An eminently completable crossword, but not without its various traps and difficulties if you’re a beginner. Apart from the unknown boat at 11ac and an unusual synonym for drunk (isn’t it amazing how many there are in English?), I was held up momentarily trying make “kit” work at 1dn then trying to take apart the cryptic definition at 4dn. Meteorologists among us might quibble about 3dn, too (please do, I’m dying to know the difference).
Definitions underlined.
|
| Across |
| 8 | Fire or non-fire, possibly (7) |
| INFERNO - anagram of (possibly) NON-FIRE. |
| 9 | String of islands having a charge for crossing? (5) |
| ATOLL - A and TOLL (charge for crossing). |
| 10 | Summons to meal draws in one attending (5) |
| GOING - GONG (summons for meal) surrounding (draws in) I (one). |
| 11 | Boatmore likely to float? (7) |
| LIGHTER - double definition. |
| 12 | Curious when taken aback by excellent Japanese warrior (7) |
| SAMURAI - RUM (curious) and AS (when) all reversed (taken aback) next to (by) AI (A1, excellent). |
| 14 | Manmade material sported by many Londoners (5) |
| NYLON - hidden in (sported by) maNY LONdoners. |
| 15 | Country I name that has rejected support (5) |
| INDIA - I and N (name) with AID (support) backwards (rejected). |
| 17 | Prominent foreigner seen in street (7) |
| SALIENT - ALIEN (foreigner) inside ST (street). |
| 19 | Gangster in Sofia, corrupt in a short time (7) |
| MAFIOSO - anagram of (corrupt) SOFIA) in MO (short time). |
| 20 | Danger for each one left (5) |
| PERIL - PER (for each), I (one) and L (left). |
| 22 | Small corner hard to be found in French resort (5) |
| NICHE - H (hard) inside NICE (French resort). |
| 23 | Out of bed, drunk and tense (7) |
| UPTIGHT - UP (out of bed) and TIGHT (drunk). |
|
| Down |
| 1 | Equipment includes new telephone (4) |
| RING - RIG (equipment) surrounding (includes) N (new). |
| 2 | Ratify a fine company (6) |
| AFFIRM - A, F (fine) and FIRM (company). |
| 3 | Mist surrounds river and pond creature (4) |
| FROG - FOG (mist) surrounding R (river). |
| 4 | Not something you'll salvage from a wreck, perhaps (2-6,5) |
| NO CLAIMS BONUS - cryptic definition. |
| 5 | Alarming changes in key election seat (8) |
| MARGINAL - anagram of (changes) ALARMING. |
| 6 | Job almost entirely involving the mail (6) |
| POSTAL - POST (job) and all but the last letter of (almost) ALl (all, entirely. Apologies for the font). |
| 7 | Instrument, note, used in lively recital (8) |
| CLARINET - N (note) inside an anagram of (lively) RECITAL. |
| 12 | I'm beginning to mature in handling of golf-club under waterlogged conditions (8) |
| SWIMMING - I’M and first letter of (beginning to) Mature, inside SWING (handling of golf club). |
| 13 | Boy, English, engaged in study? That's sensible (8) |
| REASONED - SON (boy) and E (English) all surrounded by (engaged in) READ (study). |
| 16 | A mistaketo change sides? (6) |
| DEFECT - double definition. |
| 18 | Wind up new newspaper appearing in middle of week (6) |
| ENRAGE - N (new) and RAG (newspaper) within the middle letters of (in middle of) wEEk. |
| 20 | Compassion? Heartless party will suppress it (4) |
| PITY - all but the middle letters of (heartless) PartY surrounding (will suppress) IT. |
| 21 | First of lunches consumed behind schedule (4) |
| LATE - first (letter) of Lunches and ATE (consumed). |