A Puzzle by Starhorse
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.
Starhorse always provides entertaining and enjoyable puzzles and this was no exception.
Across
1a Spiritualist delighted by compromise? (1,5,6)
A HAPPY MEDIUM: A cryptic/double definition
9a Repossess poorly prepared drinks (9)
ESPRESSOS: Anagram (poorly) of REPOSSESS
10a Live pool follows the end of Mastermind (5)
DWELL: The final letter of Mastermin(D) and a synonym of a pool or waterhole.
11a Warden trapped one that's longer-limbed (7)
RANGIER: Place a synonym of a warden around (trapped) the letter that looks like the number one.
12a Keen listener has somewhere to live (7)
EARNEST: A “listener” that's found on either side of one's head and a place to live (for a bird perhaps)
13a Carrier, 3ft from back to front (4)
DRAY: Reverse the imperial length equivalent to 3ft
14a He accepts bids for concoction of cointreau and ecstacy (10)
AUCTIONEER: Anagram (for concoction of) COINTREAU and the single-letter abbreviation for Ecstasy. Some editors (certainly The Telegraph) would want an insertion/container indicator included for the abbreviation, as is the case for the following clue.
18a Threat to one caught running wild? (3,4,3)
THE RIOT ACT: Anagram (running wild) of THREAT TO plus I (one) and the single-letter abbreviation for Caught.
19a Copies recordings, deleting introduction (4)
APES: Some recordings (cassettes maybe) minus the initial letter.
22a Persevere with iron, oxygen and nitrogen (5,2)
PRESS ON: A synonym of iron as a verb plus the chemical symbols of the following two elements
24a Swamp has surplus lead (7)
OVERRUN: A synonym of surplus and one of lead in the sense of manage.
25a Cold food outside is nonsense (5)
FARCE: A synonym of food or refreshments placed around the abbreviation for Cold
26a North American tree has fat head (9)
BUTTERNUT: A type of fat (I think we need a maybe or perhaps here) and an informal name for one's head.
27a Where police work, keeping note providing witness statements (12)
ATTESTATIONS: A preposition indicating position and the name of a place the police “work” at placed around a note on the sol-fa scale.
Down
1d Alleged one edition of the Bible got it wrong (7)
AVERRED: An abbreviated Authorized Version of the bible and a synonym of got it wrong or made a mistake
2d Download design, decline supplement (9)
APPENDAGE: A synonym of download as a noun, one of design in the sense of intention and one of decline (that I'm never convinced is entirely fair, but it's in common use)
3d Perhaps Lady's photos feature a whistle-blower (6)
PREFIX: Lady placed before a name would be an example of the solution which is obtained by placing an informal word for some photos around an informal whistle-blower on a football field perhaps
4d One niggardly fellah short of time (5)
MISER: Remove the abbreviation for Time from a synonym of fellah
5d Bad-tempered Pepys cited non-English suspect (9)
DYSPEPTIC: Anagram (suspect) of PEPYS CIT(e)D.
6d Outsider knocked out Harry (8)
UNDERDOG: A synonym of knocked out in the sense of not conscious and one of harry as a verb.
7d Party outcome announced (4)
FETE: A homophone (announced) of an outcome or a destiny
8d Son after lofty position? (6)
SLATER: The single-letter abbreviation for Son and a synonym of after. The question mark indicates that the setter wants us to think laterally.
15d Strictly speaking, not perfect, lacking credibility (9)
UNTENABLE: if we split the solution (an adjective meaning not credible) 2,3,4 we can see the wordplay. Very neat.
16d Repeats with no bad language (9)
ESPERANTO: Anagram (bad) of REPEATS and NO.
17d Simplest version their is? (8)
MISSPELT: Anagram (version) of SIMPLEST gives an example of what “their” from the clue is. Very smart.
18d Pointless clue? (3-3)
TIP-OFF: A cryptic definition of a phrasal verb (or a noun) giving advance warning.
20d Pieces acquired from stonemason at a shopping centre (7)
SONATAS: Hidden (acquired from)
21d Becoming quite accomplished (6)
DECENT: Double definition
23d Aristocrat and writer left to go south (4)
EARL: Move the abbreviation for left from the name of a writer (of The Owl and the Pussycat) from the beginning to the end (to go south in a down clue)
24d Group of Only Connect teams extremely tense at the start (5)
OCTET: The first letters (at the start) of the preceding five words
Thank you to Star horse for a lovely lunchtime puzzle
My favourite was 15a . I can’t tell you how long it took to see the blooming obvious in 17d
Thanks in advance to StephenL
I was sailing merrily along, happily ticking lots of great clues: 1a, 14a, 18a, 3d, 6d, 8d, 18d – then reached the SE corner…
I got the tree I hadn’t heard of before plus a few others, then stalled until the penny-dropped on 17d – now my clue of the day! I have an answer for 15d but haven’t yet figured out the wordplay – I’ll keep working away at it because CS has declared it her favourite. I think I can justify my answer to 24a, but the checkers for 21d leave the ‘bung-in’ options wide open and I’m not sure if I have chosen the one intended. Right, I’ll set it aside and return later…
My thanks to Starhorse and, in advance, to StephenL – whose sage advice I may need if no more pennies drop!
Hah! The penny has finally dropped on 15d. A worthy runner-up to 17d :good:
This was great fun, Starhorse, thank you. It was pitched just right for an NTSPP.
My eyes spotted the “error” in 17d as soon as I looked at the print out. Then, when I solved the clue, I roared with laughter.
I’m not convinced by the synonym of “pool” in 10a, and, probably because I’m an old fogey, I don’t much like “pix” in 3d.
1a made a superb start, and it is joined on my podium by 15d & 18d.
Thanks,Starhorse!
Lots to admire in this NTSPP … 1a was a brilliant start to a brilliant crossword.
ps. I also thought that “their” was something wrong in 17d.
Agree that 17d was the star of the show in this most enjoyable puzzle.
Thanks Starhorse.
How nice to see Starhorse again in the NTSPP slot and I thought 1a got us off to a great start. It earned a podium spot where it’s joined by the smiler at 22a and the pointless clue at 18d.
Many thanks to our setter – come back soon.
Thanks Starhorse, much enjoyed. We also noticed the spelling in 17d but then it became our favourite clue once we saw the answer. Also liked 18d and 1a got us off to a good start. More like this one, please, Starhorse.
Good evening, Happy New Year, and thank you for the comments.
I did wonder if 17d would make you think Shorerats had reared his ugly head again…. although actually that clue was written quite a while before the Comedy of Errors set.
RD – I agree about “pix”, but sometimes needs must.
Until next time (there’s quite a queue I think, so who knows when?)
Starhorse
17d was a light hidden under a bushel for a while then! Glad it made the light of (the) day at last! :smile:
I came to this a day late and really enjoyed it – thanks to Starhorse.
I have lots of ticks on my printout including 1a, 16d, 17d and 18d.
Like Gazza, I am somewhat late to this but glad I did it. A polished piece of work as one would expect from this setter. 17d is a gem and, no, I did not fall for the idea of an inadvertent error for one moment! I am surprised not to see more shout out for 18a which I take as a delightful &lit. 27a, 1d, 3d (no probs with PIX whatsoever), 6d, 8d, 15d (delightful), 16d and 24d all earn ticks from me. Thanks.
Thanks Gazza and PM. Yes 18a is an &lit – I don’t manage them very often and it was as much by luck as judgement!
And whilst I’m here, thank you Stephen for the review.
Many thanks for the review, Stephen, and thanks again to Starhorse for a most enjoyable NTSPP.
Thank you for the review, StephenL, and for endorsing my choice of word for the double definition in 21d. My thanks again to Starhorse for a fun puzzle.
Thanks to Stephen for his usual excellent review & to Starhorse, who we don’t see often enough for my liking, for his usual very enjoyable puzzle. Completed late last night with heavy eyelids & I’m blaming that on the need to use a letter reveal to finish in the NW.
Good fun puzzle, thanks. Unlike everyone else I wasn’t keen on 17d though, as it doesn’t really make sense. It’s more a case of the wrong word being used rather than a misspelling, but even ignoring that it’s ‘there’ that’s misspelt, not ‘their’. Probably pedantic to some but a clue has to be logical. 16dn and 24dn were very good.