I made a note that I only had 10 answers in place after the first pint, which is an indication that this was harder than the last few Eye crossies. On the other hand, after a breather the rest fell in short order. Crossing letters helped for the last few but nothing that didn’t have wordplay understood. Last to drop – 8D Empathy.
I see Selfridges are being lambasted again for starting the “Christmas Shopping Experience” five months early. As a computer programmer I like celebrating early and often, at Halloween as well as the other one. Why? …
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 9 | PEACE Homophone “Piece” |
| 10 | MAUSOLEUM (E[nergy] USUAL MO M[owlam])* AInd: casual. Def: “Grand place for a stiff one” |
| 11 | DEAD DRUNK (DUKE AND DR)* AInd: off. Def: Pissed |
| 12 | GOLDA (LOG)< (Diary about), D[avid], A Def: A has-been PM’s first. Ref: First name of Golda Meir |
| 13 | REGARDS (RAG)< (Tabloid backing) inside REDS (commies) Def: All the best |
| 15 | SPINACH SPIN (Alistair Campbell’s thing) ACH! (an ejaculation – particularly Scottish if you can pronouce it correctly) |
| 17/18 | WISH LIST (HIS WILTS)* AInd: stimulated |
| 23 | PORK PIE R, K (two kings), I (Cyclops) all inside POPE (His Eminence). Def: Whopper i.e. falsehood. The answer is CR slang for Lie |
| 24 | OUTGROW O[pen] U[nderwear] T[ank] (as indicated by – tops) G ROW (G string) My favourite clue even if being simple: Get too big for open underwear, tank tops and G string (7) |
| 25 | WRATH R (Rex) inside (WHAT)* AInd: removed. Def: spleen |
| 27 | AFTERGLOW CD. I presume. |
| 29 | CHERISHES CHERI[e]’S (Blair’s saving energy) HE’S. A question of which Blair to pick when solving. |
| 30 | CIDER RED (Bloody) IC (Chip – Integrated Circuit) all rev. |
| Down | |
| 1 | SPIDERY ID (unconscious – as in Id, Ego, Superego and all that malarky), ER (Brenda) all inside SPY (agent). Def: Like the web user |
| 3/21 | LEADERSHIP CONTEST Is the whole thing a CD? The second half is a reasonably clear definition, and I wrote it in early on that basis, but I can’t see the relevence of the first half. Balls put under pressure in the latest party charade? (10,7) |
| 4 | IMPULSE I (one) MP (member) USE (manipulation) containing L[ength]. Def: Fancy, as in urge |
| 5 | TURKISH DD tongue (Language) and ref. to Turkish delight |
| 6/26 | LONG HAIR LONG (protracted) H[ot] AIR James May is apparently known for having scruffy hair – well you would when you’re a kid of the 70s who hasn’t really grown-up. |
| 7 | HELLRAISER HE’LL RAISE (get higher) R[um] Ref Oliver Reed the archetypal 60s/70s hellraiser. If he was that pissed for that long how did he make so many films? Some of them quite good. When on a walking holiday in the Lake District one summer long ago I topped a rise in the middle of nowhere near Wast Water to find hundreds of people and film unit lorries etc. There was Ollie himself, plus female in a clinch, standing on a little promontory so that the amazing eastern scree the other side of the lake provided a backdrop. That provided about 10 seconds of the film “The Devils”. |
| 8 | EMPATHY (PM)< (up Cameron) inside (THE YA)* AInd: disgraceful Def: fellow feeling |
| 14 | GRIM REAPER CD |
| 16 | ILLITERACY ILL (bad) IT (sex) CARY* AInd: novel |
| 19 | IPSWICH I[ncompetent] C[legg] inside (WHIPS)* AInd: harassed |
| 20 | SERAPHS PH (boozer – Public House) inside (ARSES)* AInd: jiggling |
| 22 | AWKWARD A WK (short period – Week) WAR (conflict) D[icky] |
| 28/2 | LADY GAGA LAD (Bloke), (GAY)* AInd: outed, G (lots of cash) A (one) Def: who helps fill the tabloids. |
… because OCT 31 = DEC 25 !
Thanks for the explanations..it took me way longer than 2 pints to solve this one.
I took the 3/21 clue to be a reference to Ed Balls, one of the candidates in the Labour leadership contest.
I’m glad I’m not the only one to find this one harder than previously – saying that I only just started being able to finish these with the two previous ones. Half way through #424 now…
Beermagnet
I’m sure what you meant for 7d was HE’LL RAISE (get higher) on R[um]
Peter, Thank you – now corrected.
Beaker, You will enjoy 424
Frank, Yes I was forgetting our favourite ex-minister with an unfortunate name was in the running for that – doesn’t stand much chance against the might of the Miliband Snr money-fuelled monster. (I’m still doubtful about that clue – the surface reading doesn’t make that much sense.)