Harry has compiled the Monday crossword for Indy readers in trademark fashion.
The typical mix of boozers, benders, dropping trousers and snorting lines, all smoothed by the use of a lubricant designed to counter intimate dryness. Mix together into a bunch of well-constructed clues and we have an entertaining puzzle to start the week.
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 Soldier at front seen in new drama with gun?
GUARDSMAN
An insertion of S for the initial letter of ‘seen’ in (DRAMA GUN)* The insertion indicator is ‘in’ and the anagrind is ‘new’.
6 One punching fat landowner north of the border
LAIRD
An insertion of I in LARD. The insertion indicator is ‘punching’.
9 Set moved with effort is not in the way
OFF-STREET
(SET EFFORT)* The anagrind is ‘moved’.
10 What stops backsliding boozer?
REHAB
An insertion of EH in BAR reversed, and a cad. The insertion indicator is ‘stops’.
11 Decline essentially seen in river with rapids ultimately
FALLS
An insertion of L for the central letter of ‘decline’ in FAL and S for the final letter of ‘rapids’. Another cad.
12 Awful radicals on right which help some get on track?
RAILCARDS
A charade of R and (RADICALS)* with ‘awful’ as the anagrind.
13 After bringing back posh young woman, party on
LEGSIDE
A charade of GEL reversed and SIDE. ‘On’ is another way of saying LEGSIDE in cricket. GEL for ‘posh girl’ is crosswordspeak, but referencing the upper-class pronunciation of ‘girl’. A bit like the old joke that sex was what the Queen had her coal delivered in.
15 Atheistic track rejected by the French Elvis in the end
GODLESS
A charade of DOG reversed, LES for one of the words for ‘the’ in French, and S for the final letter of ‘Elvis’.
18 A Republican trapped in window will be fine
ALRIGHT
A charade of A, and R inserted into LIGHT. The insertion indicator is ‘trapped in’. Some style guides still insist on ALL RIGHT, but ALRIGHT is much the preferred spelling these days. Which altogether makes much more sense.
20 Lining fabric found in missiles I assess
SILESIA
Hidden in misSILES I Assess. From my Chambers:
silesia (n) a thin, twilled cotton or linen used for lining clothes, etc. orig made in Silesia (now part of Poland)
One of a number of fabrics named after their place of origin: denim from Nîmes; calico from Calicut; cambric from Cambrai; damask from Damascus.
21 A poor penalty by City’s an objectionable thing
A BAD PENNY
A charade of A, BAD, PEN and NY.
23 Unpleasant people stealing fine presents
GIFTS
An insertion of F in GITS. The insertion indicator is ‘stealing’.
25 Military command in Band of Brothers?
ORDER
A dd. The second definition is referring to a monastic order.
26 Very literary song first appearing in electronic game
SOLITAIRE
A charade of SO, LIT, AIR and E for the initial letter of ‘electronic’.
27 Fear losing knight finally is a blunder
ERROR
[T]ERROR
28 According to hearsay, cat on lead needs training
ANECDOTAL
(CAT ON LEAD)* with ‘needs training’ as the anagrind.
Down
1 Old dons playing golf with lead in American Gangster
GOODFELLA
An insertion of O in (GOLF LEAD)* The insertion indicator is ‘dons’ and the anagrind is ‘playing’.
2 Terrible in-law: fulsome to some degree
AWFUL
Hidden in in-lAW FULsome.
3 Hating diets, gent goes on a bender
DETESTING
(DIETS GENT)* with ‘goes on a bender’ as the anagrind.
4 Overheating old server core men refurbished
MCENROE
(CORE MEN)* with ‘refurbished’ as the anagrind. Took me ages to see this, although it’s clearly signposted as an anagram. He was known to lose his rag, wasn’t he?
5 Husband taking down trousers will make love
NOTHING
An insertion of H in NOTING. The insertion indicator is ‘trousers’.
6 Line snorted by Joely Richardson
LYRIC
Hidden in JoeLY RIChardson.
7 Working from home, having laugh with Romeo on loch
IN HARNESS
A charade of IN, HA, R and NESS.
8 Society girls collecting tenor’s outstanding bills
DEBTS
An insertion of T in DEBS. The insertion indicator is ‘collecting’.
14 Bloomer in foreign article written by European
GERMANDER
A charade of GERMAN and DER (a definite ‘article’ in, as it happens, German).
16 Might we be thus when the sun goes over the moon?
DELIGHTED
A cd. Might have made more sense the other way round, surely? Or happen I’m missing something.
Edit: I was indeed missing something. See KVa’s comment #1.
17 Leading men suffering one brightening battle scene
STAR SHELL
A charade of STARS and HELL.
19 Place head up above one’s heels in Kundalini yoga
TUNISIA
A charade of NUT reversed, IS and IA for the last letters of ‘Kundalini’ and ‘yoga’. ‘Place’ for a specific country like TUNISIA might not meet with universal approval.
20 A shade sad after son sat on jelly?
SKY BLUE
A charade of S, KY and BLUE. KY Jelly is used for improved comfort during intimacy. K-Y Jelly was rebranded as Knect in the United Kingdom in 2023, I learn.
21 Love is about supporting a devoted other primarily
ADORE
A charade of A, D and O for the initial letters of ‘devoted’ and ‘other’ and RE. ‘Supporting’ works because it’s a down clue.
22 Salesman seen around about old city is more virtuous
PURER
An insertion of UR for the ‘old city’ in REP reversed.
24 France isn’t commonly weak
FAINT
A charade of F and AINT.
Many thanks to Hoskins for a puzzle to start the week in the Independent.
DELIGHTED
I thought (not quite sure)
Might we be thus when the sun goes=DE LIGHTED
Def: over the moon
I liked the puzzle. Difficult in parts and elaborate in the clueing with CADs and CDs etc. I agree with @1 about ‘delighted’ meaning ‘over the moon’ after the sun goes. More of a DD? More like this would be good. Thanks Pierre (I can’t get the joke – ‘royal barge’?? AI said online) and Hoskins.
That’s it KVa.
Thought the clue for NOTHING was brilliant but I think Harry has used it before (but well worth repeating if so).
Oddly, if I type ‘nothing’ in the Site Search it returns … nothing. Weird that.
That’s the story with DELIGHTED, which I missed – thank you.
Sofamore #2: the late Queen might have pronounced ‘sacks’ (of coal) to sound like most normal folk would say ‘sex’.
Hovis@3
Independent 10,230 by Hoskins (Saturday Puzzle 27 July 2019)
Love husband taking down trousers (7)
Thanks KVa. Better searcher than me.
Three “hidden” answers? I thought there was a rule about this? Max of one across and one down. Or is this 28ac?
Great fun even if I was ultimately bowled on the LEGSIDE (does that even make sense in cricket terms?). It was just not coming to me even with all the checking letters.
Liked NOTHING and MCENROE
Thanks Pierre and Hoskin