Another Saturday blog day for me and another Tyrus puzzle. But am I bovvered?
Of course I am, even if the theme of this week’s offering is a series of scornful responses. There’s also a secondary kitchen theme running through the grid, so is Tyrus a bit of a reluctant cook?
The scornful responses are all defined as such:
Talk to the Hand
So what
Who cares
You and whose army
Big Deal
and Gas oven, Kitchen and Aga are the kitchen references.
As always from Tyrus (whose puzzles never fail to draw me in until each nuance of each clue makes sense), there are some wonderful clues. I liked 25ac (the last one I managed to explain) – 4dn drew images of a certain Mr. Gove being barbequed at the Angel (of the North), 19 down – though perhaps a second question mark would have really amused me and 2dn for its nihilistic humour.
I must not fail to mention 20 across – Such self-deprecation Tyrus and highly amusing.
Thanks again to Tyrus for an excellent and varied workout.
Key
* Anagram, DD Double Definitiion, Rev (reversed)
ACROSS
1 Pawning (leaving with uncle as in a pawnbroker) – p (power) = AWNING
5 (baby)* + erse (language) – e (mostly) = YABBERS (Aussie talks)
9 Rev. hidden (maY DO Better) = BODY (group)
10 S (sugar initially) + lard (fat) + l (apprentice) around Ugg (Boots – as in a brand) + y (why?) = SLUGGARDLY (Lazy)
11 (XV (fifteen) + ah neat)* = TAX HAVEN (where you’ll save money)
13 e (earl) + (chose (selected))* – slightly twised = ECHOES (rings)
14 Sweeping (Broad) + will sow (going to plant) – ss (2 spades) = WEEPING WILLOW (Tree)
16 (That hotel k (keeper’s first))* + and (with) = TALK TO THE HAND (Scornful response)
20 Somewhat (rather) – me (Tyrus) = SO WHAT (scornful response)
21 est (there is) around cargo (load) = ESCARGOT (Nice food)
22 Times (Murdoch paper) + hares (runs) = TIMESHARES (holiday schemes (might be dodgy))
23 Ali (boxer) + t (uppercut finally) = ALIT (Landed)
24 Step (stage) + Rev (yen)(longing) = STEPNEY (In London)
25 W.Ham (west ham as in Big Sam Allardyce is the manager) + my (gosh) = WHAMMY (That’s a blow!)
DOWN
2 ca (about) in whores (hookers) = WHO CARES (scornful response)
3 i (one) + cy (country extremely) = ICY (Unfriendly)
4 Gove (Caninet minister) around as (when) + n (north) = GAS OVEn (where roasting’s likely)
5 You (character said as in u) + (why dream on as)* = YOU AND WHOSE ARMY (Scornful response)
6 bid (attempt) around g (government) + ea (each) + l (liberal) = BIG DEAL (scornful response)
7 Cryptic Definition = EARTH MOTHER (Heavenly goddess? hardly)
8 (lovers)* = SOLVER (You)
12 (the + the + plate)* = HEPTATHLETE (Versatile sports person)
15 (come in)* + um (union member) = ENCOMIUM (Praise)
17 k (close to york) + itchen(River – in Hampshire) = KITCHEN (Site of 4 = Gas oven)
18 hack (journalist) + s + w (two ways) around a (as in facing) = HACKSAW (It cuts)
19 (sore + it)* = TORIES (They’re right)
23 DD AGA (as in An Aga stove and a commander)
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