ACROSS
7 Hatred of maiden for time being (6) ENMITY EN(-t+m)MITY
8 Misers in rags, God extremely irritated (8) NIGGARDS {IN+RAGS+G
9 Display area having hundred rows, high and low counter (8) SHOWROOM
10 Lumbar aid, erotically supporting stripper (6) RAIDER [T]
11 Swallows from vessel without reproach (5) SWIGS {S{WIG}S}
12 New kitchen appliance needing a special series of services (6) NOVENA {N}{OVEN}{A}
14 12.5%? This could get you drunk (3,4,3,5) ONE OVER THE EIGHT [DD]
17 The French gathered in equal number (6) ELEVEN {E{LE}VEN}
18 Loaf around eating fine variety meats (5) OFFAL {OF{F}AL*}
22 Maintenance of higher stock (6) UPKEEP {UP}{KEEP}
23 Council members toppling leader, heartless man (8) ALDERMEN {LEADER+M
24 Lacking heart — silly to take pulse? (8) INHUMANE {IN{HUM}ANE}
25 Back of beyond, in the open, at times best (6)
DOWN
1 Likely one then discharged gas (2,3,4) IN THE WIND {1}{THEN*}{WIND}
2 Celebrity police officer with major cases (6) BIGWIG {B{IG}{W}IG}
3 Shiny long stocking material (5) NYLON [T]
4 Pain if one's ever nervous riding on a horse (8) AGGRIEVE {A}{GG}{1+EVER}*
5 Shot him a mail, he's missing another El Dorado (8) MAHIMAHI {HIM+A+MAI
8 Main objective, here Cryptic Crossword Puzzle? (4,2,3,4) NAME OF THE GAME [DD]
13 Solver answers setter's question (3,3,3) WHO ARE YOU [CD]
15 Started communicating or commenced firing? (6,2) OPENED UP [DD]
16 Model free/free model — either side holds answer (8) EXEMPLAR {EXEMP
19 Dread killing a thing close to any manner of beast (6)
20 Kettle in stone washed out (5) SPENT {S{PEN}T}
21 Silly vow mouthed one time (5) IDIOT {I}{D{1}O}{T}
GRID
9 Display area having hundred rows, high and low counter (8) SHOWROOM {H+ROWS}*OOM Anno pending
ReplyDeleteH+ROWS* MOO<-
low-cow-moo took sometime though the answer came instantly on reading the clue.
Delete19 Dread killing a thing close to any manner of beast (6) F?R???
ReplyDeleteFEaR IT Y
25. Back of beyond, in the open, at times best (6)
ReplyDeleteOUT (the open) (OF<-) X (times)
Def.- Best?
DeleteTop class puzzle!
ReplyDelete20d kettle/pen-> enclosure/container
ReplyDeleteThe 2 long phrases in the middle of A/c & Down are comparatively easy- helpful in getting the rest. Otherwise as tough as can be expected.
ReplyDelete4D- GG from horse?
ReplyDeleteA copy paste!
DeleteIrish farmers, including my ancestors, settled in the Ottawa Valley, Canada, in the 19th century. They brought the term Gee-Gee with them from the British Isles. They used it to refer to their big farm horses, as well as race horses. The colours of the University of Ottawa are Garnet and Grey, or GG for short."
Another version!
DeleteThe founding father of Chester Races, Henry Gee, was a zealous reformer who is said to have put the corporation house in order "With a high hand and an unswerving purpose". He suppressed corrupt municipal practices and appointments (where is he now, we wonder?), banished "Idle beggars and vagabonds", regulated the markets and established the first attempt at a school board. He banned single women from keeping common ale-houses and "Stamped on immorality wherever he found it". Henry Gee died in 1545, but his name is remembered in the running of the Henry Gee Stakes for three-year-old maidens at the July meeting, and possibly also in the old, but still commonly-used, English nickname for racehorses: Gee-Gees.
http://www.crosswordunclued.com/2011/12/why-is-horse-gg.HTML but most likely after the mayor gee, who started the horse races in chester.
DeleteThanks MB.Very informative.
DeleteThank you MB (you seem to have done a lot of research!) and Prasad.
DeleteClassy puzzle. For the first time I could get all without any aid. Although parsing of a few was pending. Thanks to the blog and Mr. Walker.
ReplyDeletei.e. all in an XC puzzle
Delete5D: two times Dhoni was new!
ReplyDeleteHad to scroll up to see where Dhoni is connected- yes, he is called Mahi. One always gets a few new things from ExChequer.
ReplyDeleteEXChequer checked me out in a few clues ! MAHI MAHI -- heehee ! I am not a cricket fan. That's why it is called the NAME OF THE GAME.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why being or getting drunk should be ONE OVER THE EIGHT ? I had even gone one over ten , at times ! Then one becomes legless and goes under the table, totally sozzzled and sends one to snooze !
Raju!One over ten!💪💪🎠🎠🎠
Delete8 pints of beer, those days was less intoxicated, amounting to 4ltr of fluid would be filling enough (considered moderate). even plain water should make one feel legless at those quantities.
Delete10times?? todays beer, hats off to the spirit sir.
Delete