Definitely a bit harder to get going this week. The double definitions seemed to often require very specific knowlege for the second definition, and the two word clues (except 4dn which was my favourite) were simply broken into their constituent words before cluing (I prefer it when the wordplay bridges the gap, so to speak) so overall, not a favourite of mine.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | TOP BRASS – POT< + BRASS |
| 5 | JARGON – dd |
| 9 | PEARL – dd. Pearl was apparently one measurement in an extinct way of defining font (type) size, which has been superseded by the point system. |
| 10 | OBSESSION – OB + SESSION |
| 12 | CAMPION – CAMP = affected + I + ON = acting. Jane Campion is a famous filmmaker although she is probably as well known as a screenwriter as a director. |
| 13 | EARNEST – A in ERNEST |
| 14 | SMOTHERED MATE – SMOTHERED + MATE. In chess, a smothered mate is a checkmate delivered by a knight in which the mated king is unable to move because he is surrounded (or smothered) by his own pieces. |
| 17 | ORIENT EXPRESS – ORIENT = direct + EXPRESS = say |
| 21 | ENRIQUE – (INQUEER)* |
| 22 | CELESTA – CELEST(e) + A |
| 24 | THE RED SEA – (ADESERTHE)* |
| 25 | VENUS – VENU(e) + S |
| 26 | ERSATZ – hidden in flowERS AT Zoo |
| 27 | STURGEON – SURGEON around T |
| Down | |
| 1 | TYPECAST – cd using double meaning of the word “part” |
| 2 | PSALM – S in PALM = prize (e.g. Golden Palm at Cannes) |
| 3 | RALEIGH – (AGIRLHE)* |
| 4 | SLOANE RANGERS – (ONSALE)* + R + ANGERS. A colloquial name for certain type of upper class young lady taking it’s name from Sloane Square in London. Princess Diana was probably the most well known Sloane Ranger. |
| 6 | ASSYRIA – A + S + SYRIA. Assyria was a kingdom in Mesopotamia |
| 7 | GUINEVERE – I in GUN = piece + EVE + RE |
| 8 | NINETY – dd. Joe 90 was a 60’s TV show in from the creators of, and in the same vein as, Thunderbirds |
| 11 | SPEED MERCHANT – SPEED + MERCHANT |
| 15 | ODOURLESS – (SOLDROUES)* |
| 16 | ASSASSIN – AS = for instance + SASS = cheek + IN |
| 18 | INQUEST – IN + QUEST |
| 19 | PALAVER – A + LAVER after (championshi)P. Rod Laver was world tennis no. 1 from 1964 to 1970 |
| 20 | CENTRE – C + ENTRE = “ENTER” (I think…) |
| 23 | SINGE – SING(l)E |
Common crossword abbreviations this week:
old boy = OB
one = I
adult = A
Sun = S
tons = T
son = S
river = R [but sometimes requires the name of a river instead]
small = S
about = RE
at home = IN
clubs = C
left = L
Ref. 9ac – C defines it as a 5pt type.
We wasn’t happy with the homophone at 20dn either.
I too had a slow start with this. The last to fall was top left quadrant. I thought there were too many proper names in the grid. And, in 3 dn, it takes time for us to determine whether what is needed is a synonym for ‘courtier’ or the name of such a personage. An anagram is supposed to be a starter but this eluded me till the later stages.
Though I got 9d PEARL early on, I had to look up the dictionary for its “type” meaning.
I found the pithy clue at 17a ORIENT EXPRESS very pleasing.
16d ASSASSIN too was refreshingly different in avoiding a couple of fools.
19d PALAVER I know more in the sense of copious talk than ‘bother’.