Solving time : 39:40 with my friend Brian helping me get one. OK - I am probably not in the best solving form at the moment since we went to Epcot at Walt Disney World and prevailed in the challenge of having a drink in all 11 areas of the World Showcase (woohoo). However, even in my admittedly inebriated state, this puzzle wasn't for me. Regular readers may know my dislike of cryptic definitions and I think there's two here. Scattered amongst is some clever wordplay but I can't say this was a winner overall. Feel free to toast me in comments.
Away we go...
Away we go...
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | SIZE: ASSIZE(old court) with AS removed |
| 3 | COPERNICUS: CO(firm) then PERNICIOUS(injurious) missing IO(moon) |
| 10 | GIRAFFE: GAFFE containing IR |
| 11 | ASTRIDE: RIDE on A ST(street, public way) |
| 12 | THREE MEN IN A BOAT: cryptic definition |
| 13 | DETAIL: or DE-TAIL |
| 14 | REMEMBER: REM(eye movement), EMBER(a bit glowing) |
| 17 | RED CORAL: anagram of COLD REAR |
| 18 | UPKEEP: or UP KEEP |
| 21 | BETWEEN YOU AND ME: anagram of WOMEN NEED BEAUTY |
| 23 | CULVERT: VER |
| 23 | CHEMISE: TRY removed from CHEMISTRY then E |
| 25 | NUTCRACKER: NUT(fan), CRACKER(biscuit) - the Nitcracker Suite by Tschaikowsky |
| 26 | HERD: sounds like HEARD |
| Down | |
| 1 | SIGHTED: double definition |
| 2 | ZERO RATED: PERORATED(wound up speech) with a new first letter |
| 3 | OPENER: double definition |
| 5 | EXAMINER: EX MINER containing A |
| 6 | NOT HAVE A PRAYER: tichy double definition |
| 7 | CHINO: I then ON(leg side in cricket) reversed after CH |
| 8 | SWEATER: cryptic definition |
| 9 | A FLEA IN ONE'S EAR: jumper is A FLEA and the lug is an ear |
| 15 | BREADLINE: anagram of DINER,ABLE |
| 16 | MAGNETIC: NET in MAGIC |
| 17 | RUBICON: RUB(clean), ICON(holy image) |
| 19 | PREBEND: PRE(ahead of time), BEND(submit) |
| 20 | TOUCHE: |
| 22 | TO LET: DO(make) removed from TOLEDO then T |