Good puzzle from Hectence, and it came together nicely once I’d got a foothold; but some seriously tricky ones in here, for this solver at least.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
1 Temperature’s reduced ice in curve round the far north
ARCTIC CIRCLE
An insertion of T and IC[E] in ARC for ‘curve’ and CIRCLE for ’round’. The definition is a bit of a stretch, I think.
8 Fancy island belonging to me having buried silver!
IMAGINE
An insertion of AG for ‘silver’ in I and MINE.
9 Protection of French wetland on borders of Camargue
DEFENCE
A charade of DE for one of the French words for ‘of’, FEN and CE for the outside letters of ‘Camargue’. And it’s a great surface, because Camargue does indeed have some beautiful wetlands, home to many species of birds.
11 Maiden’s captivated young knight with singular modesty
SHYNESS
An insertion of Y and N in SHE’S followed by S. I put in COYNESS originally, but of course that’s naff all to do with the clue. Memo to self: read clue before inserting answer.
12 Graceful in a gentle style
ELEGANT
(A GENTLE)*
13 Old navy birds?
WRENS
A semi-&lit, I guess. The Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) is popularly known as the WRENS. And of course (thank you, Hectence) a chance for the obligatory Pierre bird link to our little troglodyte friend. It’s common, but shy. And contrary to popular opinion, it’s not the smallest British bird. That’d be your goldcrest.
14 Heard no trace of accent coming from next door
NEIGHBOUR
A charade of two homophones: NAY and BURR. Cue homophone debate. I certainly wouldn’t pronounce the second element the same way; but then I don’t come from Scotland.
16 Less than expected rubbing by pants, say?
UNDERWEAR
A charade of UNDER and WEAR.
19 Spirit with which sailor returns to dance
RUMBA
A charade of RUM and AB (Able Seaman) reversed.
21 Very keen to get a look in God’s house
ZEALOUS
It’s A and LO in ZEUS, but I can’t quite get it to work. ‘A look in God’ works; but ‘in’ and ‘house’ seem to be duplicate insertion indicators. Someone who’s better at cryptic grammar than I am will have to explain this one.
23 Report issue with snitches
TELLS ON
A charade of TELL and SON.
24 At the end of the day, straight home’s good
EVENING
A charade of EVEN, IN and G.
25 In the interval, live number’s interrupted by short Twitter comment
BETWEEN
An insertion of TWEE[T] in BE and N.
26 Easy to understand mate getting into trouble, surely?
USER-FRIENDLY
An insertion of FRIEND in (SURELY)* with ‘getting into trouble’ as the anagrind.
Down
1 Consider in detail why girl is not telling the truth, reportedly
ANALYSE
A homophone of ANNA LIES.
2 Wrench is elsewhere, hiding other tools
CHISELS
Hidden in wrenCH IS ELSwhere.
3 Basically, niceness can be terribly English
IN ESSENCE
(NICENESS)* plus E.
4 About time daughter cut into sponge
CADGE
C for circa or ‘about’ followed by D in AGE.
5 Update woman’s coverage of peasant revolution
REFRESH
An insertion of SERF in HER, all reversed.
6 Look north, love, to follow a funny story from the distant past
LONG AGO
A charade of LO! N, GAG and O for ‘love’.
7 Cut-up picture of dance was upside down on floor
JIGSAW PUZZLE
A charade of JIG, a reversal of WAS and PUZZLE for ‘floor’ in its verbal sense.
10 Diverting reservists at home into enlisting
ENTERTAINING
An insertion of TA and IN in ENTERING.
15 Bad-tempered Blairite chancellor finally to go in reshuffle
IRRITABLE
(BLAIRITE R)* Gordon Brown bad-tempered? Don’t know where Hectence has got that from.
17 Chest contains these knickers
DRAWERS
A dd cum cd. The setter seems to have an undergarment fetish this morning.
18 Being more generous, Joey takes me round Italy by rail, initially
ROOMIER
A charade of ROO, I in ME and R.
19 Told king’s very happy
RELATED
A charade of R for Rex and ELATED.
20 Puzzle setter’s setter regularly takes up a short time
MYSTERY
A charade of MY, STE for the odd letters of ‘setter’ and a reversal (‘up’ since it’s a down clue) of YR, which is an abbreviation of YEAR, so ‘a short time’. Phew.
22 It’s sweet of kid to take us climbing
SUGAR
A reversal of RAG and US.
Thank you to Hectence for this morning’s Quiptic, and especially for Jenny Wren. I was getting withdrawal symptoms.
Thanks Hectence and Pierre
I took the definition for ARCTIC CIRCLE to be “curve round the far north”, but I’m not sure if this actually works any better.
ELEGANT was a lovely anagram.
Thanks, muffin. I wanted the definition to be ‘curve round the far north’ as well, but couldn’t make it work either.
Thanks Hectence and Pierre.
I first read 2d as ‘Wench is elsewhere, hiding other fools’ which did not help.
Favourites were DEFENCE, REFRESH, USER FRIENDLY, JIGSAW PUZZLE, ROOMIER and MYSTERY.
Thanks Hectence and Pierre.
I think 1a was an attempt at an extended definition but it doesn’t really seem to work.
I liked USER-FRIENDLY and IRRITABLE.