Sorry about the lateness of this blog. I have the odd query with the clues, but this may just be me rushing to get the blog out quickly. Thank you Gaff.
UPDATE: There is a Jungle Book theme today. Read Tom_I’s comment @2 for an explanation.
| Across | ||
| 1 | HARRIS | Island man’s hiding a posh car (6) |
| HIS (man’s) containing (hiding) A RR (Rolls Royce, posh car). I think Isle would be a better definition than Island. There is an Isle of Harris but the Isle of Harris is not actually an island, it is attached to Lewis. | ||
| 4 | ICEBERGS | Diver turns regularly in case coming across shipping hazards (8) |
| GREBE (diver) reversed (turns) inside (with…coming across) regular selection from In CaSe | ||
| 10 | WANNABE | Shrink round collar of postulant (7) |
| WANE (shrink) containing (round) NAB (collar) | ||
| 11 | LIKE YOU | Listen to story line as a reader (4,3) |
| sounds like (listened to) LIE (story) QUEUE (line) – like you the solver reading this | ||
| 12 | BEAR | Support for Paddington? (4) |
| double definition | ||
| 13 | PRIMA DONNA | Woman from Capri, mad on narcissism (5,5) |
| 16 | LADDER | Problem with stocking large computer (6) |
| L (large) and ADDER (computer) | ||
| 17 | STRETCH | Extend sentence (7) |
| double definition | ||
| 20 | SANDERS | They’re used to smooth introduction to sex with Swede (7) |
| Sex (introduction, first letter of) and ANDERS (Swedish name) | ||
| 21 | UNISEX | Indifferent style enjoyed by students? (6) |
| double/cryptic definition | ||
| 24 | PHENOMENAL | Exceptional friend covers bird sign (10) |
| PAL (friend) contains (covers) HEN (bird) OMEN (sign) | ||
| 25 | SILO | Stock food store (4) |
| cryptic definition – stock is cattle | ||
| 27 | ELEGANT | Graceful sweetheart has attachment to foot soldier, perhaps (7) |
| swEet (heart, middle letter) has LEG (attachment to foot) then ANT ( a soldier ant perhaps) | ||
| 29 | OFFSIDE | On which cover is placed in an illegal position (7) |
| double definition – cricket and football. | ||
| 30 | HOLLOWAY | Prison empty for ever (8) |
| HOLLOW (empty) AY (ever) | ||
| 31 | CORSET | Constraint on corporate expansion (6) |
| cryptic definition. My first attempt was GIRDLE which caused me problems later. | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | HAWK BELL | Used to find hobby could be a case of work born in purgatory (4,4) |
| A WorK (outer letters, case of) B (born) all inside HELL (purgatory) – a hobby is a falcon | ||
| 2 | RANT AND RAVE | Curse wretched darn taverna (4,3,4) |
| anagram (wretched) of DARN TAVERNA | ||
| 3 | IRAN | State of aspirant (4) |
| found inside (of) aspIRANt | ||
| 5 | CALAMITY | A measure of warmth and friendship for Jane, maybe (8) |
| CAL (measure of warmth) then AMITY – Calamity Jane perhaps. I would have said that a calorie is a measure of heat not warmth. Warmth is an indication of temperature. | ||
| 6 | BAKED BEANS | Pulses of hotheads? (5,5) |
| a BEAN is a head, baked would be hot | ||
| 7 | RAY | Fish for Charles, perhaps (3) |
| Ray Charles perhaps | ||
| 8 | SQUEAL | Sing and shout (6) |
| double definition. My first attempt was SCREAM which caused problems later. | ||
| 9 | YEARN | Long time, no loveless (5) |
| YEAR (time) No missing O (love, tennis score) | ||
| 14 | NECESSITIES | Needs iciest sense of fashion (11) |
| anagram (of fashion) of ICIEST SENSE | ||
| 15 | SEED POTATO | Eyed starter of chips (4,6) |
| cryptic definition | ||
| 18 | GREEN TEA | Generate fantastically healthy drink (5,3) |
| anagram (fantastically) of GENERATE | ||
| 19 | EXPONENT | Advocate symbol of power (8) |
| double definition | ||
| 22 | SPEECH | Number 1 in School Close is missing address (6) |
| PEE (number 1, a wee wee) in SCH (school). I’m not sure what the “close is missing” bit is about. | ||
| 23 | CABOT | Explorers of America – both parts (5) |
| I think this is referring to father and son John and Sebastian Cabot who both made explorations of the American coast. The definition Explorers is plural so I would have expected the solution to be plural too, Cabots. Update: Cabot is found inside (parts of) ameriCA BOTh | ||
| 26 | AFRO | Style of architecture from Renaissance often represented in capitals (4) |
| first letters (represented in capital) of Architecture From Renaissance Often – a hair style | ||
| 28 | EEL | General backing for fish (3) |
| General LEE reversed (backing) | ||
definitions are underlined
I write these posts to help people get started with cryptic crosswords. If there is something here you do not understand ask a question; there are probably others wondering the same thing.
Thanks to Gaff and PeeDee. The Jungle Book theme is a nice idea
Just to add, the birthday mentioned is the 50th anniversary of the release of the Disney film “The Jungle Book”, which includes the songs “(I) WANNA BE LIKE YOU” (10a, 11a) and “Bare NECESSITIES” (14d). In the cast are Phil HARRIS (1a), Sebastian CABOT (23d), George SANDERS (20a) and Sterling HOLLOWAY (30a). There may be more to it that I haven’t spotted.
Thanks PeeDee abd Gaff.
Today is the 50th anniversary of the release of Walt Disney’s Jungle Book. Thematic clues are Wannabe like you and Bear Necessities and no doubt others which have escaped me, never having seen the film.
13 across wss my favourite clue. Answer is contained in caPRI MAD ON NArcissism.
Sorry, crossed with quicker typers.
It may be unintended but Louis PRIMA and his band performed ” I wannabe like you” with Phil Harris. Thanks Peedee and Gaff
Viper, I don’t think Gaff ever does anything unintended. Louis Prima indeed!
Thanks for the blog PeeDee. And a big tip of the hat to the splendid Gaff for doing what he always does. And so well too.
Nobody seems to have mentioned it yet, but CABOT is also an included clue ‘ameriCA BOTh’.
22d. I read that the close of School, that is “ool” is missing.
In 8dn “sing” means “tell on” i. e. “squeal”.
Thanks Gaff and PeeDee
Brilliant crossword, made even better now that the theme has been revealed – have never been good at knowing the minutiae of films and such – so this had passed me by big time.
Also missed the homophone of “lie queue” at 11a and the use of ‘close is missing’ at 22d – so thanks for that. Had to look up HM Prison HOLLOWAY.
Lots of clues to like on their own merit – gotta say that UNISEX did raise a less than quiet chuckle, thought that the hidden PRIMA DONNA was very well disguised and similarly AFRO.
Finished in the SE corner with the very clever EXPONENT and SILO the last one in.