It would seem that loonapick, the scheduled blogger, is out of the country for longer than the two weeks that I originally agreed to cover for him. Either that or something else has prevented him from posting today.
Not knowing that I was going to have to cover this one, I didn’t make any notes whilst solving it first thing this morning, as I normally would when I am scheduled to blog, so I’m reliant on memory. I don’t recollect any particular hold-ups, just a few minor delays whilst sorting out the definition and/or parsing (eg 1ac).
Across
1,6 US act in semi-final, getting knocked out (9,5)
FINANCIAL TIMES – an anagram (getting knocked out) of ACT IN SEMI-FINAL
9 More clement / judge, perhaps (5)
FINER – double def. – a judge might impose a fine so would be a ‘finer’
10 At the place in question / immediately (2,3,4)
ON THE SPOT – double def.
11 Feeling support’s needed for those with deformities (10)
HUNCHBACKS – HUNCH (feeling) BACKS (supports)
12 Almost say no to stimulant (4)
SPUR – SPUR[n] (almost say no to)
14 Smart politician with no time for coffee substitute (7)
CHICORY – CHIC (smart) [t]ORY (politician with no time)
15 Country / song from musical (7)
AMERICA – double def. – the musical in question being West Side Story
17 Attack on Italy’s administration (3,4)
LAY INTO – an anagram (‘s administration) of ON ITALY
19 Road trips in Sydney’s trousers (7)
STRIDES – ST (road) RIDES (trips)
20 Note dry hand (4)
MITT – MI (note) TT (dry)
22 From note C, pianist is going to play a type of scale (10)
PENTATONIC – an anagram (from … to play) of NOTE C PIAN[is]T
25 Not feeling at home with nurses, getting tense in A & E (9)
INSENSATE – IN (at home) SENS (nurses) plus T (tense) in AE
26 Sage or poet writing in Irish, initially (5)
RISHI – hidden in (writing in) ‘iRISH, Initially’
27,28 Abandon putting light cloth on table (5,9)
THROW OVERBOARD – THROW (light cloth) OVER (on) BOARD (table)
Down
1,14 Spy northbound snow here first (5,9)
FIFTH COLUMNIST – FIFTH COLUMN (northbound snow here {ie location of 3dn & 24dn}) IST (first)
2 Who’s 90 not out? Nobody! (9)
NONENTITY – an anagram (out) of NINETY NOT
3 Going up in the world? (10)
NORTHBOUND – cryptic def.
4 One very strong-smelling, like rabbits getting high in sexual union (7)
ISOGAMY – I (one) SO (very) GAMY (strong-smelling, like rabbits getting high)
5 Adult wearing a kilt ordered a port (7)
LATAKIA – A (adult) in (wearing) an anagram (ordered) of A KILT plus A – the principal port city of Syria
6 River Trent? Just its banks (4)
TEES – T[ren]T (Trent? Just its banks)
7 Finish off an Englishman down under? (3,2)
MOP UP – POM (an Englishman down under) reversed UP
8,23 Rascals hid, duty falling to hard worker (9,5)
SATURDAY’S CHILD – an anagram (falling) of RASCALS HID, DUTY
Monday’s child is fair of face,
Tuesday’s child is full of grace,
Wednesday’s child is full of woe,
Thursday’s child has far to go,
Friday’s child is loving and giving,
Saturday’s child works hard for a living,
But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day
Is bonny and blithe and good and gay.
13 Hat brother’s taken off, one desired by women perhaps (5-5)
HEART-THROB – an anagram (‘s taken off) of HAT BROTHER
16 Republic of Ireland’s first name, agreed by one entering it (9)
INDONESIA – I[reland] (Ireland’s first) N (name) DONE (agreed) plus I (one) in (entering) SA (it)
18 Herb king’s daughter needed for stuffing ducks (7)
OREGANO – REGAN (king’s daughter {in King Lear}) in (needed for stuffing) OO (ducks)
19 Drunk woman’s first to explain “Yah boo sucks” to you (2,5)
SO THERE – SOT (drunk) HER (woman’s) E[xplain] (first to explain)
21 Stunner turning up requires attractive clothes (5)
TASER – hidden (clothes) reversal (turning up) in ‘requiRES ATtractive’
24 Nonmetallic element present in coke (4)
SNOW – S (nonmetalic element {sulphur}) NOW (present) – both slang terms for Cocaine
Thanks Wanderer and Gaufrid
An entertaining puzzle from a setter who is usually seen on a Friday. I did it across three shortish sittings, the last one early this morning when I was able to mop up the last half dozen clues. A few new terms – FIFTH COLUMNIST, PENTATONIC, ISOGAMY, INSENSATE and RISHI. Not sure that I knew LATAKIA either.
Got off to a flyer with the ‘down under Englishman’ and enjoyed getting the long two-worded perimeter clues. Didn’t know the West Side Story song “AMERICA” and therefore didn’t parse that one. Am assuming that the ‘Sydney trousers’ meant the Australian informal term for them – it was used here but my dictionary actually had it listed as British informal.
Finished up the top with the Syrian port, LATAKIA, the clever TEES and HUNCHBACK (which I also neglected to parse) as the last few in.
Thanks, Gaufrid.
Out all day and needed something to unwind with. I always enjoy Wanderer’s puzzles and this didn’t disappoint, filling the bill admirably.
Great anagrams at 16, 17ac and 8,23dn and I also liked 1 and 18dn.
I’ve said several times before that I admire the way Wanderer manages to make multiple answers follow on in the grid, as again here – they can be irritating, otherwise!
Many thanks, Wanderer – I enjoyed it.
“I’ve said several times before that I admire the way Wanderer manages to make multiple answers follow on in the grid, as again here”
Fully agree – Wanderer seems to know exactly what he does.
A rather mild puzzle but, as always, some standout clues that makes this setter, er, stand out from many of his colleagues.
1ac, 1/14 and 6d, to name three.
Entertaining crossword, somewhere between Nestor and Paul today.