If there is a theme to this crossword it is that Cyclops has used “Balls” in many clues in several different senses. Ed Balls naturally gets a thorough workout, and there are clues using the word in the sense of rubbish and circles etc. as well as merely providing letter fodder (e.g. 27A)
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | EYE WEAR Eye (organ) wear (friction) |
| 5 | ELECTOR (ETC)* Anagrind: developing inside (ROLE)< |
| 9 | CHANCELLOR CHANCE (risk) (ROLL)< turn back |
| 12 | COWBOY Def.+ CD referring to cowboy builders etc. Excellect clue: Traditionally macho type but maybe not one whose erection you could depend on? (6) |
| 14/19 | THE GREAT UNWASHED (SWEETHEART HAD GUN)* Anagrind: customised A phrase that means the “Common people” in a derogatory sense |
| 16 | DEPUTY E[xhausted] P[arty] inside DUTY (task) Ref to Harriet Harperson Dep. Lead. Lab. |
| 17 | PLAGUE Pl. (abbr. for PLace) [h]AUGE (former party leader, not Hard) |
| 21 | CADILLAC (AC)< (Bill backed) DILL (herb) AC (bill) |
| 23 | WANGLE WAN[k] (LEG)* Anagrind: broken This was an interesting clue because it brought to mind the Engineer Felix Wankel and his rotary Engine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wankel_Engine and for a short while I was trying to make Wankel fit the subsiduary clue but then realised the engineer here is a verb in the sense of contrive. Full clue: Engineer gets to toss king off with broken leg (6) |
| 25/11 | SOD OFF SO (accordingly) DOFF (remove clothing) |
| 26 | UTTER TRIPE CD I needed a few crossing letters before seeing this: Talk like politician Balls? (5,5) |
| 27 | ADDRESS [b]A[lls] (Balls second) D[ay] DRESS (shift) Tricky clue: Balls second day shift talk (7) |
| 28 | ESCAPEE (CASE)* Anagrind: dismissed PEE |
| Down | |
| 2 | YAHOO (HAY)< (backing Straw) OO (Balls) By chance I noticed that Cyclops clued this in precisely the same manner in Crossword 373 – not that long ago |
| 3 | WINDBAG WIND (turn) BAG (slut) |
| 4 | ACETYLENE (LANCET EYE)* Anagrind: changes |
| 6 | LORDS DD The upper house and the cricket ground: “no stranger to spin” |
| 7 | CLOSE-UP LOSE (leave behind) inside CUP (jug’s receptacle) |
| 8 | OFF-CENTRE C[onservative] EN (measure) inside (EFFORT)* Anagrind: unusual Very often when a Cyclops clue has a bracketed part looking like an additional afterthought, especially if it includes a question mark, it is the definition: Unusual effort needed to comprehend Conservative measure (a bit leftish?) (3-6) |
| 10 | LIGHT [f]LIGHT |
| 15 | HALF-ARSED CD/DD Is it just me or did this answer just shout itself from this clue? A singularly cheeky person would be inadequate (4-5) |
| 16 | DOWNWARDS [miliban]D OWN (admit) WARDS (hospital places) |
| 18 | GUILDER Homophone “gilder” Favourite clue. It certainly isn’t very often that I pick a homophone clue as my favourite, but this one had me stumped till all checking letters were in place and as the last I wrote in gave me great satisfaction: One putting a gloss on broadcast: “Money no longer available” (7) |
| 19 | UNCUT DD No real need for the question mark on this clue surely: Not pissed so kept in the film? (5) |
| 20 | SANGRIA SANG (AIR)* Anagrind: fresh |
| 22 | LOUTS [c]LOUTS |
| 24 | LAPSE Homophone “laps” |