A new setter (I think). If so, welcome! An enjoyable puzzle.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1, 4, 26 | EASIER SAID THAN DONE cd |
| 10 | COLLAGE COLLEGE (Academy), removing E (English) and substituting A (amateur). |
| 11 | TICKLED TICK (mark) LED (was in first place). |
| 12 | LENT [re]LENT (back down), removing RE (about) |
| 13, 24 | GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE *(TALKING HEADS INTERIM + K (thousand)) |
| 15 | PRECIS PRECIS[e] (particular) minus E (energy) |
| 16 | BLATHER LATHE (machine) in BR (Britain) |
| 20 | ASSISTS even letters of pAsSeS fIrSt TeSt |
| 21 | SOMBRE MB (graduate) in SORE (aggrieved) |
| 28 | YOGURTS GO reversed in YURTS (Siberian tents) |
| 29 | TROLLOP L, L (two apprentices) in TROOP (soldiers) |
| 30 | DRESSING dd |
| Down | |
| 1 | ESCALOPE LO (“some LOcal”) in ESCAPE (avoid) |
| 2, 31 | SILENCE IS GOLDEN cd |
| 3 | ELAN hidden in dixiELANd |
| 5 | ACTUALLY ACT (go on stage) U (aristocratic) ALLY (partner) |
| 6 | DECIMATION *(AIM + D NOTICE) |
| 7 | HALON HALO (ring) N (neutral) |
| 8 | NUDISM SID (man) reversed inside N.U.M. (union). The definition (“stark way of life”) raised a smile |
| 9 | GENRE GEN (information) RE (about) |
| 14 | MINISKIRTS cd |
| 17 | EMBROILED R (right) OIL (fuel) in EMBED (war correspondent) |
| 18 | STILLSON STILL (subdue) SON (boy); a Stillson is a pipe wrench |
| 19 | PETER PAN PETER (safe) PAN (criticise) |
| 22 | STAYED homophone of STAID (sober) |
| 23 | SKATE S (society) KATE (girl). As in an ice skate or roller skate |
| 25 | INGLE [t]INGLE (shiver, not starting) |
| 27 | SOLO First letters (“introductions”) of “Strauss opera long on.” |
Many thanks for the blog Agentzero – you’re right, it is my cryptic debut (there was a Polymath puzzle a few months ago) and I’m very grateful for your encouraging comments!
Really impressive debut, Hamilton. Had me staring at the grid blankly for quite a while before I got started. Looking forward to more from you.