Steerpike is today's setter in the FT.
This was on the tougher side of the Steerpike specturm in my opinion, although that may be because I struggled to parse a few answers. I think I got there in the end, but some solutions (eg. FREELANCER) took a while to work out.
Thanks, Steerpike.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | EYELID |
Lens cover English priest found in yard (6)
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E (English) + ELI (Biblical "priest") found in yd. (yard) |
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| 4/14 | TOP GUN |
Flipping fanatic screening old PG movie (3,3)
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[flipping] NUT ("fanatic") screening O (old) + PG |
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| 6 | OBOE |
Stripped android with electronic instrument (4)
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[stripped] (r)OBO(t) ("android") with E (electronic, as in e-mail) |
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| 10 | COPYCAT |
Plagiarist reticent about origin of published article in court (7)
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COY ("reticent") about [origin of] P(ublished) + A ("article") in Ct. (court) |
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| 11 | TABLEAU |
Some notable Australian actors still on the stage? (7)
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Hidden in [some] "noTABLE AUstralians" |
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| 13 | FREELANCER |
Contractor from country bordering Spain regularly deals with king (10)
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FRANCE ("country") bordering E (IVR code for "Spain") + [regularly] (d)E(a)L(s) with R (Rex, so "king"), thus FR(E-EL)ANCE-R |
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| 16 | EARBUD |
United supporter set about breaking journalist’s listening device (6)
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<= (U (united) + BRA ("supporter"), set about) breaking Ed. (editor, so "journalist") |
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| 17 | FACTOTUM |
Frisky tomcat patrols university stalking female? He does all sorts! (8)
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*(tomcat) [anag:frisky] patrols U (university) stalking (i.e. following) F (female) |
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| 19 | PROTOCOL |
Expert Charlie introduced to implement standard practice (8)
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PRO ("expert") + C (Charlie, in the NATO phonetic alphabet) introduced to TOOL ("implement") |
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| 21 | AFLOAT |
On the surface, note is filled with love (6)
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A FLAT ("note") is filled with O ("love", as in tennis) |
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| 24/30 | THE FLU |
Infection husband caught in Tenerife on vacation was airborne, reportedly (3,3)
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H (husband) caught in T(enerif)E [on vacation] + homophone [reportedly] of FLEW ("was airborne") |
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| 25 | SENTIMENTS |
Feelings transmitted by knight in troubled times (10)
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SENT ("transmitted") by N (knight, in chess notation) in *(times) [anag:troubled] |
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| 27 | ANALYSE |
Obsessively orderly youths emptied Earl’s study (7)
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ANAL ("obsessively orderly") + Y(outh)S [emptied] + E (earl) |
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| 28 | EPICURE |
Saga tours are essentially end of line for hedonist (7)
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EPIC ("saga") + (to)U(rs) (a)R(e) [essentially] + [end of] (lin)E |
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| 29 | EELS |
Slippery characters shelter retired soprano (4)
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<=LEE ("shelter", retired) + S (soprano) |
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| 31 | OGRESS |
Giant move forward doesn’t include Puerto Rico (6)
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(pr)OGRESS ("move forward") doesn't include PR (Puerto Rico) |
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| DOWN | ||
| 1 | ETCH |
Carve eminent theologian’s initials on church (4)
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E(minent) T(heologian) ['s initials] on Ch. (church) |
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| 2 | EMPEROR |
Agent infiltrating capital upset powerful figure (7)
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<=(REP ("agent") infiltrating ROME ("capital"), upset) |
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| 3 | INCREDULOUSLY |
Your uncle slid off in a suspicious manner (13)
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*(your uncle slid) [anag:off] |
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| 5 | OPTICIAN |
Choose to join housing agency? It’s a job! (8)
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OPT IN ("choose to join") housing CIA (Central Intelligence "Agency") |
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| 7 | BEER GUT |
Drink on completely empty stomach? (4,3)
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BEER ("drink") on GUT ("empty completely") |
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| 8 | EQUANIMITY |
Serenity of India encapsulated by my antique bust (10)
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I (India, in the NATO phonetic alphabet) encapuslated by *(my antique) [anag:bust] |
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| 9 | STOAT |
Staunch Unionist ousted by a predatory beast (5)
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STOUT ("staunch") with U (Unionist) ousted by A becomes STO(A)T |
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| 12 | BURNT OFFERING |
Bishop prepared fit gunner for sacrifice (5,8)
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B (bishop) + *(fit gunner for) [anag:prepared] |
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| 15 | PERPETUATE |
Maintain state enclosing favourite area ultimately spoilt atmosphere (10)
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PERU ("state") enclosing PET ("favourite") + A (area) + [ultimatley] (spoil)T (atmospher)E |
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| 18 | CORNMEAL |
Company setting new mark in genuine food (8)
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Co. (company) setting N (new) + M (mark) in REAL ("genuine") |
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| 20 | OVERALL |
Partially quell a revolutionary uprising for general (7)
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Hidden backwards in [partially… uprising] "queLL A REVOlutionary" |
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| 22 | OBTRUDE |
Odd parts of orbit around Earth become noticeable (7)
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[odd parts of] O(r)B(i)T (a)R(o)U(n)D + E (earth) |
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| 23 | LIKEN |
Compare primitive plant-like species on the radio (5)
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Homophone/pun/aural wordplay [on the radio] of LICHEN ("primitive plant-like species") |
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| 26 | SETS |
What Steerpike does gets harder (4)
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Double definition |
From hairy little thing to lens cover, the eyelid is very useful. You could also have passage to the unconscious, aisle id, or ego cover, or even ego deal (a lid = a deal of dope — Tracy Ullman did a great skit about it). Dont mind me, just riffing. Found this went down pretty quick, smooth and digestible, thanks Steerpike and loona.
A rare occasion when I have no “Huh?” list and no quibbles. And furthermore, no NHOs. I’d even heard of FACTOTUM, a word that I occasionally throw into conversations.
Good fun today.