By Edwin Korir. Eldoret, Kenya.
Across Clues
7a Master criminal amusing friend endlessly, in the morning back inside (2,6)
FU MANCHU – string together an adjective meaning amusing and a friend without the final letter. Finally insert the abbreviation for ‘in the morning’ reversed and you’ve constructed a fictional Oriental criminal genius.
9a Boast about a century in Polish city (6)
CRACOW – a verb to boast or brag contains A (from the clue) and the abbreviation for century.
10a When one chooses a woven cloth (2,4)
AT WILL – A (from the clue) and a woven fabric.
11a Put one in mind of watch left Eisenhower (4,4)
LOOK LIKE – a verb to watch is followed by the abbreviation for left and the nickname of President Eisenhower.
12a Expecting interfering parents and their children to intervene (2,3,6,3)
IN THE FAMILY WAY – a phrase (2,3,3) meaning interfering or impeding one’s progress has a word for parents and their children as a unit inserted (to intervene).
15a Expression of incredulity seen originally in a poem (2,2)
AS IF – the first letter of seen goes inside A (from the clue) and the title of a famous Kipling poem.
17a Bird, headless chicken (5)
RAVEN – remove the first letter (headless) from an adjective meaning chicken or cowardly.
19a Fall in ditch (4)
DROP – double definition, the second a verb to ditch or dump.
20a Sponge made by winning team, unhappy with loaf (6-4,4)
UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE – string together an adverb meaning winning or ahead, a sporting team, an adjective meaning unhappy or depressed and a small loaf.
23a T.S. Eliot wrong about leading edge of table knife (8)
STILETTO – an anagram (wrong) of T S ELIOT containing the first letter (leading edge) of table.
25a Number collecting wood for burning (2,4)
ON FIRE – a small number contains wood from a coniferous tree.
27a Forms an opinion on book (6)
JUDGES – double definition, the second being the name of an Old Testament book.
28a Musical item making racket — surefire winner, opening in Oliver! (8)
CONCERTO – knit together a slang term for a racket or swindle, an informal word for a sure-fire winner and the opening letter of Oliver! Strictly speaking it should be the wordplay that makes the definition, not the other way round.
Down Clues
1d Only son entering project (4)
JUST – the abbreviation for son goes inside a verb to project or stick out.
2d Drive away one’s husband following disqualification (6)
BANISH – the Roman numeral for one, the ‘S and the abbreviation for husband all follow a disqualification (from driving, for example).
3d Lower middle (4)
BULL – double definition, the first a creature that lows and the second the round bit at the centre of a target.
4d Hard in small unfriendly place of learning (6)
SCHOOL – insert the abbreviation for hard (a category of pencil) into S(mall) and an adjective meaning unfriendly or frosty.
5d Dedicated hospital given permission (8)
HALLOWED – the abbreviation for hospital is followed by a past participle meaning given permission.
6d Sweated labour in New York — OK, possibly, if supporting daughter (6-4)
DONKEY-WORK – an anagram (possibly) of NEW YORK OK follows (supporting, in a down clue) the abbreviation for daughter.
8d Pick up telephone of rising Republican (4,3)
CALL FOR – start with a verb to telephone or ring, add the reversal (rising) of OF and finish with the abbreviation for Republican.
13d Flower in autumn? It’s out around end of November (10)
NASTURTIUM – an anagram (out) of AUTUMN IT’S contains the last letter of November.
14d Proposed relocation day (5)
MOVED – a relocation or transfer is followed by the abbreviation for day.
16d Strong wind getting up breaks safety device in part of plane (8)
FUSELAGE – a strong wind (rating 8 on the Beaufort Scale) is reversed (getting up) and inserted (breaks) into an electrical safety device.
18d Its effect in the sky gets no women excited? (3,4)
NEW MOON – this is an anagram (excited) of NO WOMEN. There is a theory (which isn’t supported by much scientific opinion and is probably bunkum) that women get friskier during the opposite phase to the answer so that could mean that they don’t get very excited in this phase. The question mark is certainly needed here.
21d Hate extremely delicate examination (6)
DETEST – the outer (extremely) letters of delicate are followed by an examination.
22d Connoisseur’s top bid for chest (6)
COFFER – the first (top) letter of connoisseur is followed by a bid or tender.
24d Individual touring clubs long ago (4)
ONCE – an individual goes round the abbreviation for clubs in card games.
26d Admire Riviera terraced houses (4)
RATE – the clue contains (houses) a lurker.
Posts
