Medium-difficulty for a Cyclops, I think — I finished all but 23a without much trouble, then had to resort to Google for 23a.
| Across | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PERSIST | Carry on Sir deplorably impounded by pain in the arse *(sir); in PEST |
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| 5 | EDIFICE | Balls provided with drug stimulant to achieve an erection? ED Balls; IF = provided; ICE — and remember, if the Daily Mail says it, it must be true! |
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| 10 | BRAVADO | ‘Bluster’ party introduced by supporter (very American) BRA = the supporter so beloved of clue writers; V = very; A = American; DO = party. I would generally think of ‘introduced’ as a containment indicator, but it seems OK here. |
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| 11 | LARIAT | Cowboy’s dangly thing produced a trial *(a trial) |
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| 12/14 | WORK LOOSE | Labour free to come undone? WORK = labour; LOOSE = free |
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| 15 | AMBUSH | Ex-president’s after a lead from Monica to “jump” Either George BUSH (oh dear, how could there be two of them?); after A; M = lead from Monica |
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| 18 | KNIGHT | Board member makes £1000 by day’s end K = £1000; NIGHT = day’s end. Member of a chess board |
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| 20/25 | OTHER HALF | Partner screws for health *(for health), with ‘screws’ as the anagram indicator |
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| 23 | VIRGIN TERRITORY | Description of Necker Island? It’s quite uncultivated Double definition, of sorts — here is a link to Necker Island, ‘Richard Branson’s private island paradise’. I’m sure we’re all queuing up. |
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| 26/13 | NEVER A DULL MOMENT | As you’d expect from a Russell Brand appearance, one untrammelled outburst buries victory Impressive anagram — *(one untrammelled V). Whether you find Russell Brand dull is up to you. |
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| 27 | INSTANT | Anticipating ‘New’ Tony’s entrance, outlandish Saint Mo! *(saint); before (‘anticipating’) N = new; T = Tony’s entrance (first letter) |
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| 28 | CRUSADE | Like making a retreat in offensive holy war AS = like, reversed; in CRUDE = offensive |
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| 29 | HECKLES | Bloody hell, the French! They’re a nuisance vote-seeking politicians have to deal with HECK = Bloody hell!; LES = ‘the’ in French |
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| Down | |||
| 2 | EN BLOC | All together: let’s start to penetrate stupid bone head of Cameron! L = let’s start; in *(bone); C = head of Cameron |
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| 3 | SPARK PLUG | Nigel’s last gasp UKIP resort “Right for Independence”, which is ignitable Anagram of L = Nigel’s last; and ‘gasp UKIP’, with R instead of I Spark plug |
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| 4 | SO-AND-SO | Bastard whose name can’t be remembered Double definition |
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| 6 | DILEMMA | Cover up a Spice Girl’s spot? LID = cover, reversed (‘up’ in a Down clue); EMMA Bunton |
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| 8 | CLANNISH | Like Campbell’s lot, say, causing conflict, holding up boozer INN = boozer, reversed; in CLASH = conflict. Clan Campbell |
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| 9/7 | WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM | Concur IMF row loomed over organisation whose chief contribution to global improvement is hot air? Another very impressive anagram — *(concur IMF row loomed), with ‘over’ as the anagram indicator World Economic Forum |
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| 16 | BIRTHMARK | Genesis augmented by Thatcher for a spot BIRTH = genesis; MARK = odious son of odious mother: can’t bring myself to find a link… pah! |
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| 17 | ENGINEER | Green fiasco — storing cool energy for Telford, maybe *(green); containing IN = cool and E = energy Thomas Telford |
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| 19 | TYNWALD | Parliament takes nothing from volatile Lady T, now *(lady T nw) — i.e. anagram with O (nothing) removed |
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| 21 | HOLY SEE | Vatican: “Break Eye’s resolution!” HOL = break (short holiday); *(eyes) |
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| 22 | CLOTHE | Become bloody thick male, and get in the habit CLOT = become bloody thick; HE = male |
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| 24 | GUESS | Hague’s second houses speculation Hidden in ‘Hague’s second’ |
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Some images for you:
That one is a hard act to follow (even without stopping for a poo), but this might just be worthy of inclusion:
Thanks jetdoc -I found this a real ‘toughie’ and could only complete after deadline. Re 23 across – you have Virgin Soil in the grid but Virgin Territory in the explanation.