Standing in for David as he is unable to get to a device at the moment. A solid fun challenge from NEO to usher in Christmas.
| ACROSS | ||
| 9 | CEASEFIRE |
Reduce force used in constant anger — UNGA demanding it (9)
|
| { EASE ( reduce ) F ( force ) } in [ C ( constant ) IRE ( anger ) ] | ||
| 10 | INANE |
Mad to release gases, ultimately senseless (5)
|
| INsANE ( mad, without S { gaseS, ultimately} ) | ||
| 11 | IN AWE |
New AI, unregulated, really impressed (2,3)
|
| [ NEW AI ]* | ||
| 12 | GOODLIEST |
Most excellent bollocks written about Penny Mordaunt’s conclusion (9)
|
| [ GOOLIES ( bollocks ) around D ( penny ) ] T ( mordaunT, last letter ) | ||
| 13 | THERAPY |
Secret listening around here endless: Harry finally getting remedy? (7)
|
| [ TAP ( secret listening ) around HERe ( endless i.e. without last letter ) ] Y ( harrY, finally ) | ||
| 14 | DELAYED |
Not professional: indeed, that would describe HS2! (7)
|
| LAY ( not professional ) in DEED | ||
| 16 | DUBAI |
Call associated with Artificial Intelligence in COP28 location (5)
|
| DUB ( call ) AI ( Artificial Intelligence) | ||
| 18 | MIR |
MacGowan’s first brought to Irish peasant commune … (3)
|
| M ( McGowan, first letter ) IR ( irish ) | ||
| 19 | FIFTH |
… some relief if there’s musical interval (5)
|
| hidden in “..relieF IF THere’s..” | ||
| 21 | RULINGS |
Girl Sun harassed sees verdicts (7)
|
| [ GIRL SUN ]* | ||
| 22 | AL JABER |
Beer spiked with punch right for oil–rich sultan (2,5)
|
| [ JAB ( punch ) in ALE ( beer ) ] R ( right ) | ||
| 24 | ADVERSITY |
Very sad, upset about it, something displaced people face (9)
|
| [ VERY SAD ]* around IT | ||
| 26 | COVID |
Victor O backed among police? Inquiry into this (5)
|
| reverse of [ V ( victor ) O ] in CID ( police ) | ||
| 27 | DRAMA |
Duke, incarnation of Vishnu in Boat Story perhaps (5)
|
| D ( duke ) RAMA ( incarnation of vishnu ) | ||
| 28 | AMUSEMENT |
Unseat M Mone, heartless? Corrupt? Fun? (9)
|
| [ UNSEAT M MonE ( heartless, without central characters ) ]* | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | SCRIPTED |
Like some speeches in part Sunak’s source yelled about? (8)
|
| PT ( part ) in [ S ( Sunak, first letter ) CRIED ( yelled ) ] | ||
| 2 | FARAGE |
Following a trend, will this Eurosceptic join Tories? (6)
|
| F ( following ) A RAGE ( trend ) | ||
| 3 | REVELATION |
Disclosure: always upstanding, Lai not criminal (10)
|
| REVE ( always = EVER, reversed ) [ LAI NOT ]* | ||
| 4 | DINGHY |
Hotel contained by cheerless boat, in which migrant risks all? (6)
|
| H ( hotel ) in DINGY ( cheerless ) | ||
| 5 | RECORDER |
Registrar to write down Esther Rantzen’s initials (8)
|
| RECORD ( write down ) ER ( initials of Esther Rantzen ) | ||
| 6 |
See 7
|
|
| 7/21/6 | SAFETY OF RWANDA BILL |
Law proposed as Fairy Tale band flows fantastically (6,2,6,4)
|
| [ FAIRY TALE BAND FLOWS]* | ||
| 8 | HEATED |
Might climate debate be so impassioned? (6)
|
| cryptic def | ||
| 15 | LIFE JACKET |
Biography covering what’s vital for person in 4? (4,6)
|
| LIFE ( biography ) JACKET ( covering ) | ||
| 17 | BOLIVIAN |
Benton on vacation entertaining Colman, actor from La Paz? (8)
|
| BentoN ( on vaction, without inner characters ) containing OLIVIA ( colman actor ) | ||
| 18 | MYSTICAL |
Upright character deserting Mail — City’s terrible secret? (8)
|
| [ MAiL CITY’S ( without I – upright character ) ]* | ||
| 20 | HEREDITY |
Incomprehensible third eye through which Charles is seen in Harry? (8)
|
| [ THIRD EYE ]* | ||
| 21 |
See 7
|
|
| 22 | ASYLUM |
Year in a favela for such seekers as 7 21 down 6 targets? (6)
|
| Y ( year ) in [ A SLUM ( favela ) ] | ||
| 23 | BOVVER |
Kick-off in Brixton too much with five inside for aggro (6)
|
| B ( Brixton , first letter ) [ OVER ( too much ) containing V ( five ) ] | ||
| 25 | RYAN |
O’Neal no Romeo, head over heels? (4)
|
| NAY ( no ) R ( Romeo ), all reversed |
Thanks Neo and Turbolegs,
I was surprised to see the news puzzle today but was very glad of it as I thought this was excellent.
I laughed uproariously at Penny Mordaunt’s bollocks. Too many fun clues to list them all.
Bravo Neo. Encore!
What Blah said. Great fun.
What SM and Blah said. I will add Penny Mordaunt (and her bollocks) to my British knowledge bank.
Thanks to Turbs, and to Blah, SM and Martyn.
This news puzzle was slightly sprung on readers as it’s normally seen on the last Sunday of the month. Xmas is different though, as we will see when that last Sunday does indeed roll around. I’m glad you found this one fun.
VHNY to all.
Bovver is a new one for me.
The setter’s message@4 makes me think we might see a Neo Jumbo for NY? Now, that would be nice
Many thanks, Turbolegs, for stepping in to do blogging duty at zero notice.
And thanks, Neo, for yet another splendid puzzle. I too am intrigued by what is in store for us next Sunday!
Aha well Martyn, there is a Jumbo imminent, but not for the Sunday AFAIK (hope I have that right). I hope it will be an enjoyable and bumper fun w/e for FT buffs.