Phi’s latest puzzle leads us relatively gently into the weekend.
I found this to be towards the easy end of the Phi spectrum of difficulty in the Indy. 16 and 19 were both new to me, but they could be worked out from the wordplay with confidence. My favourite clues today were 1D, 5D and 6D, all for smoothness of surface; and 20, for its original definition.
I felt that today’s grid lent itself to a Nina, but I have spotted neither Nina nor theme today. If you have, please enlighten me!
*(…) indicates an anagram; definitions are underlined; a break in underlining separates definitions in multiple-definition clues
| ACROSS
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||
| 8 | UNDISTINGUISHED |
Thus guided in sin, led astray, though without much impact (15)
|
| *(THUS GUIDED IN SIN); “led astray” is anagram indicator | ||
| 9 | BRIGANTINE |
Disallow point about equipment for ship (10)
|
| RIG (=equipment, kit) in [BAN (=disallow, forbid) + TINE (=point, on fork)] | ||
| 10 | EELS |
Dodgy customers? Senses female moving away (4)
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| <f>EELS (=sense); “female (=F) moving away” means letter “f” is dropped | ||
| 11 | SWEATY |
Not entirely weak in farm building, showing signs of effort (6)
|
| WEA<k> (“not entirely” means last letter is dropped) in STY (=farm building, for pigs) | ||
| 13 | GALAPAGO |
Tortoise festival, source of pride in the past (8)
|
| GALA (=festival) + P<ride> (“source of” means first letter only) + AGO (=in the past) | ||
| 14 | HECTIC |
Very busy, that man, tense, collared by military boss (6)
|
| HE (=that man) + [T (=tense, in grammar) in CIC (=military boss, i.e. Commander-in-Chief)] | ||
| 16 | DOG TAG |
What follower may do twice, getting soldier’s ID (3,3)
|
| DOG (=what follower may do) + TAG (=what follower may do); colloquially, a dog tag is a metal identity disc for a soldier | ||
| 19 | VESPUCCI |
Italian navigator against having drinks in reserve, made to backtrack (8)
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| V (=against, i.e. versus) + ESPUCCI (CUPS (=drinks) in ICE (=reserve, coolness); “made to backtrack” indicates reversal); the reference is to the Italian explorer of the Americas Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512) | ||
| 21 | WAYLAY |
Attack West always put down (6)
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| W (=west) + AY (=always) + LAY (=put down, set down) | ||
| 22 | TUBA |
Reversed objection to a brass instrument (4)
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| TUB (BUT=objection; “reversed” indicates reversal) + A | ||
| 23 | ORGAN PIPES |
Excitedly sing opera around quiet musical features of church (5,5)
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| P (=quiet, i.e. piano) in *(SING OPERA); “excitedly” is anagram indicator | ||
| 25 | STICK TO ONE’S GUNS |
Insist on shunning crossbows? (5,2,4,4)
|
| Cryptically, someone “shunning crossbows” might well be sticking to their guns as weapons! | ||
| DOWN
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||
| 1 | INGROWTH |
Internal development rebuilt Worthing (8)
|
| *(WORTHING); “rebuilt” is anagram indicator | ||
| 2 | ZING |
Resting, having seen off the French vitality (4)
|
| <la>ZING (=resting, idling); “having seen off the French (=la, i.e. a French word for the) | ||
| 3 | STINGY |
Tight and generally exhausted after a lot of time at work (6)
|
| STIN<t> (=time at work; “after a lot of” means last letter is dropped) + G<enerall>Y (“exhausted” means all central letters are dropped) | ||
| 4 | INNINGS |
Chance to play? Prize initially withheld (7)
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| <w>INNINGS (=prize (money); “initially withheld” means first letter is dropped); an innings is a chance to play cricket | ||
| 5 | SUPERLOO |
Travelling Peru, solo, where lots of people go (8)
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| *(PERU SOLO); “travelling” is anagram indicator; the “go” of the definition refers to going to the toilet! | ||
| 6 | OSTEOPATHY |
Hope to stay active? This treatment may help (10)
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| *(HOPE TO STAY); “active” is anagram indicator; semi- & lit. | ||
| 7 | JETLAG |
Opening of luggage in black and silver may be a problem for traveller (3,3)
|
| L<uggage> in [JET (=black) + AG (=silver, i.e. chemical symbol)] | ||
| 12 | ACCEPTANCE |
Church repeatedly hosting school group, note, after a cold reception (10)
|
| A + C (=cold, on tap) + {[PTA (=school group, i.e. Parent-Teacher Association) + N (=note)] in [CE CE (=church, i.e. Church of England; “repeatedly” means appears twice)]} | ||
| 15 | INCHOATE |
Island, regarding grass crop, mostly undeveloped (8)
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| INCH (=island, in Scotland and Ireland) + OATE<n> (=regarding grass crop; “mostly” means last letter is dropped) | ||
| 17 | GLACEING |
Good to spike cocktail of gin, decorating with sugar (8)
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| G (=good) + LACE (=to spike, i.e. a drink) + *(GIN); “cocktail of” is anagram indicator | ||
| 18 | KINGDOM |
Family and God animated millions in country (7)
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| KIN (=family) + *(GOD) + M (=millions); “animated” is anagram indicator | ||
| 20 | EQUITY |
Upset the old, about to leave union in dramatic situation? (6)
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| QUIT (=leave, abandon) in EY (YE=the old, i.e. an obsolete form of the; “upset” indicates vertical reversal); Equity is a trade union representing actors, performers, hence “in dramatic situation” | ||
| 21 | WINGER |
Footballer’s victory over Germany (6)
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| WIN (=victory) + GER (=Germany) | ||
| 24 | INGA |
Some budding author’s Scandinavian name (4)
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| Hidden (“some”) in “buddING Author” |
There are (down) sequences of recurring, staggered “ING”s on diagonals… is “STAGGERINGS” too fanciful?
Well spotted.