Stumped in the NE corner.
ACROSS
8 Love for one game, on reflection it is poetic (6) SONNET {TENN(-i+o}OS}<=
9 Element of fun be a tenet for winning (8) UNBEATEN [T]
10 Free movement of platoon around India (8) OPTIONAL {OPT{I}ONAL*}
11 Groundwork to protect new unionist? (3-3)
12 Burn or blast misfortune to pieces (5,4,6) BURST INTO FLAMES*
14 Notice soldiers interrupting military commander (7) ADMIRAL {AD}{MI{RA}L}
16 All those filling RV departed as planned (7) STUDIED
19 Happy key game hands a cracking match (2,7,6) IN SEVENTH HEAVEN {INS}{EVENT}{H H}{E{A}VEN}
22 The aim is to transform a small town in UP (6) AMETHI*
24 Taxi and clear off in a high form of transport (5,3) CABLE CAR {CAB} {LE CAR*}
25 A better alternative to contain ultimately, pulmonary TB (8) TERABYTE {
26 Frilly clothes say no longer current (6) LEGACY {L{EG}ACY}
DOWN
1 Court to make matters worse (8) COMPOUND [DD]
2 Nice sounding piece of rock (6) GNEISS (~nice)
4 Wharf illuminated on the inside level (7) QUALITY {QUA{LIT}Y}
5 Serving to be spy, cut corners (4) TBSP {T
6 What helps market sail? (5,3)
7 Splendid for good times to appear in a torrent (2,4) ?E ???E (Addendum - DELUXE {DELU(-g+x)XE } - See comments)
15 He is one from exotic Tangiers (5,3) INERT GAS*
17 Dash or head off to a spiritual meeting holding stage (8) ELEGANCE {
18 Notice singular watch (7) STICKER {S}{TICKER}
20 Song without any feeling? Only more so (6) NUMBER [DD]
21 Pay back, it unfortunately is negative (6) AVENGE NEGA
23 From Emily Dickinson uplifting poem of rustic simplicity (4) IDYL [T<=]
GRID
16 All those filling RV departed as planned (7)
ReplyDeleterSTUv DIED
What is RSTUV ?
Deleteletters between R and V
DeleteSTU are the letters 'filling' (coming between) R and V
DeleteIn the English alphabet
DeleteThanks Raghu
DeleteGreat Solve!
DeleteTough one. Plenty of blanks
ReplyDelete7 Splendid for good times to appear in a torrent (2,4) ?E ???E
ReplyDeleteDELUX(-g)E
This enu can be 2,4 and also 6 so the confusion
Delete11ac PRE(N U)P
ReplyDeletePre(n)(u)p & lit
ReplyDeleteSail = ~ sale (said) reverse homophone = sales aid
Nice cracking Ajeesh. Unusual but very good clue
Delete+1
Delete20 numb-er
ReplyDeleteHow?
DeleteActually it is more numb = Number
DeleteThat's what you have meant in the anno I think.
DeleteComparative
DeleteSo it's a DD
DeleteThough I missed out on prenup, tbsp & gneiss,I stand in awe at this creation..innovative, challenging, awesome
ReplyDeleteFound this one challenging and tough- going ! Quite a few deletions and additions which are not my favourites. IN SEVENTH HEAVEN ( how many heavens are there? which are the other six?) was well- contrived. DE LUXE again is a tricky one as I had put in DELUDE but couldn't parse . Then the penny dropped in. DEE refers to a river? LUX for good times ? Again, 2,4 or 6 was the question that raged in the mind. TBSP as an abbreviation for Tablespoon is cleaver but some indicator was necessary to mean that it serves as a serving. One would be tempted to think that serving would mean a duty in the army and the mind will work furiously on that.
ReplyDeleteNUMB er is a novel and an other ether . Again, RstuV is a ploy used by others and I have come across such deluding devices. Quality for level is the stuff that cryptic crosswords are made of. IDYL spelt with a single L is an idle mind's imagination ! GNEISS is a nice example of the quaintness of the English language.
BUZZER sent my brain synapses to burst in flames !
Can a Lawyer here tell me how valid PRENUPS are to stand the test of a trial? Isn't it a recent precaution against ambivalence of cautious spouses ?
ReplyDeleteNice but CW. Attempted partially in the morning, came back just now and filled a few more. Blog came to the rescue to understand (and of course appreciate) the rest.
ReplyDelete19A- Seventh Heaven
ReplyDeleteIn Grand slam tennis matches 7th round is the finals. I was wondering if this also plays a part in the clue.
Number numbed me for a while before the penny dropped. Nice pun.
ReplyDelete