Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Toughie No 1002 by Petitjean

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BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** – Enjoyment **

A workmanlike puzzle from Petitjean that almost strayed into 3-star territory because of the time it took to solve 25 down. I thought that some of the definitions left a lot to be desired – 1a is only a fast time when it is the time taken for something to happen, 6 across/10 across is an American word for a central street in a town whether or not it is well-worn – and are communes in Northern France fair game?

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Across

1a    Old relative returning next fast time (10)
{NANOSECOND} – O(ld) and an elderly relative reversed (returning) followed by a word meaning next

6a & 10a    Male model daring to follow a well-worn route (4,4)
{MAIN DRAG} – M(ale) followed by an anagram (model) of DARING

9a    Charming Democrat groomed for office (10)
{DELECTABLE} – D(emocrat) followed by an adjective that could mean groomed for office

10a    See 6 Across

12a    Reportedly bad-tempered look (4)
{MIEN} – for once Chambers agrees that this sounds like an adjective meaning bad-tempered or unkind – oh that all so-called homophones used in crosswords actually sounded like each other, like this pair!

13a    Relish trick with diamonds — it takes people in (9)
{CONDIMENT} – this relish is the kind used to accompany a meal – a verb meaning to trick or swindle followed by D(iamonds) and IT around (takes … in) some people

15a    Farewell‘s articulate before performing a semi-rant (8)
{SAYONARA} – a verb meaning to articulate followed by a two-letter word meaning performing and half (semi) of RAnt

16a    Tough on horseback being short (4-2)
{HARD-UP} – an adjective meaning tough followed by a two-letter adverb meaning on horseback

18a    Knowing film for all ages is in dubious taste (6)
{ASTUTE} – the certificate designating that a film is suitable for people of any age inside an anagram (dubious) of TASTE

20a    After hot alcoholic drink take heavy breaths or shallow (8)
{FLIPPANT} – a charade of a hot drink of beer and spirits followed by a verb meaning to take heavy breaths

23a    Lie about coach’s self-discipline (9)
{RESTRAINT} – a verb meaning to lie or relax around a verb meaning to coach or instruct

24a    Revise order cutting chapter (4)
{EDIT} – start with an order or proclamation and drop (cutting) the C(hapter)

26a    Secular ritual ignoring etiquette and uniform (4)
{LAIC} – start with an adjective meaning ritual or traditional and then drop FORM (etiquette) and U(niform)

27a    Falsify composition of a later duet (10)
{ADULTERATE} – an anagram (composition) of A LATER DUET

28a    So it’s ‘Enrietta’s turn? (4)
{ERGO} – split this as (‘2,2) and it could be ‘Enrietta’s turn

29a    Look younger maybe despite everything (10)
{REGARDLESS} – a verb meaning to look followed by word that could (maybe) mean younger in the sense of fewer (years)

Down

1d    Characters in ‘Crocodile Dundee’ turned up out of costume (4)
{NUDE} – hidden (characters in) and reversed (turned up) inside the clue

2d    Opposite of fun getting poorly; happy ending is void (7)
{NULLIFY} – reverse (opposite) all of FUN around an adjective meaning poorly and then add the final letter (ending) of happY

3d    Revolutionary denounces art: it’s almost instinct (6,6)
{SECOND NATURE} – an anagram (revolutionary) of DENOUNCES ART

4d    Risk extremes of ribaldry in court (8)
{CHANCERY} – a verb or noun meaning risk followed by the outer letters (extremes) of RibaldrY gives what was formerly the highest court of justice, next to the House of Lords

5d    Last of firemen only uncoiled second hose (6)
{NYLONS} – the final letter (last) of firemen followed by an anagram (uncoiled) of ONLY and S(econd)

7d    Idiot lied possibly in front of boss (7)
{AIRHEAD} – lied is a German example (possibly) of this song – follow it with a boss or chief

8d    Large sum of money found in empty seats after dark in clubs (10)
{NIGHTSPOTS} – a large sum of money, maybe a prize or a kitty, inside SeatS without its inner letters (empty) preceded by a word meaning dark

11d    Get the wrong idea about husband knocked out by accident before girls’ night out curtailed (12)
{MISAPPREHEND} – drop(knocked out) the H(usband) from an accident and follow it with a prefix meaning before and most of (curtailed) a girls’ night out (3,2)

14d    Dare I spell tricky word for shoe? (10)
{ESPADRILLE] – an anagram (tricky) of DARE I SPELL gives a type of shoe that is much loved by crossword setters

17d    Fleet Street’s last to probe female having left over sick article (8)
{FLOTILLA} – the final letter (last) of StreeT inside (to probe) F(emale), L(eft), O(ver), an adjective meaning sick and the indefinite article

19d    Difficult  trial (7)
{TESTING} – two definitions – an adjective and a noun

21d    Work up a temperature in a French farmhouse (7)
{AGITATE} – the first A from the clue and T(emperature) inside the other A and a French farmhouse

22d    Underwear starts to give impression refurbished dress looks elegant (6)
{GIRDLE} – the initial letters of six words in the clue

25d    Commune in Northern France making contact? (4)
{LENS} – two definitions – the second being something of which contact is an example

Perhaps tomorrow will be better – let’s hope so.