Independent 8190 by Punk

by

Challenging and really entertaining – need help explaining 26 across

 

 

 

 

Across

8 IDLE out of a job (Eric – Monty Python)

9 CHATELAINE mistress of castle CHAT (talk) ELAINE (girl)

10 PITA Greek bread hidden in [hos]PITA[l]

11 WAGE FREEZE no chance of a raise

Z (unknown amount) in (WE AGREE FE[w])*

13 CRÈME DE MENTHE green liquid

REMED[y] (solution almost) in CEMENT glue HE man

15 EPISCOPAL CHURCH see people – diocese

(CLOSE UP RICH CHAP)*

19 PEOPLE CARRIER highway monster

O duck (PLACE)* in PERRIER water

24/7 TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN! – all the time

26 FEET OF CLAY hidden defects

Down

1 HIP POCKET found in trousers HIPPO huge beast [pa]CKET

3/2/27 WHO ATE ALL THE PIES &lit question

P[asties] in (SO ATHLETE A WHILE)*

4 ETHEREAL fine [sw]E[et] THE article REAL true

5 CLARET drink CLARE college T time

6 LIFE PEER noble IF providing EPEE weapon in L[eft] R[ight]

12 MERC Mercedes German car ME (I) Roman Catholic

14 WHERE ELSE nowhere better ER queen in WHEELS car [palac]E

16  IN PIECES shattered I (single) P[aren’t] in NIECES relatives

17 PALE FACE Native American for white man – not brave

18/25 HARD TIME unpleasant experience H[itler] (I DREAMT)*

20 OUTBOX defeat in boxing ring – computer file

21 COUGAR cat [t]OUG[h] in CAR Jaguar perhaps

22 IRITIS eye inflammation I (sounds like eye) R (runs) IT IS (confirmation)

23 STIFF dd (hard and to cheat)

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

9 comments on “Independent 8190 by Punk”

  1. 26A is a reference to Muhammad Ali/Cassius Clay’s self proclaimed ‘floating like a butterfly’ referring to his footwork in the ring.

  5. How does ‘I’m the Pope’ lead to ‘I’m RC’? Surely ‘the Pope’ is not a definition of ‘RC’.

    Otherwise a good crossword (apart from those 40% checked answers, but I think that is a lost cause).

  6. Comment #5 reminds me of a billboard campaign by a drinks company some years ago which read “Are you going for a pint?”
    Someone wrote underneath it “Is the Pope a Catholic?”

  7. We started the puzzle late last night and then were too tired to finish it! The last few clues were filled in this morning with 24/7 being a real laugh out loud moment! A great start to the day – thanks Punk!

    Thanks Jed for the blog.

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