Solution to 10A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only by a non-regular / novice commenter, with proper annotation. Those who have answered earlier in the week, please give others a chance.
Open for anyone to answer, if not solved by 1 PM.
ACROSS
1 He, maybe sprinkled salt first, then a bit of pepper just in time (4-4) LAST GASP {GAS}<=>{SALT*} then {Pe...r}
5 Sound of wind passing from southern tip of fellow, next to a pair of orbs, quietly (6) SWOOSH {S}{f...oW}{OO}{SH}
9 Hate Fortran course contents (7) RANCOUR [T]
10 Welcome computer cycles in the greatest lab, up front (3,4) A?L ?A?L (Addendum ALL HAIL {AL{(+l)LHA(-l)}I}{Lab} - See comments)
11 Projection: ex-U.S. president not running (5) CLINT CLINTon
12 Family is caught in deficits — any disbursements under review? (8) DYNASTIC [T<=]
13 Lecture confused Mr. Sen about love (6) SERMON {MR+SEN}* over {0}
14 Courier perhaps returned letters from inoperative Cafe Pythagoras (8) TYPEFACE [T<=]
18 Might work — he's starting off novel AIs! (8) STRENGTH {HES+sTaRTiNG}*
20 Grand, completely naked neighbour's sexy without shirt (6) HEROIC {n..gHb..r}{EROtIC}
23 Proposal of monarch bearing love? It's rejected in favour of second Earl (8) QUESTION {QUE{-e+its<=)STI{O}N}
25 Grab rail, no support in vessel! (5) GRAIL {GRAb+raIL}
27 Every now and then, Sheela did jump over small pools of water (7) PUDDLES {ShEeLa+DiD+jUmP}<=
28 New and old blending in coastal city's craft (7) GONDOLA {GO{N+OLD}*A} GOA is not a city but a State
29 Some grammar tyrants persecuted good man (6) MARTYR [T]
30 Vehicle is back — they finally fixed lube and paint (4,4) NAVY BLUE {VAN}{theY}{LUBE*}
DOWN
1 They write songs in registers that captivate; I cry, moved (9) LYRICISTS {L{I+CRY}*ISTS}
2 Regularly spurn engineer with brighter outlook (7) SUNNIER {SpUrN+eNgInEeR}
3 Good crowd thronged at first, now unfortunately no one is here any more (5,4) GHOST TOWN {G}{HOST}{Th...d}{NOW*}
4 Take steps — rubbish lying around in corner (6) STRIDE {S{DIRT<=}E}
6 Wife makes speech lacking a hint of truth and rambles (5) WALKS {W}{tALKS}
7 No car in America features this instrument (7) OCARINA [T]
10 A racket, as they say, is irritating (6) ANNOYS {A}{(~noise)NNOYS}
15 Join forces with dunces, essentially, during extremely, extremely desperate situation (9) EMERGENCY {MERGE}{duNCes} in {Em...cY}
16 By cracking cryptic clue, head gets clear (9) EXCULPATE {E{X}CUL*}{PATE}
17 Top places for jerks (6) ATTICS {AT}{TICS}
19 More like a balloon going up or down (7) ROUNDER [DD] (Addendum - {OR<=}{UNDER} - See comments)
21 Very successful top students' list announced (2,1,4) ON A ROLL (~ honour roll)
22 Heart going out for top cop behind clearing mystery (6) ENIGMA {EN(-e+IG)IGMA}
24 Reckless apprentice shadowing Gussalufz in secret (5) SILLY {S{I}{L}LY}
26 One second ... (deleted jerk's unwelcome message) (4) SPAM SPAsM
Reference List
Southern = S, Quietly = SH, Greatest = ALI, Computer = HAL, Shirt = T, Support = BRA, New = N, Good = G, Corner = SE, Wife = W, Husband = H, By = X, Apprentice = L, Second = S
19d or<= under
ReplyDelete6d- shouldn't the definition be ambles rather than rambles?
ReplyDeleteRamble:n
Deletea walk taken for pleasure in the countryside.
+1
ReplyDeleteWas trying to find a Nina. Could see Python but nothing else. Looking forward to Gussalufz's notes on the puzzle.
ReplyDeleteHave had a busy day, just got back. PYTHON is indeed there. A slight bit more to be seen. The preamble for the puzzle says "Sketchy people?"
DeleteWow! Great solve. No wonder it was not done so far.
ReplyDeleteBut 'All hail Al' a standard phrase for welcome?
ReplyDeleteJust "All hail" = "Welcome" (as in "All hail the king" = "Welcome the king")
DeleteHere are my notes for this crossword:
ReplyDeleteNotes
The comedy group Monty Python forms the theme of this puzzle. You can see MONTY as a nina running across the 7th row from the top (straddling SERMON and TYPEFACE), and PYTHON running down the middle column.
The following solution words are also connected to the theme:
The 1975 movie, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is referenced by HOLY (8D) and GRAIL (25A).
The bridgekeeper guarding the "Bridge of Death" in that movie asks each seeker three QUESTIONs (23A).
One of John Cleese's most memorable performances was in the famous sketch, The Ministry of Silly Walks, featured in SILLY (24D) and WALKS (6D).
Spam (26D) is also a famous Python sketch.
Personal notes
Spring is here! Our one year old cherry tree had its first blossom, and a finch duo is nesting again in the well-shielded corner under the roof overhang that was discovered by them last year.
There was a brief, completely unexpected hail storm today. Weird weather patterns are here to stay, thanks to climate change. My generation will likely be the last one before climate-related crises become a huge, constant, never-ending challenge for humanity, sadly.
Thank You Gussalufz for the puzzle and the elucidating notes.
Delete+1
DeleteAlso,+1 for the thoughts on climate change.
+2
DeleteSeeing the limited response on this blog for past week, hope THC realises forcing people to pay for buffey when they want a simple dessert isnt going to work.
ReplyDelete