NTSPP – 085 (Review)

Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 085

A Puzzle by Prolixic

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I think Prolixic is gradually increasing his toughness level – whilst retaining the high enjoyment factor – so a big thank you to him for providing me (and you) with another very enjoyable Saturday lunchtime diversion.

Across

1a           Accident papers collected by force (8)
{ACCIDENT}    – A mishap or chance event – a two letter abbreviation for papers such as your passport or driving licence should be  inserted (collected) into a synonym for force as in stress or intensity.

5a           Private and Brigadier originally view the Tyburn Tree (6)
{GIBBET}  The Tyburn Tree was historically used as this.  A charade of the common abbreviation for a US Soldier plus the first letter of Brigadier  (Brigadier originally) and a three letter word meaning view which Chambers defines as opinion.   If it helps, I only knew this final word in the gambling sense!

10a         Half-hearted editor is more loveable (5)
{CUTER}  an editor that removes material from an article might be described as this.   Remove one of the middle letters to get a word  meaning more loveable.

11a         Maybe sail west and east at the same time! (9)
{LEASTWISE}  An anagram (maybe) of SAILWEST plus an E (east) produces an adverb  meaning at the same time, in any case.

12a         Confined a fabulous bird in glass case (9)
{PAROCHIAL}  Insert A from the clue and a mythical bird into a small glass bottle used to contain medicine.   Confined here means restricted within narrow limits.

13a         Religious type arrested in Canberra Station (5)
{RASTA}  Hidden in CanberRA STAtion is a member of the West Indian religious movement.

14a         Company reorganisation loses million in cover (6)
{CANOPY} An anagram (reorganisation) of CO(M)PANY with M for million removed  (loses Million).   This cover is any overhanging covering.

15a         Wrap  found by girl on boy (7)
{SHEATHE}   This definitely doesn’t come under the site policy of explaining a clue in simple, easy to understand, terms! A verb meaning to cover is a charade of the female person pronoun and the male personal pronoun with AT (on) inserted between them;  or as Prolixic puts in much more simply –  girl on boy.  

18a         Extreme satisfaction of some French style (7)
{DELIGHT}  A great deal of pleasure is a charade of  the French word for some and a synonym for style.

20a         Repair damaged uterus (6)
{SUTURE} An anagram (damaged)of UTERUS gives a medical term for a method of repair.

22a         Simple old Governor moving left (5)
{PLAIN}  Take the surname of a previous (old)  Governor of Alaska, who had aspirations of Deputy US Presidential glory, and move the L over to the other side of the A (moving Left) to get a synonym for simple.

24a         Approach first man of faith (9)
{METHODIST}  A synonym for approach and IST (first) –  Charles Wesley was a leader of this  faith.

25a         Arrogant  and critical  saint becomes a troublemaker (9)
{IMPERIOUS}   A synonym for arrogant, critical or haughty can be  obtained by removing the first letter of a word meaning sober or earnest and replacing it with a three letter term for a mischievous child.

26a         1,5000,100,000 in a manner of speaking (5)
{IDIOM}   Hope you know your Roman ‘numberals’!   You will need them for 1, 500, 1, 0 and 1,000  to get a mode of expression peculiar to a language.  

27a         Space cut out for permit 6)
{ENABLE}  To permit or make possible.   A printer’s term for a space and an adjective meaning cut out for,  or having enough means to do,  something.

28a         Fancy that man behind the bowler?  He’s a Greek hero (8)
{MYRMIDON}  I didn’t know this Greek hero who gave his name to a race of skilled warriors who accompanied Achilles to Troy.   A charade of a two letter word meaning fancy that plus R (the chess man, the Rook) and  the cricketer who fields behind the bowler on the onside.

 

Down

1d           Gain honour (6)
{ACCEPT}  double definition – (a) to take or receive (b) to pay a bill or debt.

2d           Two queens with a bugle regularly screech (9)
{CATERWAUL}  – A shriek or call made by domestic moggies –    The first of the two queens is the name given to a feline female.   The second, our current queen is represented by the two usual initials.   Follow the two queens with a W(with), A from the clue and the regular letters of bUgLe.

3d           Straight men accepted for media boss (8, 7)
{DIRECTOR GENERAL}  The head of the BBC is a charade of a synonym for straight,  the two letter abbreviation for other ranks in the army (men) and a adjective  meaning accepted in daily use.

4d           Bring to an end riotous fun with Lily (7)
{NULLIFY}  An anagram (riotous) of FUN and LILY –  Brings to an end denotes that you are looking for a verb meaning to make void.

6d           Tin mine investor prepared economic policy (15)
{INTERVENTIONISM} Another anagram (prepared) of TIN MINE INVESTOR – this economic policy advocates removing surplus produce from the market and storing it until prices rise.

7d           Composer’s joy (5)
{BLISS}  Double definition – The surname of the composer Sir Arthur or a state of joy.

8d           Support new age rebel leader identifying youth (8)
{TEENAGER}  A term for a young person between the ages of 13 and 19 is a charade of a golf support (3) N (new) AGE (from the clue) and R (rebel leader).

9d           It’s hard to contact the States (6)
{CALLUS}  An area of hard, thickened skin is a charade of a verb meaning to contact  (by telephone) and the abbreviation for the United States.

16d         Aghast when outstanding Conservative is ousted by leader in the papers (9)
{TERRIFIED} Aghast means stupefied with fright – an adjective meaning outstanding, marvellous, or very great with the C at the end removed and replaced by ED (the clue informs you that Conservative is ousted by leader in the papers, ie the EDitor)

17d         Head of Police in a tense is flexible (8)
{ADAPTIVE} Able to be adjusted to suit the circumstances.   A (from the clue) followed by a tense or case into which is inserted P (the head of the Police)

19d         Lout returns to support prostitute (a high spirited girl) (6)
{TOMBOY} Chambers describes this girl who prefers activities and clothing which might normally  be associated with her brother, as a high-spirited girl.  It’s a reversal of a common term for a lout (3) followed by a slang term for a prostitute (3).

20d         Meet to speak about injured fist (7)
{SATISFY} A verb meaning to meet the conditions of is found by inserting an anagram (injured) of FIST into a verb meaning to speak or utter.

21d         Vacuous sexologist has final word identifying sexual organ (6)
{STAMEN} – The sexual organ of a flower which produces the pollen – take the first and last letters of SexologisT (vacuous means empty) and follow this with the final word at the end of a prayer.

23d         Particle found in radical phase (5)
{ALPHA}   A type of particle is hidden (found in) radicAL PHAse.

I think Gnomethang and I are due to receive another Prolixic  email  with ‘test solve’ in the subject line.  I for one can’t wait.