The return to my original TftT userpic marks the 10th anniversary this week of my first blog which hardly seems possible as I didn't start with much confidence and wasn't sure I'd manage to last through a trial period, but here I still am 441 blogs (including QCs) later.
Looking back on my first effort I note that I didn't put a solving time but I don't think it has changed significantly over the years and I gave up any ambitions to become a speed-merchant quite early in my time here, which in retrospect was just as well as it saved me a lot of angst.
There were were only 10 comments that day, which I think was because the TftT community was much smaller then (I certainly hope it wasn't down to me!) and only two of those contributors are still commenting today - but both still blogging - George (glheard) and Jim (dorsetjimbo). I'm sure there are some others who have been here all that time too, but they didn't post on that particular day.
I didn't revisit the old puzzle in any detail, but at a quick glance I noticed a reference to the composer John Blow (clued as Purcell's teacher), which surely must have been his first and last appearance here. Luckily for me I knew of him so that was something of a much-needed confidence builder.
Anyway, enough of all this nostalgia and on to today's puzzle. This one was not at all onerous although I failed to hit my half-hour target by 8 minutes.
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]
Looking back on my first effort I note that I didn't put a solving time but I don't think it has changed significantly over the years and I gave up any ambitions to become a speed-merchant quite early in my time here, which in retrospect was just as well as it saved me a lot of angst.
There were were only 10 comments that day, which I think was because the TftT community was much smaller then (I certainly hope it wasn't down to me!) and only two of those contributors are still commenting today - but both still blogging - George (glheard) and Jim (dorsetjimbo). I'm sure there are some others who have been here all that time too, but they didn't post on that particular day.
I didn't revisit the old puzzle in any detail, but at a quick glance I noticed a reference to the composer John Blow (clued as Purcell's teacher), which surely must have been his first and last appearance here. Luckily for me I knew of him so that was something of a much-needed confidence builder.
Anyway, enough of all this nostalgia and on to today's puzzle. This one was not at all onerous although I failed to hit my half-hour target by 8 minutes.
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]
| Across | |
| 1 | Grandpa, I'm told, resettled on retiring (3,5) |
| OLD TIMER - Anagram [resettled] of IM TOLD, RE (on) reversed [retiring] | |
| 9 | Hereford might be in this stunning location (8) |
| ABATTOIR - A cryptic defintion with grisly overtones. 'Hereford' is a breed of cattle and indeed they almost certainly meet their end in one of these places where they would first (one hopes) be stunned before the knives come out. | |
| 10 | Hoist / flag (4) |
| JACK - One of the very oldest of old chestnuts in Crosswordland | |
| 11 | After peeled pear, feels thrilled to consume a very soft fruit (6,6) |
| EATING APPLES - {p}EA{r} [peeled], TINGLES (feels thrilled) containing [to consume] A + PP (very soft - pianissimo, in music) | |
| 13 | One making designs, a hundred in number (6) |
| ETCHER - C (hundred) in ETHER (number - anaesthetic) | |
| 14 | Nutty chocolate I put in Eton mess (8) |
| NOISETTE - I + SET (put) in anagram [mess] of ETON. 'Noisette' can refer to hazlenuts, and chocolates made with them can be called 'noisettes'. 'Eton mess' is a traditional cold pudding made from meringue pieces, strawberries and cream. 'Fine dining' presentation skills are not required when serving it. | |
| 15 | Pictures of royal couple visiting US state (7) |
| ARTWORK - TWO + R (royal couple - two kings, two queens or one of each) contained by [visiting] ARK (US state - Arkansas) | |
| 16 | Location of pub, you say, is close by (2,5) |
| IN SIGHT - Sounds like [you say] "inn site" (location of pub) | |
| 20 | Perhaps bully boy ripped end off ornament (8) |
| TOREADOR - TORE (ripped), ADOR{n}(ornament) [end off]. A cheeky definition. | |
| 22 | The Birdie Song an example of these revolutionary recordings? (6) |
| CHEEPS - CHE (revolutionary), EPS (recordings - extended playing vinyl records). Another cheeky definition. | |
| 23 | Proving deficient? That’s what cut-off unelasticated Bermudas may be (7,5) |
| FALLING SHORT - FALLING SHORT{s} [cut off]. And now a cheeky cryptic hint! | |
| 25 | Wader twice spotted near island (4) |
| IBIS - I (island), BIS (twice - a variation on 'encore') | |
| 26 | Hot beef supplier coming round mentioned principal dish (4,4) |
| CHOW MEIN - COW (beef supplier) containing [coming round] H (hot), MEIN sounds like [mentioned] "main" [principal] | |
| 27 | Fighting ultimately against American support for arms? (8) |
| TUSSLING - {agains}T [ultimately], US (American), SLING [support for arms] | |
| Down | |
| 2 | Guide sailor follows a lot (8) |
| LOADSTAR - TAR (sailor) follows LOADS (a lot). More commonly spelt "lodestar" this is defined as a star that serves as a guide for navigation. The definition is arguably the whole clue. | |
| 3 | Drive to photograph instrument of torture (4,3,5) |
| TAKE THE WHEEL - TAKE (photograph), THE WHEEL (instrument of torture) | |
| 4 | Dog — stray — circling English person who enunciates badly? (8) |
| MUTTERER - MUTT (dog), ERR (stray) containing [circling] E (English) | |
| 5 | Working out and, after removing top, showering (7) |
| RAINING - {t}RAINING (working out) [after removing top] | |
| 6 | A female inappropriately dressed for this expedition? (6) |
| SAFARI - A + F (female) in a SARI would indeed be inappropriately dressed for this activity | |
| 7 | Everyone going short after business is slack, perhaps (4) |
| COAL - CO (business), AL{l} (everyone) [going short]. Coal of an inferior quality or size, nutty slack was a product popular with those of limited means in the days of coal fires. Maybe still. | |
| 8 | Most brazen female's in distress (8) |
| FRESHEST - SHE'S (female's) in FRET (distress) | |
| 12 | China welcomes guest, one showing qualities of leadership (12) |
| PRESIDENTIAL - PAL (china plate = mate - CRS) contains [welcomes] RESIDENT (guest) + I (one) | |
| 15 | Transport café: traveller holds up object of interest (8) |
| ARTEFACT - Hidden [holds] and reversed [up] in {transpor}T CAFE TRA{veller} | |
| 17 | Man swimming in a loch beginning to shiver (8) |
| NICHOLAS - Anagram [swimming] of IN A LOCH, S{hiver} [beginning] | |
| 18 | Satellite moving a lot over Scottish island, endlessly (8) |
| HYPERION - HYPER (moving a lot), ION{a} (Scottish island) [endlessly]. It's a moon of Saturn. | |
| 19 | Gift already dispatched? (7) |
| PRESENT - PRE-SENT (already dispatched) | |
| 21 | Duke having private meal (6) |
| DINNER - D (duke), INNER (private) | |
| 24 | Coward hauled up in this Spanish city (4) |
| LEON - NOEL (Coward) reversed [hauled up]. I didn't know this city. | |