Garry Gillard > crosswords > solutions > 27177
A number of double definitions (dd) in this - even one triple. The two three-letter word clues are clever, and make a nice pair. One homophone, one inclusive; typical Times puzzle.
ACROSS
Definitions in italics
1 Bad cough interrupts routine filming stage (5-3)
ROUGH CUT
- (cough)* inside RUT; this is not usually hyphenated
6 Understand fine party hasn't finished (6)
FATHOM - F(ine) + AT HOM(e)
9 First of two encyclopedia volumes, perhaps, is a tiny thing (4)
ATOM
- A to M might be the first of two volumes
10 Like a repaired bike, not to be junked? (10)
RECYCLABLE - dd
11 Letter is as translated, framed by punctuation (10)
COLOSSIANS - Paul's letter to Colossians (people who lived in Colossae) - (as is)* inside COLONS
13 Delicacy of Japanese in not completing Bach piece (4)
FUGU
- FUGU(e) - fugu is a poisonous fish requiring very careful preparation; Bach is not the only composer ever to write a fugue; takifugu > >
12 Extra name in article about garden feature (7)
AGNOMEN - GNOME inside AN; I suppose the 'King' in Nat King Cole is a modern example of an agnomen
14 Short service to put on for old beast (8)
MASTODON
- MAS(s) TO DON
16 One picked on numbers of Romans around mouth of Tiber (6)
VICTIM - V I C I and M are all Roman numbers, around T(iber)
18 Beetle an irritant — in saucepan once? (6)
CHAFER - triple definition
20 Right to stab second mate, so badly wounded? (8)
MORTALLY - MO(ment) + R(ight) + ALLY (partner/mate)
22 Jacob’s wife spends hour going after fine jumper (4)
FLEA - LEA(h) was one of Jacob's two wives, the other being Rachel; she's preceded by F(ine)
24 Exploit chap I turned out of bed past time (10)
MANIPULATE - MAN + I + UP rev. + LATE
26 Owt in old magazine? (4,6)
BACK NUMBER - Owt is TWO rev., so it's a ...
28 Lifesaver talking of one with knowledge (4)
NOAH - homophone for 'knower'; the homophind is 'talking of'
29 Make fuss about hotel, whatever it is (6)
DOODAH - DO + ADO rev. + H(otel) - making a thingummy
30 Unclear boundaries in this old people’s home? (4,4)
GREY AREA - 'amusing' word play
DOWN
2 Physician taking top off toothpaste to spread (9)
OSTEOPATH
- (oothpaste)* - nice anagram
3 Ladies‘ fingers up to making footwear (7)
GUMBOOT - GUMBO is another name for okra, which is also called ladies' fingers; it is followed by TO rev ('up'); this one took me a while to research
4 Trousers, and how to hold them up? (5)
CORDS - dd
5 Minor physical problem: temperature very low? (3)
TIC - T(emperature) + I (1) C(elsius)
6 Braves having to maintain graceful withdrawal (4-5)
FACE SAVER - FACES + AVER (state/maintain)
7 Trade is sort of light (7)
TRAFFIC - dd
8 Camp belonging to prisoner? (5)
OFLAG - OF LAG - 'lag' is English slang for prisoner; an Offizierslager, or OFLAG for short, was a PoW camp for officers; the word is now only found in puzzles where the setter was stuck with O-L-G, as it's the only word which fits
15 College town having taken up jazz, tricky to hum (9)
DARTMOUTH - TRAD (type of jazz)rev. + (to hum)*; this isDartmouth New Hampshire, not Devon; Dartmouth College is one of the eight 'Ivy League' colleges in New England
17 With misgivings, I seal newly dead within (3,2,4)
ILL AT EASE - LATE inside (i seal)*
19 Forced liquid into female put on stretcher (7)
F,RACKED
21 Strongman almost crushes worker in Olympic venue (7)
ATLANTA - ANT inside ATLA(s) - maybe referring to Charles Atlas > >
23 Personal life somewhat on the up, it’s plain (5)
LLANO incl. rev. in persONAL Life - Spanish for 'plain'
25 Contract for sporting prize (5)
PURSE - dd
27 Sizeable British force on the ground (3)
BIG - B(ritish) + I (1) G (gravitational force)
Solved in 39 minutes; webpage up at 0103 UTC; fully annotated by 0133 UTC.
This was blogged here at 0601 UTC.
Garry Gillard | New: 24 October, 2018 | Now: 25 October, 2018