Cryptic Crossword #28 [Completed]

Here is a link to a PDF of this month's grid & clues .

Here is a link to a useful 5 minute youtube on how cryptics work.

Here is a link to an in-depth cryptic crossword solving guide.

Here is a link demonstrating my competency as a crossword setter.

Here are links to previous AW crosswords hosted on my website: 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21

Here are links to previous AW crosswords hosted here: 20, 19, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1


Here is a crossword grid:





Here are some clues (see below for larger font):






Here are the same clues in the forums regular font


Across


1 Beauty product originally for every person (5)

4 Official copy about matter and energy (9)

9 Late man without will runs off highway (9)

10 Start to have no use for a break (5)

11 His certainty on moving is long gone (7,7)

13 Place one in loaded camera (7)

15 Old theologian masseur massaged (7)

17 I'm out to get checkmate (7)

19 Car show right to prohibit work clothing (3,4)

21 Sorting Charlie with a way to become a girl! (14)

25 Embarrassed date going around with posh tit (5)

26 Dead prisoner to make room for a new one (9)

27 State ball game marine heard on faulty radio? (9)

28 You must pronounce this grid excellent (5)

Down

1 Tight Mafia dons cut price on first viewing (5,5)

2 Diplomat involved with someone short (7)

3 Is her cyst going to cause fits? (9)

4 Hope for a load to be delivered by trap (5)

5 Pennsylvania's chief citizen? (9)

6 One rental opened by special key (5)

7 Times defends article on funny pet (7)

8 Drug business involving heroin or E (4)

12 A way round man sharing German bitter (10)

14 Nice pal retains nurse to secure small services (9)

16 Looking to dump queen for student - charming (9)

18 Champion popular with father and son (7)

20 No good to resettle Middle-Eastern region (7)

22 Minister to maintain Tory must go (5)

23 Silly son unseated from potty (5)

24 Wonky boobs (4)



Note on potential ease of access problems


If there's anything I can do to make the xwd more accessible, please let me know either in thread or by PM and I'll do my best to make it happen.



Here is some information:

• Complete the crossword by posting answers in this thread.

• I'll endeavour to update the grid and respond to answers at least twice daily.

• The grid follows XWD conventions from The Times, though occasionally things might be a little more lib (or a little more ripe) in style or content.

• Feel free to tell me how I could've done it better/what I got wrong.

• I'll post a new crossword on the first of each month until people get bored/stop playing.

Here are some guidelines:

• Try to have fun.

• Answer up to three clues a day (if you go for 3 and only get 1 right, then feel free to have another 2 goes)

• Work together or on your own.

• Bemoan the clues.

• It's encouraged (but not necessary) to parse the clues when answering as it'll help me learn where I am going wrong/right.

• Discussion of clue construction is also encouraged, but not necessary.

• Try to have fun.

Here's where you take over:

• Good luck

ajaye said:

Hi Harry

9ac - INTESTATE - Late man without will (def) runs off (subtract 'R' from) highway (interstate)

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Hey AJ - perfectly parsed!

ajaye said:

1ac - PEACH - Beauty (def) product originally (P from start -origin- of product) for every person (each)
13ac - AMERICA - Place (def and direction) one (I) in loaded (anagram direction?) camera (anagram fodder)
17ac - IMPASSE - I'm (im) out (passé) to get checkmate (def)
2dn - ATTACHE - all I got is diplomat for definition
3dn - HYSTERICS - Is her cyst (anagram fodder) going to cause (anagram director?) fits (def)

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Pretty much perfectly parsed, AJ!

13a - Loaded as in drunk for the anagram indicator
2d - Involved with someone = attached. Short = minus the last letter
3d - Going as in 'in motion' as the anagram indicator - to cause = definition link.

Parametric said:

I printed out this crossword and I'm solving it on paper!

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Glad to hear you have a printer and the PDF works - but don't be a stranger here, Para.

ajaye said:

1dn - PRIMA FACIE - anagram of 'mafia' & 'price' = first viewing (def) - is 'tight' the anagram indicator? - don't know about 'dons cut'
5dn - PRESIDENT - so a double whammy clue? as in Pennsylvannia chief (P) + citizen (RESIDENT) = chief citizen
11ac - ANCIENT HISTORY - anagram of 'his certainty on' = long gone
15ac - ERASMUS - anagram of 'masseur' = old theologian
28ac - GREAT - = grid / excellent (def), 'you must pronounce' indicating a homophone (could also be GRATE)

Click to expand...

Pretty much perfectly parsed, AJ!

1d - Tight as in Drunk for anagram indicator. Dons as goes on the inside of/puts on. Cut as an angram indicator for PRICE as in fashioned.

Hey X

Xelebes said:

Is 4a PAPERLESS?

An official copy of (subject) matter and made of energy?

Click to expand...

I can see how you got there, but you're shooting wide on this one.

ajaye said:

27ac - TENNESSEE - State (def) ball game (tennis) marine (sea) heard on faulty radio (indicates sounds like) I did like this clue Harry
12dn - ASTRINGENT - A (a) way (st) round (ring) man (gent) sharing German (with only one G) bitter (def) and this one

Click to expand...

Perfectly parsed, AJ!

ajaye said:

a couple of guesses,
8dn - ECHO - Drug business (apparently echo is a drug co in the US? plus I'm using CO from business) involving heroin (H) or E (erm, E)
18dn - PARAGON - Champion (def) popular with father (pa) and that's all I got (sorry son)

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Nailed the first one (E is the definition, Echo is E in the phonetic alphabet). Shooting wide on the second one (though 'champion' is the def and 'ap' is father).

ajaye said:

16dn - APPEALING - the R (queen) in appearing (looking) replaced by L (student) for charming (def)

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Perfectly parsed, AJ!

ajaye said:

19ac = TOP GEAR - I get car show is the def, and gear = work clothing, but the only way I get top from right to prohibit is like that - I don't understand how right tells me to do that?

Click to expand...

Bang on!

The 'right to' is a last letter indicator, as in the right letter to the following word. The parse runs thus:

19a - TOP GEAR (charade)

Car show right to prohibit work clothing (3,4)

Car show - definition
right to prohibit - last letter indicator for T
work - OP (abbrev. from OPUS, I believe)
clothing - GEAR

(T)(OP)(GEAR)

ajaye said:

20dn - EMIRATE = Middle Eastern region - somehow no good is mixed up in there?

Click to expand...

Nailed it!

It's a subtraction, 'no good to' = there is no G to the following synonym. In this case, resettle/emigrate.

23dn - INANE - Silly (def) son (S) unseated (subtracted) from potty (INSANE)
26ac - INANIMATE - Dead (def) prisoner (INMATE) to make room for (contain) a (A) new (N) one (I)

Click to expand...

Perfectly parsed, AJ!

ajaye said:

18dn - PALADIN - Champion (def) popular (IN) with (after) father (PA) and son (LAD)
21ac - CLASSIFICATION - Sorting (def) Charlie (C) with a way (AI) to become (FICTION) a girl (LASS) ???
??14dn - APERITIFS - as in small servings?

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Nailed the first two, shooting wide on the third.

21a is a pun, C + lass-ification!

ajaye said:

24dn - ATIT - dual def
25ac - TUDOR - Embarrassed (R?) date (D?) going around with (OUT, plus mix up the letters indicator?) with posh tit (def)

Click to expand...

Shooting wide on these two.

ajaye said:

6dn - ISLET - one (I) rental (LET) opened by (surrounds) special (S) key (def)

Click to expand...

Perfectly parsed, AJ!