My second Neo in a row.
I blogged a Neo last week and mentiones that there was some general knowledge in it. This one had even more, some of which was not too difficult – DAEDALUS, MARLENE DIETRICH, BRIDESHEAD REVISITED eg, but there were also some more obscure entries such as STROBILI and PUT OUT THE FLAGS, a topical answer but not one of Evelyn Waugh's more famous works. Everything was fairly clued, however, and could be worked out from the wordplay. My only (very) minor quiblle was the repeated use of I for one, which appeared in at least three clues. My LOI was FLARES, because it took me a while to think of the Very light.
Thanks, Neo.
| ACROSS | ||
| 7 | MARLENE DIETRICH |
Anti-fascist actress in red came to wrestle with Hitler (7,8)
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*(in red came hitler) [anag:to wrestle] |
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| 9 | DENARII |
Gods protecting revolutionary republic for pennies (7)
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DEI ("gods", in Latin) protecting [revolutionary] <=IRAN ("republic") |
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| 10 | ORGAN |
Heart perhaps that may be stopped in church? (5)
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Double definition, the second referring to a set of organ pipes. |
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| 11 | SCRUB |
We backed away from crew in U-boat — cancel plans? (5)
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<=WE [backed] from CR(ew) in SUB(marine) ("U-boat") |
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| 12 | MAESTRI |
Artemis dances for eminent musicians (7)
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*(artemis) [anag:dances] |
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| 13 | IMBUE |
One spy boss sad without learner to inspire (5)
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I (one, in Roman numerals) + M ("spy boss", in the James Bond universe) + B(l)UE ("sad" without L (learner)) |
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| 16 | KINDRED SPIRIT |
Close friend generous with cherry brandy? (7,6)
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KIND ("generous") with RED ("cherry") + SPIRIT ("brandy?") |
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| 20 | ROGUE |
Disruptive journey westward into Parisian street (5)
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<=GO ("journey", westward) into RUE ("Parisian street") |
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| 21 | ROSWELL |
Run round balloon where aliens arrived? (7)
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R (run) + O (round) + SWELL ("balloon") |
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| 23 | DISCO |
Dance tunes in Verdi score (5)
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Hidden [in] "verDI SCOre" |
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| 25 | UMBRA |
Classy business graduate keeping rook in dark place (5)
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U ("classy") + MBA (Master of Business Administration, so "business graduate") keeping R (rook, in chess notation) |
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| 27 | TEACHER |
Drink dear to French instructor (7)
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TEA ("drink") + CHER ("dear" to the "French") |
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| 28 | PUT OUT MORE FLAGS |
Waugh story issued again following delays (3,3,4,5)
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PUT OUT MORE ("issued again") + F (following) + LAGS |
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| DOWN | ||
| 1 | PRINCELING |
Minor royal pair in church with Heather (10)
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Pr. (pair) + IN + CE ("Church" of England) with LING ("heather") |
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| 3 | MIXER |
Something that goes with short sociable type? (5)
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Double definition, the first referring to a soft drink added to a spirit ("short") |
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| 4 | STROBILI |
Cones in street: steal one large one (8)
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St. (street) + ROB ("steal") + I (one) + L (large) + I (one) In biology, strobilae or strobili are chains of segments, cone within cone, in jellyfish, although that makes no sense to the non-scientific community of which I am definitely a member. |
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| 5 | MING |
Russian fighter inhaling nitrogen: unpleasant smell (4)
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MIG ("Russian fighter") inhaling N (chemical symbol for "nitrogen") |
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| 6 | CHANCER |
Opportunist in court shortly (7)
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CHANCER(y) ("court", shortly) |
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| 7 | MADAME |
Recklessly foolish Neo entertains a woman in Paris (6)
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MAD ME ("recklessly foolish Neo") entertains A |
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| 8 | EGRET |
White heron in water gets surging (5)
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Hidden upwards [in…surging] in "waTER GEts" |
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| 14/2 | BRIDESHEAD REVISITED |
Waugh story places English in Barsetshire, divided, troubled (10,9)
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E (English) in *(barsetshire divided) [anag:troubled] |
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| 15 | ASTROTURF |
Surface to play on a run among white horses (9)
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A TROT ("run") among SURF ("white horses") |
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| 17 | DAEDALUS |
Ancient craftsman lauded as fantastic (8)
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*(lauded as) [anag:fantastic] |
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| 18 | TRIUMPH |
One used in most valued suit — hearts win! (7)
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I (one) used in TRUMP ("most valued suit") + H (hearts) |
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| 19 | FLARES |
Very light stains at the foot in trousers (6)
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FLARE ("Very light") + (stain)S [at the foot] |
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| 22 | STAFF |
Stick man (5)
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Double definition |
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| 24 | STUMP |
What feller may leave is puzzle (5)
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Double definition |
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| 26 | BUTE |
Island monster does away with king (4)
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B(r)UTE ("monster") does away with R (Rex, so "king") |
An odd mix of not being able write them in quickly enough followed by some stubborn ones in the SE corner. I’d prefer a more even mix.
I thought the Waugh titles were pretty obvious from the letter numbers alone. Marlene D also required little thought.
Liked organ, roswell.
4d I think pine cones are strobili.