A really enjoyable puzzle from Flamande. I came in around 15 mins, so maybe a bit harder than average. I came a bit of a cropper at 21ac, happily bunging in "resort" for "reorganise religious education class". I have a good excuse, having done yesterday's puzzle just before this, where "sort" did happen to be defined as "class". 20ac also held me up with a nice bit of misdirection - I was groping around for a 6-letter word for a medal with an "i" that could be poked out. Other than that, lots of nice clues, and nothing too obscure. COD to 5d - a charming example of an all-in-one (or &lit) clue. Or possibly a grimly understated example, depending on where you live. If you want to read more about this type of clue, the Sunday Times has a clue writing contest, and a while ago there was a very helpful ten-part guide to the different types of clue: as useful for solving as clueing. Here’s a link to the last part of the guide, which has links to the other nine at the bottom: http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/public/article807367.ece
Definitions underlined, and many thanks to Flamande.
Definitions underlined, and many thanks to Flamande.
| Across | |
| 1 | Nasty fights round quiet retail outlet GIFT SHOP: Anagram (nasty) of FIGHTS, O (round), |
| 8 | English graduate cross about test EXAM: E(nglish), reverse ("about") MA X (graduate; cross) |
| 9 | Cut note at end of 60s' musical HAIRDO: DO (note, as in do-ra-me) at end of HAIR (60s' musical) |
| 10 | Hooligan in crowd, yelling ROWDY (noun): hidden in cROWD Yelling |
| 11 | Fool at first lacking sense of humour WIT: TWIT (fool), lacking the first letter. |
| 12 | Non-professionals misbehaving meanly LAYMEN: Anagram (misbehaving) of MEANLY. |
| 14 | Swear, watching important cricket match? ATTEST: if watching an important cricket match in person, you would be "at test". |
| 16 | Old policeman identifying stripper PEELER: double definition, the first being named after Robert Peel. |
| 18 | Collided with small commercial vehicle STRUCK: S (small) TRUCK (commercial vehicle) |
| 19 | I am puckish, principally IMP: I'm (I am), P (Puckish, principally). An all-in-one clue, where the definition is the whole clue: if you were puckish, principally you would be an imp. |
| 20 | Wearing medal, one's departing GOING: I (one) is wearing GONG (medal). |
| 21 | Reorganise religious education class REFORM: RE (religious education), FORM (class) |
| 22 | Young servantyou’ll find in book PAGE: double definition. |
| 23 | Several refuse to admit Conservative leaning TENDENCY: TEN (several, somewhat loosely) DENY (refuse) admits/lets in C(onservative) |
| Down | |
| 1 | A tabloid perhaps probing corruption where clergyman lives VICARAGE: A RAG (a tabloid, perhaps) going inside (probing) VICE (corruption). |
| 2 | How to deal with porridge in prison? STIR: double definition, the first one semi-cryptic. |
| 3 | Heard ceremonial seat is hurled to the ground THROWN: is heard the same as "throne" (Ceremonial seat). |
| 4 | Old city district in South Africa SPARTA: PART (district) goes in S.A. |
| 5 | What could create wet areas? SEAWATER: Another lovely all-in-one: Seawater could create, anagrammatically speaking, WET AREAS - and literally so, as well. |
| 6 | Cautious manner regimental leader's adopted WARY: WAY (manner) takes in (adopts) R (Regimental leader) |
| 13 | Hat maker's factory in outskirts of Exeter MILLINER: MILL (factory), IN, ER (outskirts of ExeteR) |
| 15 | Sports day event to fire lots of people? SACK RACE: SACK (fire), RACE (lots of people?) |
| 17 | Some bright spark's claims RIGHTS: Some of the letters of bRIGHTSparks. |
| 18 | Run various trips round capital of Norway SPRINT: anagram (various) of TRIPS, goes around N (capital of Norway) |
| 20 | Family member's allowance cut GRAN: grant = allowance, cut the last letter. |
| 22 | Run away, initially finding shelter FLEE: F (initially Finding), LEE (shelter). |