This puzzle may I feel cause some problems. 2D is a particularly obscure term with a not particularly helpful cryptic. I was fortunate to be able to solve from the definition, having seen the term before. I don't understand the cryptic at 3D, so all explanations welcome. Many of these clues are quite involved and require concentrated effort. There is some interesting use of slang to potentially frustrate the overseas solvers in particular. I was slow to finish in 35 minutes but would have been quicker if not blogging.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | STROKE - two meanings 1=caress 2=method of swimming and a DBE; |
| 5 | SURE-FIRE - (US reversed)-REFIRE; a "banker" is a certainty; |
| 9 | GENE,POOL - LOO-PEN-EG all reversed; little room=toilet=LOO; for one=for example=EG; |
| 10 | LUNACY - L(UN)ACY; "a" in French=UN; |
| 11 | INADEQUATE - (queen at aid)*; |
| 13 | APEX - A-PEX; "point at top" is definition; what?=A? + homophone based upon "pecs" for muscles; |
| 14 | EDGY - (t)E(i)D-(a)G(o)Y; presumably yoga and diet make participants calm - I wouldn't know; |
| 15 | INSIDE,LEFT - IN=home; SIDE=team; LEFT=skipped=was skipper of; old fashioned forward position in football; |
| 18 | PERRUQUIER - (up require)* - (orde)R; Willy Clarkson perhaps; |
| 20 | CITE - C(IT)E; one nominated to catch others=IT in child's game; |
| 21 | CHIC - CHIC(ken); yellow=cowardly=chicken; range of experience=ken; |
| 23 | ENTRY-LEVEL - door=ENTRY; flat=LEVEL; |
| 25 | CUP,TIE - CU(P)TIE; small coin=P(penny); dish=good looking girl=CUTIE; |
| 26 | WHIZ,KIDS - W-HI-Z-KIDS; with=W; greeting=HI; variable=Z(algebra); jokes=KIDS; |
| 28 | ADJACENT - A-DJ-ACE-NT; jacket=DJ; one=ACE; NT=New Testament=collection of books; close is the definition; |
| 29 | PARODY - PA(ROD)Y; staff=ROD; settle=PAY; boarded=containment indicator; |
| Down | |
| 2 | TIE-AND-DYE - an obscure term from cloth manufacturing in which material is knotted before dying so that patches of cloth are not coloured once the knots are undone; to draw a game is to TIE and DYE sounds like "die"; |
| 3 | OPEN,DAY - well, the definition is "visiting hours" - life's too short to puzzle out the cryptic; on edit - see solution from Jack; |
| 4 | ECO - (villag)E-(idylli)C-(s)O; green is definition; |
| 5 | SALSA - SAL-SA(t); a Mexican dip (sauce); |
| 6 | ROLLER,DERBY - curler=ROLLER (ladies hair); bowler=hat=DERBY in Denver; organised punch-up on roller skates; |
| 7 | FAN,MAIL - FAIL=founder surrounds (man)*; |
| 8 | RECCE - hidden reversed (ylniat)REC-CE(s); to case the joint is to RECCE; |
| 12 | QUINQUEREME - QU(IN-QUER(y))E-ME; that in France=QUE; ME=Middle East; an old ship; |
| 16 | SKI - SKI(p); |
| 17 | FAT-HEADED - FA(THE-A)DED; without=outside of; A=answer; the whole clue is the definition; |
| 19 | RICOTTA - (tart+i=one)* surrounds CO=Company=firm; a cheese; |
| 20 | CHECKER - two meanings based upon check=stop and check=vet; |
| 22 | HOUND - H-UNDO with O=old "raised"; H=hard (pencil lead); harry is definition; |
| 24 | TO,WIT - sounds like "twit" of "twit twoo"; |
| 27 | IMP - I-MP (one member of parliament); |