Solving time: 9:29
A chocolate theme this week, with four examples of ‘centres’, i.e. the gooey bits in the middle. Overall probably a bit easier than usual for Paul.
* = anagram, “X” = sounds like ‘X’.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | C + ON (= ‘riding’) + CERT + O (= ’round’) |
| 11 | N(EG)ATIVITY |
| 12/9 | COFFE(E.C.)R + E[x]AM – one of three wordplays I didn’t understand when I stopped the clock, 5dn and 22dn being the others. |
| 17 | B(EW)ITCH |
| 20 | SHORT CUT – wordplay in the answer, ‘short cut’ = Cu = copper. |
| 22 | CENT + RE – the theme word, although with so many possible meanings it wasn’t much help. |
| 23 | RU(M)T + RUFFLE |
| 26 | ETRUSCAN; (RECUSANT)* |
| Down | |
|---|---|
| 1 | D + OLOROSO |
| 2 | S + CAT (= ‘man’) |
| 3 | ORANG + ESUR (= rev. of RUSE) + PRISE |
| 4 | CON + GEST (= GETS*) |
| 5 | S(C)OT FREE – because a temperance society should be ‘sot free’. |
| 6 | PERVERSION; (IS PORN EVER)* – clever anagram. |
| 7 | S + MITES |
| 13 | FEDERATION; (OF RETAINED)* |
| 16 | NOCTURNE; “KNOCKED URN” |
| 18 | CIRCULAR (double definition) |
| 19 | STIFFEN; rev. of FITS + FEN |
| 21 | H(A)UNCH |
| 22/15 | CHERRY FONDANT; HENRY FONDA (with R for N) in CT |
| 24/10 | LAST POST (double definition) – very clever, ‘late’ in the sense of ‘dead’. |