The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/29969.
I am always happy to see Paul as the setter for my blog.
After first in 1D CHOO-CHOO (which has come up in crosswords a couple of times recently), I hit on 10A FOOL, without ever realising it was the key clue, with references which include an impresive array of Shakespearean characters, from the professional jesters, to the true dullards, to the Shakespearean fools, clever bumpkins who use their wits to good effect. The Shakesperaeans are highlighted in motley colours in the grid. Halfway through solving, it was noticeable that my grid contained a scatter-shot of answers; but it all came out in the end, in a way which, for me, Paul generally manages to make particularly satisfying.
| ACROSS | ||
| 8 | SHOOTOUT |
Leave pitch for final battle (8)
|
| OK: a charade of SHOO (‘leave’ as imperative) plus TOUT (‘pitch’). | ||
| 9, 14 | APRIL THE FIRST |
When filthier traps set? (5,3,5)
|
| An anagram (‘set’) of ‘filthier traps’, with an extended definition with reference to the thematic 10A FOOL) | ||
| 10 | FOOL |
Bottom, for example, sweet (4)
|
| Double definition: the character in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and a fruit dessert. | ||
| 11 | IN TRAINING |
Moderation ultimately cutting it, wet acquiring skills (2,8)
|
| A charade of INT, an envelope (‘cutting’) of N (‘moderatioN ultimately’) in ‘it’; plus RAINING (‘wet’). | ||
| 12 | SHTICK |
Cane has whipped hard in routine (6)
|
| An envelope (‘has whipped’) of H (‘hard’) in STICK (‘cane’). The comedic reference might be seen as tangentially thematic. | ||
| 14 |
See 9
|
|
| 15 | COSTARD |
Hoax has taken in famous 10 (7)
|
| An envelope (‘has taken in’) of STAR (‘famous’) in COD (‘hoax’, verb), for the character in Love’s Labour Lost. | ||
| 17 | CATHODE |
Rat traps however ending in pipe where current flows (7)
|
| A charade of CATHOD, an envelope (‘traps’) of THO’ (‘however’) in CAD (‘rat’); plus E (‘ending in pipE‘). | ||
| 20 | SPRAY GUN |
Aerosol device possibly empty, gas having run out (5-3)
|
| An anagram (‘out’) of PY (‘PossiblY empty’) plus ‘gas’ plus ‘run’. | ||
| 22 | INDIGO |
One of seven bands that’s popular enjoy love (6)
|
| A charade of IN (‘popular’) plus DIG (‘enjoy’) plus O (‘love’), for one of the traditional seven colours of the rainbow. | ||
| 23 | TOUCHSTONE |
10 bit something hard (10)
|
| A charade of TOUCH (little ‘bit’) plus STONE (‘something hard’), for the character in As You Like It. | ||
| 24 |
See 2 Down
|
|
| 25 | FESTE |
Interminable rot for 10 (5)
|
| A subtraction: FESTE[r] (‘rot’) minus its last letter (‘interminable’), for the jester in Twelfth Night. | ||
| 26 | EMISSARY |
Agent exhausted having killed leader and rescued girl (8)
|
| An envelope (‘rescued’?) of MISS (‘girl’) in [w]EARY (‘exhausted’) minus its first letter (‘having killed leader’). | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | CHOO-CHOO |
Soften tobacco, say, doubly loudly – for puffer? (4-4)
|
| Sounds like (‘loudly’) CHEW (‘soften tobacco, say’) repeated (‘doubly’). | ||
| 2, 24 | BOWL OVER |
Astound Cockney Casanova? (4,4)
|
| A charade of BOW (‘Cockney’, of someone born within the sound of Bow Bells) plus LOVER (‘Casanova’). | ||
| 3 | YORICK |
10, barely sick, housebound? (6)
|
| An envelope (-‘bound’) of IC (‘barely sICk’) in YORK (royal ‘house’-), for the jester who appears as a skull in Hamlet. | ||
| 4 | STATUTE |
Rule with old king in new seat (7)
|
| An envelope (‘in’) of TUT (Tutankhamun, ‘old king’) in STAE, an anagram (‘new’) of ‘seat’. | ||
| 5 | HABANERA |
A taboo embraced by goddess in aria (8)
|
| An envelope (’embraced by’) of ‘a’ plus BAN (‘taboo’) in HERA (‘goddess’), for the famous aria in Carmen (L’amour est un oiseau rebelle). |
||
| 6 | BRANDISHED |
Design I dropped flourished (10)
|
| A charade of BRAND (‘design’) plus ‘I’ plus SHED (‘dropped’). | ||
| 7 | PLANKS |
10s in wood? (6)
|
| Double definition. | ||
| 13 | IN THAT CASE |
The satanic works, atheist can too then! (2,4,4)
|
| An anagram (‘works’) of ‘the satanic’, and also (‘too’) of ‘atheist can’. | ||
| 16 | REGISTER |
Record for example in brief, bar lifted? (8)
|
| An envelope (‘in’) of E.G. (‘for example’) in [bar]RISTER (‘brief’) minus BAR (‘bar lifted’). | ||
| 18 | DOGBERRY |
Stalk with fruit 10 (8)
|
| A charade of DOG (‘stalk’, verb) plus BERRY (‘fruit’) for the foolish constable in Much Ado about Nothing. | ||
| 19 | SNOOKER |
10’s game (7)
|
| Double definition. | ||
| 21 | PROOFS |
Page and covers – those to check? (6)
|
| A charade of P (‘page’) plus ROOFS (‘covers’). | ||
| 22 | IRENIC |
Wrath appealing? Not quite for pacifist (6)
|
| A charade of IRE (‘wrath’) plus NIC[e] (‘appealing’) ,imus its last letter (‘not quite’). The definition is an adjective. | ||
| 24 | OAST |
Top off, beach drier (4)
|
| A subtraction: [c]OAST (‘beach’) minus its first letter (‘top off’). |
April fools day, the first of April, today. Hoax in there too.
Quite accessible and enjoyable. Took me too long to find fool.
Thanks Paul and PeterO