A Puzzle by Hippogryph
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.
An enjoyable diversion for a wet and windy Saturday lunchtime
Across
1a Gangsters returned with exploding brief case and incendiary device (8)
FIREBOMB: A reversal (returned) of a gang (to mean the Mafia, it would need the word ‘The’ and a capital M) inserted into a case of an anagram (exploding) of BRIEF
6a Spot cleansing in the middle of the ear – base! (6)
NOTICE: The middle letter of cleaNsing, an adjective meaning relating to the ear, and the letter that is the base of the natural system of logarithms
9a Made up gunner details regularly (6)
UNREAL: The regular letters of gUnNeR dEtAiLs
10a Sponge offer at launderette? (8)
FREELOAD: This (especially US) informal verb meaning to sponge could, if split 4,4, sound like a very good offer at the launderette
11a Wisely abandoned Devil’s Day (9)
ADVISEDLY: An anagram (abandoned) of DEVILS DAY
13a Hollow triumph after old man gives way (4)
PATH: The outside (hollow) letters of TriumpH go after an informal name for your dad (old man)
15a Polish saint trapped by temptation (6)
LUSTRE: The abbreviation for saint ‘trapped’ by something that tempts
17a Arrive at hotel within poor neighbourhood (6)
GHETTO: The letter represented by hotel in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet inserted into a way of saying arrive at (3,2)
18a Queen is not informal or pleasantly odd (6)
QUAINT: An abbreviation for queen and an informal way of saying ‘is not’
19a Redouble one’s efforts to produce little dog-houses (4,2)
PLAY UP: A way of saying produce (an egg for example) inserted into (houses) a little dog
21a Ask about river leading to Table Mountain? (4)
BERG: A verb meaning to ask goes ‘about’ the abbreviation for river, this word being part of the South African name for Table Mountain
22a New rosters among ship’s agents causing anxiety (9)
STRESSORS: An anagram (new) of ROSTERS inserted into the usual abbreviation for [steam]ship
25a Chance is I had dropped into grave? (8)
ACCIDENT: An abbreviated way of writing I had inserted (dropped) into a mark used to indicate differences of stress, pitch, length etc, of which grave is an example used in French
26a The French Resistance, trailing old copper by sight (6)
OCULAR: The French feminine definite article (The in French) and the abbreviation for Resistance go after (trailing) the abbreviation or Old and the chemical symbol for copper
28a “Dead next to contents of side car” – papers might include this (2,4)
ID CARD: The abbreviation for dead goes after (next to) the ‘contents’ of sIDe and CAR (from the clue)
29a Sun possibly viewed in this window (8)
SKYLIGHT: A cryptic definition (possibly) of the sun is a type of window
Down
2d One is charged nothing occupying vacant pub (3)
ION: The letter representing nothing ‘occupying’ the outside (vacant) letters of a pub
3d Adele mistakenly ingested fragrant substance (5)
ELEMI: Hidden in (ingested by) adELE Mistakenly
4d Instruction to reduce unwanted noise – a description of rock? (3-7)
OIL-BEARING: Without the hyphen, this would be an instruction to tell you to reduce unwanted noise in, for example, an axle on a vehicle
5d Able bats, edging nothing from off stump (6)
BAFFLE: An anagram (bats) of ABLE going round (edging) the letters you have left when you remove ‘nothing’ from OFF
6d Nice time for presents? (4)
NOEL: The French word (as used in Nice) for Christmas (time for presents)
7d Desperate Dan escapes death penalty exercising power of the mind (9)
TELEPATHY: An anagram (exercising) of dEaTH PEnALTY once you have removed the DAN (desperate telling you that they aren’t in that order)
8d Number one pastry-knife for Spooner (5,6)
CHART TOPPER: How the dreaded Reverend might refer to a pastry knife
12d Salts perhaps took on water and ran food-shop search reportedly (11)
DELIQUESCED: A homophone (reportedly) of a search for a type of food shop
14d Silica blasted Honda cycle (10)
CHALCEDONY: An anagram (blasted) of HONDA CYCLE
16d To linger in exotic lairs is paradise (7-2)
SHANGRI-LA: An informal (North American) verb meaning to linger inserted into an anagram (exotic) of LAIRS IS
20d Substation’s core, unserviceable but standing (6)
STATUS: The ‘core’ of subSTATion followed by the abbreviation for unserviceable
23d Countryman‘s special car (5)
SAUDI: The abbreviation for special and a German car
24d Provide retired ABC followers with double the energy (4)
FEED: A reversal (retired) of the letters that follow ABC with an E (double the energy) inserted
27d Cinders, accepted, finally wins hearts (3)
ASH: The abbreviation for accepted, the final letter of winS and the abbreviation for Hearts in a pack of cards
A very pleasant lunchtime diversion – thanks to Hippogryph.
My ticks went to 10a, 13a and 6d.
What Gazza said, with my podium selection mirroring his ticks.
My only (very slight) quibble is that briefcase in 1a should be one word and I think an unindicated “lift and separate” would have been preferable to the resultant strange surface.
Many thanks to Hippogryph for the fun, and in advance to CS for her review.
Thanks Hippogryph – quite doable, with caffeine assistance, early-ish on my Saturday morning.
Smiles for 10a, 25a, 29a, and 24d.
Thanks again and thanks in advance to CS.
What Gazza said, but with a different selection on my podium – 25a, 4d and 7d. I also enjoyed the elegant surfaces of 13a and 15a plus the clever Spoonerism. 14d was unfamiliar, but had to be what it is given the checkers and remaining letters.
Thanks, Hippogryph!
A couple of hiccoughs for me on the GK front which required the assistance of Mr G and some surface reads that made me wince a little but much to enjoy. 10a was my favourite followed by 13a & 4d.
Thanks to Hippogryph who’s been quite a busy boy recently!
I found this somewhat trickier than previous posters but very enjoyable with some clever misdirection throughout, though maybe the “Nice” device at the beginning of a clue is perhaps just beginning to get a tad predictable.
My ticks go to the 10&13 plus 5,8(lol)&24d
Many thanks Hippogryph and in advance to CS.
Good fun Hippogryph, thanks for the challenge
Late getting on to this as we have been away.
A most enjoyable solve and 10a was our favourite.
Thanks Hippogryph.
I’ll raise Stephen’s somewhat with a considerably but perhaps due to the late hour & tired eyes. 10a my clear favourite but with ticks against nearly all of the clues mentioned by others.
Very enjoyable & thanks Hippogryph
Most enjoyable, and it was pleasant to recall my encounters with chemistry and geology in 12dn and 14dn. Too many good clues to nominate a favourite. Thanks, Hippogryph.
I’m glad that they were pleasant memories from chemistry and geology – not the case with everyone I’m sure! Good memories for me too having studied them both and followed chemistry as a career
Very enjoyable but we did need Google for 12d and 14d. We put the wrong 3 letters at the start of 29a which held us up. Favourites were 10a, 17a and 6a. Thank you Hippogryph and CS.
Very late to this, but very much enjoyed catching up! I had DAYLIGHT at 29a holding me up for a while (as a double def, “Sun possibly” (link “viewed in”) “this window” – ie a bit of daylight, a window of opportunity. The intended CD is if course far better! Many thanks to Hippogryph and CS
Thanks to everyone for taking the time to do the puzzle and leave your comments, and to CS for the very clear and nicely illustrated review. I’m glad that you enjoyed it, particularly 10a. Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2023 to you all
Many thanks for the well illustrated review, CS, I now know what Elemi looks like!
To judge by his comment, I’ll have to brush up on my Chemistry and Geology for Hippogryph’s next puzzle – oh dear.