NTSPP – 164

NTSPP – 164

A Puzzle by Prolixic

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.

A review of this puzzle follows.

Back in April 2011, I finished the review of NTSPP 60  with the question “What about a [similar theme] aimed at the fairer sex?”   (https://bigdave44.com/2011/04/02/ntspp-060-review/) Never one to miss a crossword opportunity, Prolixic then obliged with this puzzle,  which brought back some childhood memories, not least while I was searching for illustrations.
 

Across

 

1a           Expressions policeman found in island society (6)
{IDIOMS}  –  Insert a Detective Inspector (policeman) between abbreviations for Island and the Isle of Man, and finish with the abbreviation for Society.

4a           A poem’s difficult (8)
{PERVERSE}   –   Follow a preposition meaning for each, a, with a synonym for poem.

10a         Notes roar out in echo chamber (9)
{RESONATOR}  An anagram (out) of NOTES ROAR.

*11a       Universal Studio’s head sacked entertainer (5)
{COMIC}   Remove S (the ‘head’ of studio …sacked) from a noun meaning the universe as an orderly and systematic whole.

*12a       Two maidens in river for 11a (5)
{TAMMY}   A 11a is obtained by inserting two of the abbreviation used for a Maiden[over] in cricket scoring into a Scottish river.

13a         Absent-minded old bachelor (54) has debts (9)
{OBLIVIOUS}   The single letters used to represent Old and Bachelor,  the Roman ‘numberals’ for 54 and documents acknowledging debts.

*14a       Go around women for 11a (7)
{TWINKLE }  A childish way of referring to the act of urination(go) with W (women) inserted.

*16a       Ireland follows German 11a (4)
{GIRL}    Follow an abbreviation for German with the IVR code for Ireland.

*19a       Soldier describes one returning for 11a (4)
{TINA}  ‘Describes’ tells you that I (one) should be contained within  a reversal of an insect best known in Crosswordland as a ‘soldier’.

21a         Fictional account of drivers in some French city (7)
{DRACULA}   A fictional account by Bram Stoker.   Insert the abbreviation for one of our motoring organisations (drivers) between the French word for some and the abbreviated way we refer to a city on the west coast of the USA.

24a         Horrid Henry came for Moody Margaret? (9)
{ARCHENEMY}  My sons were too old for Horrid Henry books when they first came out so I never got to read them.  However, once I had sorted out the anagram (horrid) of HENRY CAME, with the aid of the checking letters, I did Google to make sure that Moody Margaret did fit the description in the solution.

*25a       Grant loses ring for 11a (5)
{BUNTY}    Remove O (loses ‘ring’) from a gift of money or a reward.   Coincidentally, we  ‘found’  a ring with the first issue!

26a         Wizened doctor of education tours Rhode Island (5)
{DRIED}   Insert the abbreviation for Rhode Island into the abbreviation for a Doctor of Education.

27a         Clear old copper’s record at start of enquiry (9)
{EXCULPATE} A prefix meaning former (old) the chemical symbol for copper, a Long Playing record, AT (from the clue) and the first letter (start) of Enquiry.

28a         Garage owner welcomes president for drink (8)
{ESPRESSO}   For me more of a petrol station than a garage, but  I see where he is coming from!   Insert the abbreviation for president into a well-known petrol station owner.

*29a       Sailor that is 11a (6)
{JACKIE}  The one for “go-ahead teens”!   One of the words we use for a sailor (normally followed with ‘tar’) and the abbreviation for that is (id est).

Down

1d           Get at   itch (8)
{IRRITATE}   A double definition.

2d           I rebuilt mansion in disorder (8)
{INSOMNIA} –    This tiresome disorder is obtained by following I (from the clue) with an anagram (rebuilt) of MANSION.

*3d         11a seen on the outskirts of municipality (5)
{MANDY}    The two letters on the outside of MunicipalitY are…..!!  (Free rings were obviously what we all wanted in the 1950s/60s!)

5d           Lawman has to carry silencer! (7)
{EARPLUG}   The surname of the  lawman famed for his role in the gunfight at the OK Corral  followed by a verb meaning to carry, pull or drag heavily.

6d           Order of service taken by Vicar Apostolic back to front (4, 5)
{VICE VERSA}  Insert between the abbreviation for Vicar Apostolic  an anagram (order) of SERVICE.

7d           Fixed memory stick (6)
{RAMROD}  An adjective meaning firm of inflexible.   The computing term known in full as Random Access Memory followed by  a type of stick.

8d           Remove from    duty (6)
{EXCISE}   A double definition – to cut out/remove from;    or a tax or duty on certain commodities.

9d           Order in articles for party? (2,4)
{AT HOME}    The Order of Merit is inserted between the indefinite article and the definite article to produce  a reception held in someone’s house.

15d         Balance point for two metals in anchor (5-4)
{KNIFE-EDGE}   Insert into a small anchor for keeping a ship steady, the chemical symbols for two metals  iodine  nickel and iron.

17d         Go second and fold (4-4)
{TURN-BACK}   A folded-back part of something.  A go or chance to do something followed by a synonym for second in the sense of support.

18d         Satellite states in America (8)
{GANYMEDE}     The satellite of Jupiter (and largest moon in the Solar System) is a charade of the abbreviations  for the US States of Georgia, New York, Maine and Delaware.

20d         Enduring quality of language lessons (7)
{AGELESS}   This particular enduring quality is hidden in languAGE LESSons.

21d         I decry broken freezer (3,3)
{DRY ICE}  An anagram (broken) of I DECRY.

*22d      Hospital form for 11a (6)
{SANDIE}  Not an 11a I remember but it  is an abbreviation for a type of hospital followed by a stamp or form for cutting.

23d         Restrict change of temperature in seafood (6)
{SCRIMP} Change the temperature in a type of seafood from Hot to Cold.

*25d      Label rewritten for 11a (5)
{BELLA}  An anagram (rewritten) of LABEL produces, as far as  I can tell,  a character in rather than an 11a, although there is a publication for grown up ladies with that name.

 

Thank you once again to Prolixic.  I didn’t particularly notice at the time of testing (which was a long time ago now),  but typing the review does focus the mind on the fact that there do seem to be an awful lot of abbreviations in the wordplay!!
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