A steady solve.
A dependably well composed grid from Slormgorm. Interesting to note the synonyms in the top right/bottom left. Great start to the week. Thank you Slormgorm!
ACROSS
1. Criminal ball boy stealing duke’s nightgown (8)
BABYDOLL
(BALL BOY)* (*criminal) stealing D (duke)
5. A royal into heroin and dope might be Harry (6)
HARASS
A R (royal) into H (heroin) and ASS (dope)
10. Note L is etched into walking-sticks and torches (7)
CANDLES
D (note) + L is etched into CANES (walking-sticks)
11. A dog and master touring a state of America (7)
ALABAMA
A LAB (a dog) and MA (master) touring A
12. Ice castle could melt into large amount of water (6,3)
CELTIC SEA
(ICE CASTLE)* (*could melt)
13. Son visiting art gallery shows discernment (5)
TASTE
S (son) touring TATE (art gallery)
15. Famous British author of a university study (5)
AUDEN
A + U (university) + DEN (study)
16. Dug acne erupting all over One Direction (8)
GUIDANCE
(DUG ACNE)* (*erupting) all over I (one)
19. Dangerous material ruined Seat boss (8)
ASBESTOS
20. Pearl found around river will make money (5)
BREAD
BEAD (pearl) found around R (river)
21. Flipping hot and cold and not well with this? (5)
CHILL
H (hot) + C (cold)< (<flipping) + ILL (not well)
23. Set of steps actress dances around a head of ITV (9)
STAIRCASE
(ACTRESS)* (*dances) around A + I[tv] (head of)
25. Say where to find encamped men of great strength (7)
INTENSE
“IN TENTS” (where to find encamped men, “say”)
27. Husband welcomed by excited nieces from Shanghai? (7)
CHINESE
H (husband) welcomed by (NIECES)* (*excited)
28. Relative missing first right creates trouble (6)
BOTHER
B[r]OTHER (relative, missing first R (right))
29. City detective fixed to turn over rowdy lasses? (8)
LADETTES
LA (city) + DET (detective) + SET< (fixed, <to turn over)
DOWN
1. Impertinence shown by rear with gas (8)
BACKCHAT
BACK (rear) with CHAT (gas)
2. Danish and bagel freshly delivered for Asian (11)
BANGLADESHI
(DANISH + BAGEL)* (*freshly delivered)
3. Frivolous action of democratic union (9)
DALLIANCE
D (democratic) + ALLIANCE (union)
4. Rolls and keels over to one side? (5)
LISTS
6. A role not taken into account (5)
APART
7. Answers cracked by Henry might provide this (3)
AHA
A + A (answers) cracked by H (Henry)
8. Get up and start to sip cold beer (5)
SCALE
S[ip] (start to) + C (cold) + ALE (beer)
9. Is it possible group of stars could be singers? (8)
CANARIES
CAN (is it possible) + ARIES (group of stars)
14. Spy greenest cat in need of new treatment (6,5)
SECRET AGENT
(GREENEST CAT)* (*in need of treatment)
16. Visit daughter and become exhausted (2,2,4)
GO TO SEED
GO TO SEE (visit) + D (daughter)
17. Vegetable popular in hostelry in France (9)
AUBERGINE
IN (popular) in AUBERGE (hostelry in France)
18. Doing nothing is awfully endless, I admitted (8)
IDLENESS
(ENDLESS)* (*awfully) + I admitted
21. Member after bit of cash gets rise (5)
CLIMB
LIMB (member) after C (bit of cash)
22. Way in which commando leader will get weapon (5)
LANCE
LANE (way) in which C[ommando] (leader) will get
24. A conservative caught with artist’s foreign capital (5)
ACCRA
A C (conservative) + C (caught) with RA (artist)
26. This is not essentially drunk by non- drinker (3)
TOT
[n]O[t] (essentially) drunk by TT (non-drinker, teetotaller)
Yes, straight-forward enough for a Monday and I liked the symmetry of 8/21d too, along with 29a and the cheeky 1d.
How old-fashioned 1a sounds to my ears today!
Was tempted for a while to enter GALAXIES for 9d but couldn’t see how they’d be ‘singers’ – got there in the end.
Thanks to Slormgorm and Teacow.
Thanks for the blog, I agree with Diane @1 about the nice use of symmetry.
Lots of good clues, I will pick out GUIDANCE and CANARIES.
Thanks Slormgorm, that was very enjoyable. LADETTES was a new word for me and I liked its symmetrical placement with BABYDOLL, quite a different image. My favourites included HARASS (amusing surface), INTENSE, CANARIES, SECRET AGENT (nice anagram), IDLENESS (good surface), and CLIMB. Thanks Teacow for the blog.
Another GALAXIES without going back later to check. Never heard of BABY DOLL pyjamas; just shows what a sheltered life some of us lead.,
Thanks Slormgorm and Teacow. As well as the symmetries already mentioned, I think there is a symmetry of structure in the clues for the two three letter answers at 7dn and 26dn. Perhaps also Canaries can be said to go to seed (9dn and 16dn). Any more, or have I already gone beyond the setter’s intention?
Super quick solve by my laboured standards, after some struggles last week whilst away skiing. Missed the symmetry in the answers though I particularly liked the shape / pattern of the grid, which seems especially clever to me.
Many thanks to Le Vache for a great blog and to all who solved and commented.
I’m a bit late to the party having been getting lucky (in a league chess match I shoulda lost, but managed to win) tonight. Unfortunately, celebratory drinks are stopping my noggin from remembering how much symmetry was intentional here (the puzzle was written some months ago) but lets just say it is one of the following options:
You are all very clever for spotting it
I am very clever for designing it
Both the above
Just the first of the above
F**k Putin
Hope to see you all next time around, but until then it is goodnight and good luck to all from me. 🙂
Thanks Slormgorm and Teacow
An unusually quick solve for this setter with it all over in a couple of short sessions. Didn’t notice the apparent symmetry going on in the grid, but did enjoy the process a lot.
Not sure that I had actually heard of the CELTIC SEA before but it was obvious from the anagram material. GALAXIES didn’t cross my mind at 9, but can see how it could have raised possibilities for others.
Finished with CHINESE down the bottom and HARASS up the top, after noticing some blank squares when thought that I’d finished.
Agree totally with the sentiment for the crazy Russian.
Re symmetry potential in 27a and 10a, I believe there are Chinese candles?
Thanks to Slormgorm’s precision here and brevity re Vlad, and to Teacow as always.