Tyrus on a Saturday – that has cheered me up
Always a joy and always something hidden. Some may say political but it is a statement of fact. Criminals need to make recompense to their victims!
PAY ALL OVERDUE COMPO NOW referring to the 12/25 Corporate Malice, (if I’m not mistaken) of the post office amongst other historical British debacles.
Several clues to highlight 6ac for being on topic and relating to tennis really, 22ac for humour; 3dn is a marvel and 9dn with its different type of solicitor.
Thanks Tyrus – glad to have one of puzzles to blog again
Across
6 Alan resolved to maintain a bit of defiance – a court winner (5)
(alan)* around d (bit of defiance) = NADAL
7 Group (as a whole) about to get ill-gotten gains (8)
ca(about) + boodle (ill-gotten gains) = CABOODLE
10 Mostly stolen, deficit’s original solution for the most senior (6)
((stole) mostly stolen + d (deficit’s original))* = OLDEST – solution indicates the anagram – think chemistry
11 One in supreme role’s worse reportedly – a monster (8)
Homophone of god’s(supreme role) + iller (worse) = GODZILLA
12/24 PO ‘crime’ clear to a lunatic (9,6)
(PO crime clear to a)* = CORPORATE MALICE
14 Female in fix over first of losses (4)
Rev. rig (fix) + l (first of losses) = GIRL
16 Need a word quietly – Second Sight not content (4)
p (quietly) + s (second) + st (sight not content) = PSST
18 Operation controlled by thugs in suits from the outset … and hats (5)
tis (thugs in suits from the outset) around op (operation) = TOPIS
20 Purpose of prison: reforming those inside? (4)
Gaol (prison) swapping a and o (those inside) = GOAL
22 How to refer to Queen (introductions to Meghan Markle are repeatedly blocked) (4)
mm (introductions to Meghan Markle) around a(are) x 2 = MAAM
25 Mark hanging round to enjoy celebration (5,4)
m(mark) + arras (hanging) around dig (enjoy) = MARDI GRAS
26 Puritans, having lost money, becoming deaf teachers (8)
moralists (puritans) – m (mo0ney) = ORALISTS
28 Working with slave around Californian city (6)
Rev. on (working) + serf(slave) = FRESNO
29 Considered guilty, resistance suppressed and condemned (8)
accused (considered guilty) around r (resistance) = ACCURSED
30 Desert surprisingly green, very – that’s not right? (5)
(green + v – r)* = NEGEV
Down
1 Look, RAC’s fixed holes in boat! (8)
(look racs)* = OARLOCKS
2 Buddhist temple accommodating land animal that’s considered semiaquatic (5,3)
wat (Buddhist) temple around terra (land) = WATER RAT
3 Dog and what it may do without a lead possibly? (6)
poo (what it may do) + (deal – a)* = POODLE
4 Covering up not criminal case? Having more to say (6)
cladding (covering) – al (criminal case) = ADDING
5 Line up on left coming back, he cries (6)
Rev. ley (line) + Rev. re. (on) + l (left) = YELLER
8 Article on German director Lee (3)
an (article) + g (german) = ANG
9 Visited Ivy with a drug-smuggling solicitor? (3,3)
a + tout (solicitor) around e (drug) = ATE OUT
13 In accordance with tricky parse (2,3)
(parse)* = AS PER
15 Language based on Esperanto is one and the same (3)
I(one) + do (the same) = IDO
17 Reach not the last resort (3)
span(reach) – n = SPA
19 Disdainful having set up extremely nervous suspect (6)
Rev. ns(extremely nervous) + iffy (suspect) = SNIFFY
20 Pull up and give lift to Frenchman who may be a pro in bed (8)
Rev. drag(pull) + Rev. Rene(Frenchman) = GARDENER
21 After fracas, Keane not starting – best he’s not there (8)
(best + keane – k)* = ABSENTEE
23 Body part in bird (adult) is arc-shaped (3,3)
a(adult) + (is arc)*b = AIRC SAC
24 See 12 Across
25 In backtracking secures American capital (6)
Rev. hidden secURES AMerican = MASERU
27 With leaders twisted, taken advantage of and prosecuted (4)
used(taken advantage of) swapping leaders = SUED
Relatively gentle and a Nina which I expected and picked up early. I stumbled in the south west because I didn’t understand the ‘compo’ bit but also because I had entered Manila for the capital. I saw ‘in’ reversed or backtracking. After noticing ‘overdue’ made sense, things fell into place. Precise clueing and fun surfaces e.g. POODLE and terra/land in 2d. ‘Boodle’ for the gains is new although I do know ‘kit and caboodle’. Thanks for visiting Tyrus. Come again. And thanks for the blog, twencelas.
Cunning as always and with a nice political sideswipe in both the nina and the excellent &lit two-parter. That said, also fairly accessible and a pleasure to complete. One of three excellent GIFT puzzles today.
Faves inc CABOODLE, GOAL, OARLOCKS, POODLE, GARDENER and ABSENTEE.
Thanks both
Thanks Tyrus and twencelas
I thought that was simply superb, with the oh-so-on-point nina the icing on the cake.
Thanks both. Well, I suspected and sort of saw a Nina, but ‘compo’ had me looking for something wholly different. Personally, I found this quite difficult, perhaps owing to the setter’s determination to get the message across, perhaps more simply that I came up against a few unknowns, NEGEV included – I’d add I have no idea why the clue doesn’t read ‘surprisingly very green’ instead of ‘surprisingly green, very’ but doubtless I am missing something.
TFO@4, I think the anagrind needs to precede/connect with the fodder, “green”, before the V enters the equation as the final letter, but I’m no authority!