A typical fun XELA offering, on Friday the Thirteenth.
FF: 9 DD: 7
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | TACIT |
Animal that may prowl around — it is silent (5)
|
| TAC ( reverse of CAT, animal that may prowl ) IT | ||
| 4 | PORTFOLIO |
Case of wine with fine mixture (9)
|
| PORT ( wine ) F ( fine ) OLIO ( mixture ) | ||
| 9 | AUSTRIA |
Country song featuring American artist at the end (7)
|
| ARIA ( song ) containing [ US ( american ) T ( artisT, last letter ) ] | ||
| 10 | ATTACHE |
Diplomat is endlessly offensive and extremely hostile (7)
|
| ATTACk ( offensive, without last letter ) HE ( HostilE, end letters of ) | ||
| 11 | HOI POLLOI |
One opinion survey in Ohio trashed ordinary citizens (3,6)
|
| [ I ( one ) POLL ( survey ) ] in [ OHIO ]* | ||
| 12 | LIANA |
Pin back a climbing plant (5)
|
| LIAN ( reverse of NAIL , pin ) A | ||
| 13 | LARGO |
Slow movement of large, mythical ship (5)
|
| L ( large ) ARGO ( mythical ship ) | ||
| 15 | TREASURED |
Cherished gift, almost certainly diamonds (9)
|
| TREAt ( gift, almost i.e. without last letter ) SURE ( certainly ) D ( diamonds ) | ||
| 17 | ENDEAVOUR |
Go tumbling over a dune (9)
|
| [ OVER A DUNE ]* | ||
| 20 | SYLPH |
Spirit ultimately dominates every local pub (5)
|
| S ( “..dominateS everY locaL..”, last letters of ) PH ( pub, public house ) | ||
| 21 | FALSE |
Not so free-spirited, and less socially exuberant to begin with (5)
|
| starting letters of “..Free-spirited And Less Socially Exuberant..” | ||
| 23 | SIDELIGHT |
Fish visible in small window (9)
|
| IDE ( fish ) in SLIGHT ( small ) | ||
| 25 | COMPARE |
Be as good as guy friend with no daughter (7)
|
| COMPAdRE ( guy friend, without D – daughter ) | ||
| 26 | LINCTUS |
Medicine reportedly associated with our group (7)
|
| sounds liked LINKED ( associated with ) US ( our group ) | ||
| 28 | STONE-DEAD |
Completely lifeless toad needs shifting (5-4)
|
| [ TOAD NEEDS ]* | ||
| 29 | RIDGE |
Journey taking in good Costa? (5)
|
| G ( good ) in RIDE ( journey ) | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | TEA |
The first items of toiletries everybody always leaves in a bag? (3)
|
| starting letters of “..Toiletries Everbody Always..” | ||
| 2 | CASHIERED |
Dishonourably discharged head cries out (9)
|
| [ HEAD CRIES ]* | ||
| 3 | TORSO |
Trunk fastens in the middle… ish (5)
|
| T ( fasTens, middle letter ) OR SO ( …ish ) | ||
| 4 | PHABLET |
Tech device having enough power to block potentially harmful Trojans at the outset (7)
|
| ABLE ( having enough power ) in PHT ( starting letters of “..Potentially Harmful Trojans..” ) | ||
| 5 | REALISE |
Understand each line involved in ascent (7)
|
| [ EA ( each ) L ( line ) ] in RISE ( ascent ) | ||
| 6 | FATALISTS |
Rich groups of elite celebs — ones who believe in destiny (9)
|
| FAT ( rich ) A-LISTS ( group of elite celebs ) | ||
| 7 | LYCRA |
Piece of really crackly material (5)
|
| hidden in “..realLY CRAckly..” | ||
| 8 | OPEN AND SHUT |
Obvious thing laptops do (4-3-4)
|
| cryptic def | ||
| 11 | HALO EFFECTS |
Potential outcomes from certain cognitive biases could be off the scale (4,7)
|
| [ OFF THE SCALE ]* | ||
| 14 | ON AVERAGE |
After taking place, openly declare how old you are, typically (2,7)
|
| ON ( taking place ) AVER ( openly declare ) AGE ( how old you are ) | ||
| 16 | RELEGATED |
Banished supporter had admitted to tending to vote Republican (9)
|
| [ LEG ( supporter ) ATE ( had ) ] in RED ( tending to vote republican ) | ||
| 18 | OBSCENE |
Disgusting old book connected with chaotic spectacle (7)
|
| O ( old ) B ( book ) SCENE ( chaotic spectacle ) | ||
| 19 | RIDDLED |
Cooked on a hot plate, but not initially peppered (7)
|
| gRIDDLED ( cooked on a hot plate, without first letter ) | ||
| 22 | LIMBO |
Dance at a bar in state of oblivion (5)
|
| double def | ||
| 24 | LONER |
Recluse, single, in Lancaster on vacation (5)
|
| ONE ( single ) in LR ( LancasteR, on vacation i.e. without inner letters ) | ||
| 27 | SUE |
Is sure, from time to time, to make a legal claim (3)
|
| alternate letters of ( from time to time ) “iS sUrE..” |
I liked LYCRA, LONER, FATALISTS
Otherwise, I found it difficult to get on the setter’s wavelength and thought the puzzle a bit underwhelming. At least I now know what to ask for if I am in the UK with a cold.
Thanks Xela and Turbolegs
Tricky, but some good stuff. Liked tea and halo effects among others. Thanks both.