Super puzzle, nice and varied. Thank you Goliath.
There is a bookish theme here, but not as much as I was expecting from my early answers. I made hard work for myself by looking for book-related answers in a lot of clues that just didn't have any.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1, 4 | BODICE RIPPER |
Surprising price dip in South African novel (6,6)
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anagram (surprising) of PRICE DIP inside BOER (South African) – a less genteel version of a 16 across |
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| 8, 9 | HOLIDAY READING |
24 hours are somehow covered in gripping airport novels (7,7)
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I DAY (one day, 24 hours) with anagram (somehow) of ARE inside (covered in) HOLDING (gripping) |
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| 11 | ANTECHAPEL |
Man entering empty Anglican temple, ecclesiastical western transept (10)
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CHAP (man) inside (entering) then outer letters only (empty) of AnglicanN TempleE EclesiasticaL |
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| 12 | LIFE |
Like a box of chocolates, this is short (4)
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a double/cryptic definition – references to classical motto ars longa vita brevis and to the 1994 film Forrest Gump |
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| 13 | TONIC |
Bracing note (5)
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double definition) |
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| 14 | ENDURING |
They say you are into closure that’s permanent (8)
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UR sounds like (they say) "you are" inside ENDING (closure) |
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| 16, 20 | MILLS AND BOON |
Grinder ad? No snob could be looking for romance here (5,3,4)
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MILL (grinder) then anagram (could be) of AD NO SNOB – a publisher of lowbrow romantic novels |
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| 18 | BIBLE |
Tucker’s partner with vacant lacklustre book (5)
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BIB (tucker's partner in the phrase bib and tucker) then LacklustrE missing inner letters (vacant) |
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| 20 |
See 16
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| 21 | PAGE TURNER |
The Musician’s Assistant is a thrilling novel (4,6)
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double definition |
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| 23 | FICTION |
Novels from 13 across, if edited (7)
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anagram (edited) of TONIC (13 across) IF |
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| 24 | PARAGON |
Perfect example of quiet part of Spain (7)
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P (piano, quiet) and ARAGON (part of Spain) |
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| 25 | SICILY |
Island state chief with a most unfriendly manner (6)
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first letter (chief) of State followed by ICILY (in a most unfriendly manner) |
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| 26 | GDANSK |
One desperate to infiltrate pharmaceutical firm in port (6)
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DAN (Desperate Dan, one desperate) inside (to infiltrate) GSK (Glaxo Smith Klein, pharmaceutical film) |
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| DOWN | ||
| 1 | BROWN |
Ex PM exploded having switched sides (5)
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BLOWN (exploded) with L replaced by R (switching sides) – Gordon Brown, former UK Prime Minister |
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| 2 | DRIVE-IN |
Drip not quite where it should be, serving motorists (5-2)
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DRIp (unfinished, not quite) then VEIN (where a drip should be) |
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| 3 | CHA-CHA-CHA |
Repetitive tea dance (3-3-3)
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CHA (tea) repeated three times |
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| 5 | IDEAL |
Perfect trader’s response to question about occupation (5)
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question to a trader: "you sir, what is you occupation", response: "I DEAL" |
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| 6 | PADDLER |
Confuse with overwhelming spin someone on board? (7)
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ADDLE (confuse) inside (with…overwhelming) PR (pubic relations, spin) – someone on a paddle board perhaps |
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| 7 | RING-FENCE |
Protect re-enforcing order or be ignored (4-5)
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anagram (order) of RE-ENForCING missing (be ignored) OR |
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| 10 | APPENDAGE |
Masks and gloves included in revised agenda as an attachment (9)
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PPE (personal protective equipment, masks and gloves perhaps) inside anagram (revised) of AGENDA |
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| 13 | TRILOGIES |
Record one found in attempts to produce novels (9)
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LOG (record) I (one) inside TRIES (attempts) |
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| 15 | DEBIT CARD |
Bad credit may be the reason they take it away (5,4)
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anagram (may be) of BAD CREDIT |
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| 17 | LUNATIC |
Mad person in attic heard after a short breather (7)
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ATIC sounds like (heard) of "attic" following LUNg (a breather, short) – a nod to Jane Eyre here |
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| 19 | BARGAIN |
Good deal of local profit (7)
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BAR (a pub, local) and GAIN (profit) |
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| 21 | PROWL |
First of predatory raptors and another move stealthily (5)
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first letters of Predatory Raptors then OWL (another predatory raptor) |
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| 22 | E-BOOK |
Oboe-playing King? Read about it here (1-4)
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anagram (playing) of OBOE then K (king) |
After yesterday’s stern brain-teaser, this was mercifully gentle and a bookworm’s delight.
Light on its feet and full of wit as per usual from Goliath.
Particularly enjoyed 8/9 and 16/20 of the themed offerings. Loved the surface for 2d and PROWL was another tick with lots more besides.
Couldn’t parse BIBLE and wondered if there had been a misprint, ie, ‘Trucker’s’ not ‘Tucker’s’ as published by Rand McNally. I see I’m wrong.
Thanks to Goliath and PeeDee.
I swear the online version of 18a had ‘lackluster’, American spelling, and so the ‘l’ and ‘r’ threw me. My crossers meant it could only be BIBLE.
Thanks Goliath and PeeDee
Diane@2: my copy, printed from the web version, has “lacklustre”.
While I am in, may I say that normally I enjoy Goliath puzzles in spite of at least one clue that I find irritating. On this occasion, my pleasure in the puzzle was unalloyed.
Thanks Goliath and PeeDee
Entertaining puzzle that I was able to finish over lunch, starting with the Latin American dance at 3d. Answers steadily presented but it took a good part of the hour to do. Enjoyed working with the bookish overtone throughout and they were no pushovers with BODICE RIPPER and HOLIDAY READING being amongst the last entries. PROWL was my favourite.
DEBIT CARD and GDANSK were the last couple in what was a very enjoyable solve.
A most entertaining crossword with a theme even I could spot. 1/4 made me think of my mum who would refer to a similar sort of books as a ‘historical hysterical’.
Thanks to Goliath for the fun and PeeDee for the blog
Crypticsue @ 5,
I like your Mum’s description!
Pelham Barton @ 3,
Maybe I was still bleary-eyed early this morning when I did the puzzle…or I’m losing my marbles.
Every now and then, I come across an anagram I can’t believe I haven’t seen before. Here, that honour goes to the one for DEBIT CARD.
Even if I had figured out 16/20a from the clue and the crossers, I would have had no confidence in my answer as I had never heard of this publisher. I didn’t even know, from the clue, that I was looking for one! Otherwise, thanks to Goliath and to PeeDee.
John @ 8,
I think the publisher is so widely known (scoffed at) that it could almost be used as a noun: ‘Have you ever read a Mills and Boon?’ ‘No, never!’ (Shudders)
john – according to Wikipedia Mills and Boon have been publishing since 1908. By their centenary year 2008 they were selling around 200 million romantic books per year. 3/4 of all UK romantic fiction is published by them. Apparently paperback sales are now declining in favour of e-books, they currently publish around 100 new romantic e-books per month.
Yes, PeeDee, astonishing statistics, really, for those who now like reading about passions kindled on their Kindle.
Diane and PeeDee, Thanks for the extra info. I live in Florida and have been gone from the UK since 1970. From your description of their genre, I don’t think I’ve missed much.
After barking up several wrong trees we did manage to nail everything down (how’s that for a mixed metaphor?) once we realised we weren’t looking for specific book titles – although 17dn seems to be an oblique reference to Jane Eyre.
Lots to enjoy; we particularly liked ANTECHAPEL, GDANSK and TRILOGIES.
Thanks, Goliath and PeeDee
Thanks Goliath. Favourites were IDEAL, RING-FENCE (I like how the hyphen gets used in the clue and answer), DEBIT CARD (an anagram to remember), and BARGAIN. Missed GDANSK and MILLS AND BOON. Thanks Pee Dee for the blog.