With apologies to anyone who struggled, I thought this was a remarkably straightforward puzzles — a quick solve on a train. I don’t have much to say about it — entertaining and clever as usual, but not quite vintage Cyclops. I think 11a is probably my favourite clue.
| Across | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CLARET | Short time for booze? CLARE Short; T = time |
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| 5 | BOOB TUBE | Skimpy top causes boner, then shaft BOOB = boner (which can mean a blunder); TUBE = shaft Boob tube |
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| 9 | IN EFFECT | Really being before Tories’ no. 1 is nice? Eff-off! *(nice eff); T = Tories’ no. 1 |
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| 10 | FETISH | Does it give you an objective feel for sex? ‘an object believed to procure for its owner the services of a spirit lodged within it; an inanimate object to which a pathological sexual attachment is formed’. So there! |
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| 11 | ARSE-LICKER | We hear our posh Eye contributor’s O.B.N. candidate Sounds like “Our Slicker”, Slicker being the Eye’s City correspondent. Private Eye’s collection of sycophantic quotes. |
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| 13 | HOBO | Chef’s support round bum HOB = the flat framework or surface on top of a cooker, on which pots are placed to be heated; O = round |
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| 14 | HYPE | Trashy personal housing publicity Hidden in ‘Trashy personal’ |
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| 15 | EBB TIDE | Withdrawal of the main bidet — be prepared! *(bidet be). Definition = Withdrawal of the main (sea) |
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| 18 | UNTRUTH | Whopper nut hurt badly *(nut hurt) |
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| 19/6 | JERK OFF | Act like wanker Archer, briefly, entertaining film company JEFF[frey Archer]; containing RKO [Pictures]. Definition: ‘act like wanker’ |
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| 21 | DUCK | You won’t score if you get one, dear Double definition: a zero score in cricket; and in Lincolnshire where I grew up (and in a few other counties too, I believe), ‘duck’ was a universal term of mild endearment |
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| 23 | HIGH SEASON | Peak time to get pissed with the drink issue HIGH = pissed; SEA = the drink; SON = issue |
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| 25 | ENTOMB | Yentob, chucking away capital to secure media chief put in grave situation M = media chief; in [Y]ENTOB. Definition: put in grave situation |
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| 27 | REAR ENDS | More than one arsehole produces tears round organ RENDS = tears; round EAR = organ |
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| 28 | POLE-AXED | Balls, possibly after syphilis (ale mixture injected), cut down ED = Balls; after POX = syphilis, with *(ale) inside |
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| 29 | PUKING | Heaving with an erection backed by ruler UP reversed = with an erection backed; KING = ruler |
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| Down | |||
| 2 | LANARK | Town bird’s penetrated by one AN = one; in LARK |
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| 3 | REFRESHER | Course for forgetful students about to put on more lippy? RE = about; FRESHER = more lippy (more impertinent) |
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| 4/26 | THE DISPATCH BOX | Miliband, in shit, badly wants spot on TV, which speechifying minister stands by ED = Miliband; in *(shit); PATCH = spot; on BOX = TV The despatch/dispatch box |
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| 5 | BATIK | A waxing process that’s a bit messy on end of prick *(a bit); on K = end of prick Batik |
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| 7 | TITCH | Boob by arse-over-tip House of Commons — “just a small one” TIT = boob; HC reversed |
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| 8 | BUSYBODY | Snoop hard at it getting stiff BUSY = hard at it; BODY = stiff |
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| 12 | RUBBER STAMP | Routinely approve of Johnny mounting Frank? RUBBER Johnny = old term for a condom and also, apparently, a boy whose bizarre skills frighten his caregivers; STAMP = frank (as in franking mail) |
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| 16 | TAKE A LEAK | Wee Kate worried by a disclosure *(Kate); A LEAK = a disclosure. Definition: wee |
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| 17 | INNUENDO | “Wayward, ecstasy-gobbling Di, no nun” slur *(E Di no nun). Definition: slur |
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| 20 | LONDON | Name Dave’s first entry into chump Boris’s place ND = Name Dave’s first; in LOON = chump I strongly dispute that my beloved home city is ‘Boris’s place’! |
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| 22 | KRONE | Australian’s boob lifted with energy for money NORK, an Australian term for breast, reversed; E = energy |
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| 24 | GORED | Stabbed in the back, maybe, US election loser style? Slightly limp clue — in the style of Al Gore, who disastrously lost the 2000 US presidential election despite winning the popular vote |
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I’m feeling a bit short of jokes or funny links this week. So here are a few of the ‘gems’ gleaned from Twitter by my spouse:
EXPERIENCE the excitement of the Jeremy Kyle show by moving your entire family to Blackpool.
CONVINCE people you’re a cat by strutting around with your anus on show.
HOLDING a badger under someone’s chin is a great way of finding out if they like tuberculosis.
ROY HODGSON. Take a leaf out of David Cameron’s book and put Emile Heskey back up front.
STUDENTS — save money on expensive Bombay Spice mix, by tipping up your keyboard and eating what drops out.
Thanks for the blog, Jetdoc. I agree with your assessment of the level of difficulty, although NORK was new to me. However, was it not even filthier than usual?
Maybe… I wasn’t especially struck by the filthiness of it, but I am pretty much inured to it by now!
Beermagnet and I agree that the most difficult thing about writing the blog is doing the introductory paragraph, which was particularly difficult with this one — I just couldn’t think of anything to say!
Slight correction to 2d: AN = one.
Thanks, Will
I liked your intro because while this didn’t cause me any problems, I find it really irritating when a blogger on a xword says something like “Very easy with no hold ups” and I’ve struggled for 45 minutes and have been quite pleased to get 5 clues out.