The usual straightforward, sound offering from Quixote. Solved pretty quickly, though 9a held me up a bit. The most popular clue will probably be 8d, though I’d go for 17a or 5d for the wordplay.
| Across | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CARICATURES | Distorted pictures that must be redone to be made accurate, sir! *(accurate sir) |
|
| 9 | PLAINTS | Charges made by one infiltrating secret spies? I = one; PLANTS = secret spies |
|
| 10 | VAMOOSE | Do a bunk, very shortly to be pursued by a wild animal V = very; A; MOOSE = wild animal |
|
| 11 | TASTE | Sample to consume gets sent back when there’s stone in it TAE = EAT, reversed; ST = stone |
|
| 12 | INTROVERT | Home and dry hugging the dog, inclined to avoid outside contacts IN = home; TT = dry (teetotal); ROVER = dog. Definition: ‘inclined to avoid outside contacts’ |
|
| 13 | AGENDA | It may need minutes to get going The first item in the agenda is often the minutes of the previous meeting. |
|
| 14 | CORPSE | Body rambler finally discovered in clump of trees R = rambler, finally; COPSE = clump of trees |
|
| 15 | UPDATE | University surprisingly adept, supplying the latest information *(U adept) |
|
| 17 | OMEGA | Huge kiss finally appended to love letters O = love; MEGA = huge; S = kiss finally |
|
| 19 | FORMALISE | Give definite shape to bursts of realism *(of realism) |
|
| 21 | CADET | Trainee joining Edward and Bill heading west TED = Edward; AC = Bill; all reversed |
|
| 23 | ISOTOPE | One thus gets to gym from chemistry form I = one; SO = thus; TO; PE = gym (physical education) |
|
| 24 | AMATEUR | A chum sure getting frayed, being given no money A; MATE = chum; [s]UR[e] |
|
| 25 | HORNET’S NEST | Hazardous situation creating more than a bit of a buzz? … which might buzz more than a bit. |
|
| Down | |||
| 1 | CONCERN | Business organisation opposing Genevan research establishment CON = opposing; CERN |
|
| 2 | RUSTICATE | Temporarily suspend from game one caught in frenzy RU = game (Rugby Union); I = one; C = caught; STATE = frenzy. To banish for a time from town or college because of wrongdoing |
|
| 3 | COVET | Yearn for colleague to look after animals A co-vet might be the colleague of a veterinary surgeon. |
|
| 4 | TAMBOUR | Time to start love affair — having got involved start to beat drum T = time; AMOUR = love affair; B = start to beat |
|
| 5 | RHODE ISLAND RED | Ron and Dad relished curried chicken *(Ron DAD relished), with ‘curried’ as the anagram indicator. Rhode Island Red |
|
| 6 | SPENT | Ecstatic having seized power — exhausted too SENT = ecstatic; P = power |
|
| 7 | SPOT | See tyrant wanting a double beheading [de]SPOT (‘despot’ with its first two letters cut off) |
|
| 8 | MASSAGE PARLOUR | A paramour’s legs naughtily displayed in house of ill repute? *(A paramour’s legs). |
|
| 14 | COOPERATE | Little work before time in bed, having minimal energy to be of assistance OP = little work (abbreviation of ‘opus’); ERA = time; in COT = bed; E = minimal energy |
|
| 16 | ABALONE | Gastropod appearing when sailor’s on solo voyage possibly AB = sailor; ALONE. Abalone |
|
| 18 | ENCHANT | Charm shown by dean regularly when meeting church worker EN = alternate letters of ‘dean’; CH = church; ANT = worker |
|
| 19 | FAITH | Adam’s religious belief? Adam Faith |
|
| 20 | ITEMS | One given odd bits of the script giving bits of news? I = one; TE = odd bits (alternate letters) of ‘the’; MS = manuscript |
|
| 22 | TARN | River feeding into brown lake R = river; TAN = brown. A small mountain lake |
|
?
Thanks Jetdoc for the (early) blog and Quixote for another nice Sunday offering.
Quite quick solving, and indisputable clueing. Favourites were 12A INTROVERT, 23A ISOTOPE and 4D TAMBOUR. Btw, think there is a typo in 2D RUSTICATE – missing C=caught.
Thanks, Scchua. I have updated 2d.
Was the blog early? I scheduled it to appear just after midnight.
The blog was exactly per your schedule, but see what you mean. It’s just that I access only the online version, which I believe comes a week later (for Sat and Sun) than the paper version; so to me 1 min after the online version comes out is “early”.
Thanks jetdoc.
As you say,straightforward and sound as ever from Quixote,which I think is the raison d’etre of this Sunday slot.
Adam Faith brings back memories,one of the very first records I ever owned was his ‘Lonely Pup (In A Christmas Shop)’.My taste in music has changed somewhat,I hasten to add!
8 down was a nice anagram but my favourite clue was 12 across.