It’s the end of the week. Surprise, Surprise! We have a Phi to blog.
We missed the theme last week and mentioned that we hoped we would spot any theme this week. Well if there is one, we cannot see it. A search using random words in the grid revealed nothing. We tried linking some of the names together as well but no joy there either.
Anyway, thanks Phi for ending our week with a very pleasant puzzle.
STOP (finish) around or ‘hosting’ M (mass)
JEERS ON (continues to mock) around or ‘interrupted by’ FF (couple of fellows)
RATS (scoundrels) around or ‘seizing’ IN (popular) CO (firm)
RELEnT (show kindness) without or ‘forgetting’ ‘n’ (name)
SIDE (team) reversed or ‘backed’ + NO (never) reversed or ‘taking a different direction’
MANN (German writer) around or ‘penning’ a reversal (‘after reflection’) of A MOT (‘word’ in French)
DICY (risky) around or ‘accepting’ HOT (dangerous) OM (‘order’ – of merit)
MO (doctor) with an anagram (‘troubled’) of AIR
RE (regarding) MIT (University in Cambridge in the USA)
An anagram (‘handled roughly’) of N (new) TRAIN SET
PACY (rapid) around or ‘limiting’ HARM (damage)
CU’S (copper’s) and TOMe (volume) missing last letter or ‘reduced’
PRIM (precise) O (over)
LIT (drunk) around or ‘throttling’ ON (working) HEAR (judge)
An anagram (‘disrupted’) of MAIN TEMPO
DulY (missing the middle letters or ‘abandoning core’) LAN (network)
SURER (increasingly guaranteed) around or ‘suppressing’ REND (tear)
BIRO (pen) reversed or ‘erected’ + I (electric current)
COL (officer) in PIC (photo) O (old)
First letters or ‘at the outset’ of Just One Acting Nobly – we had to check this. Pope Joan is now widely considered to be fictional apparently according to AI and Wiki.
FEAR (concern) round I (one) SCALY (shabby)
RUE (regret) reversed or ‘picking up’ + A TO M (half the letters in the alphabet)
An anagram (‘whirling’) of ELON M IS in SpacE (first and last letters only or ’empty’)
NOON (midday) around or ‘about’ T (time)
ICE (reserve) L (litre) inside or ‘during’ BOTTLIng (‘finishing off beer production’) without or ‘dismissing’ ‘ng’ (no good)
C (conservative) ONION (head) around or ‘bracketing’ MP and A
A (accepted) UN (French article) around TOMATO (fruit)
TOMB (a grave) sOLO (by itself) without or ‘losing’ ‘s’ (first letter of ships)
SHUt (closed) missing last letter or ‘all but’ + SHED (garden building)
OP (work) ‘appearing’ in PUP (youngster)
TAIL (follower) around or ‘crossing’ R (river)
ROME (Catholicism) with the first three letters or ‘most of it’ reversed or ‘upset’
Quite a few Toms, no? Great fun. Best thanks to Phi and B&J.
Thanks ALP – how did we miss that?