(Please click here for this same blog but with a picture quiz added. Please do NOT post hereinbelow any comment relating to the picture quiz. Thank you.) Thanks to Armonie, for an enjoyable and relaxing puzzle. Definitions are underlined in the clues.
Across
1 Forgive old copper’s error, initially (6)
EXCUSE : EX-(prefix signifying “old”;former) + CU(symbol for the chemical element, copper)‘S + the 1st letter of(…, initially) “error“.
4 Union leader is more confident having taken much interest (6)
USURER : The 1st letter of(… leader) “Union ” + SURER(more confident).
Defn: Rather, one who has taken much by way of interest on a loan.
8 Add to girl’s résumé (7)
SUMMARY : SUM(to add;to total) plus(to) MARY(a girl’s name).
9 Undeterred by discharge in the river (7)
DESPITE : SPIT(bodily liquid discharge) contained in(in) DEE(any of the rivers with the same name in Wales, Scotland and England).
Defn: Notwithstanding.
11 Transported skip after a while (10)
SPELLBOUND : BOUND(to skip;to leap lightly) placed after(after, in an across clue) SPELL(a while;a period of time).
Defn: Entranced;enchanted.
12 Second comedian is hot stuff (4)
SWAG : S(abbrev. for “second”) + WAG(a comedian).
Defn: As in “stolen goods”.
13 Hit man is to have a swim (5)
BATHE : BAT(to hit with, well, a bat) + HE(third person pronoun for a man).
14 Harasses people in wrong society (8)
TORMENTS : MEN(people, collectively, or, literally, about half of the people) contained in(in) TORT(a legal wrong which may result in a civil suit) + S(abbrev. for “society”).
16 Son might have broken down without being in fear (8)
DISMAYED : [ S(abbrev. for “son”) + MAY(might;could possibly) ] contained in(have … without) DIED(broken down, as with an engine).
18 Longing to own good instrument (5)
GREED : G(abbrev. for “good”) + REED(a musical wind instrument with a reed, an inserted piece that vibrates).
Defn: An excessive desire to have.
20 Soldier on as liberationists died (4)
PLOD : PLO(abbrev. for the Palestine Liberation Organisation) + D(abbrev. for “died”).
21 Carol accepts the problem, having superficial knowledge (10)
SMATTERING : SING(to carol) containing(accepts) MATTER(a problem, as in “what’s the matter with your car?”).
23 Gateman upset tycoon (7)
MAGNATE : Anagram of(… upset) GATEMAN.
24 Wild beast is all Igor dealt with (7)
GORILLA : Anagram of(… dealt with) ALL IGOR.
… and here’s to you – I’m sick of having my photo taken!
25 Odd nature of drink dispenser (3-3)
TEA-URN : Anagram of(Odd) NATURE.
26 Star drinking alcohol is on the slippery slope (3,3)
SKI RUN : SUN(the star in our solar system) containing(drinking) KIR(an alcohol drink of dry white wine or champagne, flavoured with cassis).
Down
1 Provide egghead with witticism (5)
EQUIP : The 1st letter of(…head) “egg” plus(with) QUIP(a witticism).
2 Desert traveller books into legendary English town (7)
CAMELOT : CAMEL(a mammal adapted for desert travel) + OT(abbrev. for the Old Testaments, books in the Bible).
Defn: …, the site of King Arthur’s court.
3 Self-conscious when finding condom in the undergrowth (9)
SHRUBBERY : SHY(self-conscious;not at ease in the company of others) containing(when finding … in) RUBBER(slang for a condom, from the material it is commonly made of).
I’ll refrain from commenting on the surface.
5 Issue about power of drug (5)
SPEED : SEED(one’s issue;offspring) containing(about) P(symbol for “power” in physics).
Defn: Slang for the stimulant drug, amphetamine.
6 Sally makes love with good man in suitable surroundings (7)
RIPOSTE : [O(the letter signifying 0;love in tennis scores) plus(with) ST(abbrev. for “saint”, a good man) ] contained in(in … surroundings) RIPE(suitable;right;opportune, as in “the time is ripe for action”).
Defn: A jocular retort.
7 Cancelled leaflet in a rush (9)
RETRACTED : TRACT(a leaflet;pamphlet, especially of a religious or political nature) contained in(in) REED(rush;any of grass-like plants).
10 Warder has studio constructed in jail (9)
CUSTODIAN : Anagram of(… constructed) STUDIO contained in(in) CAN(slang for “jail”).
13 Train Bill to become dazzling (9)
BRILLIANT : Anagram of(… to become) TRAIN BILL.
15 Blow for Tory given Home Office approval (5,4)
RIGHT HOOK : RIGHT(the side of the political spectrum the Tories;Conservatives are on) plus(given) HO(abbrev. for for the “Home Office”, the government department) OK(approval;endorsement).
Defn: … from a pugilist.
17 Crazy over North American icon (7)
MADONNA : MAD(crazy) + ON(over, as in “throw a sheet over the bed”) NA(abbrev. for North America).
Defn: … of the Virgin Mary.
19 Nobleman – that is, a king in past times (7)
EARLIER : EARL(an English nobleman) + IE(abbrev. for “id est”;that is) + R(abbrev. for “Rex”;a king).
21 Libertine brooded a long time (5)
SATYR : SAT(brooded;sat on or hatched eggs) + YR(abbrev. for “year”, a relatively long time period).
Answer: One who is sexually unrestrained, from the Greek mythological forest deity.
22 Clothes of many Londoners contain this (5)
NYLON : Hidden in(… contain) “many Londoners“.
Defn: “This” which can be made into clothes. A WIWD(wordplay intertwined with definition) clue.
(Please do NOT post hereinbelow any comment relating to the picture quiz. Thank you.)
I enjoyed this, but was slightly thrown by getting CAMELOT and SHRUBBERY next to each other very early on. I immediately assumed that we had a Monty Python and the Holy Grail ghost theme and kept wondering why nothing else seemed to have anything to do with it.
Thanks Armonie & scchua; a fairly gentle romp (in the undergrowth.)
I particularly enjoyed DISMAYED & CAMELOT.
I didn’t find this at all relaxing. In fact I found it highly stressful as I lost my temper as a result of my inability to complete it.
Thanks Armonie and scchua
Typical and relatively straightforward puzzle from this setter, with a couple of clues that took a bit longer to crack than normal, but after getting them wondered why – TEA-URN, CAMELOT and DESPITE.
Thought for a little while that SWAG might have meant the teenage use for ‘hot’ – as in “He’s a swag daddy!” 🙂
Thanks scchua and Armonie.
All pretty straightforward.
My only niggle is whether being in fear is really DISMAYED?