Stats -We had a great response to “Cracker” and there were 31 submissions for this puzzle. Of those who submitted just 12 got the full grid score of 32 and nine got the maximum possible score of 35. Here’s the Solution grid
The following questions were asked at the end of the puzzle..
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- What/who was the inspiration for 20A?
- Which 26A has been in the news recently for paying hush money to an adult movie star?
- With which industry would you associate 9A?
The correct answers to these were
(1) Paul McCartney’s mother, Mary
(2) Michael Cohen
(3) Petroleum industry
Here are the Annotations.
Across:
1 Say, additional sailor joined vessel (6) – MOR(HP more) TAR
4 Animal essential to overrun capsized boat (7) – MUS(ARK<<)T
8 Argue about stick seen in river (6) – DE(BAT)E
9 Drug lord’s missing kneecap! Outstanding! (8) – CRAC(-k)KING
10 Supports peacekeepers with primarily incendiary shells (7) – UN I PODS
12 Drink’s rejected by Mark- it contains waste! (7) – PISSPOT (SIP<< SPOT)
15 Famous footballer and crazy Inca are related to a saviour (9) – MESSI ANIC*
16 First in Jerusalem for drink with a measure of acidity (5) – ALE PH
18 Drink from South American city found at the heart of Ujjain (5) – RIO JA
19 Discomfort caused by Brad’s Drink during days at sea (9) – PEPSI in DAYS*
20 Relax with song (3,2,2) – DD
24 Working assassin, perhaps is available (2,5) – ON OFFER (Offer- punny syn assassin)
26 Mason, say, missing turn at competition (8) – AT TO(-u)RNEY
27 Charges short young women coming out to get it (6) – DEB(IT)S
28 Del Rey goes back with occasional gypsite specialist (7) – LANA<< gYpSiTe
29 Check out idiots’ son (6) – ASSES S
Down:
1 It’s warm at calculator’s core! (9) – MIDSUMMER. Pun on calculator- summer
2 Priest and poet pay for a talisman (7,4) – RABBI TS FOOT
3 A couple of American relatives announced “Keeping ox between two diamonds can create something that prevents food degradation” (11) – ANT I(OX)I D ANT
4 Man’s first-rate weapon (4) – M ACE
5 Mystic is returning to protect upset mother and wife (5) – IS<< covering (MA W)<<
6 Collects headless birds (5) – (-d)RAKES
7 Relish love on Argentine steps, perhaps (5) – TANG O. Tango is a dance of Argentine origin.
11 Wrong to stop without final date or without a date to start again (4,3) – SIN(E) DIE
12 Artist, detective and commanding officer capturing a ship (7) – PI C(A SS)O
13 Accurate physical guides to ranking dummies, perhaps (5,6) – SCALE MODELS (Ranking=scale, dummies- models)
14 Where information is given to mob around skating rink, perhaps (5,6) – PRESS OFFICE. Mob- press, around skating ring, perhaps- off ice
17 Supports John and others with some supplies (9) – HEAD REST S
21 Bonus is unneeded (5) – DD
22 Setter’s love for the Spanish circuit (5) – IM O LA
23 Pass by? (5) – B AND Y
25 Break down over terminally hungry peasant (4) – R(Y)OT
Here is the scorecard (sorted by score and then in the order of submissions received)
Congrats, once again to Kishore, who is in formidable form and yet again managed to submit the first all correct entry and to all of you who managed to “max” the score.
17 people rated the puzzle as “Excellent” and the remaining 14 rated it “Good”. Thanks Teezer, for an enjoyable challenge.
Did you enjoy the puzzle? Do you have any feedback for us or for the setter. Do comment in the blog and let us know.