i Prize Cryptic Crossword 739 Phi

Lots of ticks beside the clues today. One or two references to politics, but no overall theme that I can see.

COD? 1ac. ‘It could be material snag – in getting re-elected? (8,4)’.

Here’s the 2008 blog, and clues missed.

Across

10 sCATTY
13 EXTRA – Double Def.
20 WATT EAU – EAU sounding like OH?
22 TRUCKLOAD – T and (luck)* in ROAD

Down

2 RE A MS
3 I TALlY
7 BOTTLE UP
19 QUAY – Sounds like KEY.

http://www.fifteensquared.net/2008/06/20/independent-6764phi/

i Cryptic Crossword 744 Nestor

A gentle puzzle, with a couple of obscure entries softened by easy clues, as at 6d. The original blog is here.

Across

10. ELDER: (w)ELDER.
13. ASIA: AS + IA.
15. EDIBLE: {I BLEED}. An entertaining if tortuous reference to Merchant of Venice.
22. EELY: tElEpLaY.
23. BLUE PENCIL: BLUE + PENCIL. A trifle weak, this.
27. CORPS: R in COPS.
28. NOT A HAPPY BUNNY: a sort of e.d.

Down

2. NADIR: {DRAIN}.
7. BUCKS FIZZ: d.d. One of the rare groups to have won Eurovision who didn’t sink into utter obscurity.
16. INTELLECT: TELLE(r) in IN CT.
18. FULL STOP: {LOFT PLUS}.
25. ARCH: d.d.

i Cryptic Crossword 743 Tees

Very difficult stuff from Tees, though unfortunately dated, with the references to Brown and Blair. As regards 20d, Jonathan Edwards couldn’t be described as a Christian jumper even in 2008?

I sat with 4 or 5 clues filled in for about 20 minutes, before the RHS quickly fell into place, and the rest after a little more effort.

COD? 23ac. ‘Whence comes Russian maiden, unusually large and difficult woman (6)’.

The old Fifteensquared, linked to below, is complete:

http://www.fifteensquared.net/2008/05/15/independent-6732-tees-contemporary-fun/

i Cryptic Crossword 742 Dac

A little slower than usual for a Wednesday, with 16d and 23ac causing me some issues. COD? 24ac. ‘Place heathen abandoned? He’s not been seen here (10).’

Here’s a link to the 2008 blog, and clues missed.

Across

9 TOM-TOM
18 SOLE – Sounds like SOUL.

Down

5 INCENSE – Double Def.
17 EX TRACT

http://www.fifteensquared.net/2008/06/25/independent-6768dac/

i Cryptic Crossword 741 Virgilius

Good as always from Virgilius, though I must admit to failing on 17d, where I hadn’t heard of either the answer or the cocktail. I also missed the (dated) hidden message. COD? The not so dated 12ac. ‘Fraudulent scheme that’s handled in court (6)’.

Here’s a link to the 2008 blog, and clues missed.

Across

7 (H)umble (O)rigins to(P) offic(E)
12 RACKET – Double Def.
21 CY PRESs
24 IDENTITY
27 tEN sCORE
28 EDIT <-

Down

2 UP TRAIN
6 L OVER
7 HOME COMER – Both chickens and cows are, according to various sayings.
16 A GO
23 S HARP

http://www.fifteensquared.net/2008/06/24/independent-6767virgilius/

i Cryptic Crossword 740 Quixote

A few I didn’t understand today, which I put down to the Monday morning blues, as in retrospect everything was as clear and above board as you expect from Quixote. COD? 25ac. ‘Financial period in America ends in commotion, panic everywhere (6)’.

The 2008 blog linked to below is complete.

http://www.fifteensquared.net/2008/07/03/independent-on-sunday-959-by-quixote-29-june-2008/

i Prize Cryptic Crossword 733 Monk

La di da. 🙂

Enjoyed this one thoroughly, lots of ticks by the clues, notably 14ac, 6d and 15d, but COD for me is 25ac. ‘One man and another round their best friend’s house (6)’.

Here’s a link to the (complete) 2008 blog:

http://www.fifteensquared.net/2008/06/09/independent-6754-by-monk/

i Cryptic Crossword 738 Mordred

This crossword, celebrating a marriage (see the outside letters), was first seen in 2008 when we still remembered who Ron Atkinson (9a) and Steve Cram (25d) were. It’s rather unsound in several places. Nothing leaps out as clue of the day, but I’ll choose 12a: “Asian born outside borders (8)”.

Original blog here. Remaining answers:

Across

18. AFRO: <(fOR FAint-hearted).
27. IRRELEVANT: Have I missed something, or is it just the same definition twice? This qualifies for worst clue of the day.

Down

7. A-ONE: A(ny)ONE.
13. ELECT: L for J in EJECT.

i Cryptic Crossword 737 Glow-Worm

Another tough Thursday, I wonder if we’re beginning to fall into the same pattern as the Independent? One or two I didn’t fully understand, which were cleared up by the (complete) 2008 blog. Quite a few I liked here, notably 19ac and 5d, but my COD is the quite neat 22d. ‘Cheats females (4)’.

http://www.fifteensquared.net/2008/06/16/independent-6760-by-glow-worm/

i Cryptic Crossword 736 Dac

A few bits of the wordplay I didn’t fully understand today, but that didn’t stop this being a fairly quick solve. The 2008 blog is complete, so I’ll just nominate a COD – 8d. ‘Novel, send-up of a work about love (6)’.

http://www.fifteensquared.net/2008/06/18/independent-6762dac/