Solving time : 13:38 but the club timer said I had two incorrect (which is two better than yesterday). Usually this means I have a typo in a checking letter and fortunately it was an easy one to spot when I opened it back up, I had an S at the crossing of 18 and 20. I also note that another blogger has the same score - maybe we had the same typo.
Odd puzzle this one - probably amenable to biffing, but in a lot of places the wordplay is very very good, particularly in my last entry (11 across) where I definitely needed the wordplay.
Away we go...
Odd puzzle this one - probably amenable to biffing, but in a lot of places the wordplay is very very good, particularly in my last entry (11 across) where I definitely needed the wordplay.
Away we go...
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | PETROLHEAD: a term I don't think I have heard since Australia in the 80s - ROLE(function) containing H(horse) inside PET(animal), AD |
| 7 | RAG,A |
| 9 | CONJUROR: the companion in the box could be a CO-JUROR - put an N in it |
| 10 | WICKED: double definition |
| 11 | BOREAS: the North wind - RE(about) in BOAS |
| 13 | ILL-FATED: or I'LL FA(musical note) TED |
| 14 | MIND-BOGGLING: MIND(object to), then O,GG(since 8 is GEEGEE) inside BLING |
| 17 | RHYMING SLANG: anagram of HANGS,GRIMLY containing |
| 20 | TEA CHEST: TEST(trail) containing A,CHE |
| 21 | FURORE: O(over - here's today's cricket), RE (soldiers) with FUR |
| 22 | TIVOLI: anagram of TOIL containing IV |
| 23 | NEGATIVE: GEN reversed then EVITA reversed |
| 25 | R,ELY |
| 26 | ELEMENTARY: ELEMENT(air is one of the ancient ones) then Y with AR |
| Down | |
| 2 | ECONOMIC: ON(more cricket) inside E,COMIC |
| 3 | RAJ: JAR reversed |
| 4 | LORIS: replace the D in LORDS with an I |
| 5 | EARRING: EARNING with R for the first N |
| 6 | DOWELLING: here it is spelled with only one L - DO WELL, then IN, |
| 7 | RECTANGULAR: REGULAR surrounding C |
| 8 | GEE-GEE: G, then four Easts surrounding another G |
| 12 | EX-DIRECTORY: EX(old), then RECTOR inside DIY |
| 15 | OXYGENISE: anagram of SEXY,GI,ONE |
| 16 | ENGRAVER: E and N are the bridge players, then GRAVER - not sure we've seen CHASE for etching in the daily before |
| 18 | INTENSE: IN TENS, E |
| 19 | DEFINE: FIN(swimming aid) in DEE |
| 21 | FUGUE: I was rather taken by this clue - first letters of For Ukelele, then the last letter of usinG, and alternating letters in lUtE. Fun clue for a tricky word |
| 24 | TAT: double definition |