Everyman with a puzzle to challenge us all after the clocks have gone forward. In the UK, at least.
Probably a 17ac of cryptic definitions this week for those who are not keen on them, but all the usual trademarks are there to help you once you’ve put in the anagrams (if that is how you go about these things).
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
cad clue as definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
1 It’s eternal, they say, in vitro meat
ROME
Hidden in vitRO MEat. Rome is ‘the eternal city’.
3 It shows axes, part of plotters’ designs?
GRAPH PAPER
A cd, with the ‘axes’ being pronounced differently in the surface and cryptic meanings.
9 Refer to model in Channel Islands on ecstasy
CITE
An insertion of T for ‘model’ (Model T Ford, very common in crosswordland if you’re new to all this) in CI and E.
10 Ultimately furious, into craw sticks one that’s extremely inferior
SCRAWNIEST
Not my favourite clue this morning. The surface is a bit nonsensical, for a start. A charade of S for the final letter of ‘furious’ and an insertion of I in CRAW and NEST. NEST for’sticks’ is another reason this didn’t make my podium today.
11 Trembling mankind, holy, welcoming Earth’s biblical promise
MILK AND HONEY
An insertion of E into (MANKIND HOLY)* The insertion indicator is ‘welcoming’ and the anagrind is ‘trembling’.
If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey (Numbers, 14:8, KJV)
15 What posh homes have (AKA station wagons)
ESTATES
A dd.
16 Primarily pecuniarily relayed or reimbursed according to amplitude?
PRO RATA
The initial letters of the last seven words of the clue and a cad.
17 Stuff what you can do to the WWW, you say?
SURFEIT
Aural wordplay (‘you say’) for SURF IT, which is what you can do with the wondrous thing that is the world wide web. SURFEIT as a verb has the sense of ‘stuff’.
19 Not half pretentious: opposed to Italian wine
CHIANTI
A charade of CHI [CHI] and ANTI. ‘Chichi’, or ‘chi-chi’ is an adjective meaning elaborately pretentious.
20 Origamist’s income?
FOLDING MONEY
A cd.
23 Small drink, adjacent to a finger?
THIMBLEFUL
Another (not entirely convincing) cd.
24 Quiet tune, mate
PAIR
A charade of P for the musically ‘quiet’ and AIR.
25 Bad neighbour accounting cryptically for taste?
ROGUE STATE
A reverse anagram thingy: ROGUE STATE would give you TASTE if you considered ‘rogue’ as the anagrind.
26 Say, this culture regularly disappears
CLUE
The odd letters of CuLtUrE.
Down
1 Presence of mind initially disturbed – making amends
RECOMPENSE
(PRESENCE O M)* with ‘disturbed’ as the anagrind.
2 Stimulator provoked vandals
MUTILATORS
(STIMULATOR)* with ‘provoked’ as the anagrind.
4 Shrinks showing barmy decrees
RECEDES
(DECREES)* with ‘barmy’ as the anagrind.
5 Spooner’s to espy deck in fog
PEA SOUP
A Spoonerism of SEE POOP.
6 Goaty god? Devil? I … I’m not sure … it’s chaos
PANDEMONIUM
A charade of PAN, DEMON, I and UM. A word coined by Milton in Paradise Lost as the place (etymologically) of ‘all evil spirits’ , but since the 1770s having a much broader meaning.
7 Like a piper or a clown?
PIED
A cd cum dd. The PIED PIPER is a legendary figure from the Middle Ages, originally dressed in multicoloured, or PIED clothing. And a clown’s costume would certainly fall into that category.
8 She’s dreadfully hurt
RUTH
(HURT)* with ‘dreadfully’ as the anagrind.
12 ‘Due’? Both late! For renewal PDQ!
AT THE DOUBLE
(DUE BOTH LATE)* with ‘for renewal’ as the anagrind.
13 Cleric at formal event embracing Pole: that’s smashing
CANNONBALL
An insertion of N for the [North] Pole in CANON and BALL.
14 It may resemble an elder, includes many
FAMILY TREE
Another cd.
18 Everyman on diet, after time eating seconds, becoming most large
TIDIEST
A charade of T, I for ‘Everyman’ and S inserted into DIET. The insertion indicator is ‘eating’. ‘She inherited a tidy/large sum of money.’
19 As maestro will do to ensure behaviour …
CONDUCT
Another cd, referring to the conductor of an orchestra.
21 … making comeback, damn celebrity
STAR
A reversal of RATS. The ellipses, as almost always, can be ignored – they are just there to make more sense of the surface readings of the two clues.
22 Dopy grin that’s seen in proposal
RING
(GRIN)* with ‘dopy’ as the anagrind. The bended knee kind of proposal, of course.
Many thanks as always to Everyman for this week’s puzzle.
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