Independent 8442 by Quixote

by

  • *=anagram

  • [] = removed e.g. char[m]=char

  • ()=abbreviation e.g. A(mpere)=a

  • Hom. = homophone

I found the top half of this somewhat harder than the bottom, with 5 particularly holding me up (mainly because I interpreted the device of “money unlimited” as meaning you remove both the front and last letters form the word). There were no real stand-out clues for me but it was all good, workmanlike stuff. I have a feeling of having missed something in 11.

Across
1. Shell container after soldiers have been and gone? (3,3)
Egg cup Cryptic def referring to toast soldiers.
5. Arab quarter with money unlimited, blast! (6)
Casbah Cas[h] + bah.
10. Daydreaming? Keep up! (6,2,3,3)
Castle in the air CD with keep being a part of a castle. I’m more often seen the expression in the plural, but this seems to be a valid alternative.
11. Note short time needed to produce document (6)
Brevet Breve(=note) + t(ime).
12. Hit out at wild cat behind lair (8)
Denounce Den + ounce.
13. Some centenarians lying around in the country (4)
Iran Hidden,reversed in centeNARIans.
14. Pessimistic old rocker rolling over — somehow fate is sealed (9)
Defeatist Ted< around (fate is)*.
17. Who orated freely, offering some hard stuff (9)
Heartwood (Who orated)*
18. Wreck international organisation, allowing Germany in (4)
Undo UNO around D(=Germany/Deutschland).
20. Best stuff in first half of homily making one hysterical (8)
Screamer Cream in ser[mon].
22. Scottish king invading England uncannily (6)
Duncan Hidden in EnglanD UNCANnily.
24. This American in difficulty has imported Italian number-crunchers (14)
Arithmeticians (This American)* around It.
25. From what we hear, requires massages (6)
Kneads Hom of needs.
26. Aussie university being broadcast in old TV series (6)
Monash On in Mash.
…
Down
2. A crippled boat heading north passing round a republic (9)
Guatemala (A lame tug)< around a.
3. Scottish peasant caught animal in river?(6)
Cotter C(aught) + otter (river animal).
4. Homework material located at foot of page (4)
Prep P(age) + rep.
6. Type of lens — treatment for trachoma (8)
Achromat Trachoma*
7. Clever type? Second-rate wet! (5)
Brain B + rain
8. Sadly rooms haven’t good light at night in summer? (7,4)
Harvest Moon (Rooms haven’t)*.
9. Working for female, journalist is somewhat deprived of basic need (8)
Underfed. Under(=working for) f(emale) + ed.
11. Something lit up that nuclear physicist may study as clever person (6,5)
Bright Spark Just seems to be a DD unless there’s meant to be some reference to quarks or maybe a scientist called Bright in there.
14. Philosopher has seen God, I fancy (8)
Diogenes (Seen God I)*
15. Home with no loose change in Fiji? People leading a simple life maybe(9)
Innocents In + no + cents (coins used in Fiji).
16. Married a totally heartless trout and suffered pain (8)
Attached A + t[rou]t + ached.
19. Something painful a famous Nonconformist said (6)
Bunion Hom of Bunyan
21. Lift given by worship that exudes power (5)
Raise [P]raise
23. The old woman is set up in old-style country (4)
Siam. (Ma is)<. Old-style country because Siam is an old word for Thailand.

 

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4 comments on “Independent 8442 by Quixote”

  1. A very straightforward solve but enjoyable nonetheless. I also found the bottom half easier that the top half, with the NW corner being the last to fall. PREP was my LOI after EGG CUP and GUATEMALA.

    By the way, you have an extra “e” in your answer for 24ac. As far as your comment about 11ac is concerned I don’t see what you can have missed because a BREVET is a document and your analysis of the wordplay is spot on.

  3. Typical but enjoyable Monday fare.

    In the answers, 9D is missing f(emale)and 19D spelling of nonconformist is (John) Bunyan.

    Thanks to Quixote and NealH.

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