Solving time : 18:43 but with one mistake, which on a glance back at what I submitted turned out to be a rather silly typo. I was so far from the setters wavelength on this one that it's not even funny, though in the end I think I understand all of the wordplay.
It is the start of December and that means that I have been bringing you every other Thursday crossword (and Mephisto) for nine years now. It continues to be a blast.
Away we go...
It is the start of December and that means that I have been bringing you every other Thursday crossword (and Mephisto) for nine years now. It continues to be a blast.
Away we go...
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | RED HAT: Spoonerism of HEAD RAT |
| 4 | FLAGSHIP: FLAGS(flowers), HIP(with it) leading to Nelson's Flagship |
| 9 | TANK TOP: TANK(vat), TOP(maximum). Not sure how often they are knitted |
| 11 | NATURAL: A, RUT(pothole) in LAN |
| 12 | FRYER: FRY(little fish), |
| 13 | OUT OF LINE: double definition, with one cryptic (if you are out of the hereditary line) |
| 14 | IN GOOD NICK: another double definition with the police one being slightly cryptic |
| 16 | WOAD: first letters of W |
| 19 | GLIB: L inside BIG(large) reversed - definition is smooth |
| 20 | ASTRINGENT: anagram of NET RATINGS |
| 22 | APPORTION: PORT inside an anagram of PIANO |
| 23 | CAP,ER |
| 25 | PRIMULA: UM reversed inside an anagram of APRIL |
| 26 | EROSION: the statue of EROS with I, ON(leg side in cricket) |
| 27 | COGWHEEL: the source of jelly is a COW HEEL - insert G |
| 28 | AFFORD: A(area), F(following), FORD(car) |
| Down | |
| 1 | RATIFYING: remove the first letter from GRATIYING |
| 2 | DINKY: D(diamonds), INKY(showing dark stain) |
| 3 | ANTERIOR: this was my typo as somehow I had ANTERIOT in the grid. ER inside ANTI(hostile), OR(troops at the front) |
| 5 | LUNATIC FRINGE: anagram of IN CULT FEARING, and a term that may need to be re-evaluated following recent elections |
| 6 | GET OFF: two definitions, neither of which I suspect are the usual use of this term |
| 7 | HERBIVORE: HERO(lion) RE(about) containing the first letters in B |
| 8 | PULSE: double definition |
| 10 | PROGNOSTICATE: PRATE(go on) containing O, GNOSTIC |
| 15 | GLIMPSING: G(enia)L, IMP(rogue), SING(pipe) |
| 17 | DETHRONED: sounds like THROWN(brought down) inside DEED |
| 18 | KNOCK OFF: double definition |
| 21 | TROUGH: THROUGH missing an H |
| 22 | ASPIC: 'AS PIC |
| 24 | PRIMO: RIM in OP reversed - the lead part of a duet |