Guardian 24254/Taupi
Posted by linxit on December 7th, 2007
I’m a bit short of time today so this will be a less detailed than usual entry. Apologies in advance etc…
Across
1 LITTLE TOE - I put in LITTLE PIG at first, which didn’t help with 4 and 5 down, the last two I got!
11 DE(PORT)MENT - “Make nuts” is a great def for DEMENT.
12 SEMI - (t)IMES reversed.
17 AND/OR,R.A. - pretty clever, assuming that the / on its own really does mean and/or.
22 PA(RAP)LE,GI,C
25 NINETIETH - “top of the house” being 90, the highest number in bingo.
Down
1 L(UC)ID - UC = upper case, i.e. cap(ital)s.
2 T(RUM,PC)ARD - “up bother” = DRAT reversed.
4 TOTEMIC - (Oct time)*
8 DI(S-SIDE)NT - I’m not keen on clues that use stuttering in the wordplay. Just strikes me as lazy, even though the worst offenders are probably Azed and Araucaria!
14 FLAGRANCE - change the first R of FRAGRANCE to L.
21 FE(N,C)E
23 CONCH(i.e.) - conchie is slang for a conscientious objector.
December 7th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
I had LITTLE PIG at first too, but TOE is a more precise fit. I felt exactly the same way about Andorra - it looks like a great clue, but I have a nagging feeling that / means or, rather than and/or. That’s why there’s a / in “and/or” - it means “and or or”. Enough of that though!
December 7th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Another one who went for little pig first off, glad to see I was in good company!
December 7th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
Any idea why 19D is “leather” apart from the fact it’s a hide?
Thanks
December 7th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
It’s hidden in awhiLE AT HEReford.
December 7th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Thanks a lot Alan - we spent ages trying to work it out
December 8th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
I got LITTLE TOE straight away, but thought the clue was a bit lacking in subsidiary indication, so didn’t write it in until I’d solved a few down clues.