It’s eighteen months since I blogged a Qaos puzzle so I was very pleased to see this one.
Qaos puzzles usually have a theme – often a ghost one. This time, GHOST is part of the theme, introduced in the first clue, TRAGEDY, followed by GERTRUDE, CLAUDIUS, HAMLET, DENMARK, PRINCE[S], REVENGE and GRAVE DIGGER – all neatly done and cleverly clued, with fine surfaces throughout.
Many thanks, Qaos, for an enjoyable solve.
Definitions are underlined in the clues.
Across
1 Great work, primarily drama, ending in misery? (7)
TRAGEDY
Anagram [work] of GREAT + D[rama] + [miser]Y – &lit
5 Comedians stop heckles with “Hush!” (7)
JESTERS
ST [“Hush!”] in JEERS [heckles] – I think: Chambers gives ST as ‘a sound made to attract someone’s attention’ – a shortened form of pst/psst, which it gives as ‘a sound made to attract someone’s attention quietly or surreptitiously’, but I think I’ve met it meaning ‘Keep quiet’
10 Vlad puzzle is taxing people (4)
DVLA
Anagram [puzzle] of VLAD, for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency – an apt surface!
11 German tennis player qualified first, but can draw (10)
GRAFFITIST
[Steffi] GRAF [German tennis player] + FIT [qualified] + IST [first]
12 Dispatch clothing ? no tops, please (6)
ENDEAR
[s]END [dispatch + [w]EAR [clothing] Edit: but [g]EAR is more likely – see comments 32 and 35]
13 Girl‘s foolish regret about Jude in the nude (8)
GERTRUDE
Anagram [foolish] of REGRET round [j]UD[e]
14 Filter paper? Pascal discarded two drinks endlessly (9)
PERCOLATE
[pa]PER minus pa [pascal] + COLA TE[a] [two drinks endlessly]
16 Good landlord serves spirit (5)
GHOST
G [good] + HOST [landlord]
17 Location of war not American wrongdoing (5)
CRIME
CRIME[a] location of war minus a [American] – an old favourite
19 Magnificent bribe – manufacturing plant (5,4)
ROYAL PALM
Simple charade of ROYAL [magnificent ] + PALM [bribe] for this tree
23 Emperor‘s idea: steal car, go east then south (8)
CLAUDIUS
CLU[e] [idea minus e {east}] round AUDI [car] + s [south]
24 In the morning, 50 entered the mysterious little village (6)
HAMLET
AM [in the morning] + L [fifty] in an anagram [mysterious] of THE
26 Large miner’s tatty loafer (10)
MALINGERER
Anagram [tatty] of LARGE MINER
27 Greek characters retire operating system (4)
UNIX
A reversal [retire] of XI and NU [two Greek letters]
28 Men move into Black Country (7)
DENMARK
Anagram [move] of MEN in DARK [black]
29 Perhaps Philip and Charles are present in church on Sunday (7)
PRINCES
PR [present] IN CE [in church] + S [Sunday]
Down
2 Retaliation, say, not uprising (7)
REVENGE
A reversal [uprising] of EG say] + NEVER [not]
3 Heavy accent (5)
GRAVE
Double definition
4 Pet runs into stick? Nonsense! (7)
DOGGREL
DOG [pet] + R [runs] in GEL [stick] – Chambers gives this alternative spelling
6 Try slice of beef for tea (6)
EFFORT
Hidden in beEF FOR Tea
7 Instruction on lid of teapot: pour this out (9)
TUTORSHIP
T[eapot] + an anagram [out] of POUR THIS
8 Wants Dr’s letters to be exchanged for lives (7)
RESIDES
DESIRES [wants] with D and R transposed
9 Hold garments? (5,8)
CARGO TROUSERS
Cryptic definition – cargo is carried in the hold
15 Social theory my half-cousin condemned around 2000 (9)
COMMUNISM
Anagram [condemned] of M[y] COUSIN round MM [2000]
18 Drop rent again? (7)
RELEASE
RE-LEASE – rent again
20 Supporter had travelled before start of race (7)
ADHERER
Anagram [travelled] of HAD + ERE [before] + R[ace]
21 It shelters two boys close to shore (3,4)
LEE SIDE
LEE SID [two boys] + [shor]E
22 Collier to ride about astride horse (6)
DIGGER
Anagram [about] of RIDE round GG [ gee gee – horse]
25 “I quit!” – football manager loses his head over miss (5)
MOURN
MOUR[i]N[ho] [football manager] minus [quit] i and h[is] o [over]
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