It’s a while since we had a Gila puzzle to solve – the last one was in January 22.
Apart from a few checks in Chambers, things went in quite smoothly. Some nice anagrams but we were not so impressed with the cryptic definition at 4d. Mind you, we’re not that keen on cryptic definitions at the best of times!
If there are any errors or omissions it may take us a little while to respond as we are away.
Thanks Gila
Alternate letters (‘regularly’) in wIlL sElF reversed or ‘rebuffed’ CITATIONS (commendations)
Hidden (‘some’) and reversed (‘about’) in unpopuLAR Opinions
Double definition
An anagram (‘messily’) of EAT A GU
PHO (noodle soup) TO FIT (meeting size guidelines)
Cryptic definition
F (fine) ISH (‘kinda sorta’)
SUM (total) E (last or ‘ultimate’ letter of prejudice) reversed or ‘knocked back’
R (first letter or ‘intro’ to revised) EDITION (volume) around or ‘including’ N (new)
An anagram (‘playing’) of UNO and KATHY
MULLerED (drunk) missing ‘er’ or ‘without hesitation’. Bert vaguely remembered ‘mullered’ as ‘drunk’, but it did need checking.
An anagram (‘form of’) ID BRACELET
NOt missing last letter or ‘cut’ + OK (you understand?)
An anagram (‘absurd’) of SNORT COCAINE’S
FAR (a good way to) GO (attempt) around or ‘hiding’ A R (right) reversed or ‘flipping’
ILL (not very well) inside or ‘encapsulated in’ LE (a French article)
CA (about) ROUSE (wake up)
Cryptic definition
THE (not just any) MO (flash) B (British)
O (old) LOG (record) IS inside or ‘guarded by’ OTT (over the top – ‘unreasonable’)
WE inside or ‘tucked into’ S (small) DISH (helping) – köttbullar are Swedish meatballs
GUANO (droppings) inside or ‘collected by’ I (one) DON (academic)
An anagram (‘oddball’) of HERETIC
MUD (dirt) reversed or ‘tipped’ + BEST (smartest clothes)
ONE (individual) ROUSe (awake) missing last letter or ‘endlessly’
A reversal (‘over’) of TRY (endeavour) inside or ‘cutting’ ELM (tree)
Hidden (‘partially’) in spelLING Out
Nice anagram for CREDITABLE. I liked THANK YOU for the surface. I agree about TELEPHONE NUMBER.
Top picks: PHOTOFIT, POLICE DOG, CAROUSE, SWEDISH and LINGO.
SWEDISH
I took ‘serving of food’ as DISH and ‘like köttbullar?’ as the def.
DUMBEST
Took ‘extremely stupid’ as the def with ‘that’s’ as a link.
Thanks both.
Wanted to mention that I couldn’t connect with TELEPHONE NUMBER either.
POLICE DOG made me smile. A better example of a cryptic def. I think. Not sure why 14a needs both ‘kinda’ and ‘sorta’. The first is in Chambers, the second isn’t. Thanks for puzzle and blog.
Late, so you might not see it, but Hector: “kinda sorta” is a slang set phrase that means the same thing as the also slangy “ish.” (The latter is slang if unconnected to a word.) Anyway, looking in the dictionary might not get you there.
And I’m surprised “sorta” isn’t in Chambers: it’s in Merriam-Webster, and one of the usage examples they cite is P.G. Wodehouse, so it’s not exactly a neologism.
Thanks Gila, telephone number was the first core I saw and wrote in instantly. Horses fur courses I guess. Wot no Eccles? Hope he is ok.
Even later, but thanks mrpenney. I hadn’t come across “kinda sorta” and was puzzled because I thought “kinda” would have worked on its own.