NTSPP – 484

NTSPP – 484

A Puzzle by Silvanus

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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.

A perfectly pitched NTSPP with a Nina rows 3 and 13 marking a special birthday for our setter.

Across

9a Fruit drink containing pips is withdrawn (5)
APPLE The IS in PiPs is removed (withdrawn) and inserted into a drink

10a Praising briefly one achieving majority, a Conservative (9)
ADULATORY Almost all of a word meaning ‘one achieving majority’, A (from the clue) and an informal way of referring to a member of the Conservative Party

11a Bit of himself fan struggles repressing on reflection (7)
SNAFFLE Lurking in reverse (repressing on reflection) in himsELF FAN Struggles

12a Firm defends working this evening (7)
TONIGHT A synonym for the adjectival form of firm ‘defends’ the two-letter word often used to mean working

13a Scene of conflict in revolutionary period oddly near (5)
ARENA A reversal of a period of time followed by the odd letters of NeAr

14a Nearly sell marble bust of little importance (5,4)
SMALL BEER An anagram (bust) of early all of SELL plus MARBLE

16a It’s heard incidentally behind stadium, American breaking microphone (10,5)
BACKGROUND MUSIC Synonyms of behind and stadium followed by the abbreviation for American breaking an abbreviated microphone

19a Scarcity of medical examinations forwarded to review internally (9)
SCANTNESS Some medical examinations into which is inserted a reversal of a word meaning forwarded

21a Theoretical admission of guilt by drug pusher? (5)
IDEAL Split 1,4 your solution would indeed represent an admission of guilt by a drug pusher

23a Employment market justifiably’s beginning to collapse? That’s disgusting (7)
OBSCENE Remove the J (justifably’s beginning) from another way of saying employment market

25a Bitterness hearing building in Teheran maybe lacks computer technology (7)
RANCOUR Remove the IT (lacks computer technology) from a building in Teheran (4,5) where a hearing might take place

27a Delivered popular CD I left out (9)
INFLICTED Another way of saying popular (2) followed by an anagram (out) of CD I LEFT

28a Take measurement holding end of tape (5)
SEIZE Another word for measurement holding the E at the end of tapE

Down

1d Decline to answer questions, but negotiate test successfully (4)
PASS A double definition clue

2d Drug swallowed following surgical procedure with iodine (6)
OPIATE Another way of saying swallowed follows an abbreviated surgical procedure and the chemical symbol for Iodine

3d Novelist wrong to say no formal schooling received? (4-6)
SELF-TAUGHT The surname of the novelist Will followed by a homophone (to say) of a wrong

4d Upper-class English actor hesitates over decision (6)
HAVERS Another double definition – I knew both the actor and the hesitating, but knowing the first one will help you look up the second in the dictionary

5d Verse is short, barely attracting study (8)
QUATRAIN This stanza of four lines is obtained by removing the outside letters (barely indicating that you have to take the ‘clothes’ or outside letters away) from a word meaning short or dumpy and then adding a verb meaning to undergo instruction (study)

6d German writer, soldier and politician finally (4)
MANN A soldier and the final letter of politiciaN

7d Reinforces walls of toilets, rebuilt enough to visit (8)
TOUGHENS An anagram (rebuilt) of ENOUGH ‘visits’ the outside walls of ToiletS

8d Improvised charity show entertaining Londoners primarily is very funny (10)
HYSTERICAL An anagram (improvised) of CHARITY and the primary letters of Show Entertaining London

13d “Unchanged condition” describes most conveniently bone disease (10)
ASBESTOSIS Take a way of saying unchanged (2,2) and insert between the two words another way of saying most conveniently and the Latin word for bone

15d Transparency of musician originally leaving Simple Minds upset (10)
LIMPIDNESS Remove an M (musician originally leaving) from SImPLE MINDS and an anagram (upset) will produce a state of being clear or transparent

17d Declare secret form provided needs ultimate in confidentiality (8)
CLASSIFY A school form, a conjunction meaning provided and the ‘ultimate’ letter in confidentialitY

 

18d Couple priest regularly thanks for musical drama production (8)
OPERETTA The regular letters of cOuPlE pRiEsT followed by a very informal way of saying thanks

20d Remove foundation of concrete beneath stone step (6)
STRIDE A verb meaning to remove and the ‘foundation’ of concretE go after (beneath) an abbreviation for stone

22d Arousing sexual desire in solicitor, excitement mounting (6)
EROTIC Lurking in reverse (mounting in a Down clue) in soliCITOR Excitement

24d Departure of team having stuffed Egypt (4)
EXIT The Latin numerals representing the number of players in, for example, a football team is insert into the IVR Code for Egypt

26d Superheavyweight is boxing grounded South American? (4)
RHEA A flightless (grounded) South American can be found ‘boxed’ in supeRHEAvyweight

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