Solving time: I have no idea, but probably over two hours all told. I printed it off at the start of the week, and had to keep coming back to it on my many train journeys throughout the week to add in a few more.
I found this one devious in the extreme, at the tougher end of Dean's scale. There were a few TV/radio/sport references, and this use of popular culture always divides opinion. Personally, I like it, but there are plenty of purists out there who find it irritating.
cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (--)*, and removalslike this
I found this one devious in the extreme, at the tougher end of Dean's scale. There were a few TV/radio/sport references, and this use of popular culture always divides opinion. Personally, I like it, but there are plenty of purists out there who find it irritating.
cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (--)*, and removals
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | LEG (on) + END (purpose) |
| 4 | TOLBOOTH = HOT (furious) rev about (TO LOB)* - This one held me up for ages, as I didn't know it could be spelled with one L. |
| 9 | CL |
| 10 | CHAIRLIFT = CHAT (talk) about |
| 11 | TOLERANCE = OLE (a cheer) in TRANCE (an ecstatic state) - 'Give' is the definition |
| 12 | APNEA = A |
| 13 | OLD MAN OF THE SEA = (MET A FOOL AND HE'S)* |
| 16 | PROSCENIUM ARCH = MARCH after (REP COUSIN)* |
| 20 | H(A + G)UE - William Hague, the current Foreign Secretary, is the politician |
| 21 | ALAIN MENU = LAIN (put down) + MEN (crew) all in AU (gold) - A Touring Cars racing driver, that I was vaguely aware of |
| 23 | STEEL BLUE = EEL in (SUBTLE)* |
| 24 | THICK = T' (the) + HICK (country, as in a hick town) |
| 25 | SURPRISE = PRU'S (Insurer's, the Pridential) rev + RISE (increase) |
| 26 | DRAGON - A TV, or transvestite, wears drag, so has DRAG ON, and Dragons' Den is a popular TV show featuring investors called dragons. |
| Down | |
| 1 | LOCATION = LOTION (cream) about CA (calcium) - 'Spot' in the definition |
| 2 | GRILL = GILL (small amount of drink) about |
| 3 | NIGERIA = AIR (look) + EG (for one) + IN all rev |
| 5 | OF A CERTAIN AGE = O |
| 6 | BEREAVE = BEHAVE (conduct) with RE (on) for H (husband) |
| 7 | ORIENTEER = OR (soldiers) + I (single) + ENTER (file) about E (European) |
| 8 | HITMAN = H (Hospital) + ITMA (radio show, the colloquial name for the wartime radio comedy, It's That Man Again) + N (new) - The definition 'offer' is quite devious. In gang parlance, to 'off' someone is to execute them, so an 'offer' is someone who 'offs' people. A hitman. |
| 10 | CONSOLE (support) + TABLES (suggests) - I originally pencilled in COMFORT TABLES as it seemed to fit the checkers and the wordplay, although I had no idea what a comfort table might be. |
| 14 | DE RIGUEUR = RUE rev after (GUIDE)* about R - Thanks to ulaca for teaching me how to spell this just last weekend! |
| 15 | SHRUNKEN = SH (not a word) + RUN (published) + KEN (knowledge) |
| 17 | STELLAR = SR (senior) about TELL (recognise) + A |
| 18 | MONITOR = MOTOR (car) about (IN)* |
| 19 | THESIS = THES (specific articles, i.e. more than on THE)* + IS ('are' reduced to singular) |
| 22 | E + WING - The family name of the oil tycoons in the popular 1980s TV series Dallas |