A Puzzle by Meles
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid
NTSPP regular Meles returns with a typically stylish and enjoyable puzzle. Thanks to him.
Across
1a On a short flight journalist dreamt (5)
HOPED: Short flight/jump plus the usual journalist
4a Returning some spare tin if nickel is not limited (8)
INFINITE: Hidden and reversed (Returning some)
8a Celebrate lavishly and do so before heading off to sea! (4,3,4,3)
PUSH THE BOAT OUT: Double/cryptic definition
10a Move to a new place in Riga and meet deviant (8)
EMIGRATE: RIGA MEET* (deviant)
11a Look, father's back with fruit (6)
APPEAR: Father/dad rev. plus a fruit
12a Regularly preach inside castle building, it's quite a show (9)
SPECTACLE: PrEaCh inserted into CASTLE* (building)
15a Retiring lecturer having a blast around city square (5)
PLAZA: The abbreviation for Lecturer inside a reversal of A plus blast/destroy
17a Donkey edges through a deep chasm (5)
ABYSS: The usual donkey contains (edges) a preposition that could mean through
18a Cut deeply with material considered good (9)
LACERATED: A frilly material plus considered good/admired
19a Trade losing multiple millions creates pressure (6)
COERCE: Trade /business with MM (multiple millions) removed
21a Expensive time to become student, envy perhaps rises later (6,2)
SLEEPS IN: Expensive/dear with the abbreviation for Time changed to that of student plus something of which envy is an example
24a Bird scattered pine cone nests across river (6,8)
PRISON SENTENCE: PINE CONE NESTS* (scattered) containing abbreviation for River. Nothing to do with ornithology!
25a Fanatic going after possible treasure location, we've heard this before (8)
CHESTNUT: Fanatic/buff (going) after where you might find treasure
26a Yellow parts inside wooden frames picked up (5)
YOLKS: Homophone (picked up) of wooden frames often used to pair oxen.
Down
1d Chance of college abandoning fellow to contain opinion (12)
HAPPENSTANCE: Fellow/man less the abbreviation for College plus to contain/hold plus opinion/position
2d When money turns into power, very much without intervention (9)
PASSIVELY: Adverb meaning to a great degree with the abb. for Money becoming that of Power
3d Conclude the setter's going to become put off (5)
DETER: Conclude/work out with a first person possessive pronoun removed
4d The same ridiculous lie I can't defend, ultimately (9)
IDENTICAL: I CANT LIE plus defenD* (ridiculous)
5d Fine cut turkey for a New Yorker? (4)
FLOP: The abbreviation for Fine plus cut/clip. New Yorker here is an American indicator that fits nicely into the surface read
6d Do say if upset about keeping rubbish stationery (9)
NOTEPAPER: A synonym of do say plus the usual about rev. containing rubbish/nonsense
7d Introduction to cricket constrained by firm agreement to not use arms (5)
TRUCE: First letter of cricket inserted into firm/solid
9d Competitive performers in barracks need exercises (12)
BREAKDANCERS: BARRACKS NEED* (exercises)
13d Exam investigations, they set precedents (4,5)
TEST CASES: Exam/evaluation plus investigations/inquiries
14d Faction occupying complex next heading for European capital (9)
EXCELLENT: Faction/group inside NEXT plus E* (complex). Capital here is an adjective
16d Piece of rampart is analysed, it's crafted by skilled hands (9)
ARTISANAL: Hidden (piece of)
20d We're all here with love when husband hits rock bottom (5)
EARTH: Love/soul with the abbreviation for Husband moving to the bottom of the clue. My favourite
22d Access trendy careers without degree (5)
ENTRY: TRENdY* (careers)
23d Author, primarily, with no name? (4)
ANON: First letter of Author, NO from the clue and the abbreviation for Name. Very smart &lit.
An enjoyable and fairly gentle puzzle to take the mind of the rain bucketing down outside – thanks to Meles.
I liked 21a, 25a and 1d.
It’s always a pleasure to find a Meles puzzle in the NTSPP slot. As expected, this was a lot of fun. I had a plethora of ticks with 21a my favourite. I also particularly appreciated the American indicator in 5d!
I love the answer to 1d but I am still struggling to parse it.
Many thanks to Meles.
RD – 1d, I was also struggling to parse (the first element) of it but the penny has possibly dropped. A synonym of (non-academic) fellow with the single letter for College deleted (abandoning as in leaving). The second and third elements were much clearer.
Thanks, Senf. That was the bit I was struggling with too. All is now clear!
What I wrote on Meles’ last NTSPP – Thanks Meles for an enjoyable NTSPP. Caffeine not required but it was a close run thing when it came to getting across the finishing line.
Smiles for 8a, 17a, 26a, 1d, 5d, 13d, and 20d.
Thanks again and thanks in advance to Stephen L.
An enjoyable solve. I am glad I was not alone in struggling to parse 1d. I got it primarily though the checkers and sort of justified it thereafter through some dodgy “logic”. Cotd goes to 8a for the smile factor alone. Thanks to Meles.
That had us working hard but eventually it all came together. 20d was our favourite.
Thanks Meles.
Stuck in the SE corner, I couldn’t get 21ac – all I could think of was ‘clocks on’ referring to the change to summer time, but that of course means on would rise earlier, not later. And that meant I couldn’t get 22dn or 26ac.
Otherwise an enjoyable and straightforward solve. Thanks, Meles and Stephen L.
We struggled to parse 1d as we had ‘happen’ as meaning chance and we couldn’t work 21 across so thanks to StephenL for explanations. Favourite was 21a. Thank you Meles and we look forward to your next one.
Many thanks to Meles for a perfectly pitched NTSPP. Such puzzles can be joyfully quirky on occasion and the surface reading for 7d certainly fits into that category
My Across podium places went firmly to 21 and 25, with a tussle between 12 and 19 for the last available step. For the Downs it was a similar story with 1 and 23 at the top, being closely followed by 3 and 16.
Thanks again to Meles and also to SephenL for the review.
Thanks to everyone who solved and commented, and especially to Stephen for the great review. Always very much appreciated.