Come Chime with Me

 Not that I'm a bellringer myself, but, as posted on Facebook here....

"This Saturday 26 March, the Norman Tower and the Cathedral will be hosting an eliminator round in the National 12 bell striking competition.  

This is a competition where teams of bellringers from around the country attempt to perform the most rhythmically accurate ringing possible.  There will be two other eliminator rounds happening at the same time in Chester and London, with the final being held at Guildford at the end of June. Teams representing Birmingham, Sheffield, Ipswich, Towcester, Leeds, the grandly named Society of Royal Cumberland Youths (none of whom are Royal, from Cumberland, nor particularly young) and of course our home tower.  The order of the day will be drawn at 11 and if you are passing the Norman Tower anytime between 11:30 and 15:30, you'll probably hear one of the bands ringing the chosen touch of Stedman Cinques.  

A La Cart will be serving breakfasts and lunches, so there may be a couple of Cumberlands around actually."

You can read the programme for the event here.

In it is a thematic crossword entitled "Come Chime with Me" set by me under the pseudonym Edmundo. You can find an online version of it here on MyCrossword or here on Crossword.info or a PDF to download here... or you can print the image below.

Click here to see the solution for the crossword.

Definitions underlined in bold italics, (Abc)* indicating anagram of Abc, deletions and [] other indicators.

Across

1  Set of ringers keep going we hear (8)

CARILLON – Sounds like [we hear] CARRY ON (keep on going)

    5  Finally disturb the tall thoughtful ringer (4)

    BELL – Last letters of [finally] disturB thE talL thoughtfuL.

    9  Notes on sheet made from Greek letter thus (5)

    MUSIC – MU (Greek letter) SIC (thus).

   10 Don't start pulling back - pulling down is needed for this (7)

   RINGING – cRINGING (pulling back) without the first letter [don’t start].

   11 Belltower found in holiday base by a river (9)

   CAMPANILE – CAMP (holiday base) A NILE (river).

  12  Some expert timekeepers originally adjusted clocks (3)

   SET – Initial letters, [originally], of Some Expert Timekeepers.

  13  How to make a bell… or a spell? (4,2)

   CAST IT – Double definition.

  15  Shake like a leaf losing a thousand on this bet (6)

   TREBLE – TREmBLE (shake like a leaf) without, [losing] the M (a thousand in roman numerals)

  18  Uncle's haircut? (3)

   BOB – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint (Bob’s your uncle).

  20  Terribly sad ringer with an odd number of bells (9)

   GRANDSIRE – Anagram of [terribly] (sad ringer)*.

  23  Reflect on a bit of poetry (7)

   REVERSE – RE (on) VERSE (a bit of poetry).

  24  Contract net gains? (5)

   CATCH – Double definition  the second a cryptic hint – the first as in catching a disease, the second a haul of fish.

  25  Charge for returning some Sellotape (4)

   TOLL – Reverse hidden [returning some] SeLLOTape.

  26  Change of American accommodation (8)

   QUARTERS – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.

 

Down

1  Funny business has Frenchman in charge (5)

    COMIC – CO (company) M (Monsieur; Frenchman) IC (in charge).

2  Starts again on synopses (7)

RESUMES – Double definition, albeit not pronounced the same.

3  Some tightly cramping fabric (5)

     LYCRA – Hidden in [some] tightLY CRAmping.

4   Billy and his partner's affectionate name for their offspring (3,3)

 OUR KID – Cryptic definition.

5  The Doors sex it up (5)

EXITS – (sex it)* [up].

6  He gets left on a part of the golf course (7)

LEGATEE – LEG (on; cricket side) A TEE (part of the golf course). Probably the sneakiest clue.

7  Regularly remarry to support objective to become loved (6)

ENDEAR – Alternate letters of [regularly] rEmArRy underneath [to support] END (objective).

  13  Cat and bear performing in nightclub entertainment (7)

    CABARET – (Cat, bear)* [performing].

  14  Ada Lovelace, the original young socialite? (2,4)

    IT GIRL – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint… Ada Lovelace was an IT pioneer

  16  Show annoyance when city abandons Old English (7)

    BRISTLE – BRISToL (city) without [abandons] the O (old), E (English).

  17  Good to have a cuppa with posh cake (6)

    GATEAU – G (good) A TEA (cuppa) U (posh).

  19  Note missing right on left edge (5)

    BEVEL – BrEVE (note) [missing] the R (right), L (left).

  21  Colour scheme of some airside corridors (5)

    DÉCOR – Hidden in [some] airsiDE CORridors.

  22  Those strange cultural attitudes (5)

    ETHOS – (those)* [strange].

All comments and queries welcome. I will respond when I can.

By the way, I also compile other crosswords. If you are interested you can find an index to my Weekend Quick Cryptic crosswords here.