Independent on Sunday 1145: Poins

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A pretty straightforward puzzle, not presenting too much in the way of challenges. Sound, though, and with some nice wordplay (e.g. 12a, 16d).

Across
1 AVERSION A particular form of hatred
A; VERSION = particular form
5 ACTION Fighting for part of London to embrace independence
I = independence; in ACTON
9 ESTIMATE Guess what? Finally, after a couple of escapes, I marry
ES = a couple of ‘escapes’; T = ‘what’ finally; I; MATE = marry
10 INSTIL Drop in street — nothing seen around after one
ST = street; NIL reversed; all after I = one
11 THRILLER Right to stand by article about Brook’s sensational story
R = Right; THE = article; around RILL = brook
12 DEMEAN Humble pie ultimately eaten by fellow after debt is halved
E = pie ultimately; in (‘eaten by’) fellow = MAN; after DE = half of debt. Definition: Humble. Slightly deceptive wordplay here, with good surface reading
14 PERCEPTIVE Aware of king following exercises to cure pet vice
PE = exercises; R = king; *(pet vice)
18 EXTRANEOUS Fancy one more before going with us? It’s immaterial
EXTRA = more; NEO = *(one), i.e. ‘fancy one’; US. Again, some nicely deceptive wordplay to indicate an anagram of ‘one’.
22 COURSE Rector falls from horse in race
COURSE[r] (R being ‘rector’)
23 STOCKADE It offers protection to society before rebel captures king
S = society; TO = before; CADE = rebel (Jack Cade); K king
24 APPEAR Surface of soft vegetable caught by artist from the east
P = soft; PEA = vegetable in RA = artist ‘from the east’ (reversed in an across clue). ‘Surface’, as a verb, is the definition.
25 IMPUDENT I’m taking a gamble grabbing Bordeaux’s centre forward
IM; PUNT = gamble; DE = Bordeaux’s centre. Definition: forward
26 TOTTER Rock drummer’s back on ecstasy pursuing endless pretty girls
R = drummer’s back; E = ecstasy; TOTT[y] endless pretty girls.
A beer called Top Totty has recently sparked a minor spat in the House of Commons
27 ADHERENT Follower of a trend he created
*(a trend he)
Down
1 AGENTS Talleyrand’s inauguration divides a French town’s representatives
T = Talleyrand’s inauguration; AGENS = a French town’s (Agen)
2 ENTIRE Complete before wrapping it up after noon
ERE = before; ‘wrapping’ (containing) IT reversed (‘up’, in a down clue), after N = noon
3 SIMPLE Helping to make this implementation easy
Hidden in ‘this implementation’
4 ON THE LEVEL Some horse racing is honest
Flat racing could be described as ‘on the level’, and it also means ‘honest’
6 CONTEMPT Disgrace of knight found with office worker in bed
N = knight; TEMP = office worker; in COT = bed
7 INTREPID Bit of effort in restoration of print leads to identity of brave
E = Bit of effort; in *(print); ID = identity. Definition: brave
8 NO LONGER One not disposed to pining — not any more
Someone who does not long is not disposed to pining. Nice clue
13 ACCUSTOMED Used expert to secure regular trade with Germany
ACE = expert; CUSTOM = regular trade; D = Germany. Definition: used
15 PENCHANT Inclination for a writer to celebrate in song
PEN = writer; CHANT = celebrate in song
16 STRUMPET Baffled for the most part about Rooney initially having time for a prostitute
STUMPE[d] = Baffled for the most part; R = Rooney initially; T = time. This would be a candidate for a Cyclops puzzle.
17 RATSBANE Poison sent Arab reeling
*(sent Arab)
19 ACCUSE Charge account covers milk
ACC = account; USE = Milk (in the sense of ‘exploit’). I spent too long working out how how the CUSE part is indicated by ‘milk’ before I realised how this works.
20 VARESE Raves about English composer
*(Raves); E – English. Edgar Varèse
21 BEAT IT Make off hastily when Italian turns up during strike
IT reversed; in BEAT. Unless I have got this wrong (in which case, abject apologies to Poins), an unfortunately weak clue to end the puzzle — BEAT as part of the answer and of the wordplay. The Italian could be said to turn up either during or after the strike. Hmm…

4 comments on “Independent on Sunday 1145: Poins”

  1. Thanks for the blog, jetdoc.

    I had the same query as you about 19dn then realised that ‘account’ can be ACC, then it’s ‘milk’ in the sense of ‘exploit’.

    I share your thoughts on 21dn: I can’t see anything else going on.

    [Small typo in 9ac: you’ve missed out the T [‘what finally’].

  3. Thanks, both, for the much-needed proof-reading of that over-hasty blog. The wordplay to 19d did come to me after posting the blog and going out, while in the gym — which may say something about the beneficial effects of exercise on the mind.

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