A sound, pleasing and well-constructed puzzle from Deri. Just right for a quality daily cryptic.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
cad clue as definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
1 Pushing driving seat that’s faulty
ADVERTISING
(DRIVING SEAT)* with ‘that’s faulty’ as the anagrind.
7 Embarrassing error follows Best’s header for Marsh
BOG
A charade of B and OG. For those who are not lovers of the Beautiful Game, George Best and Rodney Marsh are footballers from a bygone age (which you didn’t need to know) and OG stands for own goal (which you did need to know).
9 If time is saved, more like flying for some distance
KILOMETRE
An insertion of T in (MORE LIKE)* with ‘flying’ as the anagrind. The insertion indicator is ‘if … is saved’.
10 German car wheel is sound
AUDIO
A charade of AUDI and O. O for ‘wheel’ is crosswordspeak.
11 One must leave sooner on quiet fishing boat
PEARLER
A charade of P for the musically ‘quiet’ and EARL[I]ER.
12 Go west, skirting island fire
PASSION
An insertion of I in PASS ON. The insertion indicator is ‘skirting’ and PASS ON and ‘Go West’ are both euphemisms for ‘die’.
13 I occasionally cook nosh for models
ICONS
A charade of I and C[O]O[K] N[O]S[H].
15 Pal spots rivals
OPPOSITES
A charade of OPPO and SITES.
17 Absorbed by matching notes, leaves meeting
TÊTE-À-TÊTE
An insertion of TEA in TE, TE and TE for three ‘notes’. The insertion indicator is ‘absorbed by’.
19 Small fragment is missing lead for Lewis, TV detective
MORSE
MORSE[L] and a cleverly misleading surface, since Lewis was Morse’s sidekick in the TV series.
20 Wild fellow managed revolutionary sex clubs
FRANTIC
A charade of F, RAN, IT reversed and C for the playing card ‘clubs’.
22 Misty not covered by chamber musician
CELLIST
A charade of CELL and M[IST]Y.
24 Hibernian player’s backside is pinched by international hard!
IRISH
An insertion of R for the final letter of ‘player’ and IS in I and H. The insertion indicator is ‘pinched by’.
25 Rely on Gore to find place for donations
BLOOD BANK
A charade of BLOOD and BANK.
27 Heading off, get syrup
WIG
[T]WIG. ‘I didn’t twig/get what he was saying.’ ‘Syrup’ is Cockney rhyming slang for WIG – Syrup of Figs.
28 Cleans grime off dairy product
SINGLE CREAM
(CLEANS GRIME)* with ‘off’ as the anagrind.
Down
1 Some sauerkraut put up in cupboard
ARK
Hidden reversed in sauerKRAut. This usage is perhaps best known in the ‘Ark of the Covenant’.
2 Off to visit Virginia holiday home?
VILLA
An insertion of ILL in VA. The insertion indicator is ‘to visit’.
3 Discovers the truth about New York street fights?
RUMBLES
A dd. Remember the Rumble in the Jungle?
4 On set, Piers cut off abruptly when about to butt in
INTERPOSE
(ON SET PIER[S])* with ‘when about’ as the anagrind.
5 Freeze last of bolognese in single container
ICE UP
An insertion of E for the last letter of ‘bolognese’ in I and CUP.
6 They should be charged for toast
GLASSES
A cd.
7 County rubbish tip lacking room
BEDSITTER
A charade of BEDS and [L]ITTER.
8 Thunder? Goes running for something waterproof
GROUNDSHEET
(THUNDER GOES)* with ‘running’ as the anagrind.
11 Reason for struggle with Outlook
POINT OF VIEW
A charade of POINT OF, VIE and W. ‘What is the point of/reason for that?’
14 Appalling tabloid’s drawn in by spin
OUTRAGING
An insertion of RAG in OUTING. The insertion indicator is ‘drawn in by’.
16 Nursery crop with holes spreading
PRESCHOOL
(CROP HOLES)* with ‘spreading’ as the anagrind.
18 Characters remaining when Hammersmith is evacuated
AITCHES
If you remove all but the outside letters of the London suburb, you are left with two AITCHES.
19 Tuneful Spice Girl tackling loud bit now and then
MELODIC
An insertion of ODI for the regular letters of lOuD bIt in MEL C. The insertion indicator is ‘tackling’.
21 Islander‘s bar joined by regulars from club
CUBAN
A charade of CU for the odd letters of ‘club’ and BAN.
23 ‘Hacked Off‘ copy has page missing
IRATE
[P]IRATE
26 Scans unwrapped Kipling novel
KIM
[S]KIM[S]
Many thanks to Deri for the start to the puzzling week in the Independent.
Agree with what the blog says in the introduction. Likes for RUMBLES (I was thinking West Side Story rather than rope-a-dope in Kinshasa) and AITCHES once the penny dropped. Very cute. Many thanks Pierre and Deri.
Indeed, the West Side Story rumbles are a much better point of reference, sofamore.
Given it’s New York, ditto re the rumble setting, sofamore @1.
Not sweating the small stuff is essential for a calm life, but there are always small annoyances — like people using ‘hone’ when meaning ‘home in on ..’, and pronouncing h as haitch. Hey ho, thx Deri and Pierre (refraining from the combination 😉 )
Also the Jackie Chan film Rumble In The Bronx.
I found this on the easier side but no less enjoyable for it. Had to dig syrup out of the sticky depths of my rhyming slang dictionary.
Thanks Deri for a pleasant crossword. I needed a word finder for PEARLER & OUTRAGING and the blog to understand WIG but all else fell into place nicely. Favourites included ICONS, SINGLE CREAM, & ICE UP. Thanks Pierre for the blog.
grantinfeo @3: I try not to sweat the small either but ‘chomping at the bit’ irritates me every time.
[.. while not the same, ie not an error as such, ‘chow down on’ meaning eat is currently my most ugh …]
I entered KILOMETRE without thinking. Also thought INTERJECT for 4dn with “jet” from jetty/pier.
Thanks all, and thanks to Pierre for the great blog.
George Best and Rodney Marsh played together for Fulham at a late stage in their careers, so 7a isn’t totally random!
Deri @ 8 Didn’t they also host a football TV programme for which New Order provided the theme tune?
Simon @9, yes! A Granada show filmed in Manchester. Tony Wilson was the official presenter, but a lot of chat from Best and Marsh.
A few episodes at this channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWBmcMGMynw