A Puzzle by Starhorse
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.
Across
1a Local girls - they often hit the bar (4,6)
NEAR MISSES: Synonyms of local and girls, the bar being “hit” is not a pub!
6a Problem welding two metals (4)
SNAG: The chemical symbols of tin and silver
8a Nuclear explosion initially transformed sky blue (8)
CERULEAN: NUCLEAR plus E*
9a Wife left wearing pants - ready to drive? (2,4)
IN GEAR: (w)EARING* (pants)
10a Figure Angus drew occasionally (4)
NUDE: aNgUs DrEw
11a Proposal about taking over French mime artist's estate (10)
PLANTATION: A synonym of proposal plus a preposition that could mean about “taking” the surname of the artist in the clue
12a Conductor to pick record, working without credit (9)
ELECTRODE: Pick/choose plus REcOrD* I think a secondary anagram indicator may be needed here.
14a Continue with extremely risqué novel (5)
RENEW: Outer letters of RisquE and a synonym of novel
17a Pasta in Tunis contains poison (5)
TAINT: Hidden (contains)
19a Playing area matches, fell backwards (5,4)
GAMES ROOM: Matches as a noun plus a reversal of a large open area
22a Rod played blank (5-5)
POKER-FACED: Synonym of a rod often used to stoke a fire and played or was opposed to
23a Tribe left in May (4)
CLAN: The abbreviation for Left inside may as a modal auxiliary verb
24a Monarch - the fourth to return capital (6)
VIENNA: A former British Queen and the Roman numeral four reversed
25a Waterfowl asked for by expanding egg supplier? (8)
MOORHENS: Homophone of what an expanding egg supplier may demand. Lol.
26a Ayesha and daughter lose (4)
SHED: The third person singular pronoun (female) plus abbreviation for Daughter
27a Mastermind hearing songs by Wagner? (10)
RINGLEADER: A homophone of a German song attached to a word particularly appropriate for Wagner
Down
1d Hold up fiddle being checked out, the result's a foregone conclusion (2,7)
NO CONTEST: Fiddle as in cheat rev (hold up) plus a phrase (2,4) that could mean being checked out. Very smart.
2d Cut down male fleeing fictional village (7)
ABRIDGE: Remove the abbreviation for Male from a village in an iconic radio series
3d Amateur's motionless, outside without power (8)
INEXPERT: Motionless/unable to react around a preposition that could mean without and the abbreviation for Power
4d Entertainer who makes a fuss? (4,3,5,3)
SONG AND DANCE MAN: Cryptic definition.
5d Avoids pious men drinking liqueur (6)
SKIRTS: Abbreviated pious or good men “drinking” a concoction of wine and cassis.
6d Tourist faculty supported by Sybil? (9)
SIGHTSEER: A faculty associated with vision plus (supported by in a down) something of which Sybil is in Greek mythology
7d Battle with Democratic leaders is all the rage (1,2,4)
A LA MODE: A famous battle plus the first two letters of DEmocrat
13d Worried business writer's boss (9)
CONCERNED: A synonym of a business, often linked to the word “going” and the usual “writer’s boss”
15d Romeo possibly won Marie's fancy (9)
WOMANISER: WON MARIE’S (fancy)*
16d Activity with Head that may lead to name change (4,4)
DEED POLL: An activity or action plus an informal word for the head
18d A Bishop from Krakow ignoring pressure to scrap (7)
ABOLISH: A from the clue, abbreviation for Bishop and the nationality of someone born in Krakow “ignoring” the abbreviation for Pressure
20d Peanut product, possibly stale at the edges, eaten by drunk (7)
OILSEED: Outside letters of StalE “eaten” by an informal drunk as an adjective
21d Briefly testify about article creating intrigue (6)
AFFAIR: Remove the last letter (briefly) from a synonym of testify and insert an indefinite article.
A lovely puzzle from Starhorse, fairly gentle with smooth surfaces throughout. Many thanks to the setter for the lunchtime enjoyment.
I liked 1a, 9a and 1d with my outstanding favourite being 27a.
No caffeine required! Thanks Starhorse for an entertaining NTSPP that was a delight to wake up to.
Smiles for 6a, 25a, 27a, 2d, 4d, and 18d.
Thanks again and thanks in advance to StephenL.
Great fun with 27a my favourite.
Many thanks to Starhorse for the entertainment.
Always makes me smile when I see this setter’s pseudonym, I remember the fuss we made when he tried to change it!
Another delightful puzzle from him today with my ticks going to 1,11,22,25&27a plus 2d. Think I’ll give the gold star to 25a for making me laugh so much.
Many thanks to Starhorse for the entertainment.
Thoroughly enjoyable, thank you Starhorse. Our favourites are 1a, 24a, 27a, and 18d but loved the whole puzzle and look forward to your next one. Thanks in advance to StepenL.
A delight as always. 1a my fav – don’t they just & a right old state some of ‘em get themselves into. Plenty of smiles too numerous to mention elsewhere.
Wish we saw more of you Starhorse. Many thanks
Sorry this is such a late comment, Snowman.
Solving this was very enjoyable. On the whole, I thought the puzzle was good.
My top choices are 1d, 4d, 16d, 1a, 12a and 27a.
Many thanks for the entertainment, Snowman, and well done! Prolixic has described this as ‘another very good crossword’. That is praise indeed.
I echo Huntsman in saying ‘wish we saw more of you’.
Appreciative thanks to Prolixic for the review.
Oh dear! I have made a right old mess-up. I have mixed up my comments for Snowman in th Rookie Corner with this! Please can you delete this comment? I’m so very sorry. I feel a real old fool!
I must take a look at that one as you certainly should with this.
Agreed, Huntsman. Its printed off and awaits what looks like a most enjoyable solve.
Alas! as I’m TT I don’t even have an excuse for my mix-up!! Maybe a really strong cuppa tea or coffee is needed… Enjoy your evening!
A relatively slow start from us but gathered momentum once we were under way. 4d was our favourite.
Thanks Starhorse.
Late night solve for me but glad I tackled it. Great fun Starhorse with quite a few chuckles and pdms. Last two to fall were 16d and 25 a and became my favourites. Thanks for the fun.
Thank you Stephen for the review, and to all who commented – glad you liked it, especially Catnap!
Many thanks for the review, Stephen, nice to remember how much I enjoyed solving this one.
Yes, Starhorse, I loved it And I do hope we shall soon see more of you.
As anticipated, solving it was a delightful experience. My fave clue is 27a with 1a very close on its heels.
I have too many ticks to list them all, but here is a selection: 22a, 24a, 25a, 2d, 4d, 5d, 18d and 20d.
Thank you very much for a most entertaining NTSPP Starhorse.
And thank you very much too, StephenL for your review.
Once again, huge apologies for my mix-up last night, Starhorse. My comment now refers only to your very enjoyable NTSPP!
Thankyou Catnap, always happy to accept a compliment, whether aimed in my direction by accident or design
A collection of NTSPPs awaited my return from holiday
This one from Starhorse was a pleasure to solve, as usual. Favourites were all in the across clues – 1, 6, 12 and the much-applauded 27. 24a foxed me for a bit and was my LOI. I did twig 6d but have not found that spelling in my references. I only found Sibyl…
Thanks, Starhorse and StephenL.