Times for the Times

Times Jumbo 980 (19 May 2012)

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 11:08:29 GMT

Solving time: 1hr 40m

I didn't get very far in the first 40 minutes, so I put it down and came back to it the next day. I was clearly in a much better frame of mind then as the answers came much quicker then, and I finished probably the last three-quarters in an hour.

I thought this was a pangram, but on closer inspection I see there's no J.

cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (--)*, and removals ~~like this~~

Across
1	C + INCH - 8⅓ feet is 100 inches
4	BOWDLERISE = (WORDS + BILE)* + ~~critiqu~~E
9	TI(MB)ER - the cry of a lumberjack
14	SECTIONAL = (COASTLINE)*
15	WILD AND WOOLLY - dd
16	NIT RATE - Nits are louse eggs, so their rate might be measured by an egg timer.
17	OBSCENITY = O + BSC + E~~xcessive~~ + TIN rev + ~~nast~~Y
18	AN + VILe
19	GNOMES OF ZURICH = Z in (INFORMEr + COUGHS)*
22	TO(E)N + AIL - the definition is 'one's extreme', a toenail being the furthest point of the body from the centre
25	HOPPING MAD - dd
27	CALL THE SHOTS - dd
30	LOTUS = U~~sed~~ in LOTS (rafts)
31	UNAWARES = WAN (faint) rev + ARE all in US
32	CREAM TEA = M (large number) in CREATE (cook up) + A
35	SCHOONER - dd
36	METALLIC - dd - that's 'irony' as in like iron
37	LEAVE - dd
39	IN + CREAm + SINGLY
41	TEASER + VICE
43	ESTONIA - rev hidden in ~~dub~~AI NOT SE~~negal~~
45	OPEN UNIVERSITY = (PREVIOUS NINETY)*
48	QUART = sQUAT about R
49	IMITATING = skIrt + IT in MATING - I'm not convinced about 'essentially' meaning 'the centre of', but the surface was wonderful so I'll let it pass.
51	FISHEYE = IF rev + YE (you) after SHE
53	IMPERTURBABLE = ELBA + BRUT + REP + MI all rev
54	INNERMOST = ST after INN + (MORE)*
55	FIDDLE - dd
56	GEORG SOLTI = (GOO + GRISTLE)* - I liked the well-disguised definition 'he conducted'
57	ALERT = ALE + ~~afte~~RT~~aste~~
Down
1	C(A + SIN)O
2	NICOTINE PATCH = (PATHETIC CON IN)*
3	HAIr + FA
4	BONKERS = BON + K + wE~~nceslas~~ tR~~ied~~ eS~~cargots~~
5	WALDORF SALAD = (ROD + LAW) rev + SALt in FAD - just makes me think of Fawlty Towers
6	LE(W + IS)G + UN
7	ROLFE - hidden in ~~cont~~ROL FE~~arless~~
8	SPANISH FLY = (FISHY PLANS)*
10	I + SO + LATE
11	B + OLIVIA + NO - the currency of, you've guessed it, Bolivia. Olivia was a countess in Twelfth Night
12	ROYAL = LAY + OR all rev
13	A DAY AT THE RACES - dd - both definitions excellently disguised - 'time for a better' and 'picture of Marxist antics' - my COD, plus an excuse to include a link to the great Chico Marx on piano
20	MAID'S TONE
21	I DARE SAY = (EASY RAID)*
23	LASSA FEVER = S~~pread~~ + SAFE all in LAVER
24	PHILISTINE = PINE about tHIs + LIST
26	GLUTEUS MAXIMUS = MAXIM + US after GLUT + SUE rev
28	SM(ALL)ARMS
29	PATELLAE = puT in PAELLA + ~~tabl~~E
33	TOAD-IN-THE-HOLE = (HEAD + THE LOTION)*
34	SLEEPING PILL - cd
38	UNSOCIABLE = C in (IN A BLOUSE)*
40	CATNAPPED = ANT rev in CAPPED
42	BUS + I + NESS
44	NATURAL = bURp in NATAL
46	EFFENDI = dEaFaId about FEND - a respectful term for a Turkish man
47	BE A TIT - although where I come from, there is nothing bird-like about 'being a tit'
48	QUI + F + F~~rench~~
50	AMBER - I got this from the definition alone. I'm not sure about the wordplay - I think it's CAMBER without the C.
52	SYRIA = AIRY + S~~eason~~ all rev

Big Dave's Prize Puzzle Starts Today!

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 10:58:14 GMT

An advert for a rival site? Well, why not - we're all on the same side really. Big Dave's Telegraph Crossword blog have started publishing a monthly prize puzzle which you might like to have a go at - You can access it here.

Times Saturday 25173 (26th May)

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 06:58:01 GMT

Solving time 7:48. Well, they don't come much easier than that, especially on a Saturday! Having said that, I don't think this was a bad puzzle. There weren't any bad clues, and the few bits of tricky vocabulary were given helpful wordplay.

Across
1	FACE TO FACE - FACET OF ACE.
6	OVEN - not hard to find in "Beethovenian".
9	RENEWAL - REAL (material) around NEW (modern).
10	TRIPLET - LET (allowed) nex to TRIP (a journey).
12	SCOUR - SOUR (acid) round C (circa, about).
13	CHASTENED - C(onservative) + HASTENED (went quickly).
14	ACT OF PARLIAMENT - this one seems a bit woolly to me but I think "Bill approved" is the definition, then ACT (part of play) + OF PARLIAMENT (in both houses).
17	LAY DOWN ONE'S ARMS - (w[~~eapon~~]s and slay no more)*
20	GRAND-AUNT - G(irl) + RAN (managed) + DAUNT (intimidate).
21	GRIEF - G(ood) + (b)RIEF (short without the B).
23	FAIENCE - FENCE (dodgy dealer) around A1 (very fine).
24	PANNIER - ANN (girl) inside PIER (support).
25	EWER - (s)EWER.
26	DUNDEE CAKE - DUNDEE (i.e. Crocodile Dundee, a film character played by Paul Hogan) + CAKE (lady's finger perhaps). To me lady's finger is another name for okra, but Chambers says it can also be a small finger-shaped sponge cake. Great surface reading!

Down
1	FORESTALL - FORES(t) (most of trees) + TALL (lofty).
2	CANTO - CATO (censor) around N(ew).
3	TOWER OF LONDON - (for one old town)*. Brilliant anagram.
4	FELUCCA - FE (iron) + LUCCA (Italian city).
5	CATCALL - CATC(h) (mostly understand) + ALL (every).
7	VOLUNTEER - (new true love)*
8	NOTED - NOTEPAD (see 19) without PA.
11	INTRANSIGENCE - (green stain in c~~ape~~)*.
15	THYLACINE - (in the clay)*. Another name for the Tasmanian tiger (officially extinct since the 1930's, although there are still occasional reports of sightings).
16	TASK FORCE - T(ime) + ASK FOR (request) + C.E. (church).
18	NOUVEAU - NO UV (quite the opposite of a light) + EAU (French water).
19	NOTEPAD - DON (lecturer) around A PET (a favourite), all reversed.
20	GAFFE - GAFFE(r).
22	IBIZA - I (one) + B(alearic) + I(sland) + Z (unknown) + A(rea).

Times 25178 - Trooble at t'mill

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 02:08:36 GMT

Time taken to solve: Completely off the scale. I finished the RH apart from the unforgivable 22dn in about 15 minutes and thought I was in for an easy ride but I found the SW difficult and the NW almost impossible. At one point I was completely stuck for 20 minutes with still a dozen clues unsolved. I've not explained in quite as much detail as I usually do so if there are any queries please don't hesitate to ask and I or one of the posters will explain further.

Across
1	FINALIST - F,IN, A-LIST
5	PESACH - PE(S)ACH - another name for Passover apparently. A new one on me, but easily gettable from wordplay.
8	RUN - Double definition, the first one cryptic and possibly unsolvable without reference to the second. My last in!
9	CHARIOTEER - CH{AR(IO)T}EER
10	PRIESTLY - Sounds like the writer and playwright (JB) Priestley. The definition includes the apostrophe S to make it possessive.
11	BOTTOM - Double definition. 'Mechanical' is a reference to the weaver in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
12	OWED - 0,WED. I very much doubt the assumption about patrons of singles bars but we'll let that pass. On edit: Thanks to Sotira for pointing out the question mark which also queries the assumption.
14	OFF-THE-CUFF - OF, FT, H(EC)UFF. Once again the apostrophe S makes the possessive and this time supplies OF.
17	FOUR O'CLOCK - F(OUR OC)LOCK
20	EAST - ~~gam~~E expanded. Edit: An anon below suggests this should be ~~bridg~~E and I'm inclined to agree.
23	ALBINO - 'Albion' with the N moved forward
24	ONE OR TWO - (TO OWNER 0)*
25	QUID PRO QUO - QUID (cash) + PRO (player paid) + QU (question) + O (over).
26	ELI - E~~nglish~~ + ~~mora~~LI~~sing~~
27	OYSTER - Hidden and reversed
28	HEADLONG - HE,AD,LONG

Down
1	FIREPROOF - F,1,REPROOF
2	NUNLIKE - N,UNLIKE
3	LOCUST - LO(C~~aptain~~,U'S)T
4	STABLEFUL - STABLE,FUeL
5	POOH-BAH - H(ABHOr)OP reversed. This is a character in The Mikado but it can be used generally for any pompous official.
6	Anagram deliberately omitted.
7	CART OFF - CA(R,TO)FF
13	DARWINIST - (II WANTS D~~octo~~R)*
15	TECHNIQUE - TEC,(IN, H rev.),QUE (Fr.)
16	FATHOMING - FAT,HOMING (pigeon)
18	OBLOQUY - OB (obiit - he or she died), LO, QUaY
19	CHOPPER - Double definition. We had the execution block the last time I blogged a puzzle
21	ART DECO - A~~mbe~~R, T~~inge~~D, ECO (green)
22	POGOED - PO (naval officer), GO-ED (went showing bad form). A humorous (?) incorrect attempt at the past tense of 'go'. Surely one of the worst Times crossword clues ever. That I'd never heard of the dance didn't help matters.

Times 25,177 - John Wayne Lives

Thu, 31 May 2012 01:11:03 GMT

Got back late last night from ten days in Indonesia, attending the Borobudur Interhash 2012 plus seeing much of central Java (the locals spell it as Jawa) including Merapi the volcano which last erupted with deadly fury killing 353 people in 2010.

As they say, no rest for the wicked; so here goes.

A well-rounded puzzle to greet my return and as I blogged two five-lettered words, a childhood hero lives once more.

ACROSS
1 COUP CO (company, firm) UP (mounted)
3 SCRATCH PAD SCRATCH (delete or someone withdrawing from an event) + P (page) + AnD (and becomes disheartened)
9 INCISED INC (incorporated) I'S (one's) ED (editor) the theatre here being an operation room in a hospital
11 PERHAPS *(PHRASE + Piano) def nicely inconspicuous
12 WOMANISER *(SWAIN MORE) I like this quasi &lit for the lovely and appropriate surface
13 AWING When I googled to find the origin of the familiar phrase on a wing and a prayer, I was quite surprised to find that it originated from the film Flying Tigers in which John Wayne playing Captain Jim Gordon said "She's coming in on one wing and a prayer" about another fighter seen to have been shot by enemy gunfire.
14 GROWING PAINS Ins of OWING Penny (having minimal debt) in GRAINS (small amounts)
18 SECOND NATURE SECOND (to be supportive) NATURE (kind)
21 AVERT AVER (to make claim) T (time)
22 THAT'S THAT THAT = THAT is pretty obvious
24 GALILEO Ins of I (one) in GALLEON (old ship) minus N (docked) Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution
25 AIRPORT AIR (number, song) PORT (left side in a plane or ship); another smoothie
26 RUGBY UNION cd Thanks to mctext, the game owed its origin to a schoolboy (from RUGBY, the famous public school) breaking the law of football when he picked up the ball during the game and ran with it. The rest, as they say, is history.
27 dd deliberately omitted

DOWN
1 CHINWAGS Ins of W (west) in CHINA (part of East) + first letters of Get & Stalled
2 UNCOMMON dd if UN is treated as a universal indicator of the opposite. While reading the history of colonial Malaya, I was surprised to learn that the early legislative body was made up of Official members (appointed from British civil servants) and Unofficial members (elected from local population)
4 CODAS Codas are final pieces of music and the wordplay (thanks to vinyl1) Ins of O (band) in CD (compact disc, record) + AS (for example)
5 AMPERSAND A + *(MAD PERSON minus O, none) the joining symbol & above the number 7
6 CURTAIN-RAISER *(TRAIN A CRUISER)
7 PLACID Ins of C (first letter of clan) in PLAID (cloth forming part of traditional Highland dress) My COD for the imagery of a Scottish bagpiper playing Mull of Kintyre on a lonely cliff on an island famous for producing single malt
8 DESIGN Ins of S (son) in DEIGN (be condescending)
10 SENTIMENTALLY SENT (elated) I (one, again as in 24Across) MENTALLY (as one thinks)
15 GHOST TOWN G (good) HOST (entertainer) + *(WONT)
16 RUSHMORE To rush more is a tichy way of saying to display greater urgency. The Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States featuring sculptures of the heads of former United States presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
17 RESTATED Ins of STATE (country) in RED (in debt)
19 BADGER A very clever dd
20 JET-LAG JET (black) LAG (convict)
23 ALAMO ALA (Alabama) MO (Missouri) This was the mission where John Wayne, oops Davy Crockett was killed. The Battle of the Alamo was a pivotal battle fought during the Texas Revolution

Key to abbreviations
dd = double definition
dud = duplicate definition
tichy = tongue-in-cheek type
cd = cryptic definition
rev = reversed or reversal
ins = insertion
cha = charade
ha = hidden answer
*(fodder) = anagram

Times Jumbo 979 - with apologies

Wed, 30 May 2012 08:43:41 GMT

My first posting of this blog, on Saturday 26th, seems to have been locked or corrupted, so with apologies (and thanks to linxit, for alerting me), here it is again.

I can't give a solving time for this, as I had several interruptions, but I didn't think it was too difficult.

Across
1	BRATWURST - BURST, arount RAT + W
6	SPINNER - P in SINNER
10	SWOOP - S + P, outside WOO
13	STATION - double definition
14	LIGHTEN - N replacing the last letter of LIGHTER (type of boat)
15	GEEGEES - GEE (twice) = cries of wonder, + S (first letter of saluted), I think
16	LIE THROUGH ONE'S TEETH - cryptic definition (canines here are canine teeth)
17	SUE - SUE(z)
18	COWARD - CO-WARD = fellow protege. SCARAMOUCHE was a cowardly clown character in the Italian commedia dell'arte
20	MANANA - MA, around NANA(reversed)
21	RIDERLESS - RIDER + LES'S (RIDER as in author Rider Haggard)
23	BEADLESHIP - BEADS + HIP, around LE
25	TREECREEPER - cryptic definition of the bird
29	ADELE - can sound like a dell
30	INSULTED - anagram of silent + (b)u(d)d(y)
31	MINSTREL - MIST around N, + RE + L
34	SHOPPING - double definition - SHOPPING as in betraying someone
36	COLONIAL - IA replacing E in COLONEL
37	WIDEN - WI indicating London W1, the Mayfair area, +DEN
39	FLANNELETTE - anagram of N ALL TEN FEET
41	TAPESTRIED - APES + T(amper) in TRIED
43	KILLARNEY - ARNE replacing JO in KILLJOY
45	PARSON - P(reoccupied) + ARSON
47	ODESSA - O + (i)DEA round SS (steamship)
49	ERG - hidden in anothER Guise
50	HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD - double definition
52	SITWELL - IT (sex appeal) in SWELL
53	INHUMAN - HUM (smell) + A, in INN
54	PITFALL - PIT (sounds like Pitt) + FALL
55	PURSE - double definition
56	TREASON - RE (Royal Engineering Corps) in TA (Territorial Army), + SON
57	EIDERDOWN - RED + IE (reversed), + DOWN = blue (depressed)

Down
1	BASILICA - BASIC + A, around IL (Italian for "the")
2	AWARE - A + WAR + E(rupt)
3	WEIGHBRIDGE - sounds like Weybridge (town in Surrey)
4	RANDOM - AND in ROM (Read-Only Memory, computing term)
5	TELEGRAPHESE - E + LEG + RAP, in THE SE (south-east, indicated by Home Counties). This clue contains the obligatory cricketing reference - on defines LEG, short for legside, which can also be referred to as the onside of a cricket field. Cricket enthusiasts, please correct me if this explanation is inaccurate!
6	SIGNORA - SIGN + OR (other ranks, hence men, in the army), + A
7	IN THE LAST RESORT - anagram of hoteliers start + n(oon)
8	NON-STARTER - anagram of Ann's retort
9	RAGWEED - WE in RAGED
10	SHEPHERDESS - Cryptic definition. "You, we hear" indicates ewe
11	OVERSLEEP - O (ring), + PEEL'S REV(erend) reversed
12	POSTERS - T in POSERS. Forum here indicates online discussion/chat forum
19	WHERETO - HE (His Excellency; governor) in anagram of tower
22	REGIONAL - LAGER round NO + I (all reversed)
24	PULL ONE'S PUNCHES - PULL + ONE'S + PUNCHES. Pick up defines PULL in the sense of, as Chambers puts it, "to succeed in forming a (sexual) relationship with". As in "Get your coat, you've pulled"
26	CHINLESS - cryptic definition, alluding to the phrase "chinless wonder"
27	RULING - RU (Rugby Union) + LING
28	MASSIF - MA'S + IF (poem by Rudyard Kipling), around S
32	REDRESS - R(outin)E + DRESS
33	MISPRONOUNCE - PRONOUN (indicated by "they possibly"), inside MI'S + CE
35	PENTATHLETE - anagram of lent the tape
37	WORLD-BEATER - anagram of bolder, in WATER
38	STRYCHNINE - TRY in SCH(ool), + IN in N + E
40	ALLIGATOR - A, + GILL (reversed), + A TOR
42	MANDOLIN - double definition, partly cryptic. A MANDOLIN can be a tool for slicing vegetables finely, as well as a plucked instrument
43	KNEES-UP - cryptic definition
44	NOTELET - TELET(h)ON reversed
46	RAILMAN - M in LA (Los Angeles), in RAIN
48	STUPID - P + I(ndustry), in STUD (defined by boss). I wasn't convinced by barmy as a definition of STUPID
51	ERATO - ERA + TO. Erato was the Greek muse of lyric poetry

Times 25176: I guess that’s why they call it the blues

Wed, 30 May 2012 01:22:09 GMT

Solving time: 25:38

Bit of housekeeping: (1) filling in for Jerry today as he’s elsewhere; (2) apologies to Jim for missing yesterday’s blog. Busy yesterday with a tense euchre tournament.

Not a difficult puzzle on the whole with many going straight in, especially on the left-hand side. Held up by the two 15s at the end with the unknown STONECROP and, not being too sure about 13dn, trying to fit COURTIERS into 15ac.

~~I think there’s a problem at 20ac; though maybe I’m reading it wrongly.~~ Ignore my stupidity on this one!

Across
1	LIMBURGER. {mea}L,IM; URGE inside BR (for British).
6	Omitted.
9	WINDBAG. Anagram of ‘band’ inside WIG.
10	PA(TIE)NT. Ligature = tie, slur (music).
11	REVELATION. Party = REVEL; {n}ATION.
12	MAYO{r}. Source of another Pynchonian Feghoot pun: “The check’s in the mayo” (Vineland, p32).
14	BEN,IN. As with 1ac, a couple of answer-letters are in the clue.
15	SQUANDERS. The def is ‘blues’ (verb; fritters away, etc.). We take the N{umber} and insert it in SQUAD; then ER’S. Liked the surface of this a great deal.
16	CHA,PER,ONE.
18	NICHE. EH? is a request for a repeat; C for ‘Conservative’; IN (during). All reversed.
20	PARE. Take your PEAR, move the second half (AR) back a bit. If so, then why ‘later’? Or maybe the reading should go: Cut (PARE) would become PEAR if its second portion (in this case, the second two letters) went later? On edit: third try (thanks to mmagus): Take your PEAR, move its second letter (portion) to the end. Boy did I make a meal of this or what?
21	METROPOLIS. MET (experienced); OR (soldiers) reversed; POLIS{h}.
25	C(ANNIE)R. As in Little Orphan Annie; which is now being discussed on the radio. Apparently the original was Little Orphan Otto.
26	CHE(MI)ST. Sol-fa strikes again. (Let’s not go through this again!)
27	STEAL. Hidden in the first three words. ‘Nicking’ is the indicator; ‘bag’ is the def. A love-or-hate type of clue. Either way, it’s cute.
28	P(RESENT)LY.

Down
1	LOWER. An old stand-by; that which lows (and wakes famous babies in stables).
2	M,IN,IVAN. Again, two letters are supplied in the clue itself. (Wasn’t Latin conjugation fun when you got to ‘aminibus’?)
3	UNBALANCED. Two defs. (Not one for the nutters at NAMI, etc. who have been known to try to stop crosswords from making supposedly derogatory references to the mentally ill.)
4	GIGOT. G{ood}; GO (try) inside IT.
5	RE(PRO)DUCE. Public Relations Officer (the bosses’ police).
6	Omitted. Our homophone for the day.
7	PR(E,L)ATE.
8	RETROUSSE. RE (on); T (time); RO(US)SE.
13	IN ONE PIECE. 1 NIECE includes O (old) and PEN (swan) reversed.
14	BACK(PACK)S. Never been to Cambridge but read much about Wittgenstein and Russell walking along the Backs. Wik: “The Backs is an area to the east of Queen’s Road in the city of Cambridge, England, where several colleges of the University of Cambridge back on to the River Cam”.
15	STONECROP. Anagram of ‘pots’ containing ONE C{ontaine}R
17	A,R,RANGE.
19	CELL,1ST.
22	REC,CE.
23	S(A)TAY. Guy as in camping equipment, etc.
24	{g}RILL.

Times 25,175 Dove Cottage to Ebbw Vale

Tue, 29 May 2012 07:45:49 GMT

Solving time 20 minutes

Straightforward puzzle that shouldn't cause too many problems despite some of the slang and oldish references.

uenots

Across
1	A,BUN,IN,THE,OVEN - (nineveh about n=new)*; oldish slang term for up the duff;
8	STET - hidden (wa)STE-T(reatment);
9	AMELIORATE - AM-(OIL-E reversed)-RATE;
10	RELAXANT - R(ALE reversed - X)ANT; why Hitler rather than Alex Ferguson and the hairdrier?; what you need after discovering 1A;
11	EMIGRE - E(MIG)RE; a MIG was a Russian jet - singular?; Les Huguenots, mes amis;
13	WORDSWORTH - WORD'S-WORTH; lonely, wandering daffy sort of bloke;
16	OAST - (t)OAST; for beer rather than babies;
17	OBOE - (y)OB-OE; OE=Old English=Anglo Saxon;
18	YELLOW,SPOT - (poet slowly)*; the centre of the retina or Wordsworth's flower patch;
20	BEDSIT - mini house-sit;
22	OVERRIDE - OV(ERR)ID-(horac)E;
24	ANNO,DOMINI - AN-NOD-O-MINI; posh phrase for getting on a bit;
26	MINE - I made it so it's mine!;
27	ELEPHANT,GRASS - (passenger at hl)*; hl from h(ote)l; type of reed-mace found on the plains;

Down
1	AT,THE,DOUBLE - (lute had to be)*; you 'orrible little man (brings back memories for some);
2	ULTRA - leader of Ottomans=sultan then remove s=son and n=name and insert r=run gives you ULTRA; ultra convoluted;
3	IN,A,BAD,WAY - IN A (DAB reversed) WAY; back to 1A, perhaps;
4	TWEETER - T(W)EETER; why capital S for Speaker?;
5	EMILE - (competitiv)E-MILE; don't they run 1500 meters these days?; Emile et Rose presumably;
6	VERMINOUS - V(E-RM-IN)OUS; RM=Royal Marines; VOUS=you for Emile;
7	NUT - TUN reversed;
12	RESPONDENTS - (persons tend)*; Liz Taylor was the world champion;
14	DRESS,CODE - DRESS(CO)DE(n=new); what do you look like, you 'orrible little man;
15	HOOVERING - HOOVER-I-NG; the product name becomes the action;
19	LAOTIAN - (TO-A-L=lake=loch reversed)-IAN; a Vietnamese emigre en Paris, perhaps;
21	TOOTH - TOOT-H; TOOT=snort a line; H=heroin; a gear wheel contains teeth;
23	RUMBA - shadow=umbra then move r=republican to give RUMBA; my favourite dance along with the foxtrot;
25	NYE - (e)N(d)-(cl)Y(de)-(stal)E(mate); the mean is the middle; reference Aneurin Bevan, Welsh founder of the NHS;

Sloggers & Betters tomorrow!

Tue, 29 May 2012 04:44:29 GMT

Final reminder about tomorrow's S&B meeting.

The annual Times Setters' Lunch is taking place on 30th May and this will be followed by a Sloggers and Betters get-together in The Town of Ramsgate (62 Wapping High Street E1), where some of us went after last years Championship finals, from 4:30pm onwards.

It'll be a great chance to meet most of the setters from the Times team, as well as several from the other papers (Telegraph, Guardian, Indy, FT). Bloggers from Fifteensquared and Big Dave's will also be coming. It's always a great evening, so if you can be in London on the 30th, get down there!

Times 25174 - Shakespeare on the Internet

Mon, 28 May 2012 00:52:13 GMT

Solving time: 39 minutes

Music: Mozart Piano Concertos, Kempff/Leitner

I was quite slow getting started, reading a fair number of clues before lighting on 21 down and wrestling with it for a bit. I'd be surprised if any other solver started with that one, but it broke the ice.

With this grid, it is very helpful if you can get the long ones quickly. I was far from doing so, having only the meal and the second half of the resort for a long time. I needed the top long across to get anywhere with the top half, having completed the bottom in about 10 minutes. Believe it or not, the long one at 2 down was my last in, although I did pause another moment to amend an answer I had marked as possibly incorrect.

Across
1	REPELLENT, REP + ELLEN + T[rip], one of the last ones I entered.
6	VICAR. VI + CAR. I was wrongly thinking of the actual names of the smaller numbers in classical languages, hen, duo, treis, unus, duo, tres.
9	UNINTENTIONALLY, UN(IN TENT)ION ALLY. Got this one from the 'cool wine' part, a cryptic cliche that is very useful to setters and solvers alike.
10	ETHANE, E + THANE.
11	SPECTRAL, [in]SPECT[o]R + AL. I just put this in from the literal, which was probably a wise move. A rather devious cryptic here.
13	SHOP SOILED. SHOPS + OIL + ED.
14	Omitted - look for it!
16	AVER, [r]AVER. This word is often an element in the wordplay, so should come readily to mind.
17	VIDEO NASTY, anagram of DIES ON TV, SAY. Never heard this expression, must be UK-centric, but easy enough to work out.
19	ASTEROID, anagram of RAISED TO, with a giveaway literal.
20	HAIRDO, HAIR + DO, with a properly deceptive literal.
23	PLOUGHMAN'S LUNCH, P + LOUGH + MANS + L[a]UNCH. I saw the 'lunch' part first, but not really difficult.
24	EPHOD, EP(H[usband])OD. How 'dope' = 'train', I don't quite see, but this must be the answer. Our honorable Australian correspondent has kindly explained this point in the very first comment.
25	NERVOUSLY, anagam of SURELY NO + V[aliant].

Down
1	Omitted.
2	PLIGHT ONE'S TROTH, PLIGHT + anagram of TO SHORTEN. For a long time, I couldn't think of any final word that fit except for 'tooth'.
3	LUTENIST, L + U + TE(NI)ST. I needed to cryptic to get the correct spelling.
4	ERNE, sounds like EARN.
5	TAILPIECES, TAIL + PIECES. Not knowing much about violin construction, I first put 'trimpieces' and then corrected from the cryptic.
6	VENICE, V(E[uropea]N)ICE.
7	COLORADO SPRINGS, COLOR(ADO SPRING)S. The 'in US' goes with 'greens, say', to indicate the US spelling of 'colours', and 'resort' alone is the definition. But Colorado Springs is in fact in the US, so the clue fails to mislead.
8	ROYAL NAVY, re-expansion of R[ecorded] N[ow].
12	MILITIAMEN, anagram of TIME IN LIMA, where the first thing a skilled solver would do is grab the 'milit-' root and try that.
13	STAR-APPLE, ST(AR P)PLE. I was wondering how 'stale' = 'basic', then I saw it. Demerits to anyone who carelessly put in 'pineapple' without thinking.
15	INTAGLIO, IN + TAG + OIL backwards. Easy enough if you've heard of the word.
18	FRIGID, F + RIG + I + D, with a euphemised literal.
21	OCHRY, O + CH(Companion of Honour) + RY. Some hoary cryptic cliches will give you this uncommon word, if you just trust them.
22	KNAR, RANK upside down.

Sunday Times 4486 (20 May 2012) by Tim Moorey

Sun, 27 May 2012 18:49:18 GMT

Solving time: 54:14

I'm not sure if these puzzles have gotten harder recently, or if I've just got stupider, but I seem to be struggling much more than I used to. Maybe I just need to get some more sleep.

On the whole, quite a number of good clues here. The semi-&lits at 1a, 13d & 19d were all good, plus the surface at 17 and the definition at 19. I think I'll give my COD to 1a, just for starting me off with a smile.

My humblest apologies about the extreme lateness of this blog. I've been on holiday in Wales for a week. Last time I went, there was WiFi where we were, so I foolishly assumed there would be again. Alas no.

cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (--)*, and removals ~~like this~~

Across
1	SUMO TOURNAMENT = (ENORMOUS MUTANTS)* - An amusing semi-&lit to kick off
9	AIR + CREW
10	BIG(SH)OT
11	ErASE
12	HULL + A + BALOO
13	GRE(A + S)ED
15	RICH MAN = (IN MARCH)* - Dives is the rich man in the biblical parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man
17	SATANIC - An excellent surface, although the wordplay is a tad contrived. 'Bit of fun' = Fun, 'barred' = removed from, 'cryptic' = anagram, so it's (fANATICS)*. Mephisto is a shortened form of Mephistopheles, a demon.
19	PESETAS = hidden in ~~reci~~PE SET AS~~ide~~ - well disguised definition
20	REVELATORY = REVELRY about (A + TO)
22	STOP = POTS rev - a 'period' to Americans is a full stop to us English.
25	PA(IN)TER - This probably refers to Graham Sutherland, whose portrait of Winston Churchill was so disliked by the subject that his wife ordered it destroyed. It could also refer to David Sutherland, the comic book artist responsible for Dennis the Menace and the Bash Street Kids, but he wasn't really what you'd call a painter, I suppose. There was also David C Sutherland III whose name should be familiar to anyone who (like me) got caught up in the Dungeons & Dragons craze back in the 1980s, as he did a lot of the artwork for that.
26	NEU(T)RAL
27	BANANA REPUBLICS - cd
Down
1	SOAVE = SAVE (set aside) about O' (of)
2	MARE'S NEST = (SEEN)* in MAR + ST
3	sTORE
4	UN + W~~ine~~ + sOUND
5	NE(BULl)AR - I'm a little surprised to see BULL = 'hot air' in an ST puzzle, or is this shortened form not considered a swear word?
6	MEGABUCKS = BUCKS (county) after (GAME)*
7	NIHIL = (H + IN) rev + I + L - Nihil means nothing, so it's love in that sense.
8	SET POINTS = (IN TEST SO + P)*
13	GASTROPUB = (TOP GRUB)* about AS (when) - semi-&lit
14	SINGLET ON
16	METATARSI = (AT TIMES + ARe)* - I hadn't realised that the plural of metatarsal wasn't just metatarsals
18	CATERER = (TERRACE)*
19	PARSNIP = PIN + S~~teak~~ + RAP all rev - another semi-&lit
21	V-SIGN - dd
23	POLOS - dd - a polo (or polo shirt) and a jersey both being types of sweater. The car, of course, is the Volkswagen model
24	CURB = CUR (dog) + the lower case (small) part of Pb, the chemical symbol of lead

Mephisto 2699 - Paul McKenna

Sun, 27 May 2012 04:05:26 GMT

This was one of the most complicated Mephistos for me in recent history. There's some very odd language in here, and a number of wordplay elements that are either new to me or I don't recall them from before.

It's been a while since we've had insipid-sounding foods in the Mephisto (the place where I learned of the existence of CRAPPIT-HEAD, SALOOP and many other delicrazies. Another one enters at 26 across.

I'm posting this in advance, but I probably won't be able to clarify anything on Sunday. I have the enviable task of performing at a guided pub crawl.

Away we go!

Across
1	GINGS: G(grand),IN(consisting of - it's in Chambers but I can't think of a common usage),GS(Guineas)
6	OBECHE: E,CH(chestnut) in OBE
11	LOGOGRAM: LOG(a fine),then R(the dog letter) in OGAM(ancient alphabet)
13	DATUM: T in DAU(daughter), M(mobile). One of those words you rarely see used in the singular, particularly in the US, where it's DATA or nothing
14	WAYGONE: GO(success) in John WAYNE
15	JEOFAIL: FOE reversed in JAIL
17	EAMED: BEAMED with the head chopped off - bore as in "gave birth to"
18	IDYLS: SLY, D(ryden), I all reversed
20	MAHARANEE: wonderful clue - take the D's out of MAD(unstable), HARD(firm), AND and DEE(damn)
22	LACERABLE: L(lough), ACER(tree) and then ABELE(poplar) with the middle missing
25	ANTIC: shift the I in AIN'T,C
26	SHCHI: hidden - a sour Russian cabbage soup. Ummm, yum?
30	AYMARAN: A,R,A in (MANY)*
31	INC,LINE
32	CLANG: double def - the complex noise is under KLANG, but CLANG is given as an alternative
33	SKREIGHS: G in (SHRIEKS)*
34	HEXADS: HEX(bewitch) then D(500) in AS(when)
35	ROYST: ROYS(trendies) with the back of fronT

Down
1	GADJE: DJ(spinner) in GAE(give - as in collapse)
2	IDAEAN: A in IDEA, N(knight)
3	NOTONECTA: TO(near) in (ONE,CAN'T)*
4	GRU,FE: GRU is Russian Militry Intelligence
5	GO WITH A BANG: I think I've got this figured out - GO WITH - succeed in court, as in successfully date, A BAN (sentence - banishment), G(end of hanginG)
7	BOY-GIRL: BOYG for a problem was new to me, then IRL
8	EGGY: EG(zB - which I thought was a typo at first), G(german), Y(hostel - the Y)
9	HA'N'T,L(left),E(Spain)
10	EMERSED: Ralph Waldo EMERSON with the ON becoming ED
12	GALLABIYEHS: (HEY,ALI,BLAGS)*
16	GYNOCRACY: GY(gray - the unit),CON reversed, RACY(blue)
19	'S,LAVISH
21	ARCTIID: I in TID(fit condition) under ARC
23	ANANKE: NAN in AKE~~(e)~~
24	C,HANTS
27	HALLO: L(latin) in HALO(glory)
28	INGOT: hidden
29	FL,EA(river)

Saturday Times 25167 (19th May)

Sat, 26 May 2012 07:44:27 GMT

Solving time 25:05, and another real treat on a Saturday morning. There were a lot of tricky clues, with the fiendish 19ac probably the pick of them. There were a few complaints on the forum about that one, but it's perfectly fair in my opinion (just not easy to see). 15ac was also very clever, and took a while to sort out even after I had put in the only possible answer that fit.

Across
1	GRAPHITE - PH1 (of high acidity) inside GRATE (jar). The stuff pencil lead is made of.
5	LOGGER - double definition.
10	POLITBURO - PRO (in favour of) around O (nothing) + (built)*.
11	ARTIC - ART (craft) + I (one) + C (symbol for the speed of light, hence maximum speed).
12	SPAM - MAPS reversed. I'm not sure "thoughtlessly send" is an accurate definition though - spammers know exactly what they're doing!
13	HIGHLANDS - N(ame) inside HIGH (school) LADS (boys). Lots of Bens in the Scottish Highlands!
15	HUNTINGDON - HUNG (mounted) "cops" (inserts) TIN (can), + DON (slip into). Small town in Cambridgeshire.
17	ISLE - IS LE(d) (takes guidance without end). i.e. the Isle of Man, but that's an old chestnut frequently used in wordplay.
19	LAHS - alternate letters of "a lead, he's". In the tonic sol-fa, Lah is equivalent to the note A, with Do being C, etc.
20	BACKPACKED - BACK (returned) + PACKED (full of it?)
22	SAWHORSES - SAW HORSES (witnessed National (i.e. the Grand National steeplechase)).
24	TOTE - TOTE(m). I think that's all this is, although surely it's in or on a pole rather than round it?
26	LYING - double definition.
27	NARCISSUS - SUSS (twig) I (one) RAN (managed), all reversed, around C (circa, roughly).
28	YATTER - (try,eat)*
29	IMAGINED - I'M AGIN ED (I don't toe the editorial line). Exactly the same clue, or at least the same wordplay, appeared somewhere else recently I think.

Down
1	GAPE - G (Gown without own (not to have)) + APE (take off).
2	A SLAP ON THE WRIST - (with a parson's let)*. A compound anagram &lit, the only sort of clue (it seems to me) that ever wins the Azed clue-writing competition. The --- in the clue is where you're supposed to insert the answer. A clue type very rarely seen in the Times.
3	HATE MAIL - cryptic definition.
4	TOUCH - double definition.
6	ORALLY - O.R. (other ranks = men) + ALLY (band together).
7	GET ONE'S SKATES ON - "GET ONE SKATE, SON" (request to boy going to Billingsgate, a famous London fish market) around S(mall).
8	ROCKSTEADY - (York cadets)*. I don't know if this is the same as reggae or not, but Chambers has them both as music styles originating in Jamaica in the 1960s.
9	SONGBOOK - SON (boy) + GB (this country) + OK (fair), around O(ld).
14	CHILD'S PLAY - CHILD (one young) + SPLAY (fan out).
16	GRAY'S INN - (angry)* around SIN (crime). One of the Inns of Court.
18	CASTLING - CAST (players) + NIL reversed (love to mount) + G(rand).
21	TONGUE - hidden in "Wait on guests".
23	SCRUM - SCRUM(p). Scrump is to half-inch (pinch) fruit from an orchard. Traditionally it's always apples, but I suppose any tree-grown fruit will do!
25	USED - USE (milk, i.e. exploit) + D(eparts).

Club Monthly 20140 May 2012 - Language lessons again

Fri, 25 May 2012 05:54:53 GMT

Solving Time:
My clever spreadsheet tells me that this is monthly crossword 20140, the last cryptic I blogged (as I write this, at the beginning of May) was 25140, and this is my blog no.... 40. Spooky, eh? I didn't find it too difficult, about 50mins in all and well up to standard as regards quality, one clue excepted.

cd = cryptic definition, dd = double defintion, rev = reversed, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as *(--)

Across
1	mujik - "recalled one spring" = I + JUM(P) rev., + "bleak in the far east" = K
4	marxisant - MARS + ANT containing cross = X + "interfering initially" = I
9	nose candy - "no sec 'andy" - surely a truly awful clue and quite unworthy of this otherwise fine crossword. And I do object to having drug cant rubbed in our faces by the Times. Last time it was heroin, this time it's cocaine. Are they all on it, do you suppose?
10	goety - YeT wE lOnG, rev.
11	zingiberaceae - buzz = ZING, + I, + BEE containing RACE + A. A very clever clue, though not hard if you look up ginger in a dictionary..
14	ells - ExceptionaL LewdnesS
15	weak sister - woolly top = (S)WEATER, containing *(KISS)
18	animadvert - train = AIM containing nitrogen = N, + trailer = ADVERT
19	etat - polish off = EAT containing beginning to turn = T
21	indian tobacco - *(CACTI ON BONDI + A). Another very ingenious clue.
24	hoick - (C)HOIC(E) + K
25	de integro - OR + GET + NI + ED, all rev. Lovely surface
27	minim rest - MINIST(ER) containing M + RE
28	umiak - superior = U + exploit = MILK, with the L replaced by area = A. A umiak is a large kayak, essentially.
Down
1	muntz metal - MUM containing NT + Z, with others = ET AL. I have come across muntz metal before. It was patented as an improved method of cladding ships' hulls, cheaper and stronger than the copper-bottoming it replaced. And Muntz Metals ltd eventually became an early component of ICI..
2	jus - dd. Latin for law, and nowadays a pretentious word for gravy..
3	kochia - KO + tea = CHA containing I
4	Mendeleev - MEND + E + LEE + V. Ah, now we're talking, a chemistry (and physics) superstar, the inventor of the periodic table. Those who believe Nobel prizes go only to the deserving should read this link. You can go round his house, if you happen to be in St Petersburg - much more interesting than some boring old art gallery ;-)
5	rhyta - vodkA aT partY witH partneR, rev. Plural of rhyton, a horn or similar shape with a hole in the bottom to drink from. Messy..
6	in gremio - Yet more latin, INGRI(D) + 0, containing ME
7	atelectatic - A + LET rev., + EC(S)TATIC, ie "this finally" is removed.. I have come across "without let or hindrance," pompous, redundant legal phraseology, but have never spied an unaccompanied let in the wild. Except in tennis, now that I think about it..
8	tryp - touchdown = TRY + "plane avoiding road" = P(~~LANE~~), a deceptively difficult clue. Trypanosomes, or tryps, cause sleeping sickness and are a Bad Thing, unless you're playing scrabble in which case they may be a godsend
12	nullifidian - hidden, rev., in westerN AID IF ILL UNder. Another one that took me forever to find. With hidden clues I either see them straight away or have endless trouble with them. This, the latter..
13	grotto work - ROT + TOW + OR inside Greek = Gk.
16	karateist - *(TAKES T(O) AIR). I suppose "chopper" is adequate as a definition, but if I were a proponent of what is one of the more august and long standing sports, I don't suppose I'd be too happy
17	zaddikim - maiden = M + I KID + DAZ(E). A word I've come across before, but as Tzaddiq. The word means "righteous," a compliment in religious circles apparently
20	abattu - sailor = AB, + *(TAUT). The word is a French one, meaning pissed off - or blue
22	addle - This was my last one in and took me forever to work out. I think it is "how to make two" = ADD + LE(SS) and the def. is "confused." But. Shouldn't it be confuse, not confused? And how does "small sons less" = LE? Is the "less" somehow doing double duty here? I think I must be missing something..
23	shim - pipe down = SH + "the middle in time" = IM. Chambers defines a shim as "A thin slip of metal..."
26	ghi - So, fed the wrong way is DEF, and the three characters in a row after that are of course GHI. Another neat clue

Times 25172

Fri, 25 May 2012 02:01:33 GMT

Solving time: 69:00

I found this a mammoth struggle, much like my last daily blog two weeks ago. I went through the bottom half fairly steadily, but then found the top half much harder. I still thought I was going to finish comfortably within the hour, but came completely unstuck on the last 2 (1d/11a) which I stared at for a good 20 minutes before finally seeing the light. On another day, I probably would have given up and gone to the blog!

In my defence though, I was very tired, and I had to go for a power nap halfway through.

cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (--)*, and removals ~~like this~~

Across
1	SMALL-TOWN = ST (street) + OWN (to have) about MALL (sheltered avenue)
6	cHASTE
9	AIRTIME = (AIM + RITE)* - I liked the well-disguised definition 'a spell on the waves'
10	BAR + KING
11	THU + MP - My LOI - I failed to see the separation required for Boxing / Day
12	PETTY CASH - cd, 'ready' being slang for money, and 'damage' for cost
14	BOD = B~~lues~~ Or D~~isco~~
15	PREMIERSHIP = (REP)* + MInERS + HIP
17	ABSURDITIES = (I BURST + IDEAS)*
19	BE + D
20	ST ANDREWS = STREW about AND + S
22	RA(T~~urre~~T)Y
24	cAN'T cHILL
26	ANAEMIA = AI + MEAN + A all rev
27	DUN(C)E
28	BUTTERNUT = RET (soak) in between TUN & TUB all rev
Down
1	SLA(N)T - A slat is a section of a window blind. I'm sure why it took me so long to see this. Maybe I was just tired.
2	AGROUND = G~~lenlivet~~ in A ROUND
3	LAID PAPER = REAP + DIAL all rev about P - The PAPER part was easy enough, but I didn't know the term so LAID took longer to come.
4	OVER-PRECISE = (PERCEIVES OR)*
5	NUB = BitUmeN rev
6	tHORNY
7	S + PIN(A)CH
8	EGG-SHAPED = (HEDGE GAPS)*
13	THIS INSTANT = SINS (evils) + TAN (beat) all in saTan + HIT (to beat). Although I didn't fully understand this wordplay until post-solve.
14	BRASS BAND - dd - My FOI
16	RESURFACE = F (following) + RUSE (scheme) all rev in RACE (career)
18	SP(ART)AN
19	BIT + U + MEN
21	DR + I'VE
23	YEAST = YEATS with the final pair of letters switched
25	LAB - dd - short for both laboratory and labrador

Times Crossword 25,164 - Pun City

Thu, 24 May 2012 07:32:38 GMT

Solving Time: We won't talk about that, since this is the third and final qualifying puzzle for this year's Times Crossword Championship.. suffice it to say that like the other two, this was not a difficult puzzle. However it did take me some time to solve certain clues that seem very easy in retrospect. Perhaps for that reason, I thought this the most enjoyable of the three qualifiers. It contains an unusually high number of puns, mostly rather dreadful ones, just as a good pun should be.

cd = cryptic definition, dd = double definition, rev = reversed, anagrams are *(--).

ODO means the Oxford Dictionaries Online

Across
1	consider - a footballing reference, m'lud: councillor = CR containing ONSIDE, where one presumably is, if one is not offside..
5	bishop - dd, the second one an oblique (ha ha) reference to the chess piece. Given the amount of chess I've played over the years this took an embarrassingly long time to spot
10	imperial measure - dd, a reminder that the UK has stranded itself pathetically in a semi-metricated no mans land, where you can buy 2x4" timber in 3m lengths, or 8ft wide carpet at £10 per sq. m. Or fill a car that does 40mpg with fuel at £1.40/l. Or buy a pint of beer and a 175ml glass of wine. Talk about shooting ourselves in the foot. I mean 30.48cm...
11	short story - SHORTS + TORY, only a tiny novel. Or perhaps it should just be length-challenged, in this oh-so-sensitive age we now inhabit..
13	this one is only hidden
15	and this one is just too easy..
17	violist - girl = VI + *(TOILS). A violist plays the viol, just as a violinist plays the violin. I seldom have cause to use this word..
18	villain - VAIN containing ILL. You know, ill in vain.. geddit?
19	demotic - DEMO + TIC(K)
21	nose - boy's return = NOS + (~~HOM~~)E
22	staff nurse - pole = STAFF + look after = NURSE, a more lowly being than a ward sister
25	green woodpecker - *(POWDER KEG ONCE) + ER = "sappers returned." Though they do very little sapping these days, I believe.
27	rotate - eggs = ROE containing T(O)A(S)T
28	hydrogen - this took me a moment or two to parse.. it is just (~~SPEEC~~)H = chemical symbol H which, expanded, is...
Down
1	crimson - clubs = C + *(MINORS)
2	nip - attractive girl, ie a PIN up....
3	irrational - *(LIAR) containing RATION = share
4	exalt - ALT. being the key in question
6	omitted.. the answer's terrible!
7	house-sitter - put up = HOUSE + SITTER = easy catch.
8	pretext - P + RETEXT
9	improved - well, I + MD containing "make certain" = PROVE, but this clue doesn't seem to quite work, since technically it should be "gets one doctor round" rather than "one gets..." - just a typo, maybe
12	obsolescent - OB + SOLE + SCENT
14	commandeer - = "COMMON DEER," a homophone that works for me
16	sanction - S + ACTION containing N = new
18	vinegar - *(GAVE IN) + R = resistance
20	chevron - encourage = CHEER ON, with the second E changed to V. The exactly centre letter, note, The Times is very careful about such things
23	faddy - F + ADD + Y(~~IELD~~)
24	knot - dd. A knot is a shore bird, a rather good looking type of sandpiper
26	keg - (~~DRIN~~)K + EG = say

Times 25171 - tension mounting

Thu, 24 May 2012 04:05:44 GMT

Solving time : 23 minutes, though at the end of that I was still feeling a little unsure about a few of the answers, so I got back on to the Crossword Club and entered them in - it came back as a correct entry, so a trip back to the dictionaries was in order, to find how it was I managed to successfully complete it.

This was one of the more difficult ones for me in recent memory, and I was a long way from the setter's wavelength. There's also one very strange bit of enumeration and a few wordplay elements that I don't recall seeing in the daily puzzle.

Away we go!

Across
1	CASINO: A, SIN in CO
4	RANSOMED: SOME in RAND - interesting that RANSOMED can mean both the person doing the ransoming and the one paying for it
10	MOORAGE: or MOO RAGE
11	FILINGS: FILLINGS(work on teeth) with one of the L's missing
12	LI PO: Never heard of him, but obtainable from wordplay - LIP(kiss) before 0(love)
13	JUMBLE SALE: you can get SEAL by jumbling SALE
15	PREDICATE: I put this in as the only word that seemed to fit - the definition is a part of a sentence, and the wordplay is I,C(caught) in PREDATE(batten, prey on)
16	STROP: double definition
18	LASSO: ASS in LO, &lit
19	COTE D'AZUR: surprised no apostrophe in the enumeration - COSTED without S, AZ(map, as in street directory), UR(old city)
21	GO GO DANCER: double definition, though I don't think that was what Father Christmas had in mind when he named a reindeer Dancer...
23	PROP: double definition
26	AQUARIA: AQUA REGIA without EG
27	AMORIST: agonized over this one, but once I looked it up afterwards - AORIST is a tense, so we put M in it
28	ENTRY FEE: cryptic definition
29	our across omission

Down
1	CAMEL: CARAMEL without RA
2	STOP PRESS: ST, OPPRESS
3	NOAH: cryptic definition - he had every creature twice over
5	AFFABLE: F(ire) in A,FABLE
6	SILVER,SIDE
7	out down omission
8	DISTEMPER: TEMP in (DRIES)*
9	MED(sea),USA(land)
14	DISORDERLY: (DRY,SOLDIER)*
15	P,ALS~~(o)~~,GRAVE: new word to me, got it from wordplay
17	RAZORBILL: double definition
19	CONCAVE: C(chapter), then AV(authorized version) in ONCE
20	TREPAN: REP in TAN(as in "tan one's hide")
22	GAUNT: referring to John of Gaunt
24	POTTY: double def
25	COSH: anagram of SHOCK without the K at the end

Times 25170: 14 or 16?

Wed, 23 May 2012 03:00:34 GMT

Solving time: 29:54 ...

... but not with full understanding of all answers; in particular 24dn which required my phone-a-friend option. Thanks again! Now I have to say that I didn’t like this puzzle much. It brought to mind the expression ‘let the dog see the rabbit’. Far too many puns for me and not enough wordplay to go on. No doubt there will be others who really enjoyed it. That’s how these things are.

Across
1	GUBBINS. Reverse your BUG; then BINS. Never heard this to mean ‘rubbish’. More like ‘kit’ or ‘the makings’ as in roll-your-own.
5	MOBSTER. Get your {gu}N from MONSTER; replace with a B for ‘British’.
9	ROUGH,CAST. Enough said?
10	STOIC. This is SIC with OT reversed inside. He of Citium; not the Eleatic of arrow fame.
11	BIRDS NEST SOUP. The Wik tells me: “A few species of swift, the cave swifts, are renowned for building the saliva nests used to produce the unique texture of this soup”. Culinary advice: don’t mistake a Welcome Swallow for a Cave Swift!
13	HA,RE,BELL.
15	Omitted.
17	ENTAIL. Anagram: late in. A technical legal term meaning “a settlement of the inheritance of property over a number of generations so that it remains within a family or other group”.
19	FROG-SPIT. GO reversed in FR’s PIT. Used by the French to make 11ac.
22	THE OLD HEAVE-HO. First two from ‘elderly folk’. Then HAVE inc {us}E & HO for ‘house’.
25	INDIA{na}. Another spot of humour I could have done without.
26	REFASHION. Anagram: IRON SAFE inc H.
27	GREATLY. AT & L{arge} inside GREY.
28	LIMP,OP,O. It‘s gre(atl)y green and greasy. [O for ‘over’?]

Down
1	GARB{o}. Film star who, every Thursday morning, takes away my gubbins. I sometimes take the time to greet her.
2	Omitted. Another pun.
3	ICHOR. Promote the I in CHOIR.
4	SPARSELY. S{catter} and PARSLEY with EL replacing LE.
5	MATTER. See 2dn.
6	BE,SETTING.
7	TWOSOME. WO (Warrant Officer) and S inside TOME. Well, I suppose there are two of them.
8	RECUPERATE. RE-RATE including E and CUP.
12	SHOESTRING. Two meanings ... again!
14	BRILLIANT. BRIAN & T for ‘temperature’, inc. ILL.
16	DREADFUL. One more pun: cf ‘Penny Dreadful’.
18	TREADLE. And again; this time the pun is on ‘sole’. Chambers, at least, also allows TREDDLE.
20	PRO,VISO{r}.
21	WHERRY. WHY inc. ER (ruler, the Queen) and R for ‘river’. The barge she sat in ...?
23	EPSOM. Hidden, reversed.
24	INFO. This is the one I couldn’t see at first. It turns out to be ‘in for’ (about to suffer, as in ‘You’re in for it’) minus its last letter.

Times 25,169

Tue, 22 May 2012 09:04:05 GMT

A very chewy puzzle, clocking in at 28:09 on the club leaderboard (incidentally, it's lovely when we get a tough puzzle and all the peculiar people who solve the puzzle in the paper version then submit online in lightning times are suddenly absent, so that what you see represents "actual solving time" rather than "typing time"). It's been a long time since such a challenging puzzle fell into my Tuesday slot, but I'm not complaining: this was top class Times setting at the higher end of the difficulty scale.

Across
1	NEWSPRINT - NEW(College) + SPRINT(=run).
6	ASPIC - A SPICE.
9	DOLMA - DO(=cook) + ~~istanbu~~L + MA. Mmmm...dolma.
10	COTTON GIN - [OTT in CON] + GIN.
11	ELIZABETH TAYLOR - ~~matrimon~~Y in (BETROTHALZEALI)*. The Hollywood star was such a strong believer in marriage that she went down the aisle eight times with seven men, and threw in a couple of broken engagements for good measure.
13	DIGITISE - DIG IT(="like that") + IS + E~~nergy~~.
14	GOOGOL - GO(=move) + (LOGO)rev. A googol is 1 followed by 100 zeroes. It's big. Really big.
16	SLAVER - ~~bal~~L in SAVER. For non-sports fans, to nutmeg is to put the ball through a defender's legs while running past him, a la Stanley Matthews or Lionel Messi (delete according to your generation). Don't think I've seen it used as an analogy in crosswords to indicate that letters should be put inside another word before, but it works for me (especially with this surface reading).
18	VINDALOO - Very (OILANDO~~xygen~~)*. One of the dishes of choice for those who like to live dangerously in Indian restaurants. "Burner" indeed.
21	INSECT REPELLENT - IN SECT(braninwashed) + (LEPER)rev. + LENT(=fast).
23	ASCERTAIN - [C.E. + R~~ites~~] in A STAIN.
25	BIDET - BIDE + ~~detergen~~T.
26	EVENT - SEVENTY.
27	ANCESTRAL - (ASCARLET~~woma~~N)*.

Down
1	NUDGE - G~~ood~~ in NUDE.
2	WALKING BASS - double/cryptic def. Apparently this need not actually be played on a piano, though it often is. I'm not massively expert on music, but my first thought was "boogie-woogie", so I wouldn't quibble with the clue as it stands. Musicologists may differ.
3	PEASANT - PHEASANT.
4	INCREASE - IN + CREASE.
5	TITCHY - T~~ime~~ + ITCHY. I nearly undid my good work by seeing "irritable" and leaping to TETCHY, which is what I would have been if I hadn't paused long enough to parse the clue properly.
6	AVOCADO - CAD in (0 + OVA)rev. The colour of 1970s bathrooms across the land.
7	PUG - PUG~~ILIST~~ without I LIST(lean).
8	CONTRALTO - CON(servative) + (ART)rev. + L~~eft~~ + TO.
12	LEGAL TENDER - perhaps I can't see for looking, but I wrote this in without really thinking at the time, and even on reflection can't see very much cryptic about it. Is it simply that the surface initially appears to suggest that "deposits" is a verb rather than noun? All contributions gratefully received. Thanks to John from L. for being first to enlighten me, it's E.G. ALT (key) in LENDER. That's better.
13	DISSIPATE - [1'S SIP] in DATE. Nice use of a less obvious meaning of "see", i.e. "seeing someone" in the romantic sense.
15	HISPANIC - when the opposite of "her calm" = HIS PANIC.
17	EXCERPT - ~~mahle~~R in EXCEPT(=but).
19	DELIBES - DELI + BEST.
20	ERRATA - E.R. + (A TAR)rev. Given the lead times of puzzles, I suppose it's just a coincidence that I heard about this story recently...
22	TOTAL - TOT + A L~~itre~~.
24	CUE ="QUEUE" and CUE as in "prompt".

Times 25168 - A classical bent

Mon, 21 May 2012 03:04:26 GMT

Solving Time: 42 minutes

Not your average Monday puzzle, but by my reckoning the distribution of Monday puzzles is Cauchy and therefore doesn't have an average. I decided I'd settle back and enjoy the ride rather than stressing about finishing it, and this turned out to be a good strategy. I enjoyed it immensely. Bravo, that setter. Extremely fine cluing throughout. And now, strap your seat belts on, check your life jackets are under your seats, your tray tables are in the upright position and your Phrygian caps and kitharas are safely stored in the overhead lockers. Eamus!

Across
1	CHADOR = R for right after CHA + DO
4	FALL GUY = F for female who's ALL GUY
9	ENOCH = CONE reversed next to H~~ebrews~~
10	(NOT ABUSED)* = EASTBOUND
11	PETULANCE = PETULA + oNCE. Not this love, surely?
12	B~~ach~~ with REEL for "piece of music" about it = REBEL. Rebel...
13	ComprehensIVE School with hidnicator "'s" for has = IVES, Charles not Burl, speaking of rebels. An early exponent of polytonality.
14	Deliberately omitted. Don't pine, there are plenty of other chances to get it.
18	(NOTE IN GAOL)* = ELONGATION
20	SPAR = SPARe
23	COP IT = I for "Dior's number two" in COPT for "Christian" with an invisible comma between the two
24	BARITONE around B for British = BARBITONE
25	CREAM SODA = REAMS for 14ac inside CODA, a passage of music. That would be reams as in "a great deal".
26	SALVE, a double definition. Salve is Latin for hail. Speaking of passages of music...
27	ENSURED = ENSUE for result as verb around R for Republican, then D for Democrat
20	THE S IS doubled in THESIS

Down
1	CID around HEAPS for 14ac + E for East = CHEAPSIDE, a street to be proud of or prejudiced against, apparently. That would be heaps as in "a great deal".
2	TimE in A DOPE = ADOPTEE
3	Deliberately omitted. Don't let go of those hats just yet.
4	FOSSE, being a ditch and a Roman way. I thought it was fossa for some time, which is technically correct I think, but wrong.
5	LIBERATE = LIe + BERATE
6	G~~eriatrician~~ + RUMBLE for "discover the truth" = GRUMBLE
7	MODEL with the M for maiden replaced by Y for Yen = YODEL, a mountain air as in singing and walking at the same time
8	S for small + (IN GHENT)* = SENNIGHT, or half a fortnight
15	(FORCE wEAK)* = ECOFREAK
16	LARGENESS = GENES in LARS, our archetypical Scandinavian for the day
17	EG + ~~somethin~~G + REMIT reversed = EGG TIMER
19	mORPHEUS = ORPHEUS, he of the Phyrgian cap and lyre. Morpheus was the God of sleep, whence morphine.
21	POODLES would be OODLES without the P for power. That would be oodles as in "a great deal".
22	KITSCH = KIT + SCH for school. See 7d.
23	CACHE sounds like "CASH"
24	BROOD = B for bishop + ROOD, being Saxon for cross.

Sunday Times 4485 (13 May 2012) by Anax

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:33:52 GMT

Solving time: 41:53

I had all but 7d, 11a & 13a done in 30 minutes, then all but 13a in about 33 or 34 minutes. But 13 continued to elude me for another five minutes before I resorted to browsing for likely candidates in my dictionary.

That clue aside, this was a good fun puzzle, with plenty to enjoy. My COD has to go to 21a for the way it takes a common technique and reverses it to make something far more unusual.

cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (--)*, and removals ~~like this~~

Across
1	C(A)LIP + H
4	AGONISED = (SAN DIEGO)*
9	AN + GO + RA(CA)T
11	UNITS = "EWE KNITS"
12	MO + TO + ~~slowe~~R
13	SHE(BEEN)ER - A shebeen is an Irish drinking den. Not a word I knew, and I had to browse my dictionary to find it.
14	TERR(IT)OR + I + ALARM + Yes - Volunteers = TA is something of a crossword cliche, although I'm not sure I've ever come across it in full like this.
15	UNSOPHISTICATED = T~~hos~~E in (CUSTODIANSHIP)* - I actually got this one from the definition alone, and then used the answer to help me get 10d.
18	SAUVIGNON = (USING VAN)* about O
19	IDIOM = IOM (Man - Isle of) after I'D (author had)
21	EIGHT = WEIGHT (power) with the W removed (With failing) - the definition is 'destroyed here', a clever reverse of the technique used in 15a. Instead of using a clue number to refer to a solution elsewhere in the grid, it uses the solution (DESTROYED) to refer to the clue number.
22	HEEDINESS = (SHE DENIES)* - I had to verify this with checkers before I wrote it in, as it sounded like a made-up word.
23	M(ANT + RAP)S = MS for manuscript (writing)
24	HEN + DRY - Full marks to the setter for getting snooker's man-of-the-moment into the grid. Especially since this was presumably compiled before he announced his retirement.
Down
1	CH + AS + M - I'm not convinced about AS for 'in part of'. The closest I can get to a direct substitution that works is 'with Mel Gibson in the part of Hamlet / with Mel Gibson as Hamlet', but there's an extra 'the' which it doesn't really work without. I'm probably missing something.
2	LIGHTER = (THE GIRL)*
3	POR(TRAIT + PAIN)TER
5	GOT + HE'D + I + STANCE
6	NOUVELLE CUISINE = (OVEN IN USE I'LL CUE)*
7	S(P)INNER - I'm not sure that P can be used as an abbreviation for priest directly, but I did find it listed as an abbreviation for Pastor which comes to the same thing.
8	DE(S + TROY)ED
10	CUSTODIANSHIP = (STUDIO)* in CANS + HIP
14	TRUSS BEAM = TEAM about (R + (SUBS)*)
16	STUNG 'UN
17	T(AIL)END
20	MISTY - hidden in tiM IS TY~~pically~~

Mephisto 2698 by Tim Moorey with Jimmy, Jack and Ashley

Sun, 20 May 2012 07:45:30 GMT

An easy puzzle with yet another example of an AZED word-to-clue appearing subsequently here. Presumably this is The Sunday Times making its contribution to the recycling industry.

Well done Chelsea - brilliant result in Germany!

Across
1	URANIC - (o)UR-(p)ANIC; uranium occurs mainly as isotopes -235 and -238 with half-lives measured in billions of years, which facilitates their use in dating such things as the age of the world;
5	LABLAB - L(A-B-LA)B; black=B; look=LA; Liberia=LB; an Indian bean;
9	PERISHABLES - (bad slips here - d=end of world)*; the subject of a worldwide trade in packaging, preservation, and transportation;
11	CLEARCOLE - CLEAR-COLE; net=after tax etc.=CLEAR; Ashley COLE=Chelsea and England footballer, best left back in the world as demonstrated last night; a primer of size + white lead;
12	TRIKE - (s)TRIKE;
13	GUANGO - GUAN(G)O; fertilizer=GUANO; Jamaican tree;
14	BASLE - BAS(L)E; Swiss cultural centre that has suburbs in both France and Germany;
18	PIRI-PIRI - I-RIP reversed twice; best known as a spicy sauce - delicious with sizzling king prawns;
19	SCHUSSED - SCH-(m)USSED; school=SCH; disturbed=mussed; to ski downhill;
21	KISAN - NASIK reversed; NASIK is the wine capital of India; KISAN is a peasant and a major Indian Farming Company;
22	AFFEAR - A-F-F(o)E-AR;
24	SLIGO - S(LIG)O; lie about=LIG; town in NW Ireland associated with Spike Milligan;
26	REFORMADO - (of a order + m=male)*; a disgraced army officer;
27	DERMESTIDAE - (dried meats + e=end of cheese); beetles used in forensic entomology; the AZED word to clue in puzzle 2065 for which I submitted: Rewritten Times leader opts for Germany rather than Luxembourg to supply Beetles* ;
28	SUDRAS - SUD-RAS; one african country=SUDAN the change AN=Angola into RAS=headland; a low caste Hindu;
29	ADDUCE - A-D-DUCE; dead=D;

Down
1	UP,AT - TAPU reversed; TAPU=taboo;
2	RETRAICT - T-C(I)ARTER all reversed; the=T; reference Jimmy Carter, 39th US President; old word for retirement;
3	NICKLAUS - NICK-LAU(d)-S; Jack the incomparable Golden Bear, best golfer of all times;
4	CHEF - hidden (lun)CH-EF(fortlessly); trade of several very irritating people;
5	LAAGERED - (eager lad)*; hunkered down in South Africa;
6	ABRUS - A-BRUS(h); a flowering pea;
7	LEONTIASIS - (IT NOEL reversed)-AS-IS; horrific incurable condition known as "lion face";
8	BOEOTIAN - (obtaine + o=nothing)*; people from a region of Greece dubbed stupid by Athenians. There was a lot said about this practice on the blog last Tuesday 15th May;
10	DISCHUFFED - DISC-HUFFED; huff=give offence;
14	BASTARDS - BA(STAR)D-S; good=BAD; society=S; once known as whoresons they have cause to thank the Legitimacy Act 1926 and Family Law Reform Act 1969 for giving them inheritance rights;
15	GISARMES - G(IS-ARM)ES(t); exploit=gest; a middle ages halberd;
16	YPSILOID - (I-SPY reversed)-(idol)*; usually upsilon, the Greek Y; also a sub-atomic particle;
17	ARMAGNAC - (anagram)*-C; clubs=C (cards); French grape brandy, less well known that its neighbour Cognac but a nicer drink;
20	PARMA - PAR(M)A; madam=M;
23	MASA - M-AS-A; money=M; answer=A; Mexican maize dough;
25	OGEE - O-GEE; an S-shaped moulding; also the shape of Concorde's wings;

Saturday Times 25161 (12th May)

Sat, 19 May 2012 07:35:31 GMT

Solving time 16:15, so about average, although I was hoping for a quicker time when I got the four long answers in the first couple of minutes. However, 1ac held me up for ages as I wanted to put in RUDD even though I couldn't make sense of it, and I also had to think for a while over 22dn. Having finally worked everything out I then made a typo when submitting online. Stupid keyboard!

Across
1	RIDE - R(iver) + IDE (fish).
3	HALL OF FAME - ALL OFF (nothing on) + AM (before noon), all inside HE (His Excellency, the Ambassador).
10	STUDENT - STUNT (trick) around D(ens)E.
11	BOOKISH - OK (very good) + I (one), inside BOSH (rot).
12	MASS OBSERVATION - MASS (what may be celebrated) + OBSERVATION (following).
13	SPOONS - SNOOPS (private investigators) reversed. A spoon is an old name for the three wood in golf.
14	ETHERISE - THE (article) by E(uropean), + RISE (rebel).
17	CLERIHEW - (where I)* next to CL(assical). A humorous verse form named after its inventor, Edmund Clerihew Bentley.
18	ADEPTS - DEPT (government branch) inside AS.
21	WHAT'S YOUR POISON - (Why pa's notorious)*.
23	LEARNER - L, R (sides) around E(nglish) ARNE (composer). Nice use of two earlier clues in the definition.
24	JESSICA - JES(t) (short joke) + IS reversed + CA (about).
25	PRETENDING - PRE (before) + T(erm) + ENDING (resolution).
26	FETE - sounds like "fate".

Down
1	RESUMES - RE (about) + E(nergy) inside SUMS (monetary figures).
2	DRUGSTORE - (sort urged)*
4	ATTEST - T.A. (soldiers) reversed + TEST (ordeal).
5	LIBERATE - BERATE (carpet) after LI(e) (short rest).
6	FLOG A DEAD HORSE - Spoonerism: "Dog a fled horse"
7	AMICI - hidden reversed in "forensic images. From the legal Latin term amicus curiae, literally "friend of the court". A term I was familiar with from following a court case a few years ago online, when Caldera Systems changed their name to SCO Group and then sued IBM and anyone else with money who'd ever used Linux saying they owned it and wanted paying. They filed for bankruptcy three years later :-)
8	ENHANCE - (m)EN (c)HANCE.
9	RECONNAISSANCE - RENAISSANCE (revival) around CON (sharp practice).
15	IMPASSIVE - P(owever) inside I (one), MASSIVE (giant).
16	DEVOURED - (overdue)* + D(ay-trippers).
17	COWSLIP - COW (one in stock) + SLIP (a bloomer).
19	SANTA FE - SAFE (without risk) around ANT (worker).
20	TRAJAN - RAJA (king) inside T(ow)N. Roman emperor 98-117 AD.
22	APACE - ACE (mean) around PA (old man). Strange how words take on their opposite meaning in slang. Chambers' definition for mean² sums it up: adj low in rank or birth; base; sordid; low in worth or estimation; of little value or importance; poor, humble; low; inconsiderable; despicable; shabby; paltry; small-minded; ungenerous; stingy; malicious, bad-tempered; out of sorts, uncomfortable (US); skilful, excellent (sl).

Jumbo 978

Fri, 18 May 2012 12:12:07 GMT

I did not note down my time for this although there was nothing to hold me up particularly.

A couple of the wordplays took a little time to parse correctly, but the definition in each case made the solution reasonably clear.

Across
1 STOP-PRESS - ST(reet) OPPRESS = cow
6 TACHO - H(e)-CAT = tom, reversed, O(ver)
9 BIT PART - BIT = mouthpiece (in a bridle), PART = separate
13 deliberately omitted - please ask if unsure
14 CARAMBA - CA = about, RAM = stuff, BA = graduate.
15 SET FIRE TO - (TESTER OF, I)*, where I = current
16 BRAHMAPUTRA - BRAHM(s) = composer, PUT = placed,in A R.A. = a drawer (artist)
17 GALLOWGLASS - GALLOWS = means to hang, around G(uadalcana)L, AS
18 WHIMSY - WHY = reason, around IS, around M(onsieur)
19 REDDITCH - RED = Liverpool player, D(eparts), ITCH = impatience
21 SUMACS - SUMS = things for adders, around (pl)AC(ed)
25 NONSENSE - NO N(orth) S(outh) E(ast) = only the West, N,S,E = all but west
26 THE CATS PYJAMAS - double definition
28 ELVIS - (p)ELVIS = frame attached to legs
29 CURDLE - DL = LD = Lord reversed, in CURE = minister
30 CLARK GABLE - LARK = stunt, (lon)G, all in CABLE = thick rope
33 EARLS COURT - EARS = auditors agents, around L(eft), COURT = invite
35 SPITED - DE-TIPS = renders pointless, reversed
36 WALES - TALES = accounts, with T(ime) replaced by W(orking)
38 GOOD-FOR-NOTHING - GO = travel, OD = overdoese = gorge, FOR NOTHING = without paying
40 SYLLABUB - BUYS = swallows, around BALL = globule, all reversed
42 EDUCED - ED, ED = pressmen, around UC = upper case = capitals
43 FOOTSTEP - hidden reversed in carPETS TOO Fine
44 deliberately omitted - please ask if unsure
47 BUFFALO BILL - BUFF = expert, A = article, LOB = send up, ILL = bad
50 TRANSLUCENT - (CANT RESULT (i)N)*
52 CHECKMATE - CHECK = stop, MATE = ship's officer
53 PLEADER - PER = a (as in per person), around LEAD = metal
54 DUMBO - DUMB = silent, O = not a thing
55 SET FREE - (FESTER)*, (crat)E
56 THEFT - THE F.T. = the Financial Times = daily
57 CALEDONIA - (AID ONCE)* around AL(l)

Down
1 SQUIB - SQUI(d) = one producing ink, B(lack)
2 OPERATION OVERLORD - (h)OPE = Cockney's aspiration, RATION = helping, OVERLORD = boss
3 POSTMASTERS - POST = following, MASTERS = golf tournament
4 EXCEPT - EX CE = Ex Church of England = convert to Catholicism, PT = training
5 SPRITZER - (TRIPS)*, ZER(o) = love
6 TIME AND A HALF - (H(earts) INFLAMED AT A)*
7 deliberately omitted - please ask if unsure
8 OUSEL - LOUSE = parasite, with the first letter moved to the end
9 BOTTOMS UP - BOM = MOB = crowd reversed, arount OTT = too much, SUP = drink
10 THINGAMAJIG - THIN = slender, GAM = leg, A JIG = a lively dance
11 ARENA - alternate letters in rAiNwEaR hAd, all reversed
12 deliberately omitted - please ask if unsure
18 WIND ENERGY - cryptic definition
20 HOTPLATE - OT = Old Testament = good book inpart, in HP = hire purchase = method of purchasing, LATE = advanced
22 CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN - CAMP = over-theatrical, BELLMAN = town-crier, around BANNER = heading
23 PSYCHO - LIP SYNCH OK* with the letters from LINK removed
24 OSTENSIBLY - OS = SO reversed, (BY SILENT)*
27 BRER WOLF - FLOWER = pick, B(ook) all reversed around R(omulus). Brer Wolf appeared in the Uncle Remus stories
31 RED-EYE - RYE = grass, around EDE(n) = garden
32 UP ONES STREET - UP = hike, O = round NESS = loch, TREE, T = sort of junction
34 SAFE-CRACKER - SAFE = taking no risks, CRACKER = explosive device
36 WELL-ROUNDED - double definition
37 SHOOFLY PIE - SHOP = outlet, around O = duck and FLY = wing, IE = that is
39 RADIO WAVE - RAVE = storm, around D(eparts), IOWA = US state
41 HERALDIC - (CHILDRE(n))* around A
45 ABACUS - A, BAC(ch)US = god
46 ASTRAL - AS = like, TRA(i)L = to drag
48 FLEET - FLEE = run, T(ime), The Fleet is a river running under London
49 INERT - IN = popular, (c)ERT = banker
51 THORA - T, H, OR A is the choice of first letters from Trolley Have Approval

Times 25166 - Two by Two

Fri, 18 May 2012 01:30:04 GMT

Off to a flying start but I had problems getting the answers flowing and finished eventually in 39 minutes which was disappointing because on writing the blog it became apparent how very easy most of it was. Having said that, there were a couple of unknowns (or forgottens), namely 'desman' and 'ternate'. Some of the clues seemed to go in pairs. Apart from the two linked by the setter I spotted two rum references, two Spanish, two explosives, two military ranks, two things tired and both Houses of Parliament.

Across
1	CODGER - DOC (GP) reversed + GERm (cause of disease shortly).
5	CUPIDITY - UP (at an end, as in 'the game's up') + ID (I had) all inside CITY (business community).
9	SIDESMAN - IS reversed + DESMAN (mole-like creature). I've never heard of this animal which seems to have burrowed itself up from Mephistoland where both George and Jimbo have blogged it within the past 9 months.
10	Deliberately omitted.
11	PINA COLADA - IN + A + CO (firm) + LAD (young male) all inside PA (assistant). A drink consisting of pineapple juice, coconut and 4dn.
13	GOYA - A, YOGa all reversed. The Spanish painter (1746-1828).
14	PAGE - PAGE~~ant~~ (Procession, minus its insect).
15	COMMON SALT - COMMONS (House) + ALT (key). Not by a long way the first 'kitchen item' I would have thought of. Alt and Esc seem to crop up most weeks now. Have we had Tab yet?
18	FEATHERBED - Double definition.
20	CAGE - Double definition, one being the American composer John Cage born 100 years ago this year and his notorious 'composition' Four Minutes Thirty-Three Seconds. The clue mistakenly assumes there is silence when it is being performed.
21	RUHR - Hidden and reversed. The vast industrial area in Germany.
23	TOWER BLOCK - Double definition, one cryptic with reference to 29ac.
25	MANANA - MAN (fellow) + ANA (reminiscences). ANA caught me out last time it came up but fortunately I remembered it this time round. The Spanish word for tomorrow or sometime in the future learned in my childhood from the song by Peggy Lee.
26	ALL IN ALL - ALL IN (whacked) + ALL (everyone).
28	SEVERELY - SEVER (split) + ELY (cathedral).
29	BOLEYN - Anagram of NOBLE + Y. Unusual to go 16 clues before finding one with anagram content. Some may remember the song made famous by Stanley Holloway: In the Tower of London large as life, The Ghost of Anne Boleyn walks they declare. For Anne Boleyn was once King Henry's wife, Until he made the headsman bob her hair! Ah, yes, he did her wrong, long years ago And, she comes up at night to tell him soooo! With her head tucked underneath her arm She walks the Bloody Tower With her head tucked underneath her arm At the midnight hour.

Down
2	ORIGINATE - Anagram of GO + INERTIA.
3	GRENADE - GRENADa with E for A substitution.
4	RUM - RUM~~pus~~ (noisy disturbance) with its second half removed.
5	CINNA - Sounds like 'sinner' (wicked fellah).
6	POSTAL ORDER - A LORD (a top legislator) inside POSTER (bill).
7	DAMAGES - DAM (mother) + AGES ( a long time).
8	TELLY - TELL (communicate by words) + Y (unknown)
12	ORCHESTRATE - Anagram of THE CREATORS
16	MOB - BOMb reversed.
17	LOGICALLY - GI (soldier) inside LOCALLY (particular area).
19	TERNATE - TERN (aquatic bird) + ATE (devoured).
20	COLONEL - LONE ( solitary) inside COL (mountain pass).
22	USAGE - USA + ~~moderatin~~G + E~~nglish~~.
24	WEARY - WEAR (sport) + ~~pla~~Y
27	Deliberately omitted.