Hello everyone. Huge apologies, especially to Angel, for the missing blog yesterday. I was recovering from some rather unexpected surgery. Any of the usual typos, non sequesters and grammatical mangling I might be able to blame on post anaesthesia, not that anyone would fall for that.
See you all on Saturday for the Indy.
ACROSS
1. Old traitor or southern speechifiers (7)
ORATORS
Old [O] traitor [RAT] or southern [OR S]
5. Anxious following ticking-off (7)
FEARFUL
Following [F] ticking-off [EARFUL]
9. Too repulsed by chewy stuff, bit of beef Wellington? (7)
GUMBOOT
Too repulsed [backwards = OOT] by chewy stuff [GUM], bit of beef [B]
10. Passed over Howard in Hollywood, at some point in the future (5,2)
LATERON
Passed over [LATE] Howard in Hollywood [RON (director)]
11. New feelings in the wake of rejection – they’re absurd! (9)
NONSENSES
New [N] feelings [SENSES] in the wake of [after] rejection [NO]
12. Note about public footpath? (5)
ROUTE
Note [RE] about public [OUT]
13. Take cocaine having injured leg, by the sound of it (5)
CLAIM
Cocaine [C] having injured leg by the sound of it [sound alike “Lame = LAIM]
15. Being born in Channel Islands, awfully inept (9)
INCIPIENT
in [IN] Channel Islands [CI], awfully inept [ anagram = PIENT]
17. Mess up NHS email, erroneously including doctor’s initial (9)
MISHANDLE
Anagram [“erroneously”] NHS EMAIL + doctor’s initial [D]
19. Attempt to find water source in meadow’s edge (5)
DOWSE
Hidden word [“in”] MEADOWS EDGE
22. Starts to navigate online, typing endless snarky comments (5)
NOTES
First letters of [“starts to”] Navigate Online Typing Endless Snarky
23. Improvised if the mask slipped (9)
MAKESHIFT
Anagram [“slipped”] IF THE MASK
25. Rubbish movies – they’re popular at Christmas! (7)
TURKEYS
26. Audibly provoke judgement (7)
INSIGHT
Homophone [“audibly”] provoke = “incite”
27. On space attempt, coming back to earth? (2-5)
REENTRY
On [RE] space [EN] attempt [TRY]
28. Old warship from Middle East going after flag bearing Republican (7)
TRIREME
Middle East [ME] going after flag [TIRE] bearing [around] Republican [R]
DOWN
1. Natural contents in rice paper covers (7)
ORGANIC
Contents in rice [IC] paper [ORGAN] covers [comes first]
2. Mother put up with criminal Naomi’s toxic product (7)
AMMONIA
Mother [MA] put up [reversed] with criminal [anag] Naomi [= MONIA]
3. Ordinary area that’s atmospheric? (5)
OZONE
4. No longer hungry, poorly fed as it is (9)
SATISFIED
Anagram [“poorly”] FED AS IT IS
5. Records covers (5)
FILMS
6. Husband devoured by nasty trapdoor spider? (9)
ARTHROPOD
Husband [H] devoured by [inside] nasty [“anagram of”] TRAPDOOR
7. Ring for staff reinforcement? (7)
FERRULE
8. Liberal European captured by Russian revolutionary, ultimately unhurt (7)
LENIENT
European [E] captured by Russian revolutionary [ LENIN] , ultimately unhurt [T]
14. Statesmen developed investigation into finances (5,4)
MEANSTEST
Anagram [“developed”] STATESMEN
16. Inventory and directory of tartans? (9)
CHECKLIST
Directory [LIST] of tartans [CHECK]
17. Keep an eye on slice of carrot in omelette when flipping (7)
MONITOR
Backwards hidden word [“slice of”] CARROT IN OMELETTE
18. Release oddly sweet if ordered (3,4)
SETFREE
Odd letters of SwEeT iF oRdErEd
20. Twist around with equipment on bad leg (7)
WRIGGLE
With [W] equipment [RIG] on bad [“anagram of “] leg
21. Authorise payment – it legally binds (7)
ENTITLE
Hidden word [“binds”] PAYMENT IT LEGALLY
23. Reportedly, Argentine hero is disorganised (5)
MESSY
Homophone [“Reportedly”] Argentine hero =(Lionel) MESSI
24. Translate essentially American greeting in Japanese courses? (5)
SUSHI
Translate essentially [S] American [US] greeting [HI]
Faves 4, 6, 24, 28, 17a. Get well soon Leedsclimber!