When I solved this I particularly enjoyed it. That could be because I found a bit of piece a quiet and finished it uninterrupted for a change, but it is a solid product from Mr C.
There are a couple I don’t fully understand below.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 8 | INFORM I-N-FOR-M(adonna) |
| 9 | STEROIDS (TOSSER I’D)* |
| 10/24 | A LOAD OF OLD CODSWALLOP Mature Fish=OLD CODS beer=WALLOP |
| 11 | NONE I don’t understand this one. I assume the answer is NONE from def. of “sod all”. “Tip from Cameron” might deliver one of the Ns or ON. Full clue: Tip from Cameron bound to produce sod all? Thanks to Barbara (see comments) for explaining: Tip from Cameron = N ; Bound = one, as in tied together, united |
| 12 | UTERUS (TRUE)*-US |
| 13 | BOLLOCKS (LOB)< LOCKS |
| 14 | DAVID MILIBAND D(uke) AVID “Fanatical” MILI “semi-military” BAND “group” |
| 18 | FANCY MAN This must rate as an old fashioned term these days Fancy = decorated M-AN |
| 21 | AMBUSH (M(onic)A)< BUSH |
| 23 | BRNO RN in BO 2nd city of Czech republic, twinned with Leeds. Could become a crossword regular. |
| 26 | APTITUDE P(ressure) TIT (breast) inside ((m)AUDE)* Bent misled me as an anagrind for a long time, and my first thought on this clue clue was that it was a reference to Francis Maude but given the answer I can’t see how. |
| 27 | ADROIT (ROAD)*-IT Sex=IT |
| Down | |
| 1 | INFLATED In Flat =”Occupying bedsit” ED “bloke” |
| 2 | HOT AIR CD |
| 3 | EMBOSSED (SOME DEBS)* |
| 4 | OSLO The only capital of this crossword’s 3 cities. A crossword favourite of old. OS (Oversize) LO(pez) I think, (how does Jack = pez?). Full clue: City big in clothing has start Jennifer jack off (4) Thanks to Barbara (see comments) for pointing out she is J-Lo |
| 5 | FEUDAL FE (iron) U(nion) (LAD(y))* |
| 6/25 | GOING ON A DIET (DONG GATE NO II)* Despite pretty obvious anagram indicator and fodder it took me some time to get this |
| 7 | GDANSK DANS ref Judo in GK Greek. A city that’s been seen before in crosswords despite its low vowel/consonant ratio |
| 13 | BRIAN PE’s pet name for Prince Charles |
| 15 | VICTORIA DD Ref. Victoria Wood, plus first royal of that name |
| 16 | IN A SWEAT “One needs one to embrace New” = I-N-A; Labour=Sweat |
| 17 | DESPOTIC ESP in DO TIC “jerk” |
| 19 | ABRUPT UP (Erection) inside (BRAT)* Well hidden erection this time |
| 20 | MUCK UP CD Thanks to Chris (see comments) for pointing out this is not a CD but Excrement = muck, all over = up, and “fudge” is the definition |
| 22 | BOLERO (LOB)< (h)ERO It’s a short jacket as well as that Spanish dance |
Re: Oslo
big in clothing = os (oversized)
star Jennifer = Jennifer Lopez, commonly referred to as J-Lo
Remove the J (jack) and you have Lo.
Voilà!
20d isn’t a cryptic definition. The full clue is “Excrement all over fudge”.
Excrement = muck, all over = up, and “fudge” is the definition.
But I didn’t understand 11a either.
Thanks both.
Of course! J-Lo (sounds like a brand of ineffective household cleaner to me)
And I mucked-up the parsing of MUCK UP.
I suspect I didn’t think about that one too closely and typed in “CD” for the squiggle in my notes which actually looks more like a question mark now I look at it again.
So we all await someone to come along with an explanation for NONE
Re: None
Def. is sod all
Tip from Cameron = N
Bound = one, as in tied together, united
Thanks Barbara, that puts the tin lid on it.
I managed to convince myself that 13D must be her `Bairn’. Oops.