Financial Times 12,534 by Cincinnus
Posted by Pete Maclean on August 23rd, 2007
Tougher than usual Cincinnus perhaps with some challenging clues (for me 1A, 1D, 17D and 25D) and a couple of beauties (28A, 15D).
Across
1. LOBELIAS - ELIA (essayist) in LOBS (throws). It took me a while to figure this one out. “Essayist” immediately made me think of Charles Lamb whose writings I had enjoyed as a schoolboy but it had somehow escaped me that he was also know as Elia. Probably a good thing to remember for future crossword puzzles.
5. AGATHA - hidden word
9. VILLAGER - VI (6) + L (50) + LAGER (beer)
10. MINTON - MINT (perfect condition) + ON (aboard)
12. NIECE - E (egghead) in NICE (scrupulous)
13. REPELLENT - LEPER (outcast) backwards + LENT (advanced)
14. TIN CAN - INC (incorporated) in TAN (belt)
16. SYMPTOM - anagram of TOMMYS around P (platoon leader)
19. OVARIES - O (nothing) + VARIES (changes)
21. BETRAY - BET (wager) + RAY (fish)
23. ALBATROSS - A + L (large) + BAT (mammal) + ROSS (Polar explorer)
25. YIELD - double definition
26. DEGREE - DE (of French) + GREE[d]
27. DISCOVER - ISC (International Sales Conference) in DOVER (port)
28. RING UP - cryptic definition
29. PROTESTS - PRO (for) + TESTS (cricket matches)
Down
1. LIVING - double definition
2. BALLERINA - ERIN [poetic country] in BALLA[d] (unfinished poem)
3. LEASE - hidden word
4. ANEURIN - double definition
6. GUILLEMOT - I in GULL (bird) + TOME (book) backwards
7. TITHE - THE (article) about IT
8. AT NO TIME - anagram of TIE MAN TO
11. OPUS - O (overhead) + SUP backwards (drink up)
15. COINTREAU - anagram of A NEUROTIC
17. TEA LEAVES - TEAL (duck) + E (last of game) + AVES (birds). Tea leaves is a rather rare reference for thieves.
18. COLANDER - anagram of LARD ONCE
20. SHOT - S (small) + HOT (very attractive)
21. BUSTIER - cryptic definition
22. ADORES - anagram of SO DEAR
24. BEGIN - double definition
25. YACHT - AC (current) in THY backwards (your capsized)