BOBCAT kicks off the week…
A bit trickier than usual for a Monday, but very enjoyable, and including a feline Nina.
Thanks BOBCAT!
ACROSS
1. Carelessly executed student operation controlled by secret agent (6)
SLOPPY
(L (student) + OP (operation)) controlled by SPY (secret agent)
4. Incendiary stuff from Heather? After a fashion (8)
KINDLING
LING (heather) after KIND (fashion)
10. Devilish fellow, Independent Nationalist, say, about to strike (7)
IMPINGE
IMP (devilish fellow) + I (independent) + N (nationalist) + (EG)< (say, <about)
11. Ancient city grandeur Medici regularly displayed (7)
POMPEII
POMP (grandeur) + [m]E[d]I[c]I (regularly displayed
12. Desire without starting to acquire (4)
EARN
[y]EARN (desire, without starting)
13. How Observer and Spectator proceed with joint guide to the Times? (10)
WRISTWATCH
WATCH (how observer and spectator proceed) with WRIST (joint)
15. Work hard in attempt to obtain prize (6)
TROPHY
(OP (work) + H (hard)) in TRY (attempt)
16. Torrid Romeo’s barred from local (7)
TOPICAL
T[r]OPICAL (torrid, R (Romeo) barred)
20. I may have been pressed about vintage computer stuff (7)
RECRUIT
RE (about) + CRU (vintage) + IT (computer stuff)
21. Consider hosting African group session to raise the spirits (6)
SEANCE
SEE (consider) hosting ANC (African group)
24. Vibes twice produced by some app involved with Mother Theresa (10)
ATMOSPHERE
(SOME APP involved with MOTHER THERESA)* (*produced) makes ATMOSPHERE twice
26. Sound pleased, backing up bishop (4)
PURR
(UP)< (<backing) + RR (bishop)
28. One delivering various changes (7)
SAVIOUR
29. Fly back to hospital department function (7)
TANGENT
(GNAT)< (fly, <back) to ENT (hospital department)
30. Numbers from East and West enthralling New York lyricist (8)
TENNYSON
TEN (number, on the West) + (NOS)< (numbers, <from the East) enthralling NY (New York)
31. Element of chemical analysis shed light on problem in recall (6)
LITMUS
LIT (shed light on) + (SUM)< (problem, <in recall)
DOWN
1. Outrageous old priest lying about supporting case for secret weapon (8)
STILETTO
(OTT (outrageous) + ELI (old priest))< (<lying about) supporting S[ecre]T (case for)
2. US writer, going short, taps working funds deliberately (2,7)
ON PURPOSE
PO[e] (US writer, going short) taps (ON (working) + PURSE (funds))
3. Inferior wordplay oppresses king (4)
PUNK
PUN (wordplay) oppresses K (king)
5. Setter’s job, ultimately, to deliver deceptive type? (8)
IMPOSTOR
IM (setter’s) + POST (job) + [t]O [delive]R (ultimately)
6. Agency possibly elevating courses at Labour’s expense? (4,6)
DUMB WAITER
7. Exhausted editor (international) keeps still (5)
INERT
E[dito]R (exhausted), INT (international) keeps
8. Entertaining girl, Georgia, bedding European roughly (6)
GEISHA
GA (Georgia) bedding (E (European) + ISH (roughly))
9. Measure included in maritime treaty (5)
METRE
[mariti]ME TRE[aty] (included in)
14. Politician against alcohol… not a novel thing to write (5,5)
SHORT STORY
TORY (politician) against SHORTS (alcohol)
17. Amanda and Sue lit up again and again (2,7)
AD NAUSEAM
(AMANDA and SUE)* (*lit up)
18. What’s previously affected that woman as well (briefly)? (8)
HITHERTO
HIT (affected) + HER (that woman) + TO[o] (as well, briefly)
19. Debris distributed randomly, not intentionally buried deep at first (8)
DETRITUS
(DISTRIBUTED)* (*randomly) not I[ntentionally] B[uried] D[eep] (at first)
22. Bring down the energy of meanest hound (6)
BASSET
BASEST (meanest, bring down the E (energy))
23. Make a fuss: base disposed of old plane (5)
CRATE
CR[e]ATE (make a fuss, E (base) disposed of)
25. Trump’s expert general snatching victory (5)
MAVIN
MAIN (general) snatching V (victory)
27. Hostile soldier leading unit (4)
ANTI
ANT (soldier) leading I (unit)
A lovely start to the week from Bobcat with his trademark nina to go along with 26a.
Favourites today included the neat SAVIOUR, TROPHY and AD NAUSEAM.
Thanks Bobcat and Teacow.
A bit of a battle I found. Liked detritus.
There’s much I don’t understand here.
Why is mavin “Trump’s expert”, rather than just “expert”?
Why is create “make a fuss” rather than just “make”?
And the description of a dumb waiter as an “agency” seems odd.
Thanks for the solution!
Steve@3… so MAVIN is American slang I think. CREATE is in Chambers as “make a fuss”
Ah OK thanks, I didn’t know this convention of [President’s] meaning [American word for]