A wonderful and tricky challenge.
A trademark witty puzzle from Monk.
Technical issues this morning mean I have not included the grid this time, and are also the reason for the delay getting this up.
FUR< (down, back<) before US (you and me)
OBE (honour, Order of the British Empire) linked to [au]DIENCE (group of spectators, repeatedly denied opening)
T (tense) + SUN (half of weekend, i.e. Sunday) + AMI[d] (in the thick of, endless)
T[ake] (initially) + ON + ALLY (supporter)
GREEN (olive perhaps) introduces HORN[y] (lustful, chiefly)
Double definition
ED (journalist) + [accessin]G (at last) + SITE* (*bombed)
(AS ARE)* (*somehow) including U[k], I[ran] (their leaders) – semi &lit
(L (left) + K[gb] (head of)) in T[e]A[r]S (on and off)
LIABLE (obliged by law) to include [brie]F [balanc]E [shee]T (conclusions of)
(M (male) + I I (ones) with TAIL)* (*spinning)
The British Territorial Army members are known as ‘terriers’
EDAM< (cheese, <rolls) on MAN (hand)
TA (cheers) engulfing RAVERS (massed partygoers) + L[eve]L (either side of, just one (either) of the Ls of course)
US (America) kept in SHI[p] (vessel, that doesn’t close)
DOWN
WIT (satirist); [commentato]R (finally) stops
F[our]/F[ive] (at the very least; only one F (or)); [r]EFUSE (rubbish, unopened) bags
(NZ LOTHARIO)* (*crashing) + BARS (pubs
(SUITE AREN’T SUNG)* (*in performance)
(S)UNBLOCK (Factor 50, say) when cycling
W[id]E M[ahogan]Y S[helve]S (extremely) + “WEAR” (carry, “delivered”)
ST (good man, saint) + (IN SALES)* (*working) + “STEAL” (rob, “picked up”)
Cryptic definition
By extending KIN (family) we may get KIND
In GUST (outburst); E (English) + I (India) + MATE (china)
16. New deal in sport that will always be beaten (4,4)
DEAL* (*new) in GOLF (sport)
I’S (islands) checked by BR (British) + A[ttach]E (on vacation)
(TIE (bond) welcoming X (kiss))< (<over)
Didn’t enjoy it much today. I’d not heard of Rufus Wainwright, nor the nickname of the British Territorial Army. Couldn’t parse EXTENDED FAMILY or EURASIA. I still don’t understand EFFUSE. Never heard of a LIFE TABLE, nor WEMYSS WARE (nor indeed Kircaldy).
I finished, but it was hard work, with lots of help from Google & Wikipedia.
An enjoyable workout from Monk with some very helpful long entries, the pick of which, for me, was HORIZONTAL BARS for its droll surface.
SUSHI and BRAISE had nice misdirection. It was fortunate that the unknown Kircaldy pottery had a surface that could be clearly broken down (though the crocks looked familiar when I checked on line).
I smiled at the definition for GOLD LEAF, ‘always be beaten’ (actually, sometimes eaten!)
Thanks to Monk and Oriel (especially ‘ami[d]’ in TSUNAMI).
LIFE TABLE was also new to me but easy to guess. Didn’t get the unknown WEMYSS WARE though. Should have guessed that as well but didn’t think of applying “extremely” beyond “wide”.
Rufus Wainwright has been known to me ever since his dad wrote the contentious song Rufus is a tit man which may have been apt as a baby but not as an adult. (He’s gay for those who don’t know of him.)
Solid puzzle, took a while to finish.
Loved sunblock & signature tunes.
Grateful for the explanations in the blog for rufus, militia, and esp extended family which is a beauty.
Thought a couple of clues on the loose side: greenhorn, Eurasia, effuse,
Solid puzzle, took a while to finish.
Loved unblocks and signature tunes.
Grateful for the explanations in the blog for rufus, militia, and esp extended family which is a beauty.
Thought some of the clues were on the loose side: greenhorn, Eurasia, effuse.