Financial Times 14,187 by Hamilton

by

Tricky – 23 across still not resolved

 

 

 

 

Across

9 INSTRUMENTALIST one who plays IN at home STRU[t] swagger MENTALIST mind reader?

10 ALIGN co-ordinate sounds like A LINE (12 across clue)

11 THEREWITH why (HE THREW IT)*

12 TWENTY-TWO 22 metre line in rugby 30 – 8 = 22

14 AWARD medal WAR conflict in AD modern times

16 SELECT COMMITTEE tongue in cheek definition

19 NYMPH beautiful girl – last letters of been my …

21 ENDEAVOUR dd Colin Dexter’s eponymous detective

23 MODERATOR internet site foreman TOR rise

25 ESTRO enthusiasm hidden in [ma]ESTRO[s]

26 UNCOMMUNICATIVE tight-lipped (IVAN MUM CUT NO ICE)*

Down

1 BIPARTISAN supported by two members

I PART IS one region is in BAN injunction

2 ASPIRE aim (LEADERSHIP)* minus HELD

3 FRENETIC distraught F fellow (ENTERIC)*

4 SMUT obscenity TUMS< guts rejected

5 UNREFORMED original NU anagrammed

6 CAMERA shooter CAME arrived RA gunners

7 VIGILANT on the lookout (LIVING AT)*

8 ETCH inscribe hidden in [far-f]ETCH[ed]

13 TICKET TOUT sells tickets for entry

15 DEEP-ROOTED confirmed (ROOT support in PE gym) in DEED act

17 LAME DUCK bankrupt Spooner’s DAME LUCK

20 HAREMS ladies’ rooms M maiden in HARES hurries

22 OUTWIT better OU in French (Nancy – French town) TWIT dope

23 MAUL ill-treat [e]M[m]A[n]U[e]L

24 RUIN relic BRUIN bear minus B bishop

( )* = anagram    [ ] = omit    dd = double definition   < = reverse

 

 

8 comments on “Financial Times 14,187 by Hamilton”

  3. Much to enjoy in this crossword, especially the cryptic definitions at 16ac and 13dn, so thanks Hamilton for those, and thanks Jed for the blog.

    2dn: The word “that” seriously disrupts the cryptic grammar to me.

    7dn: Here on the other hand, “at” seems to be doing double duty, as part of the anagram fodder and anagram lead.

    23dn: “even Emmanuel” to mean “even numbered letters of Emmanuel” is too much of a stretch for my liking.

    As always, I have no quarrel with those whose views on precision of cluing differ from mine.

  4. Further to 3 re 2dn: I think the clue would work much better as “Aim to disrupt leadership that has held out” – possibly the word “has” got lost?

  5. Good puzzle; thanks to Hamilton, and Jed for the blog.

    PB@2; ‘the fort that held out against Indian attack’ seems OK to me. 7d ‘at’ is doing double duty, but I don’t think it really spoils the clue. ‘Even Emmanuel’ seems OK to me, but as you say, horses-for-courses. 🙂

  6. Robi @5: I am happy to agree to differ on 7dn and 23dn, but feel it appropriate to point out that the devices used do not have universal approval.

    I am not sure I understand your first comment – the surface grammar is fine, but 2dn reads (at least on the online version I was using) “Aim to disrupt leadership that held out”. I do not see how that can reasonably be interpreted as an instruction to remove the letters H-E-L-D from an anagram of “leadership”.

  7. Nice solve……spent far too long playing with old advertising slogans and Roman gods trying to justify 18d as A MARS BAR 🙂

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