Yes, it’s me again, covering for a scheduled blogger who is away from home.
This puzzle was probably made easier by the themed perimeter entries which, provided one knew them, could be written in and then the parsing sorted out afterwards.
There were several occasions where I paused to consider whether the answer, or part of it, was synonymous with the definition, or wordplay, or if an anagram indicator was realistic (eg 16dn). 3dn initially gave me the most concern as I couldn’t justify either the definition or part of the wordplay but on returning to the clue I now see that it works.
Across
1 For which Greece wants restitution as blame lingers, unfortunately (5,7)
ELGIN MARBLES – an anagram (unfortunately) of AS BLAME LINGERS
9 Arid stench of boy on line (4-3)
BONE-DRY – BO (stench) NED (boy) RY (line)
10 In practice, intelligence found in dictionary is to be gone over (2,5)
DE FACTO – FACT (intelligence) in (found in) OED (dictionary) reversed (is to be gone over)
11 Lonicera is inherently more agreeable (5)
NICER – hidden in (is inherently) ‘loNICERa’
12 Wow! On board with points director (8)
SCORSESE – COR (wow) in SS (on board) E S E (points)
14 Conspicuous and clever critique first (10)
NOTICEABLE – NOTICE (critique) ABLE (clever)
15 Earl has plaything returned to island (4)
EYOT – E (earl) TOY (plaything) reversed (returned)
17 Anger at university fundraising before the start of Easter (4)
RAGE – RAG (university fundraising) E[aster] (the start of Easter)
19 Broken-down minibus without, like, cover on the road! (10)
BITUMINOUS – an anagram (broken-down) of MINIBUS OUT
21 Element of hesitation follows prize international (8)
NOBELIUM – NOBEL (prize) I (international) UM (hesitation)
23 Went round to the exhibition (5)
RODEO – RODE (went) O (round)
25 In East Africa, origins of economic rally inspire the republic’s establishment again (7)
ERITREA – first letters of (origins of) E[conomic] R[ally] I[nspire] T[he] R[epublic’s] E[stablishment] A[gain]
26 Most remote / peak (7)
EXTREME – double def.
27 What Scotland’s regained is flag as foes struggle to capture prisoner (5,2,5)
STONE OF SCONE – STONE (flag) plus an anagram (as … struggle) of FOES around (to capture) CON (prisoner)
Down
2 Workers’ body goes back to the floor, covering printing block (7)
LINOCUT – LINO (floor covering) TUC (worker’s body) reversed (goes back)
3 Subordinate to charge on in (8)
INDIRECT – IN DIRECT (charge)
4 County / DJ’s / dressing (4)
MAYO – Triple def.
5 Ludicrous? I? Crazy! (10)
RIDICULOUS – an anagram (crazy) of LUDICROUS I – &litish
6 Some sort of relief if ‘e comes out? No, he’s never coming out! (5)
LIFER – an anagram (some sort of) of RELI[e]F (relief if ‘e comes out)
7 Told to look at French battle in seclusion (7)
SECRECY – a homophone (told) of ‘see’ (to look at) CRÉCY (French battle)
8 Egypt wants it back for award that incorporates part of Birmingham (7,5)
ROSETTA STONE – ROSETTE (award) around (that incorporates) ASTON (part of Birmingham)
9 Nigeria seeks amends for them when Belgium’s returning 9 medals (5,7)
BENIN BRONZES – B (Belgium) NINE (9) reversed (returning) BRONZES (medals)
13 Throw in the towel when CIA put revolution behind schedule (10)
CAPITULATE – an anagram (when … revolution) of CIA PUT plus LATE (behind schedule)
16 I cured it using more water passing through (8)
DIURETIC – an anagram (using?) of I CURED IT
18 Device makes drinks for posh boys’ organisation indoors (7)
GUBBINS – U (posh) BB (boys’ organisation {Boys’ Brigade}) in (indoors) GINS (drinks)
20 Form of address a blonde might not take kindly to? (3,4)
OLD BEAN – an anagram of A BLONDE &lit – I cannot see a specific anagram indicator, it is more implied
22 Very slow freight gets a fresh start (5)
LARGO – cARGO (freight) with the first letter changed (gets a fresh start)
24 Slave to the sound of the waves (4)
SERF – a homophone (to the sound of) of ‘surf’ (waves)
Thanks Gaufrid and Hamilton.
I think INDIRECT is INDICT around RE.
Hi Muffyword
That is a valid parsing for 3dn but there again so is mine since both ‘to direct’ and ‘to charge’ can be defined as ‘to order’ (confirmed in Chambers). I wonder which parsing Hamilton had in mind?
Thanks, Gaufrid.
I see what you mean about some of the definitions and anagram indicators but, after a bit of thought, they all work for me.
I thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle. I loved the interesting ‘bones of contention’ theme [and briefly wondered whether those of Richard III, which we’ve managed to keep here in Leicester, might make an appearance. 😉 ] I particularly liked the &littish 1ac.
Another favourite was BITUMINOUS.
Thanks to Hamilton for a very pleasant start to the day.
Hi Gaufrid,
I prefer mine, because it doesn’t use “direct” in a way closely related to the answer. However, it does work both ways.
I agree with Muffyword [although that reading hadn’t occurred to me.]
Misplaced full stop!
[The sums are extraordinarily easy this morning.]
Hi Gaufrid, many thanks as ever for the blog.
3 down – INDIRECT – I have looked at the submission (which was back in March) and Muffyword has it – it was INDI(RE)CT, though I agree that it could be parsed either way.
Eileen – I’m pleased you enjoyed it (as I still remember how much my Australia puzzle a few years ago provoked the opposite response)! It was cluing 1 across that gave me the idea of doing something similar with the other three perimeter answers.
I wish I’d thought of Richard III but perhaps he deserves a puzzle all to himself one day. Back in March, I don’t recall him being in the news so much, while all the court hearings were underway; he’s been all over the Leicester Mercury recently with the opening of the new Visitor Centre, which I must bestir myself and visit one of these days.
Hi Hamilton – it’s good of you to drop in.
“…(as I still remember how much my Australia puzzle a few years ago provoked the opposite response)!”
Well, I had to dig a bit to find that one: time seems to have mercifully blanked it for me! 😉
and the ELGIN MARBLES and the ROSETTA STONE are so much more up my street as to be in my back yard!
I think Richard might well deserve a puzzle [or two] to himself. I’ve been very excited about the whole thing, as this is my period of A Level History and I’ve always been a Richard supporter. And I pass the site every Thursday afternoon. A few weeks ago, the footpath was blocked as I approached, while they relocated his statue in the new Cathedral Gardens – I felt quite emotional seeing him suspended on high.
If I were you, I’d postpone your visit for a bit, if you’re coming from a distance, although your mention of the Mercury suggests you’re fairly local. The Visitor Centre looks impressive from the outside [I didn’t go in today] but there are road works all around and the Gardens are still not completed. It’s all going to look fantastic, I’m sure – and we still have the reinterment, which will be a massive occasion, to come!
[I am sure Gaufrid will be indulgent towards this digression on his blog. 😉 ]
Hi Eileen
Many thanks – I’ll take your advice and postpone till it’s complete. And yes, I’m Leicester born and bred.
Can someone please explain why DJ is mayo in 4 d ?
Nr
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Mayo
Thanks Hamilton and Gaufrid
Am pretty sure that this is my first Hamilton puzzle and it was a very good one. Cannot believe that there are such signifcant artefacts as the Benin Bronzes and the Stone of Scone which until today I was completely aware of. It is one of the best side benefits of doing these crosswords – a catch up so late in life on the History not learnt in younger days! Also new for me was GUBBINS, NOBELIUM, the BOY’S BRIGADE and Richard MAYO.
Many noteworthy clues as well as the perimeter ones. I parsed 3d the same as Gaufrid, but defer to Muffyword and indeed Hamilton himself for the correct way.
Also fell for the two card trick and wrote in EVEREST for 26 initially – needed DIURETIC to get me back on track.
Can’t wait till his next one!