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TfTT. You can find an index to the complete series of crosswords here.
Before looking at the answers, if you would like some additional help, click the label below.
Hints...
Some hints and tips:- The valley (in certain Arabic-speaking countries) is a ravine, or channel that is dry except in the rainy season.
- "Already been mentioned" : "idem" is used in citations to indicate an author or word that has just been mentioned.
- The contract change is a legal term meaning to to replace a contract with a new contract.
And click on this label to get the solution.
Solution...
As John is at a graduation today, I am posting a brief blog:
ReplyDelete1a STRIPTEASE anagram (reworked) of TAPESTRIES. Process of being revealed = definition.
7a ESTEEMS Prizes = definition (verb) anagram (to be distributed) SEEM SET = anagram fodder
8a INNER Secret = definition. (D)INNER = meal never started
10a MARE Nag = definition. Mother = MA. before RE = Religious Education lesson
11a MILEAGES Distances = definition. EAGLES = anagram fodder. fly = anagram indicator. after = location indicator. First two of MI(grations)
13a NOVATE Change contract = definition. NO VAT = zero tax. Before start of E(mployment)
15a MILLER Playwright = definition (Arthur Miller). ILLER = less well. After onset of M(alaria)
17a TASMANIA Island = definition. Guy = MAN visiting (inside) ASIA (continent) after T (time)
18a WADI Valley = definition (valley in desert). Bill = AD (as in poster/advertisement) in WI (West Indies.
21a SWING Music (Swing is a genre of music) found in playground = second definition
22a EMANATE MEAN to change (anagram indicator). AT = at. Start of E(aster) in Spring = definition
23a GENERATION Making = definition. INTO A GREEN. development = anagram indicator
1d SITAR Teacher = SIR receives TA (thanks) for instrument = definition
2d REEL Picked up = homophone indicator of REAL (authentic). Dance = definition.
3d PAST IT Gone off = definition. Wine = ASTI in P(iedmon)T vacation means emptying the centre
4d EPIDEMIC Disease outbreak = definition. IDEM = has already been mentioned (Latin term in books) in long film = EPIC
5d SENEGAL Country = definition. For example = EG entering LANES up = reversal indicator
6d TERMINATES Stops = definition. Becoming = anagram indicator. MAIN SETTER
9d RESTRAINED Held back = definition. Remainder = REST showered = RAINED
12d STRANGLE LETS GRAN. hit = anagram indicator. Throttle = definition.
14d VESTIGE Remainder = definition. in = containment indicator. harVEST I GEt
16d CINEMA Doctor = anagram indicator. CAME IN. to watch The English Patient here? is the definition
19d AGAIN A GAIN (a win) and another = definition
20d MALI Country = definition. hiding = containment indicator. aniMAL Is
Just over 8 minutes in all for me, with the only delay over 4D Epidemic - could see the answer but not the parsing. Otherwise Alles Klar, as our German friends say, with eyebrows remaining firmly unraised, shoulders unshrugged and aids unconsulted..
ReplyDeleteI particularly liked the clever hiddens, but it was overall just a really good puzzle, most enjoyable and shows some of our weekday setters (no names but you know who you are!) what can be done in the QC format to be enough of a challenge to be interesting without in any way being unfair.
Many thanks Sawbill for both puzzle and blog
Thanks Cedric. I am trying to get the difficulty level right while maintaining everything else.
ReplyDeleteVery good fun, though felt rather anagram-heavy (having said which, my COD was CINEMA - what a lovely surface!). Carelessly entered “generating” without checking the anagrist, so that held up my LOI (AGAIN) until I sorted it out.
ReplyDeleteLovely to have these puzzles, Frank you Sawbill!
Templar
Ha ha - and of course I can’t edit my Frank to thank. So Frank it must be.
DeleteThank you, Templar ... and I would expect all commenters to be Frank.
DeleteOh dear, apart from NHO NOVATE, I did finish eventually but had to use the CCD, which was discouraging. My worst performance for weeks. Sorry, Sawbill, Too difficult for me, but perhaps the heat made the anagrams sticky. Thank you vm, though.
ReplyDeleteCountrywoman.
So sorry! This setting lark is no easy thing.
ReplyDeleteIt is good of you to make the effort for us. What makes Xwords easier are shorter words or phrases with short words like, say, bacon and eggs.
DeleteToday I liked PAST IT, STRIPTEASE, WADI, INNER. My FOI was MALI, so struggled from the outset!
The use of short words to enable solvers to get a foothold is good advice. Thanks.
DeleteYes, I always go for the 3 letter clues first, if there are any. I struggle with long anagrams. I don't usually have a problem with vocabulary but NHO novate and to get it, I had to solve the long anagram - catch 22. Also struggled to get the anagrist in 22a - needed blog for explanation.
DeleteEnjoyable as usual. However, I didn’t get “Wadi” as I’d never heard of it. Thought it might be “Wabi” but that was just a guess. Forgot “bill” could be a poster/ad.
ReplyDeleteJamesEd46
Thanks and glad you enjoyed it. While setting, it was NOVATE that I was worried about. Possibly I have spent too much of my life working in deserts so never thought about WADI.
ReplyDeleteJust got to this this afternoon. Very enjoyable. Struggled with 13a Novate but the clueing was clear so learnt something today. FOI 8a Inner. LOI 13a Novate. COD could be either Novate or 17a Tasmania. I also liked 3d Past It and 16d Cinema, among others. Nice to have a decent Saturday puzzle for the weekend. Many thanks to all those who put in the effort and help with the blog.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Turner
Thanks Andrew. Time for some Asti?
ReplyDelete