Peto delivers a collection of gimmes, toughies, and NHOs today.
Starting off, I tried to make this a lot harder than it actually was, staring at a blank grid for quite a while, but it turned out to be an enjoyable challenge.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | VERITY |
Each one after commencement possessing exactly what’s needed in truth (6)
|
| [E]VERY (each one) minus first letter (after commencement) around (possessing) IT (exactly what’s needed) | ||
| 4 | BREAKS |
Interrupts crack shot’s opener (6)
|
| BREAK (crack) + first letter of (opener [of]) S[HOT] | ||
| 8 | FRAILTY |
Hamlet’s woman’s weakness (7)
|
| Double definition, the first from Act 1, Scene 2, referring to the line “Frailty, thy name is woman!” | ||
| 9 | ALTO SAX |
Singer with small guitar and another instrument (4,3)
|
| ALTO (singer) + S (small) + AX (guitar) | ||
| 11 | BOTTOM GEAR |
It’s useful if starting in underpants (6,4)
|
| Double/cryptic definition, the first referring to a vehicle’s gearshift | ||
| 12 | GIST |
Registrar concealing substance (4)
|
| Hidden in (concealing) [RE]GIST[RAR] | ||
| 13 | TORSO |
First of ten approximately found in trunk (5)
|
| First [letter] of T[EN] + OR SO (approximately) | ||
| 14 | STARTLED |
Taken aback by son biting the French duke (8)
|
| S (son) + TART (biting) + LE (the [in] French) + D (duke) | ||
| 16 | REDOLENT |
Reminiscent of further attempt at a fast time (8)
|
| REDO (further attempt) + LENT (a fast time) | ||
| 18 | STALL |
Stop by booth in market (5)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 20 | GILD |
Gloss over taunt about line counter (4)
|
| {DIG (taunt) around (about) L (line)} all reversed (counter) | ||
| 21 | SCOTCH SNAP |
Put an end to game’s rhythmic pattern (6,4)
|
| SCOTCH (put an end to) + SNAP (game) | ||
| 23 | DEBATED |
Legal document boxing club argued about (7)
|
| DEED (legal document) around (boxing) BAT (club) | ||
| 24 | BALLUTE |
Native American pursuing delivery of descent slowing device (7)
|
| BALL (delivery, as in cricket) + UTE (Native American). I don’t see this in Chambers, but there is a Wikipedia article. | ||
| 25 | SEDATE |
Get to eat small amount in retreat when sober (6)
|
| SEE (get) around (to eat) TAD (small amount) reversed (in retreat) | ||
| 26 | DEMEAN |
Humble clergyman taking in setter (6)
|
| DEAN (clergyman) around (taking in) ME (setter) | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | VIRGO |
Amazon ignoring each sign (5)
|
| VIR[A]GO (Amazon) minus (ignoring) A (each) | ||
| 2 | ROISTER |
Swagger of rioters dissipated (7)
|
| Anagram of (dissipated) RIOTERS | ||
| 3 | TOTEM POLE |
Encountered books about European monumental carving (5,4)
|
| {MET (encountered) + OT (books)} both inverted (about) + POLE (European) | ||
| 5 | RULER |
Measure of a king (5)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 6 | AMONGST |
In the middle of acute sense of dread ringing doctor (7)
|
| ANGST (acute sense of dread) around (ringing) MO (doctor) | ||
| 7 | STAR SHELL |
It’s full of illuminating material causing nightmare for top actor (4,5)
|
| STAR’S HELL (nightmare for top actor) | ||
| 10 | SENSATION |
Widespread public excitement in Nantes so I moved (9)
|
| Anagram of (moved) NANTES SO I | ||
| 13 | THE FIVE KS |
Kara being one of them in shift Eve worked to obtain Krona (3,4,2)
|
| Anagram of (worked) {SHIFT EVE} around (to obtain) K (krona), referring to Sikhs | ||
| 15 | ASSOCIATE |
Fool spies over old note from companion (9)
|
| {ASS (fool) + CIA (spies)} around (over) O (old) + TE (note) | ||
| 17 | OLD MAID |
Done speaking after not initially showing courage in game (3,4)
|
| [B]OLD (showing courage) minus first letter (not initially) + homophone of (speaking) MADE (done) | ||
| 19 | ABSOLVE |
Explain supporting sailor when free from obligation (7)
|
| AB (sailor) + SOLVE (explain) | ||
| 21 | SPENT |
Exhausted second favourite’s gripping Newbury debut (5)
|
| S (second) + PET (favourite) around (gripping) first letter of (debut) N[EWBURY] | ||
| 22 | ACT ON |
Comply with contract only in part (3,2)
|
| Hidden in (in part) [CONTR]ACT ON[LY] |
Yep a few nhos — scotch snap, star shell, the five ks — all guessable. Then there was ballute: even with the first L via alphacheck, thence remembering delivery = ball, I still had no idea. Always learning (or not!), ta for the chew Peto and Cineraria.