A straightforward puzzle from Jason meant a quick pleasurable solve. Got started with the anagrams and made quick progress from there. I do wonder if its ok to spell 20d as has been used in this grid. All in all, a fine treat – Thanks Jason.
FF: 8 DD: 7
| Across | ||
| 1 | SHEIKH |
Ruler is upset, we hear (6)
|
| 5 | SEASCAPE |
Special issue encapsulates a boating image? (8)
[S (special) ESCAPE (issue)] around A |
| 9 | SWEETPEA |
Paste we spread about right on stale bloomer (8)
Anagram of PASTE WE about E (right on stalE) |
| 10 | AMAZED |
Floored by publicity about puzzle (6)
AD (publicity) about MAZE (puzzle) |
| 11 | SENTRY |
One guarding small access posted in front of railway (6)
S (small) ENT (access, referring to channel of ear, nose and throat) RY (railway) (I did briefly stop to wonder if ENT was short for entrance as a small access, but that would made the “small” do double duty). / [See Muffy@1] |
| 12 | BUDAPEST |
Capital’s pub with dates sorted out (8)
Anagram of PUB DATES |
| 14 | CLOSE HARMONY |
Stop keeping a form of singing together (5,7)
CLOSE (stop) HARMONY ( |
| 18 | WELL GROUNDED |
Just grand getting into stout, I suppose (4-8)
G (grand) into WELL ROUNDED (stout, I suppose). |
| 22 | USERNAME |
Unique address where menus are developed (8)
Anagram of MENUS ARE |
| 25 | OGRESS |
Dragon emerges from passage when prince skedaddled (6)
prOGRESS (passage, with PR removed for no prince) |
| 26 | HOLDUP |
Snag a stocking, say (6)
Sounds like hold-up, a type of stocking |
| 27 | BREATHER |
Rest dough in that place nipping both ends off (8)
BREAd (dough) THERe (that place), with the last letters off |
| 28 | ANNOUNCE |
Intimate girl with cat (8)
ANN (girl) OUNCE (cat) |
| 29 | ACROSS |
This is last of these making adult grumpy? (6)
A (adult) CROSS (grumpy) – referring to 29ac being the last across clue. |
| Down | ||
| 2 | HOWLER |
That girl grasping bird makes a stupid mistake (6)
HER (that girl) grasping OWL (bird) |
| 3 | IDENTICAL |
Like some incident I calmed (9)
Hidden in “…incIDENT I CALmed” |
| 4 | HAPPY HOUR |
Cheap time to get a bit squiffy first? (5,4)
Cryptic – squiffy referring to being slightly drunk, as denoted by “happy”. A bit here is an ” hour”. |
| 5 | SHAMBLE |
Too bad about outskirts of Bristol – go slowly (7)
SHAME (too bad) about BL (outskirts of BristoL) |
| 6 | AWARD |
A contest ending in gold medal (5)
A WAR (contest) D (ending in golD) |
| 7 | CLAMP |
Hold coloured light (5)
C (coloured) LAMP (light) |
| 8 | PRESSING |
Part of laundry’s job requiring immediate attention (8)
Double def |
| 13 | AIR |
Fellow leaving pleasing impression (3)
fAIR (pleasing, without F – fellow) |
| 15 | ANDROMEDA |
High Road named for a group of stars (9)
Anagram of ROAD NAMED |
| 16 | MODERATOR |
Judge new motor dear (9)
Anagram of MOTOR DEAR |
| 17 | TEASPOON |
Almost wind up Post Office about bit of cutlery (8)
TEASe (almost wind up) PO (post office) ON (about) |
| 19 | GIN |
Spirit going into houses (3)
Hidden in “..goinG INto…” |
| 20 | USEABLE |
Movement in blue sea could get you fit (7)
Anagram of BLUE SEA. I am not too keen on the spelling here. |
| 21 | ASSESS |
Check out bums on seats finally (6)
ASSES (bums) on S (seatS finally) |
| 23 | RODEO |
This could be galloped round (5)
RODE (galloped) O (round) |
| 24 | ASPEN |
Poplar is very pale and soft not hard (5)
AShEN (very pale, with P [soft] replaching H [hard] ) |
Hi Turbolegs and thanks Jason,
I think 11ac SENTRY is sent (posted) + ry.
1 ac SHEIKH sounds like shake (upset).
14ac CLOSE HARMONY is a bit odd – I think the definition is “singing together” and in the wordplay “keeping a form” = harmony, but that seems very close to the musical meaning in the answer.
Good puzzle.
Thanks, Turbolegs. I didn’t find this quite as straightforward as you, and struggled with a couple. But a nice puzzle.
In 14a I think ‘keeping’ = HARMONY, as in the phrase in keeping = in harmony. That would make the def ‘a form of singing together’.
That should be ‘in keeping with’ = in harmony with.
I found parts of this tricky too – and isn’t a SWEET PEA two words not one?
Thanks to Jason and Turbolegs
Thanks all folks. Have made the necessary edits.
Regards,
TL
I took 11ac as a triple definition with two charades.
“One guarding”=SENTRY S(mall) ENTRY(access) and SENT(posted) RY(in front of railway)
Pleasant puzzle – thanks Jason and TL
Hi Turbolegs
Too busy today with my own Guardian blog and other things to do this puzzle but I had a quick dip into your blog.
I share your reservations re 20dn: Screw’s clue for 2dn in today’s Guardian puzzle: ‘United’s jet is fit for service (6)’. 😉
Thanks Jason and Turbolegs
An enjoyable solve without too many hitches. The last few in were ASSESS, ANNOUNCE and HOLDUP.