A Smile for NTSPP by Chalicea
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.
This Chalicea offering was solved in less time than it took me to eat my lunch, but how long was it before you spotted the ghost theme and smiled?
Across
6a The French single currency (5)
LEONE: The French definite article and a synonym for single combine to give an African country’s currency
7a Unexpectedly gets near one of army ranks (8)
SERGEANT: An anagram (unexpectedly) of GETS NEAR
10a Regularly, in store, tucks into veal of the belly (7)
VENTRAL: The regular letters of sToRe ‘tucked into’ VEAL
11a Smoothing out at close of day (7)
EVENING: Double definition
12a Brief examination of loose ends at first drawing in king (4-3)
LOOK-SEE: LOOSE (from the clue) and the first letter of Ends ‘drawing in’ the chess abbreviation for King
13a Ground primarily unproductive, at heart reserved for one gathering harvest residue (7)
GLEANER: The primary letter of Ground and a synonym for unproductive followed by the letters at the heart of resERved
14a This blood-poisoning sadly emaciates with pain from time to time (11)
SEPTICAEMIA: An anagram (sadly) of EMACIATES with the odd (from time to time) letters of PaIn
19a Wrestling holds not in the past essentially applied by offspring (7)
NELSONS: An obsolete (in the past) word meaning not, the ‘essential’ letter of appLied and some male offspring
21a Shorten a structure spanning a road (7)
ABRIDGE: A (from the clue) and a structure spanning a road
23a Volume of large old public vehicle, train that stops at every station! (7)
OMNIBUS: Triple definition
25a Most of soccer team drink, consuming last of ale, to get tight (5,2)
TENSE UP: Most of a soccer team with eleven players and a verb meaning to drink, into which is inserted the last letter of alE
26a About to locate additional type of explosive mine (8)
CLAYMORE: The Latin abbreviation meaning about, a verb meaning to locate or put in place and a synonym for additional
27a On reflection not completely call to mind one giving a thrashing (5)
LACER: A reversal (on reflection) of almost all of a synonym for call to mind
Down
1d Crikey, NCO's collecting second-class centres of maize ears (8)
CORNCOBS: An exclamation of surprise (crikey) and NCOS (from the clue) ‘collecting’ the letter associated with something second-class
2d Is informed about ultimately fraudulent playing cards (6)
HEARTS: Is informed about (aurally) goes ‘about’ the last (ultimately) letter of fraudulenT
3d Steel rap is broadcast - using these medieval instruments? (10)
PSALTERIES: An anagram (broadcast) of STEEL RAP IS
4d Oddly targeted plant (4)
TREE: The odd letters of TaRgEtEd
5d Flag some men's ignorance (6)
ENSIGN: Hidden in the last two words of the clue
6d Adore extremes of luxury, it's enjoyable (6)
LOVELY: A synonym for adore and the ‘extremes’ of LuxurY
8d Surprisingly, maybe, not at first see this glance (7)
EYEBEAM: An anagram (surprisingly) of MAYBE and the second and third letters (not at first) of sEE
9d Vigorous activity in most of Arab marketplace of yore (5)
AGORA: An informal term for vigorous activity inserted into most of ARAb
13d Reshaped true agenda secured (10)
GUARANTEED: An anagram (reshaped) of TRUE AGENDA
15d Large, oval US sandwich for impoverished lad (4,3)
POOR BOY: An American sandwich (usually in my experience referred to more informally) or literally an impoverished lad
16d Gathered listeners languish before noon in a university church (8)
AUDIENCE: A (from the clue) and the abbreviations for University and Church of England, into which is inserted a synonym for languish and the abbreviation for Noon
17d Take delight in finding Morag's beloved one in Kenya with no restraints (5)
ENJOY: A Scottish word for a loved one (Morag being a Scottish lass) inserted into the inside (with no restraints) letters of kENYa This clue reminded me of the Katie Morag books and also a herd of Highland Cattle my friend and I once met on a walk, one of whom was called Morag
18d Go for shower (6)
PEPPER: A synonym for enthusiasm (go) and a preposition meaning for
20d How Wordsworth wandered, needing a companion? (6)
LONELY: How Wordsworth wandered when writing his poem about daffodils
22d Cause to fester essentially constricted footjoint (6)
RANKLE: The ‘essential’ letter of constRicted and a joint of the foot
24d Performance of pig entertaining husband (4)
SHOW: A female pig ‘entertaining’ the abbreviation for Husband
The ghost theme is Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (guaranteed to raise a smile!)
Thought this was 8d and I did 17d it – although I’ll need CS’s explanation to understand the parsing of that one. Only slightly held up by LOI 18d until the penny dropped and it became my favourite. 8d was not a word I’d come across before but very clearly clued. Thanks Chalicea for the fun.
Not “a smile” but lots of smiles in today’s NTSPP. Knowing Chalicea, there must a theme here, but four words out of a six word record title aren’t enough to provide a motif.
As usual with this setter, I learnt some new words/meanings in 13a, 8d [the BRB enumerates this as (4-3)] & 15d. Who Morag is in 17d is a mystery to me but, she must love someone called Jo, although I can’t trace any reference to her in Little Women.
20d is almost 100% GK, and 27a seems a little weak in having the same word in “call to mind” and the synonym it leads to.
The splendid triple definition in 23a is my favourite of many excellent clues.
Many thanks to Chalicea and in advance to CS.
Had to take a leap of faith where Morag’s beloved and the American sandwich were concerned and was glad of having a few checkers in place before committing to the spelling of 14a but for the most part this was an enjoyable exercise. I shall no doubt forget the currency very quickly!
Thanks to Chalicea and apologies if you’ve given us a theme that escaped me.
Thanks Chalicea. I too could not detect a theme and I look forward to finding out how Jo is the beloved of Morag.
Smiles for 12a, 25a, 6d, and 20d.
Thanks again and thanks in advance to CS(?).
Thanks for the puzzle Chalicea. Favourites were 25a and 18d.
I’m also confused as to who Morag and Jo are though.
Thanks in advance to CS(?).
I’m surprised that this one is not yielding its theme – maybe just look up the words of the title Rabbit Dave mentioned – they are in there!
Morag, with Ian, Rob Roy, Mac, are usually Scottish indicators and a Jo is a Scottish boyfriend. As always, I am happy that you are enjoying it.
Got it! Found 10 and now I’ve got a 6d earworm!
Thanks very much for the fun.
We didn’t spot the theme although we knew there would be one but kept smiling all the way through any way.
Many thanks Chalicea.
Still in the dark about the theme, but what does it matter – it was a 6dn crossword anyway. I hadn’t heard of the American sandwich (not in the BRB but googling confirmed it) and I had to look up the obsolete word for ‘not’ (that is in the BRB). Otherwise it all flowed in smoothly and was over a bit too soon.
Thanks, Chalicea, and in advance to the blogger (CS?).
Thanks for your review, CS. You’ve crossed out rather than underlined the definition for 8d.
Many thanks for the review, CS. I didn’t know the third definition of 23a, seems rather curious despite it’s inclusion in the BRB.
No smiles for the theme here – I think that track was responsible for me losing all interest in the Fab Four. No doubt my parents were relieved when all the carefully cut out pics of the boys were removed from my bedroom walls!
As always CS, I loved your illustrations – andvmany thanks for all the crossword work you do. Oh dear, Jane! So sorry! They still give me ear worms and bring back lots of happy memories.