*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sabbatical: Abba + it< in S Cal. |
| 7 | Left: Let “drinking” f. |
| 9 | Offset: DD. Offset is a botanical name for a type of shoot and the other bit is “off set”. |
| 10 | Chutzpah: Putz* in cha + h. |
| 11 | Rest: Hidden in “dire straits”. |
| 12 | Predecease: Pr[ic]e dec[r]ease. |
| 13 | Ramparts: DD/CD. Def=”encircling mounds”, butter=ram, parts=balls. |
| 16 | Tie rod: Editor*. The cryptically phrased definition made this more difficult than it first appeared. |
| 17 | Youths: Out in shy<. |
| 19 | Absentee: (Be seen at)*. Resort as an anagram indicator might be a bit of a stretch. |
| 21 | Franz Liszt: (ZZ T[op] snarl if)*. |
| 23 | Abel: &lit. A=first + be + l[iquated]. |
| 25 | Opium den: U[ser] m[ay] in (dope in)*. |
| 26 | Acacia: AC(current) + ac (account) + I [p]a[y]. |
| 27 | Rand: I think this is R and R shortened. Def=ready (money) in South Africa. |
| 28 | Pulled away: (A wad)< in pulley. |
| Down | |
| 2 | Alfie: If< in ale. |
| 3 | Bus stop: (Pots sub)<. |
| 4 | Tot up: To tup, tup being another word for a male sheep. |
| 5 | Cachets: C + [s]achets. |
| 6 | Laureates: A + R in (et al use)*. Not a reference to the singer Duffy but to the current poet laureate and her predecessor, Andrew Motion. |
| 7 | Lazy Eye: CD. |
| 8 | Flagstone: This was the only one I didn’t really follow – “Possibly set colour of colours”. Looks as if it might be something like “flags tone”, but it doesn’t quite add up. |
| 14 | Apocrypha: Pop about cry in A-ha. The apocrypha were books that never made it to the Bible, hence “bible books for some”. |
| 15 | Rustled up: D (denarius) in (pure lust)*. |
| 18 | Tongued: (got nude)*. Another great clue, although fairly easy to solve. |
| 19 | Arsenal: Arse + NA + l. |
| 20 | Niagara: Again< + odd letters of rear. |
| 22 | Trace: Charade of T + TT (=race). Def=touch. |
| 24 | Erica: Hidden in “Ledger I can’t”. Def=heath, which can refer to an Erica plant as well as an area of moorland. |
Thanks Neal,
19ac. I thought resort (as in “sort again”) was an excellent anagram indicator.
I don’t know the reason for the Nina either, is it that it’s been ages since a Math puzzle?
Didn’t like the inclusion of 19d.
(eimi, have the setters got together with some sort of bet?).
8d. Is, I think, “flag” = colours, “tone” = colour, therefore “flag’s tone”.
Def: “Set” = paving stone.
Thanks, Neal, as you say a good offering. Finished it, but with mistakes (had PRERELEASE at 12ac and guessed TEASE for 22dn).
I don’t understand the wordplay for FLAGSTONES in 8dn either. And why can I never spot ninas? (Discuss.)
Ian, I don’t have a problem with 19d. However, if the seven-letter solution had been CHELSEA, then I may have had to consider a formal complaint to eimi on the grounds of cruel and unusual punishment …
…my commiserations, K’s D.
Some excellent clues here in what I found quite a hard puzzle. I saw the Nina when I’d about 8 or 9 letters, my guess at to what it meant was the same as in comment 1 above. TIE ROD was my last and was very good, was looking for ‘ed’, also esp liked YOUTHS and LAUREATES.
It has been a while since we saw Math (July I think), and there were fewer puzzles in 2009 than 2008, so I’m guessing it’s a message to solvers (and possibly Eimi!). Either way, well worth the wait. Any puzzle that has music-related clues always gets my nod of approval. I found it tough though.
I’ve no issue with it, but is missing punctuation (i.e. the comma between Motion and Duffy in the LAUREATES clue) generally acceptable?
Very enjoyable puzzle. I hadn’t spotted the Nina until I saw it mentioned here. Thanks to the Indy again for providing something a bit more challenging than the rest on a Monday.
Very refreshing indeed. Well done to Math.
Didn’t get bottom left.28a too obscure as is 13a and 22d.Other than that pleased.What is Nina????
Hi Bill @9
“What is Nina????”
See the FAQ page for an explanation.
Thanks Gaufrid.Nina today Fireworks!
I did this in 35 minutes which was an achievement for me.Last one I guessed was “perse” Persian Blue?