As spring approaches, a puzzle from Knut accompanies the daffodils, snowdrops and vaccination shots.
General knowledge required, but nothing I needed to look up. References to Pia Zadora and the Nolans make me feel that we are both imminently due/ or have already had a vaccination – qualifying by age.
8dn was a very neat clue and 17dn an hilarious surface. Their steaks are pretty good by the way! 9dn was excellent too
Many thanks Knut, general knowledge references make a refreshing change.
Key * anagram; DD Double definition; underline definition;
Across
1 Chemical compound by reactor had decayed (12)
(by reactor had)* = CARBOHYDRATE
10 Heaney’s work bedevilled initially by recurrent influenza misery (7)
B (bedevilled initially) + Rev. flu woe (influenza misery) = BEOWULF
11 Mocking male teacher in charge nursing a temperature (7)
Sir (male teacher) + ic (in charge) around a t (a Temperature) = SATIRIC
12 Alfred the Unsure? (5)
No + yes (unsure) = NOYES
13 Singer Buddy regularly sampled by T-Rex star (3,5)
BuDdY in Bolan (T-Rex star) = BOB DYLAN
15 Forgot Ed Balls appearance having priority (10)
Over (balls) + look (appearance) + ed = OVERLOOKED
16 10 perhaps, a constant in The City (4)
EC (city) around pi (constant) = EPIC
18 Catch sight of English agent (4)
E(English) + spy (agent) = ESPY
20 Called at Rome on the way back, having a sandwich of sausage (10)
Rev. hidden cALLED AT ROMe = MORTADELLA
22 Small firm working to contain inflation measure – it could be deadly (8)
S(small) + co (firm) + on (working) around rpi (inflation measure) = SCORPION
24 Partially decrease Liberal support for the arts? (5)
Hidden decrEASE Liberal = EASEL
26 Frozen marijuana drink (4,3)
Iced(frozen) + tea (marijuana) = ICED TEA
27 Ms Zadora breaking end off musical Irish family’s instrument (7)
Pia (Ms Zadora) + Nolan (musical Irish family) – n = PIANOLA
28 Gasbag Sepp runs off carrying that lady’s winter sports gear (12)
Blatter (Sepp) – r (runs off) around her ski (lady’s winter sports gear) = BLATHERSKITE
Down
2 American wily-sounding character short of oxygen acquiring large fan (7)
A (American) + coyote – o (oxygen) around l (large) = ACOLYTE
3 Some nonsense about Brand taking a line in the capital (8)
bs (nonsense – it’s in Chambers!) around Russell (Brand) – l (line) = BRUSSELS
4 Leaders of House admit frankly Trump’s a bit of a tool (4)
House Admit Frankly Trump = HAFT
5 Fraud as Rishi – according to some – admits trafficking stone (10)
Dishy (Rishi according to some) around (stone)* = DISHONESTY
6 Played detective about to flip (5)
Rev det (detective) + ca (about) = ACTED
7 Wyatt touring Florida in headwarmer (7)
Earp (Wyatt) around Fla (Florida) = EARFLAP
8 Left Marie Celeste? (9,4)
DD ABANDONED SHIP
9 One climbing Snowdon circles in a weird manner (6,7)
(circles in a)* + way (manner) = SCENIC RAILWAY
14 He recommends a tiny sample of the oompah remix (not loud) (10)
(o the oompah)* = HOMOEOPATH
17 Lidl steak unfortunately emitting sulphur gas (4,4)
(Lidl steak -s)* = IDLE TALK
19 Saw dog biting lead (7)
rover(dog) in pb (lead) = PROVERB
21 React angrily to the French call of aggression? (4,3)
La (the French) + shout (call of aggression) = LASH OUT
23 Bread? It’s mine, thanks (5)
Pit (mine) + ta (thanks) = PITTA
25 Box Snoop’s debut rap collection (4)
S (Snoop’s debut) + Rev. rap = SPAR
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