Before looking at the answers, if you would like some additional help, click the label below.
Hints...
Some hints and tips:- The old instrument is a percussion instrument from Egyptian times.
- You need to separate "your old setter".
- The drink is non-alcoholic.
And click on this label to get the solution.
Solution and explanation of the answers...
Definitions underlined in bold italics, (Abc)* indicating anagram of Abc, {deletions} and [] other indicators.
Across
1 George initially approves of
death scene
(7)
GALLOWS
– G{eorge} [initially] ALLOWS (approves).
5
Make fast
escape
(4)
BOLT
– Double Definition.
7
Church garment
in royal blue (3)
ALB
– Hidden in royAL Blue. “A white vestment reaching to the feet, worn by clergy and servers in
some Christian Churches.”
8 Place to sleep by river for
rodent
(8)
DORMOUSE
– DORM (place to sleep) OUSE (river which flows through
York formed from the comfluence of the rivers Ure and Swale).
10
Make a quick getaway
from
Adriatic resort
(5)
SPLIT
– Double definition, the second being the second largest city in Croatia
(see
here).
11
Start a row
when the game begins
(4,3)
KICK OFF
– Double definition.
13
Colour
of chopped mixed oregano (6)
ORANGE
– [mixed] (oregan{o})* [chopped].
15 Play the part of a bird?
Get away! (4,2)
BEAT IT
– BE (play the part of) A TIT (bird).
17
Old instrument
one's recalled to play casually (7)
SISTRUM
– I (one)’S [recalled] -> SI, STRUM, play
casually. “A musical instrument of the percussion family, chiefly associated
with ancient Egypt”. Read about it
here.
18
Herb
for your old setter (5)
THYME
– THY (your, as designated in olden times) ME (setter).
“Your old setter”. Ha ha!
20 Untrue that tenors often initially
sing thus! (8)
FALSETTO
– FALSE (untrue) That Tenors Often
[initially]. But sometimes when, like me, they can’t hit the high notes
any more.
22 Fellow fails to finish
drink
(3)
CHA
– CHA{p} (fellow) [fails to finish].
23 Finally addicts won back
cocaine
(4)
SNOW
– [Finally] addictS, WON [back] -> NOW.
24 Ukrainian horseman leaves before dismissal (7)
COSSACK – COS (salad leaves) SACK (dismissal).
Down
1
Old army punishment centre - a hotspot? (10)
GLASSHOUSE – Double definition, the second a
cryptic hint.
2
Clearly mark endless ballet dancing (5)
LABEL – [endless] (balle{t})*
[dancing].
3
Experienced type sold great cocktail (3,6)
OLD
STAGER – (sold
great)* [cocktail].
4
Industrial action a success in alley (6)
STRIKE – Double definition, the second a
cryptic hint referring to ten-pin bowling.
5
Show displeasure with prohibition? No thanks! (3)
BOO – {ta}BOO [forbidden
activity] without the TA (thanks).
6
The Spanish ticket agent missed the boat (4,3)
LOST
OUT – LOS (the
in Spanish) TOUT (ticket agent).
9
Inaccurate beginning (3,3,4)
OFF
THE MARK – Double definition.
12
Bad reactions to artistic works (9)
CREATIONS – [bad] (reactions)*.
14
Sailor Mark to eschew alcohol (7)
ABSTAIN – AB (Able Bodied seaman,
sailor) STAIN (mark).
16
In crushed ice, encountered something sickening (6)
EMETIC – MET (encountered) [in]
[crushed] (ice)*.
19
Initially your unpleasant cousin called around for this plant
(5)
YUCCA – First letters [initially] of Your
Unpleasant Cousin Called Around.
21
We start to stand up and wield a needle (3)
SEW – WE, [start to] S{tand}, [up] -> SEW.
Liked BEAT IT and THYME most. Off track for a while thinking the Spanish was la or las.Also put tea in for CHA at first. I thought BOO was boot missing the t until I twigged thanks was ta not just t! Vaguely remembered SISTRUM but didn't know the military meaning of GLASSHOUSE.Thanks for entertaining workout!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it. I didn't know the military meaning of GLASSHOUSE either, but with plenty of checkers I thought it was OK so didn't exercise my editorial veto. SISTRUM is the least familiar word in the puzzle, but its plural, SISTRA, came up quite recently in the Times 15x15 and the wordplay is helpful.
DeleteA nice, fairly straightforward puzzle this week I thought.
ReplyDeleteMain hold ups were 17ac “Sistrum” and 16dn “Emetic”, mainly because I biffed “Septic” for the latter. Never did get the parsing for 5dn, so thanks for that (I was looking for something at the end rather than the beginning).
I may have to go and relook at my Spanish, as I was thinking of “El” for 6dn.
Thanks as usual!
JamesEd46
I had trouble with the Spanish too... after test solving I asked Phil how LAST OUT could ne "missed the boat".. Doh!
DeleteWe had guardhouse so couldn't get Split at all and didn't know snow was cocaine. Otherwise very enjoyable, thanks.
ReplyDeleteI had guardhouse too. Sad to be stymied at the last hurdle!! MM
DeleteGood with some challenges! NHO Sistrum but WP was straightforward; struggled in the NE with Boo/Bolt/Lost Out. Settled for Lose Out as at least it had EL but then I had to drop Tout So a DNF. Liked Dormouse and Beat It. Thx for your welcome Saturday puzzle - Andrew Turner
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the feedback. I'd intended to make this weekend's puzzle a little easier, but time constraints made it necessary to use the "here's one I made earlier" option. Many thanks to John for his excellent blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Enjoyed this a lot. Like others, SISTRUM was new to me but very fair (note to self: remember to brush up on Ancient Egyptian musical instruments). BEAT IT was my favourite.
ReplyDelete- Doofenschmirtz