Normal clues – one word that is missing twice from a proclamation to be completed around the perimeter and the author’s surname to be highlighted.
Definitely an entry level puzzle – reminded me of the standard of some of the first ones I attempted in the Independent magazine.
What did the perimeter reveal:
ALL ANIMALS ARE BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE THAN OTHERS
To me instantly recognisable as a quote from George Orwell’s Animal Farm. A short book with a great impact.
ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS
And for some unknown reason got be thinking of Oink Oink – Boris Johnson and some of his cabinet. How prophetic Mr Blair (Eric) was in describing the unequitable country we live in.
Many thanks Chalicea – a quick solve but much fun.
Also that is my 300th blog. I’m no longer the spring chicken I was.
Key Rev. Reverse; * anagram; DD double definition; underline definition
Across
7 Severely criticise leaderless religion (4)
islam (religion) leaderless = SLAM
8 Weapon making a comeback for plunder (4)
Rev. tool (weapon) = LOOT
10 Skilful supply of food with time lacking (4)
table (supply of food) – t (time) = ABLE
11 Celebrity of eccentric owner on news primarily (6)
(owner)* + n (news primarily) = RENOWN
12 Grave for doctor (4)
to (for) + mb (doctor) = TOMB
13 He printed this issue containing thing to chew on (7)
exit (issue) around cud (something to chew on) = EXCUDIT
14 Related to coughing going round with no tango in dance movement (5)
Rev. tussal(related to coughing) – t (tango) = LASSU
15 Rejected glazed fabric – cold, containing metallic element (5)
Rev. cire (glazed fabric) + c (cold) = CERIC
16 Singular young person’s slide out of control (4)
s(singular) + kid (young person) = SKID
17 Safer tufts occasionally turned over for peat slabs (5)
Rev. SaFeR tUfTs = TURFS
20 Yorkshire river’s historical use (3)
DD URE
21 Flag of lreland trimmed (4)
Irish(of Ireland) – h = IRIS
22 Pervasive quality in Washington of some good organisations (4)
Hidden goOD ORganisations = ODOR
23 Euphoric stimulant: Gulf resident drops last half (3)
Qatari (gulf resident) – last half = QAT
25 Girl with old rope for catching animals (5)
lass (girl) + o (old) = LASSO
27 Regularly adviceful deity (4)
aDvIcEfUl = DIEU
28 Carp family member switching river for lake to find relative (5)
Roach (carp family member) swapping r for l = LOACH
30 Spanish hamlet in rural deanery (5)
Hidden rurAL DEAnery
31 I complete, it’s reported, an opening to look through (7)
eye (I) + hole (whole – complete) = EYEHOLE
32 Greeting hot city man from time to time (4)
h (hot) + cItY mAn = HIYA
33 Most of the university trouble over metallic oxide (6)
th(most of the) + u (university) + Rev. ail (trouble) = THULIA
34 Rage of teacher when revolutionary is dropped (4)
teacher – che (revolutionary) = TEAR
35 Outfit with help at first for old friends (4)
kit (outfil) + h (help at first) = KITH
36 Sketch arm or leg, we’re told (4)
Homonym of limb = LIMN
Down
1 Cavalryman, a soldier at first, quitting set of dances (6)
lancers (set of dances) – s (soldier at first) = LANCER
2 Love’s protective covering: resistance lost the first time (5)
armour (protective covering) – r = AMOUR
3 Humorously sarcastic, not right, relating to ancient Greeks (5)
ironic (humorously sarcastic) – r = IONIC
4 Cup-shaped receptacle for grinding brick-bonding material (6)
DD MORTAR
5 A talk I arranged on a type of tobacco (7)
(a talk I)* + a = LATAKIA
6 Sadly Midas oddly holds old-fashioned tray for receiving offerings (8)
(Midas + hls)* = ALMS DISH
9 The French lot turning up in local exchange (6)
Rev. les (The French) + lot = TOLSEL
15 More huggable copper with designated driver and lecherous look, we hear (8)
cu (copper) + dd (designated driver) + homonym of leer = CUDDLIER
18 Having unsupported member of agricultural establishment containing highland cattle yard (7)
farm(agricultural establishment) around ree(highland cattle yard) = FREEARM
19 Madly ask universal question with loud complaint (6)
(ask + u + q + w)* = SQUAWK
24 Future of part of rising submarine valley (6)
Rev. hidden submaRINE VAlley = AVENIR
26 Unusually social Greek drinking songs (6)
(social)* = SCOLIA
28 Docked old bloodhound consuming heart of rotten bit of tongue (5)
lyam (old bloodhound) – m around tt (heart of rotten) = LYTTA
29 Not rigged for sailing, all hands originally found essentially inside (5)
all around h (hands originally) + u (found essentially) = AHULL
Possibly the easiest EV/Inquisitor I’ve ever done, helped by quickly getting MORE THAN, which led me directly to Animal Farm.
But I’m not complaining, and it is a great book (and quote.)
I can’t recall finishing an EV before in a single session – but like arnold and twencelas I am not complaining. This was fun, and it’s good to have gradations of difficulty, a policy confirmed by (no spoilers) the successor puzzle, which has taken rather longer. Congratulations meanwhile to twencelas on bringing up the triple century – please keep going, in the spirit of Bradman – and thanks also to Chalicea for engaging so elegantly with this visionary author.
Thanks, Twencelas. Easy, I know, but I felt I had to put that prophetic novel into a crossword and I’m glad you are not complaining. Congratulations, too on the 300th blog. My next one will be a little more challenging.