NTSPP 781 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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NTSPP 781

A Puzzle by Prolixic

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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.

An enjoyable crossword with lots of references in the solutions  to the Blog’s Birthday – 19a did make me smile

Across

7a           Checked page Chambers included in dictionary (7)
OPPOSED The abbreviation for Page and some chamber pots inserted into an abbreviated dictionary

8a           Sex for Roman adolescent in square (7)
SIXTEEN The number, the Roman numeral for which is sex, and an adolescent

10a         Auction this tie badly to get a big reduction (6)
BRIDGE The name of a card game, a type of which is auction – an anagram of AUCTION and the solution makes A BIG REDUCTION

11a         Look over Dutch crown and flag (3,5)
OLD GLORY A reversal of a poetic word for look, the abbreviation for Dutch and a crown

12a         Smallest skirt taken out for mother (3)
MUM Remove the synonym for smallest from a type of skirt

13a         Key game starts late in former Portuguese capital (6)
ESCUDO A computer key and a game without its first letter (starts late)

14a         Game company on record about titles (8)
PEERAGES A reversal (about) of a game company, the usual on the subject of and a record

16a         Try party's punch (4)
BASH  Triple definition

17a         Unionist wearing stockings in parliament (5)
HOUSE The abbreviation for Unionist ‘wearing’ some stockings

19a         Where Brian leaves on-line gripes at first (4)
BLOG The first letters of Brian Leaves Online Gripes

20a         Auntie delivered food for youngsters (8)
BEEBREAD  Another informal way of referring to the BBC (Auntie) and delivered in the sense of lectured

23a         I came to Caesar by church in city (6)
VENICE How Caesar or other Latin speaking person would say I came followed by the abbreviated Church of England

24a         Jacob's feminine appearance (3)
EWE This Jacob isn’t a ram!

25a         Times features a third off for anniversary (8)
BIRTHDAY A word used in multiplication to mean times into which is inserted an anagram (off) of A THIRD

27a         Small darts player runs away (6)
LITTLE A darts player who has been in the news a lot lately without (away) the cricket abbreviation for Runs

28a         Much missed editor of film channel (3,4)
BIG DAVE A Tom Hanks film and a television channel

29a         Best book described by old friend (7)
OPTIMAL The abbreviation of the New Testament book The Letters to Timothy inserted into the abbreviation for Old and an informal friend

Down

1d           Maybe Rio's boys cycling - it could feature here (6,4)
SPORTS PAGE Cycle a place like Rio and some boy attendants

2d           Quest for riches in parts of August (4,4)
GOLD RUSH AU (the first part of August) is the chemical symbol for a particular metal and the second part is a sudden gust of wind

3d           Giant theme Hob compiled (8)
BEHEMOTH An anagram (compiled) of THEME HOB

4d           Anger about origins of Django's debut puzzle (6)
RIDDLE A verb meaning to anger goes about the ‘origins’ of Django and Debut

5d           Girl returns from ballet school (6)
STELLA Hidden in reverse (returns) in the last two words of the clue

6d           Adult cuts a tree (4)
PEAR The abbreviation for Adult ‘cuts’ a preposition for each or ‘a’

9d           Committee communicated agreement to accept money for organ (8,3)
COMPOUND EYE An abbreviated committee and a homophone (communicated) of a word of agreement ‘accept’ an amount of money

15d         Band of public schoolchildren? (4,6)
ETON COLLAR A cryptic definition of a band round the necks of children at a certain public school

18d         First lady's bound to adopt new covering (8)
ENVELOPE The first lady in the Bible and a bound ‘adopt’ the abbreviation for New

19d         Report on limitation to inheritance for Trump's horse (8)
BANGTAIL A report or loud noise and a limitation to inheritance

21d         Happen to be supported by regular movement (6)
BETIDE BE (from the clue) supported by (in a Down solution) a regular movement

22d         Food eaten by Aberdeen divers (6)
ENDIVE Hidden in (eaten by) the last two words of the clue

26d         God backs large flower (4)
IRIS The Egyptian God without an abbreviation meaning large

8 comments on “NTSPP 781
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  1. For those attending the 16th Birthday Bash, I will bring along some hard copies of the crossword along with a bonus crossword!

    1. I’ve completed the NTSPP with something of a battle in places. Definitely needed to be aware of the theme to ‘guess & check’ one of my answers. Any chance of sending out the ‘bonus puzzle’ to those of us who, sadly, are unable to attend today’s event?

  2. Many thanks for the review, CS, and the lovely photo of the big man, much missed indeed.
    Had to think long and hard about the ‘auction’ and didn’t know the American horse so that went in based on checkers and wordplay. At least I managed to complete the puzzle which is more than can be said for the Bonus NTSPP!

    Thanks also to Prolixic for the very appropriate puzzle.

  3. The family event that took up my weekend also set aside any consideration I may have had about attending the anniversary celebration. It also meant that my usual weekend crossword solving has taken place mid-week!
    A fine crossword from Prolixic in honour of BD’s brainchild, the only disappointment being my failure to choose the correct letter missing from 24a after checkers were in place. I couldn’t justify my choice of ‘V’ anyway, and it was a sheep – who knew!!! [Not me at least.] Otherwise the ‘food for youngsters’ and the American racehorse were novelties, and I couldn’t identify the 29a ‘book’ (thanks, CS). Favourites were 7a (nicely misleading use of ‘Checked’), the triple definition 16a, 25a, 2d and the 28a tribute to the founder.
    My thanks to both Prolixic and CS.

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