Another solid offering from Everyman for our Sunday entertainment.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
cad clue as definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
1 Fifty pence ‘entertaining’ Everyman’s spent
LIMP
An insertion of I’M in L and P. The insertion indicator is ‘entertaining’.
4 Condition in which frost becomes frothed?
LISP
Someone speaking with a LISP might pronounce ‘frost’ as ‘frothed’.
8 Swagger, as sax player will do
TOOT ONE’S OWN HORN
A cd cum dd. The first definition is a phrase meaning ‘swagger’; the second is a literal definition.
11 Horses for children who ride motorbikes?
ROCKERS
A dd. The first refers to a child’s rocking horse; the second, to the youth subculture from the late 1950s and early 1960s.
12 Like Billy-No-Mates, Friday’s gone – going on forever
ENDLESS
[FRI]ENDLESS
13 Morals you declined in licentious manner
AMOROUSLY
(MORALS YOU)* with ‘declined’ as the somewhat left-field anagrind.
14 Depicted as haggard
DRAWN
A dd.
15 Military trainee‘s dishonourable type – and French
CADET
A charade of CAD and ET, the French word for ‘and’.
16 Australian pointed rudely, son – here?
ANTIPODES
A charade of A, (POINTED)* and S. The anagrind is ‘rudely’ and the definition is an extended one.
19 Orion arranged company for river to the Atlantic
ORINOCO
A charade of (ORION)* and CO. The anagrind is ‘arranged’.
21 Primarily ‘ravenous’, offensively avaricious driver hindering others gallingly?
ROADHOG
The initial letters of the last seven words of the clue and a cad.
22 Spotless: all hesitance was resolved
CLEAN AS A WHISTLE
(ALL HESITANCE WAS)* with ‘resolved’ as the anagrind.
23 Small dish that’s sweet potato
SPUD
A charade of S and PUD.
24 After line cut, theatre work is profitable
PAYS
P[L]AYS
Down
2 Organised routine do, and cleared up
IRONED OUT
(ROUTINE DO)* with ‘organised’ as the anagrind.
3 Urges drinks
PRESSES
A dd. The second definition would need an acute accent in real life: PRESSÉS.
4 In vague sense, how post- diet clothes fit
LOOSELY
Another cd cum dd.
5 Vacuous silly academic getting promotion in ecclesiastical council
SYNOD
A charade of S[ILL]Y and DON reversed (‘getting promotion’, since it’s a down clue).
6 We hear of harder breastbones
STERNA
A soundalike clue (‘we hear of’) for STERNER.
7 Agreement accepted by leprechaun is ongoing
UNISON
Hidden in leprechaUN IS ONgoing.
9 Happy – formerly – to take in brash nephew at home
ON CLOUD NINE
An insertion of LOUD, N and IN in ONCE. The insertion indicator is ‘to take in’. N for ‘nephew’ will be in a dictionary somewhere.
10 Dancing upon the sand? That’s easily solved
OPEN-AND-SHUT
(UPON THE SAND)* with ‘dancing’ as the anagrind.
14 Sinfulness in drunken VE Day trip
DEPRAVITY
(VE DAY TRIP)* with ‘drunken’ as the anagrind.
15 Delicious serving of gazpacho I celebrated
CHOICE
Hidden in gazpaCHO I CElebrated. ‘A delicious/choice cut of meat.’
16 Revelled topless, titillated
AROUSED
[C]AROUSED
17 Reveal ultimately stylish line of stitching included in source of wool
THROW UP
An insertion of H for the final letter of ‘stylish’ and ROW in TUP. The insertion indicator is ‘included in’.
18 Good to visit Impressionist retrospective that’s hung slackly
SAGGED
An insertion of G in DEGAS reversed.
20 Confess painful response as joke backfires
OWN UP
A charade of OW and PUN reversed.
Many thanks as always to Everyman for this Sunday’s puzzle.