy whose dad was the greatest)
Referring to Muhammad Ali, nicknamed ‘The Greatest’
The goalie is Alisson Becker, Brazilian footballer who plays for Liverpool in the Premier League, commonly known by his first name only
(TEENSY TOP)* (*needing alteration)
POSSE[ss] (have, to get rid of S[hell]S (empty))
IN (at home) + BUD (pal)
Referring to flowers
BEN* (*turned) on MOO (low) + A.M. (in the morning)
MAN (gent) meets (A LADY)* (*dancing)
US (American) + P (pressure) on EU (western allies)
D[evour] A[nything] (starts to); JUS (gravy) covered
RED CAR (Ferrari, maybe) + PET (favourite)
CAP (better) + RICE (cereal)
CANE (headmaster’s stick) given CHI[c] (swish, briefly) first
SAP (juice) + PER (for every)
PAR (state of equality) + STERN* (*bothered)
FLAT’S PIN (code needed to access apartment)
“LIEDER BORED” (songs were wearying, “to listen to”)
I (one) + SWORD (arm) in MED (sea)
ODD (not even) entertained by NY (New York)
From Enid Blyton’s children’s books
PRIM (constrained by formality) + P (quiet, musical)
G[rot] (a bit of) + AS (for instance)
[chastisemen]T IN GE[nteel] (houses)
C (caught) and ATE (devoured) + GORY (involving bloodshed)
“SHEIK’S PEER” (the equal of leading Arab, “in recital”)
M (male) + ALAR (winged) + KEY (legend)
BRUT (very dry, of wine) + A LIST (very famous)
(SEL (salt from Nourmoutier, i.e. French salt) + TOP (best))< (<taken north) in SS (ship, steam ship)
Double definition
In a game of bowls, the jack is the little white ball which acts as the target; and there are four jacks in a pack of cards of course
[Bolsh]EVIK S[trategy]< (part of, <after reovolution)
(AH (I see) + CAD (rogue))< (<put up)
Double definition
A beautifully-balanced puzzle, great variety of devices and difficulty.
Just about every clue is a winner.
The surfaces are top-notch.
The most teensy of quibbles….SPIGOT, 5(ac), it’s a single letter I, so would “content of bin” have been tighter?
Good to see ALISSON back on the pitch, I’m hoping that life imitates art, for Pool’s remaining matches.
Too many excellent clues to list, so I’ll plump for SHAKESPEARE (14d) and RED CARPET (23ac).
MALARKEY (16d) was the toughie in the pack, but nice setting.
Big thumbs up, Guy & Oriel
Never having heard of ALISSON, I would never have solved that one. I failed to parse POSSE. Everywhere I looked it was spelt Noirmoutier. And “alar” in 16d was new to me. Why, in 7d, is “as” “for instance”?
Thanks, Guy & Oriel.
You’re right, Geoff, nourmoutier must be a typo. “As” meaning “for instance” is quite common in crossword land and is supported by Chambers, but now you mention it, I can’t think of an example of the usage.
GDU@2/ brian@3, I admit I mainly recognise “as” = “for instance”, from cryptic wordplays, but I think it’s a relatively uncommon contraction of “such as”.
Such as: “various drinks, as gin and vodka”.
Very smooth, as always. I did not spot the typo, if such it is, not recognising the word anyway but it was sufficiently suggestive of the French to serve its purpose. Faves inc FILAMENT, the nho but gettable ALISSON, MOONBEAM, JUDAS, CHICANE, MISWORDED, SHAKESPEARE and BRUTALIST. USE UP, a wry clue in the light of recent events across the Pond.
Thanks Guy and Oriel
Good job on the blog. I found the SW corner particularly tough going, for some reason. The appearance of RATSO below the midline had me searching for a theme (Midnight Cowboy? Dustin Hoffman? Oscars?), but I could not come up with anything definite.
My first run through yielded a good crop of answers. After that I struggled. There were a few new words and expressions, otherwise I cannot put my finger on exactly what made the going so tough. Like GDU@2, I did not understand GAS, and I thank Oriel for parsing MALARKEY for me (alar being new).
I ticked MOONBEAM, IN BUD, and RED CARPET
Thanks Guy and Oriel
Thanks Guy for a great set of clues. Among my favourites were AMASSED, ALISSON, POSSE, MOONBEAM, USE UP, JUDAS, BRUTALIST, and SPOTLESS. I failed with SPIGOT & the nho SAPPER and I couldn’t parse JACKS. Thanks Oriel for explaining things.
Thanks for the blog , really neat set of clues , Tony@8 has a good list for me .
Only GAS raised an eyebrow , not keen on the wordplay or the definition , I will spare everyone the vacuum lecture .
SAPPER more likely to be building trenches etc , in WW1 many were miners or engineers .