Smooth opener from Mover.
ACROSS
1 Talk about Abel’s strange story (7) PARABLE {PAR<=}{ABLE*}
5 Crabby musician who indulges in minor frauds? (7) FIDDLER [DD]
9 Pink flower club has no right to follow head nurse in purity measure (9) CARNATION {CAR{N}AT}{IrON}
11 Rusty like a retired doctor (3,2,8) OUT OF PRACTICE [DD]
16 I cast aspersions on key resident? (8) ISLANDER {I}{SLANDER}
18 What has poor Ali eaten to drive away his friends? (8) ALIENATE {ALI+EATEN}*
24 What happy divers presumably do? (4,2,7) COME UP SMILING [CD]
26 Top things disturbed cabaret (9) NIGHTSPOT*
27 Ruler crossing the ocean (5) LINER [DD]
29 Not-so-ordinary, the taxi CEO ordered (7) EXOTICA*
DOWN
1 Faint pout while embracing fool (4,3) PASS OUT {P{ASS} OUT}
2 Regarding player making a pile (7) REACTOR {RE}{ACTOR}
3 Steep bank used by poker players? (5) BLUFF [DD]
4 Call for further acts in the theatre (6) ENCORE [CD]
5 In front actors predict (8) FORECAST {FORE}{CAST}
6 French law about French flower (5) LOIRE {LOI}{RE}
10 Be unwell chasing a grand lady’s maid (7) ABIGAIL {A}{BIG}{AIL}
12 Her love; his exploits are admired (4) HERO {HER}{O}
14 Partly, such a lot indicates holiness (4) HALO [T]
15 Liberate husband suitable for children with German (7) MANUMIT {MAN}{U}{MIT}
17 Call girl player with instrument (8) STRUMPET {S}{TRUMPET} 'S' and player? (See comments)
20 Greek character opposed to red wine (7) CHIANTI {CHI}{ANTI}
21 Zaire gingerly includes backward country (7) NIGERIA [T<=]
22 Flier twice set badly (6) TSETSE {SET}*{SET}*
24 Craig rolled a smoke (5) CIGAR*
25 Cool dwelling place for the convenience of the Inspector General (5) IGLOO {IG}{LOO} My COD
17 Call girl player with instrument (8) STRUMPET {S}{TRUMPET} 'S' and player?
ReplyDeleteS for South as in a Bridge player
Tks
DeleteGenerally there is some indication for the game of bridge,isn't it? In this case it is probably put in to go with the instrument for us to be carried away.
DeleteNot usually. N E W S are fairly common abbr. for player in crosswords.
DeleteI too remembered The Fiddler on the Roof
ReplyDeleteThe full form of SNAFU was discussed here some time ago...
ReplyDeleteThe tamer version is Systems Normal All Fouled up ...
Delete21A - But not-so-backward a country in e-mail scams and phishing
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed today's grid - was it Mover who used to have lots of anagrams? This felt much more balanced.
ReplyDeleteThat's right
DeleteNice puzzle.wonderful wordplayespecially 26,27,28a(drill is linked to bit (tool)really thoughtprovoking ones.Mover proves himself worthy of a wordsmith.
ReplyDeleteI had missed this one earlier. Did someone notice. Crossword in ESPN Cricinfo !!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.espncricinfo.com/thestands/content/story/627085.html
Chianti reminds me of the venerable Dr Lecter
ReplyDelete:-). Thanks Mover. Great puzzle today! I could also 24A!
ReplyDeleteThank you Afterdark. Enjoyed doing the ESPN puzzle and also got my memory refreshed about a lot of past players.
ReplyDelete