Azed 2316

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Apologies for the late posting: I went off to the Sloggers and Betters event in York having forgotten to finish and post the blog (and despite reminding myself numerous times that I needed to do so..). Having said that, I feel a bit bad saying that I found the puzzle distinctly on the easy side: I was able to complete it almost entirely without aids (though as usual with plenty of educated guesswork). Thanks to Azed.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Across
1. CHA-CHA-CHAED After church, longed to take a tea inside? Took certain steps (11)
CH + A CHA in ACHED
11. SLAISTER Sloppy work is accepted by roofing specialist (8)
IS in SLATER – a Scots/Northern word for “wet slovenly work”
12. SPANK Backing raps, go at a lick (5)
Reverse of KNAPS
13. SKYTE Time in Scottish isle for a local spree (5)
T in SKYE – another Scots word, related to “skit”
14. HEITIKI Neck ornament from outfit that is reversed in greeting (7)
Reverse of (KIT IE) in HI
15. SANA’A An Asian has relocated in this ancient ME city (5, apostrophe)
Composite anagram: (AN ASIAN)* = IN + SANA’A – it’s a city in Yemen, “one of the oldest populated places in the world”
16. SCROBE Transformed bore’s snorting cocaine, in the grove (6)
C in BORES*
19. PROSILIENT Cheers when right gets in – outstanding (10)
LIEN (legal right) in PROST (cheers!)
21. REIM-KENNAR Enchantress bewitched mariner entering dingy hovel? (10)
KEN (“a house, esp. a disreputable one”) in MARINER*; we have to read “entering” as “inserting”
25. SURBET Injure the hooves of old brutes made to work (6)
BRUTES
26. PELTA Hide on front of ancient shield (5)
PELT A[ncient]
27. TANGIER North African location that’s fresher according to taste (7)
Double definition
29. PROUD Poke round centre of pus in swelling (5)
[P]U[S] in PROD
30. SALVO Fusillade from religious campaigner (5)
Double definition – gunshots, and a member of the Salvation Army, hence “religious campaigner”, I suppose
31. EYELINER Something like a porthole on side of cruise vessel, cosmetic (8)
EYE (“a round hole or window”) + LINER
32. EMERALD ISLE Republican in Dail melee’s involved here? (11, 2 words)
R in (DAIL MELEE)* &lit
Down
1. CASH-STRAPPED Reversal of shares in spec had failed, leaving one short (12)
PARTS< in (SPEC HAD)*
2. HYPE Therapy can transform this druggie with art (4)
THERAPY is an anagram of HYPE + ART
3. CANTOR Leader of choir, one to separate its extreme members (6)
AN TO in C[HOI]R
4. ALIKE Confirmed boozer? His heart drops only a bit as doubles appear (5)
ALKIE (alcoholic) with the central letter K moved down one place
5. CANIKIN Criminal in a nick? Its contents are few (7)
(IN A NICK)* – it’s a small can
6. HISSY Element of this synonym describing ‘difficult’ fit (5)
Hidden in tHIS SYnonym
7. ASKARI Policemen abroad, one facing a risk when rumbled? (6)
A + (A RISK)*
8. DETAINEE Unruly youth had up with older female, one behind bars? (8)
Reverse of TED (Teddy Boy – unruly youth) + AINEE (femimine form of French “older”)
9. BREAST STROKE Cures onset of twinge in bust? It’s common among bathers (12)
REASTS (smokes, cures) in BROKE
10. HAIRPIN Seat missing head and leg making sort of slide? (7)
[C]HAIR + PIN (leg)
17. CHEVERYE In which every early Irish lord ruled here (8)
Hidden in whiCH EVERY Early, and perhaps a try at an &lit, but the wording is a bit unnatural
18. GERBILS Caged creatures often having distorted leg and ribs (7)
(LEG RIBS)*
20. SESTINA Old verse form isn’t reproduced in the main (7)
ISNT* in SEA
22. MUTULE Flat bracket as once seen in a funnel? (6)
UT (old “as”) in MULE – a funnel is a cross between a male horse and female donkey; a mule is usually the other way round but Chambers suggests that a looser interpretation is possible
23. ARGALI Wild and woolly creature, girl in a state (6)
GAL in A R[hode] I[sland]
24. NADIR Wretched characters in drain, rock bottom (5)
NADIR*
25. SAMEL Not properly burnt, unchanged with a bit of lotion applied (5)
SAME + L[otion] – used to describe an “underburnt” brick
28. EVIL Very little in press turned up? Not good (4)
V in reverse of LIE (for which Chambers gives “to press”)

9 comments on “Azed 2316”

  1. Meanwhile, there is a typo in today’s PDF version. in 4D, “Cain store” should read “Chain store”

  5. I’m about to start on today’s, so thanks for the typo tips. 🙂

    For one glorious moment last week I thought I’d finally got the hang of Azed as I sailed through the clues, only to come to the conclusion at the end that it was decidedly on the easy side. The feeling was good while it lasted though.

  6. Thanks Azed and Andrew

    A few typos in the blog:

    19ac: LIEN in PROSIT

    32ac: R in (DAIL MELEE’S)*

    9dn: REASTS + T(winge) in BROKE

  7. Agree with Martin at #3: Chambers defines SCROBE as “groove”.

    At 7, ASKARI is singular: should be “policeman”.

  8. Agreed Sidey – Cain/chain today and grove/groove in 2316 almost add a thematic element to the puzzles! Perhaps there should be a preamble that reads “There may or may not be misprints in some of the clues. Taken in clue order, misprints make about as much sense as our IT team.” Still, given past form we’re lucky to get the puzzle appearing at all on any given Sunday…

    As always, this was an immaculate puzzle. Long live Azed and I’ll salute him with the Polish song:

    Sto lat, sto lat, Niech ?yje, ?yje nam.

    (and as I’m sure Terry Pratchett fans will know, that’s where the name of his Discworld city came from.)

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