Good morning everyone
A number of “firsts” on this blog: my first My Crossword blog, my first blog of MC setter Meles, and first use of the crossword blogging utility. Perhaps only my 15×15 colleagues will care about that last one, though!
This was a real joy of a grid to solve, with lots of lovely surfaces, if (purely for my tastes) a touch anagram-heavy, although I wouldn’t disagree I need the practice. I’m going to pick out 8d as a stand-out for the deftness of the construction.
Thanks to Meles for the grid, and also Quirister for the utility assistance.
ACROSS
House [HO] master [M] is after most of fortune [FATE]
Double definition
Walks [TREADS] around hospital [H]
Run [R] by pub [BAR] in centre [HUB]
Anag. [“doctor”] CAN GET WORK NORTH
Every now and then [alternate letters] garden [G R E] has year [Y]
Anag. [“about”] FACE DOUBTS
Backfiring [reversed] issue [EMIT] with guns [PIECES]
Hidden word [“hosts”] ASK OLD
Anag. [“flying”] GRUMPIER ONES about [around] enclosure [PEN]
ILLUMINATES with anag [“with arrangement”] LANE removed [“lacking”] backwards [“on reflection”]
Is one [IS I] entering [inside] fish [TUNA]
Underhand [SLY] grips [around] help when playing golf [TEE]
Cryptic def
DOWN
Dry [AIR] stone [ST] walls of Rome [RE] are made primarily [first letters = A M]
Raised [HEAVED] dead [D] to become [changed for] finally [last letter of] reborn [N]
Anag. [“to wind”] REBEL AIMS
Goes higher [RISEN] upending the top three [SIR reversed]
Anag. [“composed”] initially using [U] poetic [POETIC] licence at the start [L]
In the morning [AM] everyone [ALL] tips [reversed]
Essentially [centre letters] completely [LE] missed [SS] but [THOUGH] temperature [T] takes precedence [goes first]
Charlotte’s stoned [BAKED] ill ask her in conversation [sounds like = ALASKA].
I’m presuming “Charlotte” here a reference to the city in N. Carolina for which “baked” would be a local slang
Cryptic. Standing for election in this case
Cryptic double def
Anag [“stupidly”] TEAR UP about [RE]
Double def and sound alike AGENDA/ A GENDER
Light touch [PAT] across home [IN]
Clever [BRAINY] bishop escapes [-B]
This might just be terminology but I took DRAWER to be a double definition rather than a cryptic def.
I am, of course, familiar with this setter’s work from MyC and the puzzle is, as expected, smoothly put together with very little in the way of surplus wordage. I had plenty of ticks including FATHOM, ON THE WRONG TRACK, SKOL, EMPEROR PENGUINS, TUNISIA, AIRSTREAM, HEAVEN, POULTICE, UNELECTED and TAKE ISSUE.
Thanks Meles and Leedsclimber for the blog
I have been a fan of Meles for some time, so it’s great to see him in the featured slot. There were lots of nicely constructed surfaces, inventive definitions, and plenty of smiles along the way. My favourites were RHUBARB, OBFUSCATED, SKOL, EMPEROR PENGUINS, TUNISIA, STEELY, HEAVEN, SIREN and LLAMA.
Thanks to Meles and Leedsclimber
I really enjoyed this, a well-deserved use of the Featured Crossword slot. Really smooth surfaces and in a few cases extremely well-hidden definitions. My favourites: RHUBARB, ON THE WRONG TRACK, EMPEROR PENGUINS, TUNISIA, STEELY, MISERABLE, SIREN, BAKED ALASKA and TAKE ISSUE.
Many thanks Meles, and thanks to Leedsclimber for the blog.
A very enjoyable puzzle as we’ve come to expect from Meles over at MyCrossword. Plenty of sneaky definitions and clever wordplay to enjoy, and amusing images conjured up. I thought that some of the anagrams were particularly good. My picks were: SUPPLY, ON THE WRONG TRACK, EMPEROR PENGUINS, UNELECTED and LLAMA. Thanks Meles and Leedsclimber.
I enjoyed this. Tougher than any of the puzzles in the nationals today so was thankful for the mental workout.
Needed the blog to understand TIMEPIECES but otherwise slowly got my way through it from the word play. Nice definition.
Liked the CD for UNELECTED. FATHOM, SIREN and SKOL also come to mind amongst other good clues.
I did wonder about Charlotte’s stoned as BAKED was often used when I was younger although usually preceded by half but my dictionary confirms it’s informal North American slang.
Thanks Meles and LeedsClimber.
Though I have done a number of My crossword puzzles, this was the first time I have come across Meles, and a great pleasure it was, too. Great stuff. Thanks Miles and Leedsclimber.
Many thanks to those who solved and commented on this and especially to Leedsclimber for the great blog, it is very much appreciated.
I’m glad it seems to have gone down well and looking forwards to seeing who’s up next in the featured slot!
Thanks Meles for a top-notch crossword with my favourites being THREADS, RHUBARB, ON THE WRONG TRACK, SIREN, PAINT, & RAINY. Thanks Leedsclimber for the blog.
Thanks Meles and Leedsclimber. This was super fun, and my favorite clue was the charming 7d. I’ve already listed a long ‘like list’ on MyC so I’ll not repeat it here. Thanks again : )
A great puzzle from Meles and thanks to Leedsclimber for explaining “Charlotte” in 10d