Independent 7392 by Phi

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Always have confidence with Phi that I will get there, this puzzle was no exception, solving time 23 mins.

V enjoyable as always.

* = anagram

ACROSS

1 WIDE-ANGLE LENS    (leading)* EL (the in Spanish) all contained in (news)*

8 NIPPY   NIP  PartlY

9 ARTIFICER    A (one)  (terrific)*     A mechanic in the services, ‘naval’ chosen here to go with the anagram indicator ‘at sea’, I guess.

11 STEAM OPEN   Cryptic definition.    This refers to opening the seals of envelopes using steam (from a kettle) so as to read the letter.    The envelope could then be resealed.

12 NOOKS   N(new) LOOKS (fashions) less L (length)

13 REALLY    Definition:  in earnest     ER (Monarch) (reversed)   ALLY (supporter)

14 SAMIZDAT     Underground writing in the former Soviet Union  (amazed it’s)* less E = English

17 AVERSION    A (acting)   VERSION (edition)

19 AFLOAT     rear of lilO  in A FLAT (puncture).    My favourite clue today, showing also they don’t have to be hard to be good.

22 TODDY     TODAY (now) with D (a bit of drink) for A (article)

24 SAINTLIKE      (in talkies)*

25 ESPLANADE     PLAN A (first idea) in (seen)*

26 OSTIA    Port of ancient Rome.    SO (very much) (reversed) I (one) in TA (soldiers)

27 TAKE A BACK SEAT     TAKE ABACK  and A (one) in SET

DOWN

1 WINDSOR CASTLE      WINDS (turns)   (locates r)*  R = Queen   &lit

2 DEPRECATE     DEPRECIATE less I(one)

3 ABYSMAL     A BY S MAL(e)   A BY S = article from pen of second

4 GRAPPA    APP (apparently) in GRA(n)    Nan = Gran

5 ESTONIAN    EST (French is) ON (working)  IAN (Scot)

6 EFFENDI     Turkey’s equivalent of Mister as form of address   E  FF  END I

7 SICKO    SIC (faithfully reproduced)  KO  (OK reversed)

10 RISE TO THE BAIT     T (tense) in (theories)*  B (British)  AIT (island)

15 DOOLITTLE     This refers to Eliza Doolittle in Shaw’s play ‘Pygmalion’ which became ‘My Fair Lady’.    idle (vb) = do little  containing O (love)

16 BOTSWANA     T = head of tiny   SWAN  all in BOA (snake)

18 SKYLARK      I think the Aussie singer is Kylie Minogue (also an actress) so it’s KYL (ie = that is missing) in SARK, one of the Channel Islands

20 FETLOCK    Projection on a horse (ie colt).    Hidden reversal in blacK COLT EFfectively

21 CINEMA     MEN (rising) in CIA (Agents)

23 DEPOT    TOP ED  (award-winning journalist) reversed

10 comments on “Independent 7392 by Phi”

  1. Thanks, nms, for a blog which explained the two or three clues where as usual I had only a vague notion of why the answer was what it was. I know what you mean about Phi: in his Friday Indy spot at least, he’s usually solvable if you persevere and it’s always a pleasing start to the last day of the working week.

    I liked TAKE A BACK SEAT today; and TODDY, which had today as its starting point.

    I was held up a bit by inexplicably entering WINDSOR PALACE

  2. Agree, another lovely puzzle. AFLOAT also my favourite, although I also liked WINDSOR CASTLE. Had to guess SAMIZDAT from the wordplay.

  3. I got there too, NMSindy, but not a thrilling ride! Even so, AFLOAT floated my boat, so not all humdrum and dreary.

  4. Thanks nms.
    I always enjoy a puzzle from Phi and this was no exception.A nice mix of clue devices with some nicely worked anagrams.Favourite clues were 18 down and 25 across.
    I read 11 across as a partial anagram {at some = steam o + pen (writing)} with an & lit element.

  5. Must admit a similar experience to other solvers: this is quite hard, but I’ll get there. And I did, though how I dredged things like SAMIZDAT and EFFENDI from the old memory banks is a mystery. Well, probably not a mystery…more likely just excellent clueing.

  6. And with apologies to NMS for unnecessarily adding to his inbox, I might mention that with time left over to actually read the paper, today’s issue was ample reminder of why I keep buying it. Quite apart from the excellent crossword, I thought the cover story, Johann Hari’s piece and Robert Skidelsky on Keynes vs. Osborne were excellent, and for good measure an interview with a certain gap-toothed gallic lovely of whom a young Simon H was a huge admirer!

  7. Got to skylark by a way which made me enter the grid the right word but a fluke.

    I saw Sky I lark but couldn’t see why I was removed not ie, and was unsure it it was australian anyway.

    Really don’t know why deprecate the last to get took me so long though.

  8. Too many unknown words to finish but did well.Got all long clues fairly quickly.18a was convinced it was something to do with Kylie Minogue but didn’t realise to take the I.e away! Was convinced “scheme” was in 11a somewhere.23 minutes to complete! Must have been doing these for a looong time!

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