Tuesday 20 December 2016

No 11882, Tuesday 20 Dec 2016, The Phantom


ACROSS
8   Elite army gathered behind leader of French pedigree (6,4) FAMILY TREE {F}{ELITE+ARMY}*
9   Discomfort for a man catching cold (4) ACHE {A}{C}{HE}
10 Note, thin bloke is sacked for not working (2,3,5) ON THE BLINK {N+THIN+BLOKE}*
11 About to take off robe … (4) CAPE {C}{APE}
12 … licentious girl is rusticated by principal (6) CARNAL CARdiNAL
14 Key often used to open small window (8) SKYLIGHT {KeY} in {SLIGHT}
15 Bob following snow cat around lake (7) FLOUNCE {F}{L}{OUNCE}
17 Tabloid probing information that's delicate (7) FRAGILE {F{RAG}ILE}
20 Bowler injured runs out having bowled maiden earlier (8) SOMBRERO {M}{B} in {SORE}{RO}
22 Mistake to cross over to the other side (6) DEFECT [DD]
24 Destroy rundown houses (4) UNDO [T]
25 Difficult for umpire to keep player in line (10) REFRACTORY {REF}{R{ACTOR}Y}
27 Basic part of home repaired (4) MERE [T]
28 Consumed dairy product with a seasoned meat loaf (10) HEADCHEESE {H{E}AD}{CHEESE} Insertion of E in HAD seems to be an error here See comments

DOWN
1   One occupying leading position becomes conceited (4) VAIN {VA{1}N}
2   Straw for example is thrown oddly away after drink (6) SIPHON {SIP}{tHrOwN}
3   Limbo dancing in sync, not natural for representative (8) SYMBOLIC {LIMBO}* in {SYnC}
4   Time to gather crowds quietly for trek (7) TRAIPSE {T}{RAI{P}SE}
5   Talk periodically in a feeble manner (6) WEAKLY (~weekly)
6   Run feature in periodical that's making progress (8) MARCHING {R}{CHIN} in {MAG}
7   A hip school trained compulsive buyer (10) SHOPAHOLIC*
13 Versatile sportsman’s event introduced each year regularly (3-7) ALL-ROUNDER {ALL}-{ROUND}{yEaR}
16 Continuous shelling on bunker (8) UNBROKEN*
18 One participated in race and ran in joy (8) RADIANCE {1} in {RACE+AND}*
19 Metal spring recoils with force (7) WOLFRAM {FLOW<=}{RAM}
21 They are mostly crude and unsophisticated (6) EARTHY {THEY+ARe}*
23 Priest greatly disturbed by article (6) FATHER {FA{THE}R}
26 Removing top layer of corrosion (4) RUST cRUST

GRID

5 comments:

  1. Same doubt on 28AC.
    Many devious clues and entertaining. Thanks Phantom!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sorry to anyone who might have been misled by the blooper in 28 A. I read that clue many times over but never realised the error, so firm I was that it was correct.Intention was to insert 'a' in HAD but that should have been 'e'.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Several good clues neatly formed. Most enjoyable. Thank you Phantom.
    Headcheese was new to me and further complicated by the rare slip. But I still ate the cheese.
    Wolfram for Tungsten was a bit devious, though word play did not leave us in doubt. Had known it but forgotten.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lovely puzzle once again from Phantom despite the E in 28A..all clues were nicely thought out & constructed..
    Thanks Mr.Walker

    ReplyDelete

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