It’s Joyce blogging today after an 8 week break or should I say ‘fracture’, which is what happened to Bert’s knee after tripping over a piece of wood in the garage. The one thing that he could do while he rested the knee was sit at the computer and write up the blogs. As he is now back at the gym – swimming and pilates – I thought I ought to see whether I could still sort things out.
Well, I hope the blog is correct but if there is a theme today, I certainly haven’t sorted it out.
Thanks Phi – a few we had to check today.
CA (about) inside or ‘entering’ BALL (gala event)
AIRS (pretentiousness) before TRIP (journey)
An anagram (‘unexpectedly’) of ELECT around or ‘retaining’ LIEN (right of possession)
CHA (tea) IN (popular)
PIE (confusion) around P (piano)
MEN (fellows) around or ‘suppressing’ ILL (wrong) and NUM (number) around I (one) or ‘keeping one hidden’
An anagram (‘arranged’) of DEAL inside C (first or ‘foremost’ letter of country) REME (soldiers) twice or ‘repeatedly’
LEADING (describing provocative questions) and an anagram (‘needs editing’) of CLEAR IT
An anagram (‘works’) of RAIL around or ‘receiving’ RATION (allocated quantity)
HAD (ate) around N (noon)
THY (Biblical version of ‘for you’) and ME
An anagram (‘working’) of ANIMATOR around A (last letter or ‘end’ of Cinderella)
G (last or ‘ultimate’ letter in jarring) inside or ‘during’ R (first letter or ‘start’ of religious) INTONE (chant)
SH (quiet) P (power) around RIM (border)
BACK (second) PACK (set of cards)
C (cold) RIPPLE (water movement)
An anagram (‘damaging’) of TO HUMAN and L (first or ‘initial’ letter of life) – we had to check this one
I’D (I had) rEAL (concrete) missing first letter or with ‘top removed’
We solved this from the first definition once we had some crossing letters. It wasn’t until we came to write up the blog that we checked the parsing and found that Chambers has ‘SECOND-RATE’ – to ignore or disregard – ‘discount’
L (line) IS inside or ‘buried in’ REAM (many sheets of paper?)
A reversal or ‘upset’ of A MAP (plan) around or ‘involving’ AN
An anagram (‘reviewed’) of ONE IDEA around P (power)
READ (to study) YEATs (Irish poet) missing last letter (‘mostly’) around T O (first letters – ‘at the outset’ – of Time Overseas)
A LAB MAN (‘practical scientist perhaps’) around or ‘welcoming’ A
HEAD (froth) on LAP (drink) with M (male) inside for ‘tucking in’
YON (archaic word for that) after or ‘linked to’ EARL (peer)
AP (apparently) in CHAT (discussion) ‘supported by’ I (India)
T (tense) inside or ’embraced by’ MISER (‘man that’s near’)
A reversal (‘soaring’) of NO NO (something not wanted) around I (one)
A gentle solve, for a Phi, but I’m in the dark over PIE=confusion, and ONION=head, ‘though I can accept they are justified.
I’m not sure why MISER= man that’s near, either, so I assume that “near” equates to tight?
I haven’t heard of “second rate” as discount.
An enjoyable puzzle, despite my obvious ignorance.
Thanks to Phi & Joyce
Well, it wasn’t Bacall on the AIRSTRIP in Casablanca, so that idea for a theme was wrong. MISTER was my favourite.
Completed but I did need to come here for confirmation. I’d never heard of SECOND RATE in that sense. Spent too long trying to work in ‘see’ to the parsing of 17d although the answer couldn’t have been anything else. Lastly I’d confidently entered KNIGHT for 21d. Nigh= near Man=K etc.
Flummoxed today, thanks Pi and Joyce not Bert
Like @1 PIE as confusion was new to me, as was MISER. As for HEAD and ONION, isn’t the unit of onions the head (“Dice one head of onion…”)? As for SECOND RATE I assume that the first rate for an item would be the original cost, so a discount would be the second rate.
Like CS #4, my logic said first rate is original cost, second rate is the discounted cost, but I’m glad to learn the other meaning. Nho that PIE, but in these parts we know what NEAR means about a person and their willingness to shell out. Thanks as ever to setter and solo blogger. Glad Bert’s on the mend