dd = double definition
cd = cryptic definition
rev = reversed or reversal
ins = insertion
cha = charade
ha = hidden answer
*(fodder) = anagram
For once, I did not enjoy a Guardian puzzle. This one left me totally cold (in spite of the central heating) and disappointed
Across
1 CENTRAL HEATING Simple charade
8 NOMAD Another simple charade
9 MARKINGS Yet another sinmple charade
11 EUSTACE EUSTon plACE
12 LIGHTER *(the girl) While there’s a lucifer to light your fag, smile boy, that’s the style
13 VIRGO
15 HIGH-GROWN Chambers adj (Shakespeare) covered with a high growth.
17 TRANSPORT dd
20 MINIM palindrome
21 VERTIGO *(Virgo ET)
23 UNPLAIT *(nuptial)
25 ENCLOSED Ins of close in END (middle of Zenda)
26 IMAGE *(magie)
27 DEMONSTRATIONS *(modern stations)
Down
1 CONSERVATIVE The political right
2 NAMES *(means)
3 RADIATORS cd
4 LAMBETH Palace, hq for the Archbishop of Canterbury; “The Lambeth Walk” is a song from the 1937 musical Me and My Girl
5 EARPLUG *(hUGe PEARL)
6 THING TH (the unfinished) Internationale Nederlanden Groep, with a lion logo
7 NIGHTGOWN cd
10 GRANDMOTHERS If you see a huge clock, a grandmother clock is one with a semi-circular top
14 REARRANGE Cha of REAR (back) RANGE (class)
16 GAME POINT Charade of GO (a game) West (point on the compass)
18 OBOISTS *(its boos)
19 THUNDER
22 IGLOO Another corny clue
24 ALAMO ha
I agree with your sentiments about this one, no challenge and completed far to quickly.
You blog is ‘uncategorized’.
16dn was obviously GAME POINT from the definition but is the rest of the clue fair? I can see ‘game’ as a clue for ‘go’ – but vice versa?
Will someone please explain the first part of the clue to 1dn? Uncle Yap’s blogs are usually so detailed. He must be really fed up!
Well, I quite enjoyed this one. There were a couple of slightly unusual diversions. For some time in 8ac I was looking for ME (Rover) in the answer; and in 12ac I thought it was an anagram of Lucifer, suggested by Perhaps, until I saw it was used in the sense of “an instance”.
5d is UG pearl
Eileen 1D Take the “S” off Story to get Tory
Of course – thanks, Shirley!
13A, why ‘Virgo’?
15A, what’s it got to do with Shakespeare?
Don – ‘high-grown’ is a Shakespearean [hence ‘Will’s] usage, apparently: ‘search every acre in the high-grown field’ King Lear Act IV.
I’m still trying to work out the full explanation of VIRGO.
Thanks Eileeen. ‘Tall’, without the ‘Will’s’, would have sufficed, but perhaps it was put there to confuse the likes of me.
I wasn’t sure of 13A ‘Virgo’ until i got down to 21A ‘vertigo’, so I’m glad I’m not the only one looking for an explanation. I thought ‘shot’ = ‘go’, but can’t see the ‘Vir’.
13A: VIRGO – vir = Latin for man (fellow), go = shot.
Thanks, Zan – if I’d seen ‘go’ I’d have got it.
That’s twice today I’ve been stymied by ‘go’! What does anyone else think of 16dn [see my post 2.] [I wouldn’t expect the solution to ‘dog’ to be ‘animal’.]
Vir is Latin for man..
I see my vir explanation arrived late.
Eileen I agree about go/game
Sorry to be slow but can someone explain 7D. I got it as a habit (gown) but what of the rest of the def?
mark – 7dn is retired as in gone to bed
not a first-rate puzzle, agreed, but I thought 17ac was v.nice
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen variations on 7dn but it’s quite nice, all the same – similarly 17ac.
As a Classicist, I’m mortified not to have seen the explanation of 13ac [thanks, everyone] but I now think it’s the best clue of all!