Artexlen always seems to give me trouble, and this morning’s puzzle – in the nicest possible way – was no exception.
Nothing super-tough, really, but an excellent, challenging solve with no mis-steps and a handful of zingers. Worth the time for 15ac. alone. Thank-you, Artexlen.
| Across | ||
| 1 | TRUANT |
Contracted loyal worker? Not this one (6)
Tru(e) [loyal] ant [worker]
|
| 4 | ESQUIRES |
Pole knocked out another in quiz, ultimately ambitious gentlemen (8)
Enquire [quiz] with S [pole] replacing N [pole] (ambitiou)s
|
| 9 | ASIMOV |
Author’s travel document rejected when entering Missouri (6)
Mo [Missouri] within reversal of visa [travel document]
|
| 10 | GINGIVAL |
Giving criminal, missing outside, ball of gum (8)
Anagram of giving (b)al(l)
|
| 12 | HAUL |
Reportedly, where one might find students to pull (4)
Sounds like hall [where one might find students]
|
| 13 | WET BLANKET |
Killjoy melting snow could be described as such (3,7)
Double definition
|
| 15 | POTTY-TRAINED |
Knowing where to go for trade-in? (5-7)
Reverse clue: trade in is an anagram [potty] of trained
|
| 18 | LOSS ADJUSTER |
One investigating settlement’s ground uses old jars to contain sediment, ultimately (4,8)
(Sedimen)t within anagram of uses old jars
|
| 21 | SMOTHERING |
Talk about parent being overprotective (10)
Mother [parent] within sing [talk]
|
| 22 | ZEDS |
Comically dozes, emitting those heartily (4)
Anagram of dozes minus (th)o(se)
|
| 24 | UNHANDED |
Let go of worker ensnared by a French journalist (8)
Un [French for ‘a’] hand [worker] ed [editor, journalist]
|
| 25 | VENICE |
European city playing against European city (6)
V [versus, playing against] E [European] Nice [city]
|
| 26 | OPPOSING |
Showing off on piano after old rival (8)
O [old] p [piano] posing [showing off]
|
| 27 | RED HOT |
Scarlet – victim of revolver? Eliminated lead piping (3,3)
Red [scarlet] (s)hot [victim of revolver]
|
| Down | ||
| 1 | TEASHOPS |
Dances with superior meals, where one can buy drinks (8)
Teas [meals] hops [dances]
|
| 2 | UBIQUITY |
I buy extravagant clothing to renounce commonness (8)
Quit [renounce] within anaram of I buy
|
| 3 | NOOK |
Niche device for the bookworm (4)
Double definition – a Nook is a make of e-reader
|
| 5 | SHIPBUILDING |
Post above establishment signifying traditional trade (12)
Ship [post] building [establishment]
|
| 6 | UNGRATEFUL |
Herbivore raised on grass, fuel vaguely disagreeable (10)
Reversal of gnu [herbivore] rat [grass] anagram of fuel
|
| 7 | REVOKE |
Lift in order fills constantly, going up (6)
OK [in order] within reversal of ever [constantly]
|
| 8 | SALUTE |
Recognise learner interrupting cook (6)
L [learner] within saute [cook]
|
| 11 | NEUROSURGEON |
Doctor, Frenchman’s negative about his cash flow (12)
Euro [Frenchman’s cash] surge [flow] within non [Frenchman’s negative]
|
| 14 | XYLOPHONES |
Axes cut, that man’s in possession of functioning instruments (10)
XY [axes] lop [cut] on [functioning] within he’s [that man’s]
|
| 16 | STEEPISH |
Quite inclined to bathe with one’s husband (8)
Steep [bathe] I’s [one’s] h [husband]
|
| 17 | PROSPECT |
View university catalogue American’s left (8)
Prospectus [university catalogue] minus US [American]
|
| 19 | ESCUDO |
Banks in Odense set up with investment of sweep’s money (6)
Scud [sweep] within reversal of O(dens)e
|
| 20 | NOSH-UP |
Push on to cook lavish meal (4-2)
Anagram of push on
|
| 23 | FETE |
Fair lot to talk about (4)
Sounds like fate [lot]
|
Couldn’t even start. Disappointing.
Two challenging puzzles in a row!
I had lots of write-ins in the bottom half but more work up top.
Never heard of “Nook”!
Thanks Ringo and Artexlen
Thanks Artexlen and Ringo
Another from the backburner that I started on my holiday, but only got around to finishing today – what a cracking puzzle it was !!!
Finally got it all out correctly, but had not heard of the Nook device. I also parsed ZEDS incorrectly (or at least differently) – I took the Z, as the heart of ‘dozes’ to be how sleep was represented in a comic – as. ZZZZ. At least it brought about the right answer! 🙂
Many other excellent clues, including your nominated 15a.