Greetings all,
I’m fighting the strange connectivity issues with the hotel internet here so this may be a sparse blog.
In the Mephisto all answers can be confirmed in Chambers so I will focus on the wordplay.
The first definition in each clue is underlined.
Away we go…
| Across | |
| 1 | President initially detached perhaps stumped David Frost? (6) |
| SHERPA – OK this one gave me a little difficultly. David Frost’s (the MP not the late TV presenter) twitter profile calls him Sherpa and EU adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson which sounds quite frightening. The wordplay is an anagram of PERHAPS minus the first letter of President | |
| 5 | A Charlie being employed endlessly gives you the pip! (6) |
| ACINUS – A, C(charlie), then IN USE(being employed) missing the last letter | |
| 9 | What many investors do is part of some movies (12, two words) |
| LOVE INTEREST – double definition, the first cryptic | |
| 11 | Artist, one allowed to share highest choral part (9) |
| CANALETTO – A(one), LET(allowed) inside CANTO(highest part in choral music) | |
| 12 | Bar work follows lie-down, mid-afternoon out of sight (5) |
| ESTOP – OP(work) after REST(lie-down) missing the middle letter in afteRnoon | |
| 13 | Right about child’s skin eruption (6) |
| LICHEN – LIEN(legal right) surrounding CH(child) | |
| 14 | Heard Scottish island shows something very remarkable (5) |
| BEAUT – sounds like BUTE(Scottish island) | |
| 18 | Works formerly right in Ivory Coast (8) |
| CONCERTI – ONCE(formerly), R(right) inside CI(Cote D’Ivore) | |
| 19 | A walk from the east carrying singular mixed bag (8) |
| ALLSORTS – A then STROLL(walk) reversed containing S(singular) | |
| 21 | Spike publicity about golf (5) |
| PRONG – PR(publicity), ON(about), G(golf) | |
| 22 | Not entirely mentioned before, fellow rings Chinese outfit (6) |
| SAMFOO – SAME(mentioned before) missing the last letter, then F(fellow) and two O;s(rings) | |
| 24 | They may be exposed in vulgar session! (5) |
| ARSES – an all-in-one – hidden in vulgAR SESsion | |
| 26 | Troubled about where to find the Gherkin? (9, three words) |
| IN A PICKLE – double definition | |
| 27 | Verbally abusive about a botched construction of architects (12) |
| CATACHRESTIC – CA(about) then an anagram of ARCHITECTS | |
| 28 | Loose beagles not good for trees! (6) |
| ABELES – anagram of BEAGLES minus G(good) | |
| 29 | Wily like the Native American in Colorado (6) |
| ASTUTE – AS(like), T'(the), UTE(American in Colorado) | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Scotch black line in what’s ready for posting (4) |
| SLAE – L(line) in SAE(stamped addressed envelope) | |
| 2 | What may trouble flesh or tail of a bay? (8) |
|
HORSEFLY – another all-in-one, anagram of FLESH, OR, |
|
| 3 | Ray’s training in resort (8) |
| RECOURSE -RE(ray), COURSE(training) | |
| 4 | Girl of little worth once in Pakistan (4) |
| ANNA – double definition | |
| 5 | Legendary lady one’s seen in state capital (8) |
| ATALANTA – A(one) inside ATLANTA(capital of the US state of Georgia) | |
| 6 | Conservative about to admit reckless lie? Could be Johnson (5) |
| CELIA – C(conservative), A(about) containing an anagram of LIE. Reference to Celia Johnson, actress best known for her role in Brief Encounter | |
| 7 | Extremely low-level liquid container used in Seine (10) |
| NETHERMOST – THERMOS(liquid container) inside NET(Seine is a type of net) | |
| 8 | Exceptionally impressive opener for Sussex hitting hard (8) |
| STONKING – first letter in Sussex, then TONKING(hitting hard) | |
| 10 | China supporting firm’s partner (10) |
| STABLEMATE – MATE(china) after STABLE(firm) | |
| 14 | Plant accountants following the money (8) |
| BRASSICA – CA(accountants) after BRASS(money) | |
| 15 | Chars do go short without a bit of cleaning (8) |
| TORGOCHS – anagram of GO,SHORT surrounding the first letter of Cleaning | |
| 16 | Book again stern on remains (8) |
| REARREST – REAR(stern) on REST(remains) | |
| 17 | Steer around high pine for open excavation (8, two words) |
| STONE PIT – STOT(bullock, steer) surrounding an anagram of PINE | |
| 20 | Nothing stops failing speaker (5) |
| VOICE – O(nothing) inside VICE(failing) | |
| 23 | Dish in vessel with duck served up (4) |
| OKRA – ARK(vessel) and O(zero, duck) reversed | |
| 25 | Groom is so close to bride (4) |
| SICE – SIC(so) then the last letter of bridE | |
All correct, about the fifth one I’ve managed to do without book, although I did check my answers after I finished.
The rest of it was straightforward enough
Heinlein’s Friday finds the limitless resource of her boss’s electronic library a fantastic privilege, “feeding the elephant’s child”. I’ve got such riches in the palm of my hand. Wonderful days!