A light and breezy challenge from JULIUS
FF: 9 DD: 5
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | GOLDEN |
Valuable info about antique (6)
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GEN ( info ) around OLD ( antique ) |
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| 4 | TRIANGLE |
Figure, Republican, one in mess? (8)
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[ R ( republican ) I ( one ) ] in TANGLE ( mess ) |
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| 9 | NEARBY |
New Listener and Times to hand (6)
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N ( near ) EAR ( listener ) BY ( times ) |
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| 10/11 | PRECIOUS METALS |
Commodities Exchange speculator is me (8,6)
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[ SPECULATOR IS ME ]* |
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| 12 | ILL-USAGE |
Sick American, 29, last to receive cruel treatment (3-5)
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ILL ( sick ) US ( american ) AG ( 29a, silver ) E ( receivE, last letter ) |
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| 13 | FRY |
Cook whitebait (3)
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double def |
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| 14 | DEMIST |
Clear screen, start to delete various items (6)
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D ( Delete, first letter ) [ ITEMS ]* |
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| 17 | MUNDANE |
Banal, boring Dortmund — an eyesore (7)
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hidden in "..dortMUND AN Eyesore" |
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| 21 | IMPALE |
Stick a fork in Julius’s pasty (6)
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IM ( julius's ) PALE ( pasty ) |
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| 25 | DUB |
Beats where to fly Emirates (not first class) (3)
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DUBai ( where to fly emirates, without AI – first class, A1 ) |
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| 26 | PLATINUM |
Surprisingly pliant depleted uranium element (8)
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[ PLIANT ]* UM ( UraniuM, depleted i.e. without inner letters ) |
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| 27 | BLONDE |
Fair Isle omitted by Harry’s group (6)
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BLONDiE ( harry's group, without I – isle ; deborah harry as i learnt from google ) |
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| 28 | STERLING |
They’re regularly introduced to support the pound (8)
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TER ( ThEy'Re, regularly ) in SLING ( support ) |
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| 29 | SILVER |
You, changing one for old change (6)
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SoLVER ( ~you, with I – one, replacing O – old ) |
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| 30 | SAUCEPAN |
It’s used to cook fresh canapés infused with a hint of umami (8)
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[ CANAPES ]* containing U ( Umami , first letter ) |
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| 31 | EN BLOC |
Retired Colonel banned regulars as a group (2,4)
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reverse of [ COL ( colonel ) BNE ( BaNnEd, regularly ) ] |
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| DOWN | ||
| 1 | GANYMEDE |
Satellite linking Georgia, New York, Maine and Delaware (8)
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GA ( georgia ) NY ( new york ) ME ( maine ) DE ( delaware ) |
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| 2 | LEAD TIME |
E-mailed furiously about Tesla delivery schedule (4,4)
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[ E MAILED ]* around T ( tesla ) |
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| 3 | EMBOLISM |
Me? I’m slob — silly, troublesome clot (8)
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[ ME IM SLOB ]* |
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| 5 | RARELY |
Remarkably well, bloody lovely on vacation! (6)
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RARE ( bloody ) LY ( LovelY, on vacation i.e. without inner letters ) |
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| 6 | ACCRUE |
Accumulate brilliant French vintage in stock (6)
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CRU ( french vintage ) in ACE ( brilliant ) |
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| 7 | GLOBAL |
Comprehensive target to include Liberal and bishop (6)
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GOAL ( target ) containing [ L ( liberal ) and B ( bishop ) ] |
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| 8 | EASTER |
English flower festival (6)
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E ( english ) ASTER ( flower ) |
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| 12 | IRIDIUM |
One free introduction to indie, er, heavy metal (7)
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I ( one ) RID ( free ) I ( Indie, first letter ) UM ( ~er ) |
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| 15 | TUG |
Inshore vessel starts to tow Ukrainian gunboat (3)
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starting letters of "..Tow Ukrainian Gunboat" |
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| 16 | UNI |
Burn oil periodically reading here? (3)
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alternate letters of "bUrN oIl.." |
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| 18 | EMULSION |
Paint sierra covered with wildlife (8)
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S ( sierra ) in [ EMU LION ( ~wildlife ) ] |
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| 19 | CARNIVAL |
Portion of paella, vin, raclette served up for the big feast (8)
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hidden , reversed in "..paelLA VIN RAClette.." |
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| 20 | METEORIC |
Sturdy court jester in conversation, remarkably rapid (8)
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sounds like MEATY ( sturdy ) YORICK ( court jester, hamlet ) |
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| 22 | SPASMS |
Sends unwanted messages involving the onset of sudden contractions (6)
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SPAMS ( sends unwanted messages ) containing S ( Sudden, first letter ) |
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| 23 | GATEAU |
For starter, glutton consumed gold cake (6)
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G ( Glutton, first letter ) ATE ( consumed ) AU ( gold ) |
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| 24 | GILLIE |
After the game, he’ll get you loaded (6)
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cryptic def; game here referring to hunting . this was a new word for me that i learnt from chambers. |
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| 25 | DUENNA |
Governess expected; not available after November (6)
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DUE ( expected ) N ( November ) NA ( Not Available ) |
Agreed, a lovely puzzle done swiftly, if not meteorically, but full of the customary wit.
Liked DUB, IMPALE and the pairings read across the grid, connected with 10/11, especially the 26/27 Deborah Harry.
Thanks Julius and Loonapick.
So sorry, Turbolegs. Of course, Friday is your regular spot and its great to see your blog so early!