The first puzzle of 2016 and a standard offering that shouldn't unduly trouble seasoned solvers
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | BILLED - B(ILL)ED; "divan for one"="divan is DBE"; caressed=BILLED (and cooed); |
| 5 | INCITE - INC-IT-E; |
| 10 | LAND-PIRATE - LAND-P-IRATE; P=priest; thief in Tilbury perhaps; |
| 11 | SPIVVY - SP(I-V-V)Y; Arthur English no doubt; |
| 13 | TOPOI - TOPO-I; climber's map=TOPO; stock themes is definition; |
| 14 | AMOEBAS - A-MO-BAS(E promoted); stand=base then "back first" gives EBAS; |
| 15 | OVOLO - OV(er)-(loo)*; a moulding; |
| 16 | FORPINE - F(lower)-ORPINE; stonecrop=ORPINE; antiquated go to pot is definition; |
| 17 | NEPTUNE - (punnet)*-(grap)E; |
| 23 | OAK,TREE - (take over - v)*; reference Charles II fleeing Roundheads; |
| 25 | KIP,DOWN - K-I-P-DOWN; turn in is definition; |
| 28 | ICTAL - hidden (lunat)IC-TAL(ks); |
| 29 | ASTRAND - A-STR-AND; acting=A; strong=STR; |
| 30 | DHOBI - D(HOB)I; pleural of deus=DI; rustic=HOB; washerman is definition; |
| 31 | FLITED - FLI(t)TED; flitt=move house in Motherwell; see "flyte" for quarelled in Queensferry; |
| 32 | EVANISHING - EVA-(SIN reversed)-(t)HING; |
| 33 | DURESS - D(U)RESS; |
| 34 | EDGERS - (reeds)* surrounds G=good; |
| Down | |
| 1 | BOSTON - (SOB reversed)-TON; card game - bit like whist; |
| 2 | IMPOVERISH - IMP-OVERISH; gamin=IMP; |
| 3 | LAVOLTA - LAV-(a lot)*; can=toilet=LAV; old dance; |
| 4 | ENVIOUS - E-N(VI)OUS; |
| 5 | IPOMOEA - I-POM-OE-A; grandbairn=OE; about=A; morning glory is definition; |
| 6 | NIDOR - RODIN reversed; the smell of meat cooking; |
| 7 | CREEP - CREE-P(anic); snake is definition; |
| 8 | IAMBIC - I-AM-BIC; |
| 9 | EEL-SET - E(ELSE)T; a net; |
| 12 | DANCE,A,BEAR - (a beer ad can)*; to exhibit a twirling teddy - don't see need for "under pressure" in definition; |
| 18 | NOWNESS - N(OWN)ESS; |
| 19 | SKID,LID - S(KID)LID; slang for crash helmet; |
| 20 | ETCHING - ETC-HING; what have you=ETC; curry ingredient=HING; carving and Victorian euphamism; |
| 21 | OKAYED - O(KAY)ED; |
| 22 | UPTEAR - UP-TEAR; |
| 24 | ELIDES - SEDILE reversed; |
| 26 | DRONE - DR-ONE; |
| 27 | OASIS - OAS-IS; |