Guardian 24276 / Shed – Knockabout Fun

Solving time: 19 minutes

A thoroughly enjoyable puzzle from Shed, an under-used and underrated setter on the Guardian, in my opinion.  Always a nice mixture of excellent clues with one or two twists on old favourites (e,g, torchlit in 1 across, and the working for 17 across)..

 Wish we had more from this wonderful setter.

 ACROSS   (*) = ANAGRAM   (CD) = CRYPTIC DEF   (R)=REVERSAL

1  COHORT           O inside TORCH*  with LIT  as Anaram Indicatr.  I suppose we’ll split in opinions on this use.

4 RESISTOR         R + SORTIES*

9 ACRID                C with ARID outside

10  PETULANCE    PET (sweetheart) + U + LANCE

11  GONDOLIER    IDOL* inside GONER

13  UNSEASONABLE   If you can’t put salt on it, it’s ______

17  AMY WINEHOUSE  Another clue you’ll love or hate.  I think it’s clever.  A drink chez moi (Franglais) could be Á MY WINE HOUSE.

18  ARIUS  See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arius  RI in AUS (“Down Under”)

23  DETRIMENT    RIM inside DETENT(E)

25  CONTESSA    CON + ASSET (R)  

DOWN

1  CLANGOUR   Neat clue.

2  HARDNESS    D inside HARNESS

3  RODEO       OR (Military ranks – see Chambers) (R) + DEO

5  ENTERTAINMENT    MAIN* inside  ENTER TENT  –  “TURN” = def.

6  ILL HEALTH     (P)ILL + HEALTH (what is drunk at a toast)

7  TINTIN    Often quoted in reply to the question “Name a famous Belgian”

8  REEFER    REFER about E

10 PRISON WARDERS   P + RIDERS with SON + WAR inside.

14  ARMISTICE    A  + MIST inside RICE

15  MUST HAVE  This looks like  MUST (smell) with V inside HAE – but not sure about “rising”.

16  DESCRIBE      S + CRIB  inside DEE  (Flow-er = river)

18  BARDIC          CRAB with ID inside (R)

19  HILTON         From Wikipedia:  A descriptive phrase meaning the best or most extreme example of something. The Pillars of Hercules, for example, were literally the ne plus ultra of the ancient Mediterranean world.   Thus  with PARIS you get…..

22  MOSES     (Kate) MOSS with E inside.