You can find a link to this week's crossword here and the answers below. Feel free to leave any comments or questions here as
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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 and tips...
Some hints and tips:
- It's not really a theme but we have a few Scottish references today. It helps if you know your Scottish football teams.
- 17A is a definition by example. You could substitute "Telegraph is a" for "Express" and the clue would still work.
- For 4D think of iced cupcakes.
- The name mentioned in 8D is not a footballer and became famous for what he achieved in 1967.
- The economist at 14D was also a philosopher.
- The measure in 16D is a distance.. and quite a small one.
And click on this label to get the solution.
Definitions
underlined in bold italics, (
Abc
)* indicating anagram of Abc, {deletions} and [] other
indicators.
Across
1 Editor embarrassed cast member (8)
REDACTOR – RED (embarrassed) ACTOR (cast member).
5 Occasionally outswear drug fiend (4)
USER – Alternate letters [occasionally] of oUtSwEaR
9 Make yourself scarce - Marc's back (5)
SCRAM – MARC’S [back].
10 Treatment of man gatecrashing rowdy party (7)
THERAPY – HE (man) in (party)* [rowdy].
11 Guy encountered in Denver, a Yankee (3)
RAY – Hidden [encountered] in DenveR A Yankee.
12 Unbiased I fancy (9)
IMPARTIAL – I’M PARTIAL (I fancy).
13 Stare wildly meeting unknown substitute (6)
ERSATZ – (Stare)* [wildly], Z (unknown in equations).
15 Flee from Leek we're told (6)
ESCAPE – LEAK sounds like, [we’re told], LEEK.
17 Express means of providing information? (9)
NEWSPAPER – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint. The ? indicates it’s a definition by example.
19 Theatre company's agent (3)
REP – Doubled definition.
20 Gloomy fighter pilot's disgusted expression (7)
GRIMACE – GRIM (gloomy) ACE (fighter pilot).
21 Half-hearted niggle about Scottish town (5)
ELGIN – NIG{g}LE [half-hearted] reversed, [about] -> ELGIN.
22 Cash register discovered in Kirkintilloch (4)
TILL – Hidden in, [discovered in], KirkinTILLoch.
23 In good health? I suppose I accept that (4,4)
VERY WELL – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
Down
1 Madly reveres book (7)
RESERVE (reveres)* [madly].
2 From the outset doctor is really thorough, yet unhygienic (5)
DIRTY – Initial letters, [from the outset], of Doctor Is Really Thorough Yet.
3 What a theatregoer may do to become effective (4,4,4)
COME INTO PLAY – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
4 In control like a cherry? (2,3)
ON TOP – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint. Think of an iced cupcake.
6 Social workers return to protect French friend's staying power (7)
STAMINA – AMI (friend in French), in ANTS (social workers) reversed -> STNA.
7 Two men are sort of blue (5)
ROYAL – ROY and AL (two men).
8 Scottish players press line creating goal for Christiaan Barnard (5,7)
HEART SURGERY – HEARTS (Scottish players) URGE (press) RY (line; railway line). Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful human heart transplant in 1967.
14 Spotted economist in factory (7)
SAWMILL – SAW (spotted) MILL (John Stuart; economist). If like me you remember philosophers names from the Monty Python Bruces’ song, you will have maybe thought“…of his own free will on half a pint of shandy got particularly ill”.
16 Measure penal reform, and call up for jury service (7)
EMPANEL – EM (measure; a size of space in printing) (penal)* [reform]. EM an its close cousin EN are worth remembering as they come up regularly in crosswords.
17 Bad thing, darkness (5)
NIGHT – (thing)* [bad].
18 Portion of food taken to church (5)
PIECE - PIE (food) CE (Churcn of England; church)
19 Villain to proceed upwards in French street (5)
ROGUE – GO (proceed) [upwards -> OG, in RUE (French street).
1 Editor embarrassed cast member (8)
REDACTOR – RED (embarrassed) ACTOR (cast member).
5 Occasionally outswear drug fiend (4)
USER – Alternate letters [occasionally] of oUtSwEaR
9 Make yourself scarce - Marc's back (5)
SCRAM – MARC’S [back].
10 Treatment of man gatecrashing rowdy party (7)
THERAPY – HE (man) in (party)* [rowdy].
11 Guy encountered in Denver, a Yankee (3)
RAY – Hidden [encountered] in DenveR A Yankee.
12 Unbiased I fancy (9)
IMPARTIAL – I’M PARTIAL (I fancy).
13 Stare wildly meeting unknown substitute (6)
ERSATZ – (Stare)* [wildly], Z (unknown in equations).
15 Flee from Leek we're told (6)
ESCAPE – LEAK sounds like, [we’re told], LEEK.
17 Express means of providing information? (9)
NEWSPAPER – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint. The ? indicates it’s a definition by example.
19 Theatre company's agent (3)
REP – Doubled definition.
20 Gloomy fighter pilot's disgusted expression (7)
GRIMACE – GRIM (gloomy) ACE (fighter pilot).
21 Half-hearted niggle about Scottish town (5)
ELGIN – NIG{g}LE [half-hearted] reversed, [about] -> ELGIN.
22 Cash register discovered in Kirkintilloch (4)
TILL – Hidden in, [discovered in], KirkinTILLoch.
23 In good health? I suppose I accept that (4,4)
VERY WELL – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
1 Madly reveres book (7)
RESERVE (reveres)* [madly].
2 From the outset doctor is really thorough, yet unhygienic (5)
DIRTY – Initial letters, [from the outset], of Doctor Is Really Thorough Yet.
3 What a theatregoer may do to become effective (4,4,4)
COME INTO PLAY – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
4 In control like a cherry? (2,3)
ON TOP – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint. Think of an iced cupcake.
6 Social workers return to protect French friend's staying power (7)
STAMINA – AMI (friend in French), in ANTS (social workers) reversed -> STNA.
7 Two men are sort of blue (5)
ROYAL – ROY and AL (two men).
8 Scottish players press line creating goal for Christiaan Barnard (5,7)
HEART SURGERY – HEARTS (Scottish players) URGE (press) RY (line; railway line). Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful human heart transplant in 1967.
14 Spotted economist in factory (7)
SAWMILL – SAW (spotted) MILL (John Stuart; economist). If like me you remember philosophers names from the Monty Python Bruces’ song, you will have maybe thought“…of his own free will on half a pint of shandy got particularly ill”.
16 Measure penal reform, and call up for jury service (7)
EMPANEL – EM (measure; a size of space in printing) (penal)* [reform]. EM an its close cousin EN are worth remembering as they come up regularly in crosswords.
17 Bad thing, darkness (5)
NIGHT – (thing)* [bad].
18 Portion of food taken to church (5)
PIECE - PIE (food) CE (Churcn of England; church)
19 Villain to proceed upwards in French street (5)
ROGUE – GO (proceed) [upwards -> OG, in RUE (French street).
Sawmill, Redactor, and Come into play were favourites, along with Very well. I took a long time on the latter because I had entered Heart surgeon at first thinking Dr Barnard was the definition. When I looked closer at the word lines in the clue I saw it must end ry. Then the y helped very come into view. Thanks, Phil (and John), for a great and enjoyable test.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Glad you finished OK.
Delete12 minutes but I failed at the last, also entering Heart Surgeon ("Hearts urge on") for exactly the same reason as Curryowen, and then not really making anything of 23A, where I eventually (and without much conviction) put Mean well. A fine puzzle and a rare Sunday DNF. many thanks Phil!
ReplyDeleteBeen well? was the best I could come up with before I luckily replaced surgeon with SURGERY.
DeleteBad luck. The perils of biffing and not accounting for all the wordplay - in this case the "line". I hadn't thought of it, but it is tempting to go for Heart Surgeon. Actually it's my fault as I persuaded Phil to change the definition to "goal for Christiaan Barnard" to give the clue a more plausible surface extending the football metaphor. His original version was "Scottish players press line - it could be a life saver" which might not have misled you.
DeleteYes, I put HEART Surgeon and Mean WELL, although struggled to parse the latter!
ReplyDeleteI thought this was quite a difficult QC. LOI ERSATZ, after a great deal of thought.
Biffed a few like NEWSPAPER, ESCAPE, THERAPY, STAMINA (thought of French friend but not Ants), SAWMILL, NIGHT.
Liked. COME TO PLAY, ROYAL, ON TOP.
Thanks vm, Phil and John.
Countrywoman.
We too entered Heart Surgeon at 8D and were about to reluctantly go for, Mean Well, knowing that it didn’t really fit, but had a more careful look at the clue and realised our error.
ReplyDeleteLiked IMPARTIAL and COME INTO PLAY and in general thoroughly enjoyed the puzzle, which for us offered a comfortable level of difficulty.
Thanks Phil and John
Very enjoyable. Lots of nice surfaces. Was tempted to think there was an in-joke with sawbill but not the case. Not tempted by surgeon as I saw the line=ry ending. A fun way to use up the time between a late cuppa and preparing supper. Many thanks.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed this very much, thank you. I made the downs in the bottom half much harder by not having the bottom two rows of the puzzle visible and not paying attention to the letter counts in the clues. D’oh!
ReplyDelete- Doofenschmirtz
Cherry on the top my favourite, another enjoyable test, thanks very much, Chris and Francesca
ReplyDeleteThanks to all commenters - I'll try to make my next one a tad more gentle.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, couldn’t finish this - not knowing my “Heart Surgery” history didn’t help with 8dn at all (although the clue was cleverly constructed) In addition, struggled with 16dn “Empanel” and 23ac “Very Well”.
ReplyDeleteThe rest, however, I enjoyed. Thanks.
JamesEd46
Oh dear. Sorry you couldn't finish, but thanks for commenting. Phil has promised to make his next one a little easier.
Delete