I found this a medium level puzzle and a bit of a plod; it took 35 minutes of unscrambling wordplay but nothing particularly made me nod in appreciation or chuckle. When I read it now I can't see why it took me so long.
As I mentioned last Friday, if any current bloggers or aspirants would like to take over my every Friday quickie slot, I shall be happy to step down from that; I think jackkt indicated he would do it fortnightly if a virgin blogger wanted to ease into the role. Please post here or message me and andy a.k.a. linxit.
D = definition, DD = double D, [A] = anagrind, if amusing or not obvious.
As I mentioned last Friday, if any current bloggers or aspirants would like to take over my every Friday quickie slot, I shall be happy to step down from that; I think jackkt indicated he would do it fortnightly if a virgin blogger wanted to ease into the role. Please post here or message me and andy a.k.a. linxit.
D = definition, DD = double D, [A] = anagrind, if amusing or not obvious.
| Across | |
| 1 | COMEDY - COY (short for company, army) around MED (sea); D entertainment. |
| 4 | DONNISH - DOSH (funds) around INN reversed; D like lecturers. |
| 9 | IDIOM - I'D = this writer had, IOM = Isle of Man; D style. |
| 10 | VIRGILIAN - V (see) IR (Irish) GILIAN sounds like GILLIAN; D descrtiption of the Aeneid. |
| 11 | AMBERGRIS - AMBER = light, as in traffic light; GRIS sounds like GREASE; D used in perfumes. |
| 12 | EDIFY - Well I try each week to leave one clue hanging, not fully understood, so the experts can chime in; this is it. I can see we substitute IF (the poem) for the second D in EDDY, D is 'improve mind of'; but I thought the epic poem was an EDDA not an EDDY? |
| 13 | TAXI - TA (army) XI (team); D mode of transport. I think the 'unexpected' is superfluous? |
| 14 | TARANTELLA - AT reversed, RANT (empty talk) ELLA (girl); D dance. |
| 18 | COW PARSLEY - COW (intimidate), PARLEY (discussion) with S inserted; D that grows wild. |
| 20 | SHOE - SHE around O; D trainer, perhaps. Chestnutty. |
| 23 | MAGMA - MAG = periodical, MA, D rock. Also chestnutty. |
| 24 | BUTTERCUP - B (bishop), UTTER (say), CUP (trophy); D bloomer. |
| 25 | NON-PERSON - N (note), ON, PERON with S (spies finally) inserted; D cipher. |
| 26 | OFLAG - O LAG around F; D POW camp, for officers. |
| 27 | HORATIO - H O (first letters of Hardy's operations), RATIO (correspondence); D e.g. Nelson. |
| 28 | KANSAS - KAN sounds like CAN = penitentiary, SAS = crack troops; D state. |
| Down | |
| 1 | CLIMACTIC - Insert C into climatic; D critical. |
| 2 | MAILBOX - MAIL sounds like MALE, BOX = fight; D repository for post. My FOI. |
| 3 | DEMURE - DEMUR = object, verb; E = rear of circle; D reserved. |
| 4 | DARTS - DD. |
| 5 | NOISETTE - D meat or chocolate; NOISE (report) over T T E = times, key). At least, I think so. |
| 6 | INITIAL - Insert I into IN ITAL(Y); D sign. |
| 7 | HANDY - AND (joiner) inserted into H Y (outskirts of Hackney); D skilled. |
| 8 | OVERPASS - (PROVES AS)*; D superior road. |
| 15 | ABETTING - A BING (Crosby) insert E TT (abstainer); D backing. As in 'aiding and abetting' which often go together, although it seems tautological to me. |
| 16 | AREOPAGUS - (OAPS ARGUE)*; D High Court. Latinised name of one of the hills of ancient Athens, and the high court so named because it met there. The word aréopage is still extant in French to mean any meeting of high level people. |
| 17 | PARAKEET - PET = display of pique; insert A RAKE = a seducer; D flyer. Easy enough but my LOI, it took me an age to see the other meaning of PET. |
| 19 | WAGONER - Richard WAGNER was the Ring master; insert O; D carter. |
| 21 | HECKLES - HECK! a mild expression of surprise; LES = the, French; D barracks. |
| 22 | SENORA - (REASON)*; D married woman. As opposed to senorita, I presume. |
| 23 | MUNCH - MUNICH misses the I; D champ, as in chew. |
| 24 | BASSO - BO(Y) = lad, de-tailed; insert ASS = mount; D singer. |