I didn’t do this one on the timer, so couldn’t say where it fell on the difficulty spectrum for me, but a couple of clues did hold me up – 8a and 12a – and I’m still not sure I got the parsing right on them. And is gnu really pronounced knew? All this time I thought it was ‘I’m a g-nu, how do you do?’ COD 22a for conjuring up the Fighting Temeraire.
Thank you to Teazel for an entertaining puzzle.
Thank you to Teazel for an entertaining puzzle.
| Across | |
| 1 | Noise had horrible clinging quality: ADHESION Anagram (horrible) of NOISE HAD |
| 5 | Neighbour’s brass instrument returned: ABUT Brass instrument = TUBA, backwards (returned) |
| 8 | Mountain height reached by a so-dominant male: ALPHA Mountain = ALP, height = H, a = A |
| 9 | Dance: couple’s favourite returns: TWO-STEP Couple’s = TWOS, favourite = PET, backwards (returns) |
| 11 | Four of the Romans meeting unknown climber: IVY Four of the Romans = IV, unknown = Y |
| 12 | Robin’s years as a boy?: CHILDHOOD Cryptic definition, relating to Robin Hood |
| 13 | Station us in school: EUSTON Us = US, in school = ETON |
| 15 | Renounce donkey, captivated by little dog: PASS UP Donkey = ASS, inside (captivated by) little dog = PUP |
| 18 | Pleased to have met: SATISFIED Double definition, having met certain conditions |
| 19 | Was aware of talking animal: GNU Homophone (talking) of was aware = KNEW |
| 20 | Old man has excellent secretary: GRANDPA Excellent = GRAND, secretary = P(ersonal) A(ssistant) |
| 21 | Plutocrat finally given a curtsey: NABOB Finally = last letter of given, a = A, curtsey = BOB |
| 22 | Turner’s ‘Cutter crossing lake’: AXLE Cutter = AXE, crossing lake = L |
| 23 | Chaps curse clothing: MENSWEAR Chaps = MEN, curse = SWEAR |
| Down | |
| 1 | Spreading caviare, causing greed: AVARICE Anagram (spreading) of CAVIARE |
| 2 | Very quiet in the grass, and joyful: HAPPY Very quiet = PP, in grass = HAY |
| 3 | Ill-fated actors dress badly: STAR-CROSSED Anagram (badly) of ACTORS DRESS |
| 4 | Away, in good health, getting set of clothes: OUTFIT Away = OUT, in good health = FIT |
| 6 | Character in pantomime needing cask on front of stage: BUTTONS Cask = BUTT, on = ON, front (first letter) of Stage |
| 7 | Not enthusiastic to see power in Parliament rising: TEPID Power = P, Parliament = DIET, rising = backwards |
| 10 | Random stuff finishes beneath uneven beach: ODDS AND ENDS Uneven = ODD, beach = SAND, finishes = ENDS |
| 14 | To leave port is least problematic: SET SAIL Anagram (problematic) of IS LEAST |
| 16 | Tradesman is parking unwanted furniture: PLUMBER Parking = P, unwanted furniture = LUMBER |
| 17 | One taken in by very wise face: VISAGE One = I, in very = V, wise = SAGE |
| 18 | Foreign character’s mark of disgrace, wasting time: SIGMA Mark of disgrace = STIGMA, without T (wasting time) |
| 19 | End of roof beginning to buckle in strong wind: GABLE Beginning = first letter of Buckle, strong wind = GALE |