The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3645.
A lot of envelopes this week, but varied enough not to seem, to me at least, too repetitive.
| Across | ||
| 1 | TROPICAL | Very hot, newsworthy? About right (8) |
| An envelope (‘about’) of R (‘right’) in TOPICAL (‘newsworthy’). | ||
| 6 | HACK | Cut made by journalist (4) |
| Double definition. | ||
| 9 | HADRIAN | Emperor possessed by new manner after revolution (7) |
| A charade of HAD (‘posessed’) plus RIAN, a reversal (‘after revolution’) of N (‘new’) plus AIR (‘manner’). | ||
| 10 | CHARMED | Lucky start in combat, then injured (7) |
| A charade of C (‘start in Combat’) plus HARMED (‘injured’). | ||
| 12 | RECOMMENDATIONS | Come prepared, correct in food suggestions (15) |
| An envelope (‘in’) of ECOM, an anagram (‘prepared’) of ‘come’ plus MEND (‘correct’) in RATIONS (‘food’). | ||
| 13 | SPLIT | Break in Croatian resort (5) |
| Double definition. | ||
| 15 | SUSPECTED | Mistrusted heads of state unite with alacrity, holding court (9) |
| An envelope (‘holding’) of CT (‘court’) in S U (‘heads of State Unite’) plus SPEED (‘alacrity’). | ||
| 17 | APPRAISAL | Artist is overwhelmed by shock valuation (9) |
| An envelope (‘overwhelmed by’) of RA (Royal Academician, ‘artist’) plus ‘is’ in APPAL (‘shock’). | ||
| 19 | SEPIA | One among copies turned brown (5) |
| An envelope (‘among’) of I (Roman numeral or impersonal personal pronoun, ‘one’) in SEPA, a reversal (‘turned’) of APES (‘copies’). | ||
| 21 | FORBIDDEN PLANET | Film, with fine plot bard concocted, receiving study (9,6) |
| An envelope (‘receiving’) of DEN (‘study’) in FORBIDPLANET, an anagram (‘concocted’) of ‘fine plot bard’. Starring Robbie the Robot – and, since the plot of the film is based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, we have an extended definition. Excellent. | ||
| 24 | DIARIES | Journals with depth I sign (7) |
| A charade of D (‘depth’) plus ‘I’ plus ARIES (‘sign’ of the zodiac). | ||
| 25 | OUSTING | Getting rid of most of our pain (7) |
| A charade of ‘ou[r]’ minus its last letter (‘most of’) plus STING (‘pain’). | ||
| 26 | LEAN | Thin list (4) |
| Double definition. | ||
| 27 | SORCERER | Magician‘s awful errors probed by church (8) |
| An envelope (‘probed by’) of CE (‘Church’ of England) in SORRER, an anagram (‘awful’) of ‘errors’. | ||
| Down | ||
| 2 | RADICAL | Fundamental carbon in tyre (7) |
| An envelope (‘in’) of C (chemical symbol, ‘carbon’) in RADIAL (‘tyre’). | ||
| 3 | PRISM | Solid figure, proper, protecting son (5) |
| An envelope (‘protecting’) of S (‘son’) in PRIM (and ‘proper’). | ||
| 4 | CONSENSUS | Agreement arranged once sun’s beginning to set (9) |
| An anagram (‘arranged’) of ‘once suns’ plus S (‘beginning to Set’). | ||
| 5 | LUCID | Copper getting up, breaking cover? That’s clear (5) |
| An envelope (‘breaking’) of UC, a reversal (‘up’ in a down light) of CU (chemical symbol, ‘copper’) in LID (‘cover’). | ||
| 6 | HEARTLESS | Cold as shelter in ruinous condition (9) |
| An anagram (‘in ruinous condition’) of ‘as shelter’. | ||
| 7 | COMPOST | Fertiliser in firm mass on display (7) |
| A charade of CO (‘firm’) plus M (‘mass’) plus POST (‘display’). | ||
| 8 | SHORT-STAFFED | Start off badly in cast below strength (5-7) |
| An envelope (‘in’) of ORTSTAFF, an anagram (‘badly’) of ‘start off’ in SHED (‘cast’). | ||
| 11 | DISADVANTAGE | Weakness, regrettable in singer, worried agent (12) |
| An envelope (‘in’) of SAD (‘regrettable’) in DIVA (‘singer’) plus NTAGE, an anagram (‘worried’) of ‘agent’. | ||
| 14 | TRADITION | Commercial appeal in group with northern heritage (9) |
| An envelope (‘in’) of AD (‘commercial’) plus IT (sex ‘appeal’) in TRIO (‘group’) plus N (‘northern’). | ||
| 16 | SPLENDOUR | Incentive to secure advance with love for glory (9) |
| An envelope (‘to secure’) of LEND (‘advance’) plus O (‘love’) in SPUR (‘incentive’). | ||
| 18 | PARTAKE | Share skill with a thousand during exercises (7) |
| An envelope (‘during’) of ART (‘skill’) plus ‘a’ plus K (‘thousand’) in PE (‘exercises’). | ||
| 20 | PENSIVE | Writes four essays, initially thoughtful (7) |
| A charade of PENS (‘writes’) plus IV (Roman numeral, ‘four’) plus E (‘Essays, initially’). | ||
| 22 | DOSES | Acts involving singular measures (5) |
| An envelope (‘involving’) of S (‘singular’) in DOES (‘acts’). | ||
| 23 | LISLE | Material used in trial is legal (5) |
| A hidden answer ‘in’ ‘triaL IS LEgal’. | ||
Thanks, Peter. Up watching Mo Farah in the Olympics, so I’ll take the chance to be first commenter.
I’m getting used to Everyman’s style now, so this one yielded steadily. I thought LISLE was a cleverly constructed clue with a good surface, but there was much else to enjoy.
Thanks for explaining the link between FORBIDDEN PLANET and the Bard – I never knew that.
Thank you Everyman and PeterO.
I enjoyed this crossword as I always do. After the explanation for FORBIDDEN PLANET, I find its clue outstanding.
Another good puzzle, with the clever FORBIDDEN PLANET my favourite. I also particularly liked the surfaces of SORCERER, CONSENSUS and DISADVANTAGE.
Thanks, Everyman and PeterO.
Seemed a bit more straight forward than usual; perhaps Joe H has written to them! Having read about the double entendre for “forbidden planet” I agree that this is extremely clever.
Thanks to all.
Good fun this week, notice Granny has headed the puzzle “Guardian Saturday Cryptic” probably to appease all the grizzlers from a couple of weeks back! Had under staffed in for a while at 8d, but sorted that out.Thanks PeterO and Everyman
Oh, I did enjoy this, although for a short while I thought it might get the better of me. Never heard of the Croatian resort or the movie, but got both from the fodder and crossers.
I circled eight in all, all for liked-ness. The only slight niggle was the definition of prism which seemed rather vague, but I suppose the surface required it to mislead towards some sort of pillar of society.
Interesting to note that the heading of the crossword over here (NZ Herald) is different today – it now says proudly ‘Guardian Saturday Cryptic’. I’m sure that’s new? I suppose it’s too much to ask for the weekday offerings to come from the Grauniad as well, but since Everyman is towards the easier end of some of the Guardian setters perhaps that might be a bit much for Granny’s weekday solvers.
Thanks as always PeterO and Everyman.
Joe did write last week but “Admin” deleted his comments as unsuitable., Won’t get a chance to do it this week as I’ve just moved house and I’m stuffed. Pity. Sounds like it was a good one.
A nasty cold has seen me only start this crossie late yesterday. I must say despite having a head which feels like it is full of lead, this was a pretty easy outing. HADRIAN was the only one I didn’t get.
Now I am going to go ahead and print out 3646 and be the first Kiwi to post here 🙂