Solving time: 64:25, albeit amidst distractions
Another excellent puzzle from Dean. Plenty to titter about for the schoolboys amongst us in BUM, BALLS, PUSSY, and a few others as well, but they're all used perfectly innocently, of course.
Lots of excellent surfaces, as you would expect, so lots of candidates for COD. I'll pick 12 for its clever cluing without resorting to one big anagram, but keeping a good surface reading at the same time.
cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (--)*, and removalslike this
Another excellent puzzle from Dean. Plenty to titter about for the schoolboys amongst us in BUM, BALLS, PUSSY, and a few others as well, but they're all used perfectly innocently, of course.
Lots of excellent surfaces, as you would expect, so lots of candidates for COD. I'll pick 12 for its clever cluing without resorting to one big anagram, but keeping a good surface reading at the same time.
cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (--)*, and removals
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | REFORM = REM (Rock band) about FOR (supporting) |
| 4 | EBORACUM = E + BORA (wind) + CUM (and also) |
| 10 | GAUGUIN = GAUG |
| 11 | ROBES + ON |
| 12 | NOTWITHSTANDING = NO TWIT (clever) + AND (too) in (NIGHTS)* |
| 13 | LADIES MAN = (MADE SNAIL)* |
| 15 | CIGAR = CAR (wheels) about I (one) + G (thousand, i.e. Grand) |
| 16 | BUMPY = BUM (tramp) + P |
| 17 | INSOMNIAC = IN (home) + (I'M ON)* in SAC (bladder) |
| 19 | DONCASTER ROVERS = (REASON TV RECORDS)* |
| 22 | O + PINION (wing) |
| 23 | SCEPTIC = C in SEPTIC (pussy, i.e. full of pus) |
| 24 | MONETARY = MONET + A + RY (line) - 'of LSD' is the definition, referring to old British money Pounds (L), Shillings (S) & Pence (D) |
| 25 | FARROW = F |
| Down | |
| 1 | REGINAL = GIN (tipple) in REAL |
| 2 | FOURTH DIMENSION = (FUNNIER MOOD THIS)* - so 'I'm comic in' is all acting as the anagrind. 'Time' is the defintion. |
| 3 | ROUT IN ELY - Ely is a see (a bishopric), so this is a see defeat |
| 5 | BARITONES = BARBITONE'S without the second B, although 'no use for' to me implies the removal of ALL Bs. |
| 6 | RUB IN = RUIN (failure) about B (middle management) |
| 7 | CASTING DIRECTOR = C + ACTOR about STING (fiddle) + DIRE (grave) |
| 8 | MAN(A)GER |
| 9 | INCH - hidden |
| 14 | MOISTENER = IOM (Man, Isle of) rev + STEER about N |
| 15 | COMMON ERA = COMMA (,) about ONER (remarkable person) |
| 16 | BEDROOM = ED (Balls, Shadow Chancellor) in BROOM |
| 18 | CASH COW - cd - lowing is the sound that cows make, so cows are lowers |
| 20 | A-LIST - hidden |
| 21 | R + AS + H - 'Flood' is the definition, in the sense of 'a sudden increase in numbers of' |