Nothing too taxing in this offering from Sleuth – just a smart, enjoyable puzzle.
I thought the clueing was springy and witty (and technically flawless), with a good range of devices and vocab. Enjoyed it. Thank-you, Sleuth.
| Across | ||
| 1 | DIAPHRAGM |
A graph obscured in poorly lit centre of frame? (9)
Anagram of a graph within dim [poorly lit] |
| 6 | STORM |
Violent disturbance in protest or march (5)
Hidden in proteST OR March |
| 9 |
Tower near ground in US college (7)
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| 10 | TAIL END |
Trouble contained by minister in final part (4,3)
Ail [trouble] within tend [minister] |
| 11 | RASTA |
Religious follower backed a figure of authority (5)
Reversal of a tsar [figure of authority] |
| 12 | REPUGNANT |
Distasteful salesman brandishing gun by worker (9)
Rep [salesman] anagram of gun ant [worker] |
| 14 | SLY |
Cunning and toadyish? I’m knocked out (3)
Slimy [toadyish] minus I’m |
| 15 | TRADE SECRET |
Detest carer that’s disrupted successful commercial practice (5,6)
Anagram of detest carer |
| 17 | MAGNANIMOUS |
Publication leading new hostility about circle disposed to charity (11)
Mag [publication] n [new] O [circle] within animus [hostility] |
| 19 | TAR |
Pitch rating perhaps (3)
Double definition (with ‘rating’ meaning ‘sailor’) |
| 20 | PATAGONIA |
A game practicable in good area, area that’s remote? (9)
A tag [game] on [practicable] within pi [good] a [area] |
| 22 | WHIRL |
Rapid turn in river in short time (5)
R [river] within whil(e) [time] |
| 24 | OBESITY |
Attribute in pot? (7)
Cryptic definition |
| 26 | ICINESS |
Former company investigator showing distant attitude (7)
ICI [former company] Ness [investigator Eliot] |
| 27 | ESSAY |
Prowess a youth harbours in composition (5)
Hidden in prowESS A Youth |
| 28 | BEEFEATER |
One in hunt accepting payment upset warder (9)
Reversal of fee [payment] within beater [one in hunt] |
| Down | ||
| 1 | DEMUR |
Largely modest object (5)
Demur(e) [modest] |
| 2 | AMNESTY |
Home defended by woman getting cancellation of charge? (7)
Nest [home] within Amy [woman] |
| 3 | HERBALTEA |
Woman’s table is transformed by a scented drink (6,3)
Her [woman’s] anagram of table a |
| 4 | ALTERCATION |
Row in college amid change (11)
C [college] within alteration [change] |
| 5 | MAT |
I’m last regularly in dull finish (3)
Regular letters from iMlAsT |
| 6 | STING |
Pain in police operation (5)
Double definition |
| 7 | OPEN-AIR |
Writer, one entering revolutionary port – characterising some festivals? (4-3)
Pen [writer] a [one] within reversal of Rio [port] |
| 8 | MEDITATOR |
Note autocrat that’s banished conservative contemplative sort (9)
Me [note] dictator [autocrat] minus c [conservative] |
| 13 | PREROGATIVE |
Retired English nob occupied by Indian poet with touch of religiosity? Right (11)
Reversal of Tagore [Indian poet] r(eligiosity) within E [English] VIP [nob] |
| 14 | SEMAPHORE |
Signalling medium accepted by maritime figure, we hear (9)
M [medium] within sea [maritime] phore [sounds like ‘four’, figure] |
| 16 | ERSTWHILE |
Least meritorious part of church for Spooner in the past (9)
Spoonerism of worst [least meritorious] aisle [part of church] |
| 18 | GUTLESS |
Having no stomach for chicken? (7)
Double definition |
| 19 | TRIDENT |
Spear I had found in river (7)
I’d [I had] within Trent [river] |
| 21 | GRIMY |
Renovate middle of dire gym covered in dirt (5)
Anagram of (d)ir(e) gym |
| 23 | LOSER |
Failure on the rise among mediocre solvers (5)
Hidden in reversal of mediocRE SOLvers |
| 25 | YOB |
Lout raised contemptuous expression (3)
Reversal of boy [contemptuous expression] |
Thanks Ringo and Sleuth. This was a gentle tussle to solve.
One minor correction Ringo – 20ac The ‘game’ in the clue refers to the game of ‘Tag’.
Cheers
TL
Oops – thanks, Turbolegs. Amended now.
For some reason, the answer to 9A (minaret) is not displayed.
Thanks Ringo and Sleuth. Enjoyed this. My COD was 1a, where there were lots of possibilities to explore before the answer became clear. Nice!
Thanks Sleuth and Ringo
Just to add to the comment @3: The parsing is of course Anagram of near within MIT [US college].
My apologies.
I did have the correct solution.
However,on my system, neither the answer nor the explanation is displayed.
Thanks Sleuth and Ringo
Only completed it this week and found it an enjoyable puzzle of medium difficulty. Did like unravelling some of the complex envelopes of MAGNANIMOUS, PATAGONIA and PREROGATIVE.
Assume that DIAPHRAGM is referring to the adjustable aperture in a camera – from the surface reading of the clue.
Thought the ERSTWHILE Spoonerism was quite clever as well.