I enjoyed this one as there are a number of clues with clever definitions and wordplay, and almost every clue has a very smooth surface reading. My compliments to the compiler.
I did not time myself as I normally do this on paper whilst half watching football on TV.
I willd be at the Championship Finals on the 18th, hoping to do myself justice this year after making a silly error last year.
I did not time myself as I normally do this on paper whilst half watching football on TV.
I willd be at the Championship Finals on the 18th, hoping to do myself justice this year after making a silly error last year.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 PAPERWEIGHT - (PAGE WITH REP)* | |
| 7 HUFFED - FF = very loud, in HUED = coloured. The definition is "had pet" where pet = tantrum | |
| 10 ISLA - I = one, SLA(p) = make-up | |
| 14 COOL BAG - COOL = collected, BAG = (to) appropriate | |
| 15 AQUIFER - A QUER(y) = a doubt, around IF = condition | |
| 16 UPTEMPO - (O(ld) MUPPET)* | |
| 17 ST PATRICKS DAY - STAY = visit, around PA TRICKS = old man takes in, and D(aughter) | |
| 18 LITERALLY - LITE RALLY = convention for weight-watchers (presumably). Not sure whether this clue should have a question mark at the end | |
| 19 OF OLD - 0 FOLD = nothing in origami class | |
| 21 HOCUS-POCUS - HOC = this (Latin), US = American, POC = COP = busy, reversed, US = American | |
| 23 TISSUE - TIS = SIT = pose, reversed, SUE = girl | |
| 25 BLIZZARD - B(uzzing), LIZZARD, sounds like LIZARD = monitor | |
| 26 LITTLE GREEN MEN - (ENTER MEETING, L(iberal), L(iberal))* | |
| 29 ORGANZA - ORGAN = periodical, Z, A = extreme letters | |
| 30 I NEVER DID - IN = popular, ED = journalist, around VERDI = composer | |
| 31 SENOR - S(mall), E.N.O. = opera company, R(ight) | |
| 32 LATCH - LATH = strip, around C(lubs) | |
| 34 FIRE DRILL - FIRE = show door, DRILL = go through | |
| 37 TOBACCO - C(assava), CABOT = explorer, all reversed, O = not a bean | |
| 39 GET ONES OWN BACK - GET = receive, SOWN = broadcast, BACK = promote, around ONE = I | |
| 41 MOONWALK - (OK, L(arge) WOMAN)* | |
| 43 THESIS - THE S IS repeated in the word essay. Clever clue | |
| 44 OVER AND OUT - OVER = short Test sequence, AND = with, OUT = inaccurate | |
| 45 TENCH - T(r)ENCH = gully. The definition is "a catch". | |
| 48 IPSO FACTO - l(IPS OF ACTO)r = what soliloquy passes through. Very neat | |
| 49 LORD PRIVY SEAL - LO = look at, RD = road = the way, PRIVY = ladies, SEAL = lock | |
| 51 GALILEO - GAL = miss, I = one, LEO = a lot of stars | |
| 52 EXISTED - (s)EXIST = unlikely to appoint a girl, ED = boy | |
| 53 ERRATIC - (RICE)*, around RAT = desert | |
| 54 DASH - double definition | |
| 55 CHESTY - hidden in wenCHES TYpically, &lit | |
| 56 REED SPARROW - REEDS = rushes, ARROW = something that indicates, around P(ressure) | |
| Down | |
| 1 PICASSO - PIC = what an artist produces, AS = when, SO = the case (as in "is that so?") | |
| 2 POOH-POOHING - (O(rchestra), GO ON HIP HOP)* | |
| 3 REBUT - RE = on, BUT = bar | |
| 4 ENGLISH BREAKFAST - (WITH E.G. BRAN FLAKES)* | |
| 5 GOAL KICK - GOAL = the end, KICK = give up | |
| 6 TOUT DE SUITE - TOUT = peddler, DESU = USED = second hand, reversed, ITE(m) = article | |
| 7 HEFTY - HEY = country dance, around FT = foot | |
| 8 FORT LAUDERDALE - LAUDER = one praising, DAL = LAD = youth, reversed, all in FORTE = loudly | |
| 9 EQUITY - EY = YE = you, reversed around QUIT = leave | |
| 11 SIMPLE SIMON = (SOLEMN MP IS I)* | |
| 12 ACOLYTE - hidden reversed in impropriETY LOCAlly | |
| 13 STARLIKE - STAR = lead, LIKE = to dig | |
| 20 DOZENTH - DOZE = are kippers, (eate)N, TH(ursday) | |
| 22 OUTRE - alternate letters of sEcReT jUrOr, reversed | |
| 24 CREDITWORTHINESS - CREDIT = buy (believe), W(ith), OR = gold, THINE = your (old), S,S, shillings | |
| 25 BOOTLEG - BOOT = hack, LEG = pin | |
| 27 NORFOLK - (da)N(ce), OR = alternatively, FOLK = music | |
| 28 MICROWAVE OVENS - MICRO = PC, WAVE = gesture, O(ld), VENS = archdeacons. A misleading definition, where do = cook | |
| 31 SUBUNIT - BUN = Chelsea, for example, in SUIT = formally dressed | |
| 33 TATTERSALLS - (STALL, TREATS)*. Chestnuts in the definition refers to horses as Tattersalls are horse auctioneers | |
| 35 DEBAR - DEAR = steep, around B(elfry) | |
| 36 INCINERATOR - IN = home, IN, ERA = time, TO, R(un), around C(entury) | |
| 38 CHAIN LETTER - CHATTER = rabbit, around LINE*. The definition is "one sent, mushrooming" as punctuation can be ignored in Times crossword clues | |
| 40 NAIL FILE - NAIL = secure, FILE = computer data | |
| 42 COMPADRE, COME = approach, around P.A. = secretary, and DR. = doctor | |
| 43 TWIGGED - (consultan)T, WIGGED = like a judge | |
| 46 HOLY COW - sounds like WHOLLY COW = 100% beef | |
| 47 J-CLOTH - C(ordial), J(ugs), reversed, LOTH = reluctant | |
| 49 LAITY - LA(x)ITY = being laid back | |
| 50 YERBA - final letters in ParaguaY appropriatE foR herB teA | |