A Puzzle by duncanjwitham
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid
Duncan graces the NTSPP spot with an adeptly put together puzzle that was full of deft wordplay and nicely disguised definitions. Many thanks to him.
Across
6a It blows over after uncertain announcement (7)
TORNADO: Abbreviation for Over follows uncertain/undecided and an abbreviated announcement/advertisement
7a Anticipate painful cost for Spooner (7)
FORESEE: Painful/tender plus cost/charge given the Spooner treatment
9a Wield axe essentially cutting tree back (5)
EXERT: Middle letter of axe inserted into (cutting) a reversal of tree from the clue. I think the setter is being a bit too generous here.
10a Adult let in boy that's waiting for family (9)
PARENTAGE: The abbreviation for Adult and let/lease inside a boy who waits in a service sense. Very nice
11a American's bill reportedly short, makes a scene (7)
TABLEAU: An American word for a bill and a homophone of short/squat
13a Upgrade electric vehicle charging bank (6)
REVAMP: EV inserted into (charging) a bank/slope
15a Opposing point of view: some food for thought (13)
CONSIDERATION: A noun meaning opposing, plus a point of view/perspective, plus an amount of food.
19a Rejection leads to Englishman nearly punching face (6)
DENIAL: The initial letters of Englishman and nearly inserted into (punching) a (watch/clock) face
20a Small post office employs husband and wife? (7)
SPOUSES: Abbreviations for Small and Post Office plus employs/utilises
23a Plenty start to alter hairdo before social event (9)
ABUNDANCE: Initial letter of alter plus a hairdo that looks ridiculous on men but great on women plus a social event/disco etc
24a Lie about dietary requirement (5)
FIBRE: A straightforward charade of a lie/porky plus about/concerning
26a Bird box next to terrace (7)
SPARROW: Box in the sense of fight and a terrace/line. Short but neat
27a Covered in dust, stripping off, flipping embarrassed (7)
INSURED: In from the clue, a reversal of dUSt from the clue without its outer letters plus the colour associated with embarrassment
Down
1d Release without charge (4)
FREE: Double definition
2d Baby's toy, one that sung and talked occasionally (6)
RATTLE: A person that sung/sings plus TaLkEd
3d Million quid to support company making chemicals? (9)
COMPOUNDS: The usual abbreviated COmpany, followed by (to support in a down clue) the abbreviation for Million and a more formal way of saying quid
4d Strange patterns in part of church (8)
TRANSEPT: PATTERNS* (strange)
5d Moving flights - LA costs are crazy (10)
ESCALATORS: LA COSTS ARE* (crazy). “London buses” comes to mind here
6d Was a match boring? Both sides to try and score (6)
TWENTY: A way of saying “was a match,” ”boring” or inserted into both sides of TrY. Good idea but to my mind the punctuation is unfair here, we can't just ignore the question mark, the grammar of the parsing must be correct
7d Comedy clubs cut ticket price (4)
FARE: A type of comedy (think Feydeau) minus the abbreviation for Clubs. Very smart
8d Excuse from former lover mostly futile (6)
EXEMPT: The usual former lover plus futile/worthless without its last letter
12d Italian sauce served up with fries on top, it's sweet (5,5)
BROWN SUGAR: A reversal (served up) of a sauce for pasta follows fries/tans.
14d Pair of cups I dropped in restaurant (9)
BRASSERIE: The pair of cups are an item of underwear worn by women with the I moved down the clue.
16d Place largely dull, put up flag (8)
STANDARD: Place/position plus dull/colourless minus its last letter rev.
17d Agreement breaks one's principles (6)
IDEALS: Agreement/pact inserted into one's from the clue. Very neat
18d Climb a post to install bit of cable (6)
ASCEND: A from the clue plus post/mail as a verb into which the initial letter of cable is inserted
21d Lacking elegance, with fleeced coat and mullet? (6)
OAFISH: cOAt plus something that swims (mullet?....DBE)
22d Bad weather set in, it's no worry (4)
SNOW: Hidden
25d Be tedious or be entertaining (4)
BORE: Or from the clue entertained by be from the clue. Very neat
An excellent waiting for lunch to cook diversion, with a few clues where the solver has to pause and make sure which part was the definition
Thanks to Duncan and in advance to Stephen
Very enjoyable with smooth surfaces and not too much of a stretch for this hot weather – many thanks to Duncan.
I liked 14d and 21d because they made me laugh, other ticks going to 27a, 2d and 25d.
A very pleasant start to my Saturday morning – no caffeine required!
Smiles for 20a, 24a, 5d, and 6d.
Thanks to DJW and in advance to Stephen.
Absolutely perfect for the NTSPP slot! Brief accurate clueing, nice disguises, smooth surfaces, and a lot of fun.
Why aren’t you setting for the Telegraph, DJW?!
I liked this puzzle on a cool morning here on the West Coast of BC … sun is promised though later on.
Favourites 7a, 13a, 20a,23a, 12d & 21d
Thanks to DJW & Stephen
Very enjoyable to solve. Many thanks duncanjwitham. We are definitely looking forward to your next one. Favourites are 20a, 11a, 3d and 14d. Thanks in advance to Stephen.
Exactly what RD said.
12&14d on top of one another my top two. Lovely stuff.
Many thanks Duncan.
Looks as though not many folk have ventured over to this side. Well I think they’ve missed a cracker. I enjoyed this from start to finish. It took many hours, but was very satisfying nonetheless. I really liked 11a (and appreciated the American indication). Also 20a for its simplicity and surface. Many other great clues, too numerous to mention. I look forward to more from this excellent setter.
Forgot to mention the very funny 14d
A top quality puzzle in all respects and very much appreciated. Not even going to try picking a favourite from so many good clues.
Many thanks Duncan.
Thanks for the comments everyone and thanks for the the review StephenL.
Most entertaining and enjoyable. 14dn raised a smile and reminded me of a 4-star hotel in Scarborough where they had a placard in the lift advertising their brassiere [sic] restaurant – probably a result of autocorrect but I was surprised no-one appeared to have noticed. Favourite was 10ac where I had the correct answer pencilled in for ages before the penny dropped as to the definition and parsing – a cracking clue!
Thanks, djw and SL.
RD’s comment sums it up perfectly. However, I found the puzzle highly frustrating in that I ticked about half of the clues and then couldn’t decide which of the many to endorse as ‘favourites’
That’s a nice problem to have! Nevertheless, I must say that the biggest smile was occasioned by my LOI, the clever and amusing 14d.
Many thanks to duncanjwitham for a cracking puzzle and to StephenL for his review.