Merry Christmas, everyone.
I don't have a lot of time this morning, what with it being Christmas, but thankfully this was a nice straightforward solve reminiscent of a traditional Monday Guardian. Nothing outstanding, but nothing poor either, so a quick solve and a quick blog. Enjoy the festivities.
Thanks, Mudd.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | BELARUS |
Country retreat originally usable after development (7)
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*(r usable) [anag:after development] where R = R(etreat) [originally] |
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| 5 | MUFFLED |
Unclear if error came first (7)
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MUFF ("error") + LED ("came first") |
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| 9 | HUMID |
Drone I had, close (5)
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HUM ("drone") + I'D (I had) |
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| 10 | NOSTALGIA |
Analogist recollected past thoughts (9)
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*(analogist) [anag:recollected] |
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| 11 | ASSERTION |
Claim senator is corrupt (9)
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*(senator is) [anag:corrupt] |
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| 12 | EXTOL |
Praise previous work, one having quit (5)
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EX ("previous") + TO(i)L ("work", I (one) having quit) |
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| 13 | BOMB |
Fail a lot (4)
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Double definition |
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| 15 | ESCALATE |
Prickly case alongside dead mushroom (8)
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*(case) [anag:prickly] alongside LATE ("dead") |
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| 18 | REQUITAL |
Reward king with blend of tequila (8)
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R (Rex, so "king") with *(tequila) [anag:blend of] |
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| 19 | TOLL |
Charge for ring (4)
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Double definition |
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| 22 | RIGID |
Set free, soldier embraced (5)
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GI (American "soldier") embraced by RID ("free") |
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| 24 | FREE-LIVER |
Note written about dance for hedonist (4-5)
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FIVER (£5 "note") about REEL ("dance") |
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| 26 | NUMBER TWO |
North Italian monarch welcomes western deputy (6,3)
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N (North) + UMBERTO ("Italian monarch") welcomes W (western) |
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| 27 | PASTE |
Stick with point poking head (5)
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S (South, so "point" on compass) poking PATE ("head") |
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| 28 | HANDS-ON |
Worker meeting boy, practical (5-2)
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HAND ("worker") meeting SON ("boy") |
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| 29 | TREADLE |
Lever let out, scan within (7)
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READ ("scan") within *(let) [anag:out] |
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| DOWN | ||
| 1 | BEHEAD |
Top sphere split by what? (6)
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BEAD ("sphere") split by EH ("what?") |
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| 2 | LIMESTONE |
Fluid let in with some rock (9)
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*(let in some) [anag:fluid] |
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| 3 | RADAR |
Detector that moves both ways (5)
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RADAR is a palindrome ("both ways") |
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| 4 | SENTIMENT |
Opinion conveyed, people entertained by it (9)
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SENT ("conveyed") + MEN ("people") entertained by IT |
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| 5 | MASON |
Thus cracking piece for builder (5)
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SO ("thus") cracking MAN ("piece") |
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| 6 | FLAGEOLET |
Pulse in leg, of late, irregular (9)
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*(leg of late) [anag:irregular] |
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| 7 | LEGIT |
Proper escape? (5)
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LEG IT ("ecape") |
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| 8 | DEARLY |
A great deal, day in advance (6)
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D (day) + EARLY ("in advance") |
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| 14 | BOUNDLESS |
Infinite spring gone then? (9)
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If someone's "spring" has "gone", they'd be unable to bound, so would be BOUNDLESS |
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| 16 | CALLED OUT |
A cute doll broken, cried (6,3)
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*(a cute doll) [anag:broken] |
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| 17 | TELEVISED |
Put on trousers when carried by horse, but no top (9)
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LEVI'S ("brand of jeans, so "trousers") when carried by (s)TEED ("horse", but no top) |
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| 20 | BRUNCH |
Group fed right meal (6)
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BUNCH ("group") fed R (right) |
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| 21 | BREEZE |
Fresh air and walk in the park (6)
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Double definition, the second referring to an easy task. |
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| 23 | GAMIN |
Brought up in deprivation, I’m a gloriously mischievous boy (5)
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Hidden backwards in [brought up in] "deprivatioN I'M A Gloriously" |
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| 24 | FUTON |
Feet on outstanding posh bed (5)
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Ft. (feet) + ON outstanding (standing outside of) U (posh) |
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| 25 | LAPSE |
Failing courses on track, did you say? (5)
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Homophone/pun/aural wordplay [did you say] of LAPS ("courses on track") |