I haven’t got much to say about this, really — not too difficult. For some reason which I can’t now fathom, 4d held me up longer than the others. Favourite clue this week — 16d.
| Across | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | FILIGREE | Soldier is contrary during simulated relief — delicate work GI = soldier (US), reversed; *(relief) Filigree |
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| 8 | ORDURE | Shit way to intervene in floundering euro RD = way (road); in *(euro) |
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| 10 | THE HONOURS LIST | In which big party donors doubtless appear to relish nuts being busted on pocketing House? *(to relish nuts); containing HO = abbreviation for ‘house’ For more information… |
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| 11/6 | BEST OF BRITISH | FBI messed with “OBE” t-shirts? Good luck to ’em! *(FBI OBE t shirts) A somewhat dated expression, which was apparently used by the Mystery Voice on the radio quiz Twenty Questions, in which, I learn, ‘Ian Messiter was reprimanded by the BBC for including “sporran” and “fig leaf” as consecutive objects on the same programme’. |
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| 13 | SILLY ASS | Soft Obama’s behind dope SILLY = soft; ASS = Obama’s behind (i.e. US version of ‘arse’ |
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| 14 | SEXY | Provocative Ms Bercow’s possibly lost everything for old flame SALLY Bercow, with EX = old flame, replacing ALL = everything |
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| 15/22 | FLEA COLLAR | Steered all clear of pussy protector? *(all clear of) |
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| 20 | FRUITFUL | Olive, say, having strain of flu gets pregnant the old-fashioned way FRUIT = olive, say; *(flu). Old-fashioned expression for ‘pregnant’ |
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| 23 | HILLARY CLINTON | Maybe Paris welcomes vaguely lyrical name for a high profile candidate *(lyrical N), N being an abbreviation for ‘name’ and ‘vaguely’ being the anagram indicator; in [Paris] HILTON |
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| 25 | PRISON | Cooler new home for Max Clifford Not quite a double definition; not much more than a single definition, really. Max Clifford is currently incarcerated at Her Maj’s pleasure. |
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| 26 | FAST TALK | Tight on gas, producing verbal diarrhoea FAST = tight (as in ‘secure’); TALK = gas |
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| Down | |||
| 1 | TIGHTER | Extra pissed bondage freak’s exhortation? Double definition — more drunk; what a bondage freak might implore |
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| 2/24 | HIGH NOTE | Pissed off ‘Tone’ — an excellent end! HIGH = pissed; *(tone), with ‘off’ as the anagram indicator |
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| 3 | TRANSFIX | Tricky Nixon farts on quitting, getting stick *(nix farts) — with ‘on’ leaving ‘Nixon’ before anagrammatising |
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| 4 | REPULSE | Reject half of Mr Bean with electronic insert R = half of ‘Mr’; E = electronic; PULSE = bean |
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| 5 | CONSUL | Country agent’s fit of pique, getting end away after party CON = [Conservative] party; SULK[k] = fit of pique, minus its final letter |
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| 9 | DAILY MAIL | Trouble taken by lady I’m screwing to provide a rag (*lady Im), with ‘screwing’ as the anagram indicator; AIL = trouble ‘Rag’ is too polite a word for it, as far as I’m concerned. |
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| 12 | TESTICLES | It selects fancy balls *(it selects), with ‘fancy’ as the anagram indicator |
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| 16 | LUCKLESS | Jinxed Russell finally cut down on sex? F-off! L = Russell, finally; [f]UCK LESS = cut down on sex, minus F |
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| 17 | ARCHERS | Ex-jailbird dumped on society, as heard on radio ARCHER = Ex-jailbird (no need for further elaboration for Eye readers); S = society The Archers |
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| 18 | PLAY-OFF | Dandy’s upset over screw — female is the decider FOP = dandy, reversed; containing LAY = screw; F = female |
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| 19 | CAGOULE | Anorak’s past cracking cryptic clue AGO = past; in *(clue) |
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| 21 | FLAUNT | Even accommodating a large body is flash FLAT = even; ‘accommodating‘ A, UN = large body (United Nations) |
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white
white
white
Plenty of jokes for you here.
I love number 50: “I bought a muzzle for my pet duck. Nothing flashy, but it fits the bill.” Chris Turner
Your subliminal British spellchecker kicked in on 13: you meant “ASS”, not “ARSE”. I got stuck for ages on 4d. Great clue!
Oops! Well spotted — thanks.
Fascinating, as always, to read your lucid explanations of Cyclops’ clues. Despite my increasing proficiency, I just can’t quite get what you mean about your last sentence under 9d…..
I mean that my opinion of the Daily Mail is not high. ‘Rag’ is used as a slightly pejorative term to describe a newspaper; I would use a less polite one in this case.
‘still not sure why the Daily Mail should appear to be demonised. Anyway, no matter….