Fifteensquared

Never knowingly undersolved.

Financial Times No. 12,852 Set by FLIMSY, August 21, 2008

Posted by Octofem on August 21st, 2008

Octofem.

I have to say I found this a boring puzzle with some clues so obvious that I yawned.  6d made me think for
a while, and 13a held me up until I remembered that setters do love cricket!
ACROSS

1.    OLDEST - ( *led-to- s)
4.    CONFUSED -(dd)
9.    PISTOL -(hidden in  chaP-IS-TOLd)
10.  INJURIES  -(in -juries)
11.  SHRUBS  - (*s-bush -r)
12.  SNIFFING -(s-niff-ing - ‘to sing’ as in ‘inform’)
13.  LEG - ( dd - ‘leg’  of a race, and cricket position)
14.  TICKLE  - (*lick- toe without ‘o’)
17.  LANTERN - (*l tanner)
21.  MEDIUM - ( dd)
25.  TOE -( t- one without ‘n’)
26.  CHAMPION - ( c-h-ampion - campion, white or red, wild flower of hedgerows .)
27.  SKETCH - (s-ketch)
28.  ORIGINAL -(dd)
29.  PAINTS - (pa-i-nts)
30.  SKELETON - (skeleton - universal key and ’skeleton in the cupboard’, phrase denoting
                                  a family’s shameful secret)
31.  DEPTHS  - ( pt in *shed)

DOWN

1.    OPPOSITE - (*soot pipe)
2.    DISTRICT  - ( di-strict - belt as in ‘commuter belt, green belt etc.)
3.    SNOWBALL - (dd.  term for various puddings, mainly made of meringue, but sometimes more
                                   like egg custard.)
5.    OWNING -(hidden in thr-OWN-IN-G-aol)
6.    FLUFFY - (fluff-y-  two slang terms for the desirable female - crumpet, or a piece of fluff)

7.    SPIRIT - (dd)
8.    DESIGN - (*dines-g)
12.  SECTION - (dd. - to section someone is to put him or her into a mental hospital)
15.  EAR -(  hidden in h-EAR-d)
16.  ARM - what can I say?
18.  NECKLACE - ( ditto)
19.  DISTINCT  - (di-*sint-ct)
20.  EMPHASIS - ( *shame about p - i-s)
22.  ACROSS - (a-cross)
23.  MARINE - (* in armed without ‘d’)
24.  UPSIDE -( up-side)
25.  TOMATO - (tom- at(E)-o  - as someone said recently, a fruit not a veg. but do not serve with custard!)

3 Responses to “Financial Times No. 12,852 Set by FLIMSY, August 21, 2008”

  1. Geoff Moss Says:

    Sorry to disagree with you Octofem but I think the interpretation of 15d is *(ARE) with ‘blasts’ being the anagrind.

  2. Octofem Says:

    Please don’t apologise, Geoff - I am always glad to be set straight. I must admit I was not paying a lot of attention by that stage of the puzzle!

  3. Geoff Moss Says:

    I know what you mean. My sentiments entirely!

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