The weekly online only crossword from the Guardian found here
This week set by Hectence, who usually sets a pangram – a crossword that uses every letter of the alphabet, which can help with some of the clues.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | SEQUEL |
Picture covering Queen’s long continuing story (6)
|
| insertion – SEE (picture) around (covering) QU (queen) + L (long – as in dimensions) | ||
| 5 | FLABBY |
Fine scientific establishment busy cutting American slack (6)
|
| charade of F (fine) + LAB (scientific establishment) + BY ( BusY cutting US – American) | ||
| 8 | TACITLY |
Silently cheers Leicester perhaps securing lead in League (7)
|
| charade of TA (cheers) + CITY (Leicester perhaps) around (securing) L (lead in League) | ||
| 9 | ORIGAMI |
Paper craft has old sails etc, one master recalled (7)
|
| charade of O (old) RIG (sails, etc) + reversal (recalled) of I (one) MA (master – masters degree) < | ||
| 11 | BALLROOM DANCING |
Strictly’s content to condemn canoodling and mostly blame Romeo (8,7)
|
| anagram of (to condemn) (CANOODLING BLAMe R)* where BLAM is mostly blame and R is Romeo from the NATO phonetic alphabet | ||
| 12 | EWER |
Pitcher Webb, initially retained by phone company, gets sponsor in the end (4)
|
| insertion of W (Webb initially) into (retained by) EE (phone company) + R (sponsoR in the end) | ||
| 13 | RECEPTACLE |
Engineers dubiously accept abridged permit for vessel (10)
|
| RE (engineers – Royal Engineers) + anagram (dubiously) of (ACCEPT) + LE (abridged permit – LEt) | ||
| 17 | PATRIOTISM |
Some fellowship at riot is misrepresented as love for one’s country (10)
|
| hidden (some) in fellowshiP AT RIOT IS Mispresented | ||
| 18 | ASTI |
It’s a revolution in sparkling wine (4)
|
| hidden reversal (revolution in) of IT’S A < | ||
| 20 | ONCE IN A BLUE MOON |
On rare occasions previously writer worked, unable to be idle (4,2,1,4,4)
|
| charade of ONCE (previously) + I (writer) + anagram of (worked) (UNABLE)* + MOON (idle) | ||
| 23 | SHAKIER |
Increasingly tentative, I ask her out (7)
|
| anagram (out) of (I ASK HER)* | ||
| 24 | LOGJAMS |
Preserve records admitting gridlocks (7)
|
| insertion (admitting) of JAM (preserve) into LOGS (records) | ||
| 25 | REIN IN |
Check information held by inner assembly (4,2)
|
| anagram (assembly) of (INNER)* – insertion (held by) of I (information – from the tourist information signs on maps and street signs) | ||
| 26 | DENOTE |
Typify reactionary public school education (6)
|
| reversal (reactionary) of ETON (public school) + ED (education) and all reversed < | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 2 | EXCELLENT |
Select spreadsheet program and occasionally alter books (9)
|
| charade of EXCEL (spreadsheet program) + LE (occasionally aLtEr) + NT (books – New Testatment, books in the Bible) | ||
| 3 | UPTURN |
At university, go for advancement (6)
|
| charade of UP (at university – he was up at Oxford) + TURN (go) | ||
| 4 | LAY TO REST |
Bury put ultimate market on street behind Rock (3,2,4)
|
| charade of LAY (put) + T (ultimate – so last letter of – markeT) + ORE (rock) + ST (street – which comes after the ORE because it’s behind) | ||
| 5 | FLOOD |
Fare well, finally plugging major leak (5)
|
| insertion (plugging) of L (welL finally) in FOOD (fare) | ||
| 6 | ALIENATE |
Repel extra-terrestrial assault that’s drained earth (8)
|
| charade of ALIEN (extra-terrestial) + AT (AssaulT that’s drained) + E (earth – from electrical plug labels) | ||
| 7 | BHAJI |
Starters in Bengal have additional jhalmuri in side dish (5)
|
| acrostic (starters) from Bengal Have Additional Jhalmuri In | ||
| 8 | TABLESPOONS |
Cutlery with carved apostles on captivating bishop (11)
|
| anagram (carved) of (APOSTLES ON)* + insertion of B (bishop from chess notation) | ||
| 10 | INGREDIENTS |
Stuff for recipe needs vigorous tenderising (11)
|
| anagram (vigorous) of (TENDERISING)* | ||
| 14 | EASILY LED |
Trusting a silly order to enter rising river (6,3)
|
| insertion (to enter) of anagram (order) of (A SILLY) in DEE< (rising, so reversed in a down clue, river) | ||
| 15 | COSMONAUT |
Company mounts scheme engaging a space traveller (9)
|
| charade of CO (company) + anagram (scheme) of (MOUNTS) + A (from clue) inserted (engaging) | ||
| 16 | DIVISION |
Conflict with detective on plan for future (8)
|
| charade of DI (detective – detective inspector in police) + VISION (plan for future) | ||
| 19 | REAGAN |
Former president managed to hide confusion of age (6)
|
| insertion (to hide) of RAN (managed) around (to hide) anagram (confusion) of (AGE)* | ||
| 21 | CRAZE |
Rage about variable care organised (5)
|
| insertion (about) of Z (variable – one of the letters used in algebra to signify variables) into anagram (organised) of (CARE)* – and this would have been quicker if I’d remembered Hectence produces pangrams earlier. | ||
| 22 | APRON |
Put up partial screen or partition that protects clothing (5)
|
| hidden reversal (put up partial) of screeN OR PArtition < |
Lovely Quiptic, possibly at the high end of difficulty for the slot but remembering that Hectence usually has a pangram helped (in my case for 16d).
Thanks Hectence and Shanne