I like a challenge. I enjoyed most of this, it has some excellent clues with nice PDMs. Looking at it now I've finally got there, nearly an hour, with the use of a solver for one clue and an exposed ignorance of the Old Testament, I'm sure some of the Old Hands will not have struggled as I did. 1a is a brilliant clue, but I couldn't see it for the life of me. 16d I eventually clocked, although it's a word I didn't know existed; I was confounded by pencilling in EBay for 21a ! It parses, but too commercial for a weekday no doubt. How did you all find it? Tricky, or with (a fav quote) "as much talent for disguise as a giraffe in dark glasses trying to get into a ‘Polar Bears Only’ golf club."
| Across |
| 1Weight, energy and speed unaltered (8) |
| EMPHASIS - E(nergy), MPH (speed), AS IS = unaltered. I'd forgotten the mph thing, I didn't have the H in, just the S blank S, and it took me an age to see. But no complaints. |
| 9Time you Yankee chaps reflected! (3,5) |
| THE ENEMY - Not sure, but here's a stab. THEE = you, NEM = men, chaps reversed, Y = Yankee. I looked up quotes including this phrase (time is the enemy) and there are many, but I can't see the obvious stand-alone one. Useless. Maybe time to hang up the blogging boots! |
| 10 To get around that, I live separately (3,2,3) |
| ONE BY ONE - ONE (I), BE (live), insert YON (that). |
| 11Seasoned pro players initially have had a look at sides (8) |
| PEPPERED - Insert P P (initial letters of pro players) into PEERED (had a look at). |
12 Truck in dip, labouring, one responsible for road hold-ups (4,6)
|
| DICK TURPIN - My FOI. (TRUCK IN DIP)*. |
| 14 What’s spread evenly among UN: parts of alliance (4) |
| NATO - Alternate even letters of uN pArTs Of. |
15 Gradually manoeuvre taxi in reverse — and forwards (4,3)
|
| BACK ROW - Reverse all of WORK CAB. |
| 17 Chap following wobbly lines (7) |
| STROPHE - To be in a STROP is to throw a wobbly; HE = chap. One of those poetry things I know zero about, but the word sounded like something to do with lines, given an apo-strophe 'goes between' to separate things. |
| 21Facility where drugs may be picked up (4) |
| EASE - Yes, I know, it was stupid. I was getting my E's at EBay. But it just sounds like E's. |
| 22Fabulous female, male hosts help to spoil one (4,6) |
| MAID MARIAN - Another one where I was trying hard to get 'something MAIDEN' and looking for someone from Greek mythology until I had the R from 18d. MAN = male, insert AID, MAR (spoil), I. |
| 23 One’s deflated as a result of this competition? (5,3) |
| PRICE WAR - Nice cryptic definition. Might even be &lit. |
| 25Inspiring person to go for gold, clinching win finally (8) |
| ANIMATOR - Insert N (win finally) into AIM AT (go for), OR = gold. Topical clue at the end of the World Championships. |
| 26Official, being bold, cut down on staff (8) |
| MANDARIN - MAN = staff, DARIN(G) = bold, cut down. |
27Old people collectively righted a wrong (5,3)
|
| THIRD AGE - (RIGHTED A)*. When do I get to the Fourth Age? Feel I'm there already, today. |
| Down |
| 2Oil, basil, an omelette needs for serving up (4,4) |
| MONA LISA - She's hidden reversed in B(ASIL AN OM)ELETTE. Not an anagram of OIL BASIL after all. |
| 3 It’s not in practice sound for a cook book (8) |
HABAKKUK - One of the more obscure books of the OT. I thought I had heard of most of them but I had to search for words ending K blank K to get it. I think this goes: practice = HABIT,
It's not in = HAB; A KKUK sounds like a cook. Old Habakkuk seems a bit of a mystery man, only mentioned in two verses and no biog at all, unlike the other minor prophets; I won't forget him though. |
4Pack that’s way over weight (4)
|
| STOW - ST (way) O(ver) W(eight). |
| 5 Close to beaches, note, litter increases (4-3) |
| STEP-UPS - S = close to beaches, TE = note as in do re mi, PUPS = litter. |
| 6Spy doing tweets to his boss? (7,3) |
PEEPING TOM - The spy's (Bond's) boss was M, so TO M; PEEPING for doing tweets.
A bit weak I thought. |
| 7 7 Glower from aristocrat caught in swindle (4,4) |
| REAR LAMP - EARL inside RAMP = swindle. |
| 8One my Dr’s treated? (8) |
| SYNDROME - (ONE MY DRS)*. &lit. |
| 13You surprise mewhen I tell you to! (4,2,4) |
| UPON MY WORD - Double definition, I think. |
| 15 Buzzer round’s beginning quiz that’s held in pub (4,4) |
| BEER PUMP - BEE = buzzer, R(ound's), PUMP = quiz. |
| 16 Copper ring, polished on the outside, with padding? (8) |
| CUSHIONY - CU = copper, SHINY = polished, insert O = ring. It is a word, I checked, but it sounds more like something from the Uxbridge dictionary to me, as in ISIHAC (the best radio 4 programme around, for overseas listeners' enlightenment) |
| 18 In custody as required, having run for days (2,6) |
| ON REMAND - Change the D in ON DEMAND to an R. |
| 19 Principal wish is not considered (8) |
| HEADLONG - HEAD = principal, of a school; LONG (for) = wish (for). |
20Lively sextet refuse request, ultimately (7)
|
| VIBRANT - VI = sextet (six), BRAN = refuse (Kelloggs may disagree), T = request ultimately. |
| 24 Girl I judge is in a state. |
| FIJI - FI (ona) = girl, I, J(udge) is in. |