Apologies for the slightly tardy posting. I’ve only just managed to finish this one, though I think that’s more down to my own disorganisation this week, rather than this being an unusually challenging puzzle.
21 down does escape me though. I can see how the clue works, but haven’t yet identified the exact components of the wordplay.
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed. Hover to expand abbreviations.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | PEARL-ESSENCE – PEAR + LESS + [h]ENCE. It was new to me, but “Gem” does indeed appear to be a variety of pear. |
| 10 | EMCEE – (M in EC) + [sieg]E + E. |
| 11 | MEDIAN – MEDIA + N. The clue seems to suggest the N gives us “News”, though my Chambers doesn’t appear to have it representing the plural. |
| 12 | ABASH – A + BASH. |
| 13 | INNYARD – [t]INNY + [h]ARD. |
| 15 | DESMOSOMAL – SOMA in MODELS*. |
| 16 | EYING – YIN in EG. |
| 18 | JOB’S NEWS – WEN’S< in JOBS. |
| 20 | RENEGUER – (RUE + GREEN)*. |
| 25 | CITES – two definitions. CITES is apparently the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which trips off the tongue. |
| 26 | CINCINNATI – C IN C + IN + NATI[on]. |
| 27 | ECUELLE – CUE in ELLE. |
| 28 | LAVER – from RAVEL, with its ends switched. |
| 29 | SIRRAH – HARRIS<. I’ve no connection with this island, as far as I know! |
| 30 | GLARE – L in GARE. |
| 31 | STATUTORY LAW – UT in (TORT + ALWAYS)*. |
| Down | |
| 1 | PEACE PROCESS – (COPPERS CEASE)*. |
| 2 | EMBRYO – (B + RY) in EMO. |
| 3 | ACADIAN – A[r]CADIAN. |
| 4 | RESENTENCE – RE + SENT[i]ENCE. |
| 5 | EXIMIOUS – MIXE[r]< + IOUS. |
| 6 | SENSE – SEN + S + E[mote]. |
| 7 | NIAMH – M in HAIN<. |
| 8 | CARAT – A in CART. |
| 9 | ENDLESS SCREW – (SCRE[en] + LEWDNESS)*. |
| 14 | YOUNG ITALY – (UNIT + GOAL)* in (Y + Y). |
| 17 | ABEDNEGO – ABED + GONE*. |
| 19 | ESTIVAL – [f]ESTIVAL. |
| 21 | HEDERA – Ivy plants all over Jewish school? The opposite. |
| 22 | LICIT – [e]LICIT. |
| 23 | ANURA – RUN< in (A + A). |
| 24 | PILAU – LA in PIU. |
Don’t remember too many problems with this – easier than the previous week, I think. But 21dn I couldn’t get. Didn’t know the word and I can’t see the word play.
Thanks Simon
21dn is HEDER (Jewish school {alternative spelling of ‘cheder’}) A’ (all {N Eng & Scot dialect})
Aha, not just me then.
Thanks, Gaufrid. My five years in Scotland should have helped, but I think I got caught up looking for a couple of roughly three-letter words.