Getting there, but I'm on call today. Thought I'd have an easy day of it but got called out half an hour before I was due to start and only just finished with it! Still, ker-ching, eh? That's the main thing!
I didn't note my time, but I think it was around 20 minutes. I'm going through a slow patch I think! Loads of double and cryptic definitions in this one, felt like a hard Rufus in the Guardian! COD to 22dn, a bit of lateral thinking required for that one.
I didn't note my time, but I think it was around 20 minutes. I'm going through a slow patch I think! Loads of double and cryptic definitions in this one, felt like a hard Rufus in the Guardian! COD to 22dn, a bit of lateral thinking required for that one.
| Across | |
| 1 | ASTRAY - A RAY (a fish) around ST(reet). |
| 4 | SMOOTHIE - double definition. |
| 10 | TERMAGANT - TERM (spell) + A + G(r)ANT (permit minus the R). |
| 11 | BACON - double definition, the first referring to Francis Bacon, the painter. |
| 12 | HOW'S YOUR FATHER - double cryptic definition. |
| 14 | ROGUE - G (last letter of Scallywag) inside ROUE (philanderer), whereas the answer could refer to either one. |
| 16 | HANG LOOSE - LOOS (ladies and gentlemen) inside (c)HANGE (copers, minus the first letter). |
| 18 | PYONGYANG - YON (that) + G(ood) + YANG (positive principle), all behind P(ayments). Capital of North Korea. |
| 20 | DEFOE - hidden reversed in "certificate of education". |
| 21 | RECORD-BREAKING - cryptic definition. |
| 25 | PIQUE - sounds like "peek". |
| 26 | ANALGESIA - (leg)* inside AN + ASIA (enormous area). |
| 27 | SVENGALI - (an evil g |
| 28 | STONED - double definition. |
| Down | |
| 1 | ART THERAPY - (prayer that)* |
| 2 | THROW - double definition. |
| 3 | ANALYSE - L(ine) inside (an easy)*. |
| 5 | MOTIF - MOT (remark) + IF (providing). |
| 6 | ORBITAL - BIT (taste) inside ORAL (mouth). |
| 7 | HACKED OFF - double definition. |
| 8 | ERNE - alternate letters of rEpRiNtEd. Another name for the sea-eagle. |
| 9 | BABUSHKA - BAK(e) (cook cut) around BUSH (plant), + A. |
| 13 | NEW ENGLAND - EWE (female) inside N,N (notes) + GLAND (organ). |
| 15 | GROTESQUE - T(ime) inside (ogres)* + QU(it)E (rather, minus IT (sex appeal)). |
| 17 | NIGERIAN - NIGER (river) + A1 (fine) reversed, + N(orth). |
| 19 | GOOD EGG - double definition. |
| 20 | DRAUGHT - double definition. |
| 22 | DRAWL - "DRAW L", to make a right-angle. |
| 23 | IBSEN - NESBI(t), reversed. Edith Nesbit, best known for The Railway Children. Ibsen we met again yesterday in the form of one of his characters, Peer GYNT. |
| 24 | OPUS - O(ld) + PUS(s). |