A fair and satisfying crossword but I’m still missing an explanation (25) which always niggles! No theme as far as I can see.
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RANSOM – RANSOM(E) refers to Arthur Ransome, famous for writing Swallows and Amazons and marrying Trotsky’s secretary | |
| 5 | SLOGGING – with letters 3, 5 and 7 in I briefly considered BLOGGING but it doesn’t really count as working hard let alone striking! | |
| 9 | PATERFAMILIAS – (TAPE + FILM ARIAS)* | |
| 12 | VLAD – V + L AD. Probably referring to Vlad the Impaler (Dracula), prince of Wallachia but possibly a matey abbreviation for Putin? | |
| 14 | APPARENTLY – A + P(PARENT)LY | |
| 16 | PROMOTIONS – MOTION in PROS(E) | |
| 20 | COMANCHE – CO + MAN + C(AMPAIGN) + HE | |
| 24 | DETERMINATION – DETER NATION around M1 | |
| 25 | FRANKLIN – My last answer. Actually I didn’t even get it, my ever-loving better half looked over my shoulder and nicked the last one. Bah! Anyway, neither of us can explain the second half, any offers? | |
| 26 | EXTENT – EX-TENT, wasn’t 100% convinced about extent as area at first so I didn’t put it in until I had all the letters | |
| Down | ||
| 2 | APPAREL – (APPEAR)* + L. Not the most satisfying anagram with the first three letters the same | |
| 4 | MARCH PAST – Good thing the crossword appeared in June but perhaps the editor would just have changed the number to suit if it was in in July? | |
| 5 | STAND-UP COMEDIAN – (PUNS DOMINATE DAC)* | |
| 6 | ORIEL – hidden word reversed in simp(LE IRO)n | |
| 8 | NOSTRIL – SON <= + TRI(A)L | |
| 13 | DUMBARTON – DUMB (P)ARTON | |
| 15 | RESURFACE – double definition | |
| 17 | REORDER – tricky wordplay. Recorder (court official) with c for about taken out | |
| 19 | CHIGNON – Pleasing definition, I hope no-one more knowledgeable than I am about hairstyles (not difficult) objects to bun = chignon. G(ATEAU) in CHINON | |
| 21 | CAROL – CAR(O)L. A carl being something like a peasant, no offence to Jung and other Carls | |
25A – I think it’s a reference to The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer. One of them is the “Franklin’s Tale”. Can’t remember if it’s one of the rude ones though.
I did the Franklin’s tale for A level a LONG time ago. Strangely I can still reel off the first 12 lines by heart, tho’ I certainly couldn’t spell it. Mind you, neither could Chaucer :-0)
It’s all about knightly honour, so has a very low sauce factor, I’m disappointed to report(!)