Merry Christmas, everyone.
I don't have a lot of time this morning, what with it being Christmas, but thankfully this was a nice straightforward solve reminiscent of a traditional Monday Guardian. Nothing outstanding, but nothing poor either, so a quick solve and a quick blog. Enjoy the festivities.
Thanks, Mudd.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | BELARUS |
Country retreat originally usable after development (7)
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*(r usable) [anag:after development] where R = R(etreat) [originally] |
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| 5 | MUFFLED |
Unclear if error came first (7)
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MUFF ("error") + LED ("came first") |
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| 9 | HUMID |
Drone I had, close (5)
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HUM ("drone") + I'D (I had) |
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| 10 | NOSTALGIA |
Analogist recollected past thoughts (9)
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*(analogist) [anag:recollected] |
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| 11 | ASSERTION |
Claim senator is corrupt (9)
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*(senator is) [anag:corrupt] |
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| 12 | EXTOL |
Praise previous work, one having quit (5)
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EX ("previous") + TO(i)L ("work", I (one) having quit) |
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| 13 | BOMB |
Fail a lot (4)
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Double definition |
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| 15 | ESCALATE |
Prickly case alongside dead mushroom (8)
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*(case) [anag:prickly] alongside LATE ("dead") |
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| 18 | REQUITAL |
Reward king with blend of tequila (8)
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R (Rex, so "king") with *(tequila) [anag:blend of] |
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| 19 | TOLL |
Charge for ring (4)
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Double definition |
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| 22 | RIGID |
Set free, soldier embraced (5)
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GI (American "soldier") embraced by RID ("free") |
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| 24 | FREE-LIVER |
Note written about dance for hedonist (4-5)
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FIVER (£5 "note") about REEL ("dance") |
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| 26 | NUMBER TWO |
North Italian monarch welcomes western deputy (6,3)
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N (North) + UMBERTO ("Italian monarch") welcomes W (western) |
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| 27 | PASTE |
Stick with point poking head (5)
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S (South, so "point" on compass) poking PATE ("head") |
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| 28 | HANDS-ON |
Worker meeting boy, practical (5-2)
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HAND ("worker") meeting SON ("boy") |
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| 29 | TREADLE |
Lever let out, scan within (7)
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READ ("scan") within *(let) [anag:out] |
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| DOWN | ||
| 1 | BEHEAD |
Top sphere split by what? (6)
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BEAD ("sphere") split by EH ("what?") |
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| 2 | LIMESTONE |
Fluid let in with some rock (9)
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*(let in some) [anag:fluid] |
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| 3 | RADAR |
Detector that moves both ways (5)
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RADAR is a palindrome ("both ways") |
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| 4 | SENTIMENT |
Opinion conveyed, people entertained by it (9)
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SENT ("conveyed") + MEN ("people") entertained by IT |
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| 5 | MASON |
Thus cracking piece for builder (5)
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SO ("thus") cracking MAN ("piece") |
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| 6 | FLAGEOLET |
Pulse in leg, of late, irregular (9)
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*(leg of late) [anag:irregular] |
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| 7 | LEGIT |
Proper escape? (5)
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LEG IT ("ecape") |
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| 8 | DEARLY |
A great deal, day in advance (6)
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D (day) + EARLY ("in advance") |
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| 14 | BOUNDLESS |
Infinite spring gone then? (9)
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If someone's "spring" has "gone", they'd be unable to bound, so would be BOUNDLESS |
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| 16 | CALLED OUT |
A cute doll broken, cried (6,3)
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*(a cute doll) [anag:broken] |
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| 17 | TELEVISED |
Put on trousers when carried by horse, but no top (9)
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LEVI'S ("brand of jeans, so "trousers") when carried by (s)TEED ("horse", but no top) |
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| 20 | BRUNCH |
Group fed right meal (6)
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BUNCH ("group") fed R (right) |
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| 21 | BREEZE |
Fresh air and walk in the park (6)
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Double definition, the second referring to an easy task. |
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| 23 | GAMIN |
Brought up in deprivation, I’m a gloriously mischievous boy (5)
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Hidden backwards in [brought up in] "deprivatioN I'M A Gloriously" |
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| 24 | FUTON |
Feet on outstanding posh bed (5)
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Ft. (feet) + ON outstanding (standing outside of) U (posh) |
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| 25 | LAPSE |
Failing courses on track, did you say? (5)
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Homophone/pun/aural wordplay [did you say] of LAPS ("courses on track") |
Happy Christmas, nice puzzle and blog. Liked flageolet.
What a pleasant surprise to have a puzzle for Xmas. Thanks FT and thanks loonapick for blogging.
Liked BOMB, and ASSERTION best. All parsed today.
Thanks Mudd and loonapick
Thanks Mudd and loonapick & happy holidays to all. Nice crossword, a few head scratchers but all came together without problem. NUMBER TWO, FLAGEOLET, & TELEVISED made my podium today.
Thanks Mudd and loonapick. This is actually the third consecutive year in which the FT has given us an online puzzle on Christmas Day
With nothing to add to the blog, let me just quote this extract from Faithless Sally Brown (1826) by Thomas Hood (1799-1845), which may be considered relevant to 19ac:
They went and told the sexton, and
The sexton tolled the bell.
My source for this was ODQ (8th edition 2014)
Very good Pelham. Seasonal greetings to you and other members of 225 and thanks to Mudd and loonapick.
We despaired yesterday, as neither the Sydney Morning Herald nor the Guardian could provide our daily fixes, so bravo to the Financial Times for brightening up our Christmas after the usual festivities.
Good fun, and no quibbles. Or at least if we did have any quibbles, we’ve forgotten them by now.