1 - Such a sketch doesn’t have flesh and blood (8) - SKELETAL [DD]
5 - Pieceworker, Jack, old boy, gets some numbers (6) - {J}{OB}{BER}
9 - Gun put in hold, our sailors lost in the boat races (7) - {RE{GAT}TA
10 - Stubborn person overwhelms females with red scarf (7) - {MU{FF}LE}{R}
11 - Sherpa got flustered in a cluster of projectiles (9) - GRAPESHOT*
12 - Is he fit to be a takeaway person? (5) - THIEF*
13 - Among a small number there’s an engineer: one leading a high life (4) - {I{BE}X}
17 - Odd, fifty left for new youth leader for a kind of reward (9) - {PECU
19 - Perhaps evangelists hold a recess (4) - APSE [T]
23 - Under a false name, briefly (5) - INCOG [CD]
24 - Painter holding a hot section for islanders (9) - {T{A}{H}ITIAN}{S}
25 - Not straightforward, like a crossword clue! (7) - CRYPTIC [CD]
26 - Perm Sue worked out is the best of all (7) - SUPREME*
27 - Don’t outstanding workers take part in these strikes? (3-3) - SIT-INS [CD]
28 - You and me inquisitive — not about a description of an exceptional interest (8) - {US}{
DOWN
1 - Gasolier refurbished at women’s quarters in palace (8) - SERAGLIO*
2 - Chisel image finally with graven designing (7) - {E}{NGRAVE*}
3 - Specialist gets bay perhaps for a starter (6) - {ENT}{REE}
4 - Isn’t archaic? No, just becoming outmoded (13) - ANACHRONISTIC*
6 - Near-offer about torn tags kept away from public view (3-5) - {OFF-{STAG*}E
7 - Bobby’s leader coming up with big money (7) - {BILL}{ION<-}
8 - Become thinned with ugly fare on board (6) - R{AREF*}Y RY and on board? I'm not clear
10 - Transformation brought about by aphorisms to the latter half of them (13) - {ME*}{TAMORPHOSIS*}
15 - Conducting element (8) - TUNGSTEN [E]
16 - Estimate again: to be diverted are ships carrying drug (8) - {REA*}{SS{E}SS}
18 - Variable parking in chaotic centre not completed, put in a code (7) - {ENCR{Y}{P}T
20 - Identify unpleasant smell, but this doesn't make cure possible (7) - {PLACE}{BO}
21 - Endlessly talk about freshwater aquarium fish (6) - DISCUS
Hello everybody
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed solving the puzzle fairly fast. Another typical Gridman creation.
Surprisingly, two long words - ANACHRONISTIC and METAMORPHOSIS fell on surface reading.
12A - Is HE FIT, takeaway, THIEF - nice one.
14A, 17A - liked these two.
28A - cute one.
Somehow, two words CRYPT AND ENCRYPT from the same root CRYPT and 2D ENGRAVE from 'graven' were not up to Gridman's standard, IMO.
IBEX and PLACEBO were superb.
8 - Become thinned with ugly fare on board (6) - R{AREF*}Y RY and on board? I'm not clear
ReplyDeleteI too put this in by guesswork. Could Gridman be having the Railway Board in mind? ;-)
Further to CRYPTIC and ENCRYPT, my grouse was about the two crossing each other.
ReplyDeleteLooks like blogger is up to tricks again> Summary shows 3 comments but none are visible here!!
ReplyDeleteThe link says "4 comments," but I see none.
ReplyDelete8D: Could RY mean Railway?
3D: Ree and Bay? Could somebody explain?
16D Drug = E?
7 D Bobby's leader ..what is the link to Bill? Can some one explain, please? By the way, I can see all the comments.
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be some technical problem here today. All messages are not displayed.
ReplyDeleteHere are some other comments which have not appeared due to some glitch in blogger.
ReplyDeleteRichard @ 8:36
Hello everybody
Enjoyed solving the puzzle fairly fast. Another typical Gridman creation.
Surprisingly, two long words - ANACHRONISTIC and METAMORPHOSIS fell on surface reading.
12A - Is HE FIT, takeaway, THIEF - nice one.
14A, 17A - liked these two.
28A - cute one.
Somehow, two words CRYPT AND ENCRYPT from the same root CRYPT and 2D ENGRAVE from 'graven' were not up to Gridman's standard, IMO.
IBEX and PLACEBO were superb.
Richard @ 8:38
8 - Become thinned with ugly fare on board (6) - R{AREF*}Y RY and on board? I'm not clear
I too put this in by guesswork. Could Gridman be having the Railway Board in mind? ;-)
Richard @ 8:40
Further to CRYPTIC and ENCRYPT, my grouse was about the two crossing each other.
VJ @ 9:14
The link says "4 comments," but I see none.
8D: Could RY mean Railway?
3D: Ree and Bay? Could somebody explain?
16D Drug = E?
Giridhar @ 9:31
7 D Bobby's leader ..what is the link to Bill? Can some one explain, please? By the way, I can see all the comments.
Richard @ 9:38
There seems to be some technical problem here today. All messages are not displayed.
In answer to a query by Giridhar...
ReplyDeleteThe clue
7 - Bobby’s leader coming up with big money (7)
actally resolves itself as BULL ION
Bobby (from Sir John Robert) and Bull (from John Bull) are nicknames for policeman in the UK.
's - connector
leader coming up - ION - reversing NO I (i.e., Number One)
BULLION is big money as in 'bullion market'?
Here's a comment from VJ that didn't get through
ReplyDeleteVJ @ 9:14
The link says "4 comments," but I see none.
8D: Could RY mean Railway?
3D: Ree and Bay? Could somebody explain?
16D Drug = E?
and another from Richard,
ReplyDeleteRichard @ 8:40
Further to CRYPTIC and ENCRYPT, my grouse was about the two crossing each other.
My comments appear initially and do a vanishing act after some time
ReplyDeleteThanks CV
ReplyDeleteI was not aware of the 'bull' nickname. Bullion seems more appropriate considering the 'money' in the clue. Big money representing 'bullion' coins, I suppose.
Re 9A
ReplyDeleteGun, put in hold,our sailors lost..
Doesn't put in hold in the above translate to 'retained'?
May be if it were - Gun, put in hold, lose our sailors...would have been more appropriate ?
Just a thought.
Giridhar, I think 9A's all right.
ReplyDelete"Gun," put in "hold" = GAT put in RETAIN i.e. RE(GAT)TAIN
our sailors lost = REGATTAIN - IN = REGATTA = boatraces
VJ,
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about the tense. The way the the clue was worded (past tense), seemed to me the 'put in hold' part translated to 'retained'.
Giridhar,
ReplyDeleteI don't read it that way. This is how I see it
If you put (as the clue suggests) the word "gat" (synonym for gun) in "retain" (synonym for hold), and remove "in" you get "Regatta."
http://www.crosswordunclued.com/2010_02_01_archive.html discusses the living persons in CWs - including Lord Jeffrey Archer.
ReplyDelete