Took me a while to break the back of this one even though I got the long clue at 1/21/4 early doors. There are some good deceptive clues in here and I’ve learnt some new words (always good), though one or two might need explaining!
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 9 | HANDSHAKE – HANDS with HAKE | |
| 10 | ERICA – Hidden in summER I CAn | |
| 11 | LEOPARD – EO (limits of embargo) + P in LARD | |
| 12 | C S LEWIS – SLEW in CIS – I did initially try to see how T S ELIOT would work here! | |
| 13 | OVER – OVER[-t] | |
| 14 | COURT BARON – OUR TB in C[-h]ARON | |
| 16 | TITRATE – RA in TITTE[-r] | |
| 17 | AMBATCH – A.M BATCH – Never heard of this before, but got it from the (nice) worplay | |
| 19 | EL SALVADOR – (LAD AS LOVER)* | |
| 22 | HERB – A double def. I think, though my Chambers doesn’t confirm it | |
| 24 | IGUANID – D IN AUG 1 rev. | |
| 25/26 | MICHAEL CAINE – (MECHANICAL + IE)* | |
| 27 | HOSTELLER – OS + T in (Joseph) HELLER | |
| Down | ||
| 1/21/4 | THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE – (HENCE AT THIRTEEN WHO WITH OLD BARD)* | |
| 2 | INSOLENT – SOLE in INN on [-stree]T | |
| 3 | ASLAN – Hidden in 15D! | |
| 5 | MERCER – M(ike) and C(harlie), both carrying ER (royalty) | |
| 6 | JELLY BABY – Cryptic def. | |
| 7 | VIEWER – 1 EWE in V,ER | |
| 8 | BATS IN THE BELFRY – (IS BETTER BY HALF + N)* | |
| 17 | ACOSMIST – M,IS in A COST | |
| 18/15 | THE EAGLE HAS LANDED – (ALL DEATH’S HEAD GENE)* – Didn’t initially understand the link to Sir Michael at first, but a quick Wiki confirms it’s one of his films | |
| 20 | STUDIO – Not sure on this, other than ‘love’ probably gives the O – “Workroom short couple love” | |
| 23 | SCREW – S,CREW | |
Thanks Ali,
Another quite difficult one.
I think 20d. is Stu(art) and Di(ana) as a “short couple”.
(If it is, I have to say it’s not one of Tees’s best…).
20d. After a lot of headscratching I saw Ian’s interpretation. A bit naughty, but I think it’s actually rather good.
Highlight of this puzzle was, for me, LEOPARD – a really fantastic, up-to-the-minute clue. Otherwise a pretty tough solve with some tricky devices, but perhaps working the grid fill around the linked answers forced into place some tricky-to-clue ones where the usual Tees fireworks weren’t given free rein. All round, a most enjoyable solve.
22Ac HERB
Mi seh aye. Some years ago, on holiday in Jamaica, my girlfriend and I were frequently pestered by shifty characters asking if we wanted some herb/ganja/grass.
Thanks for the post, Ali. I missed a couple here, but should have got one of them (ACOSMIST) from thinking about Tees’s adherence to easier clues for more obscure words 🙂 LEOPARD was indeed excellent, and I liked the neat clue for C S LEWIS as well. COURT BARON was the most difficult for me. Very enjoyable overall.
Where the Guardian can look unprofessional, the Independent will always be professional. Not a hair out of place in this one I think, and I would like to add BATS IN THE BELFRY to the list of very good entries. There was a Shakespeare one too for the rude mmechanicals?
Walruss: You read my mind. While solving this I’d put a great big tick alongside BATS IN THE BELFRY – cracking use of anagram fodder.
Agreed with all, toughish but excellent one. 25/26A was the clue that cracked it for me. That then gave 18/15D, which gave 3D which gave the 1/21/4D. And I too liked 8D. A couple of unusual words too, but fairly clued thus gving you a chance. 14A was the one weakish one for my tastes.
Re 14A I understood the wordplay but how does court baron (a manorial court) relate to husband?
I don’t have the puzzle anymore but, from memory, think that h = husband was being replaced in Charon so it was related to the wordplay ie nothing to do with the definition.