WEB Crossword No: 019 - 30 Aug 09

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I have really tried hard to tone down the degree of difficulty of the clues, without taking away the challenge. So, I do hope that WEB: 019 gets honored with a tantara or two! As always, thank you in advance for printing and working on the puzzle, and feedback, good and bad, is greatly appreciated. Happy Sunday!

As a reminder, the Sunday slot is open for anyone who wants to post his or her own, original crossword. Just contact me and I will help you with the mechanics of compiling and posting.



Across
1 Our lager is backed by our own money (4)
3 It isn't a cross next to 22-across (4)
6 The turmoil caused by keeping nothing in cash and change (5)
10 I can see an O ... it means the thief worked here (6,3)
11 Might a priest in New York use this before he's fully trained? (5)
12 Tell me why you refuse to use the little guy's bed (7)
13 I've returned the French to you, because it just isn't a good look (4,3)
14 This is no more than 2/3 of the way uptown (2,2)
16 A letter from Greece for a ram, perhaps? (6)
18 There's a lake in the middle of the trees (3)
21 I'm in something saucy, yet fashionable (3)
22 An old town in Meath moved north, it seems (6)
23 Yes, next are the Four Seasons (4)
25 The verb I used in going from 0 to 500 to get the lot (7)
27 That smart-alec, Kay, is back on the wall (4-3)
29 Moving racily, without a poetic type (5)
30 Heard when asking the way home from the depot? (9)
31 Make it fast again and put it back in 18-across (5)
32 Needed to spend a penny on the game, I hear! (4)
33 The exchanges about a preliminary round (4)

Down
1 It's so harsh, I rub around it to give some 8-down (9)
2 Try moving around us if you're out of practice (5)
4 Oh, to be a jet, and dart to work from France (5,1'3)
5 It's kind of gas, I HeAr (5)
6 He's fed up with someone (8)
7 A photocopy allowed beside 18-across might have inspired Isaac (5,4)
8 "Genre" is before the French for "a pig" (5)
9 The expression is, "I had ten thousand" (5)
15 You can't tell it's a wig, perhaps (3-6)
17 A bit narrowed minded about this bridle, Ken? (9)
19 Signing on to the N-Roll meant I had to listen for this (9)
20 I hear the line for a haircut is enough to make one spit (8)
24 Lakes seen, not in Ireland, but around Switzerland, in the fifties (5)
25 Go back! The French are here for the watchman (5)
26 You've a debt somewhere between 500 and 50, Peg (5)
28 It's so severe we must arrange to evacuate without Ms. Gabor (5)


Here is each clue alongside its answer, with an explanation of the link between clue and answer. I hope it all makes sense! As always, I welcome feedback via comment and/or email. I’m particularly interested in hearing about clues that were too obvious or easy, and clues that were annoying or perhaps caused frustration. But, I’ll listen to all suggestions on how to make my puzzles more challenging and more fun!

Across
1 Our lager is backed by our own money (4)
HARP
On the back of our coins we have a HARP ("backed by our own money"). And HARP is "our" lager.
3 It isn't a cross next to 22-across (4)
DOWN
Next to ANTRIM = DOWN: it isn't a-cross.
6 The turmoil caused by keeping nothing in cash and change (5)
CHA(O)S
And change, an anagram of, "cash" (CHA-S) keeping nothing in (O) = CHAOS: the turmoil caused.
10 I can see an O ... it means the thief worked here (6,3)
INSIDE J(O)B
I can see an O INSIDE J(O)B, and an INSIDE JOB means the thief worked here.
11 Might a priest in New York use this before he's fully trained? (5)
N(A-PP)Y
In New York (N-Y) might a priest (A PP) = NAPPY: use this before he's fully (potty) trained.
12 Tell me why you refuse to use the little guy's bed (7)
BOYCOTT
Tell me the little guy's bed (BOY COT) and I hear BOYCOTT: wy you refuse to use.
13 I've returned the French to you, because it just isn't a good look (4,3)
EV'I-L E-YE
I've returned (EV'I) the French (LE) to you (YE) = EVIL EYE: because it just isn't a good look.
14 This is no more than 2/3 of the way uptown (2,2)
UP TO
2/3 of the way UPTO-wn = UP TO: this is no more than.
16 A letter from Greece for a ram, perhaps? (6)
LAMB-DA
For a ram, a lamb father (LAMB DA) = LAMBDA: a letter from Greece.
18 There's a lake in the middle of the trees (3)
REE
In the middle of the t-REE-s = REE: there's a lake.
21 I'm in something saucy, yet fashionable (3)
H(I)P
In something saucy (H-P) I am (I) = HIP: yet fashionable.
22 An old town in Meath moved north, it seems (6)
AN-TRIM
An (AN) old town in Meath (TRIM) = ANTRIM: moved (to the) North, it seems.
23 Yes, next are the Four Seasons (4)
YEA-R
Yes (YEA) next are (R) = YEAR: the four seasons.
25 The verb I used in going from 0 to 500 to get the lot (7)
O(VERB-I)D
In going from 0 to 500 (O-D) the 'verb I' used (VERB I) = OVERBID: to get the lot (at an auction).
27 That smart-alec, Kay, is back on the wall (4-3)
K-NO-W-ALL
Kay (K) is back on (NO) the wall (W-ALL) = KNOW-ALL: that smart-alec.
29 Moving racily, without a poetic type (5)
LYRIC
R(a)cily without "a" (R-CILY) moving, an anagram = LYRIC: a poetic type (a type of poem).
30 Heard when asking the way home from the depot? (9)
WAREHOUSE
When asking the way home from, 'where house?', is heard as WAREHOUSE: the depot.
31 Make it fast again and put it back in 18-across (5)
RE(TI)E
In REE (RE-E) put it back (TI) = RETIE: make it fast again.
32 Needed to spend a penny on the game, I hear! (4)
LUDO
Needed to spend a penny, 'loo dough', I hear as LUDO: the game.
33 The exchanges about a preliminary round (4)
HE(A)T
Exchanges, an anagram of, "the" (HE-T) about a (A) = HEAT: preliminary round.

Down
1 It's so harsh, I rub around it to give some 8-down (9)
HAIRBRUSH
It's so "harsh I rub" around, an anagram = HAIRBRUSH: it to give some (hair)STYLE
2 Try moving around us if you're out of practice (5)
R(US)TY
"Try" moving, an anagram (R-TY) around us (US) = RUSTY: if you're out of practice.
4 Oh, to be a jet, and dart to work from France (5,1'3)
O-B-JET D'ART
Oh (O) to be (B) a jet (JET) and dart to (DART) = OBJET D'ART: work (of art) from France (in French).
5 It's kind of gas, I HeAr (5)
NOBLE
I He-Ar ... Helium (He) and Argon (Ar) are NOBLE gases.
6 He's fed up with someone (8)
CANNIBAL
7 A photocopy allowed beside 18-across might have inspired Isaac (5,4)
A-PP-LE T-REE
A photocopy (A PP) allowed (LET) beside REE (REE) = APPLE TREE: might have inspired Isaac (Newton).
8 "Genre" is before the French for "a pig" (5)
STY-LE
For a pig (STY) is before the French (LE) = STYLE: genre.
9 The expression is, "I had ten thousand" (5)
I'D-IO-M
I had (I'D) ten (IO) thousand (M) = IDIOM: the expression is.
15 You can't tell it's a wig, perhaps (3-6)
TOP SECRET
It's a wig, perhaps, a TOP SECRET: you can't tell.
17 A bit narrowed minded about this bridle, Ken? (9)
BLINKERED
About this, an anagram of, "bridle, Ken" = BLINKERED: a bit narrow minded.
19 Signing on to the N-Roll meant I had to listen for this (9)
ENROLMENT
I had to listen for this "N-Roll meant" and heard ENROLMENT: singing on.
20 I hear the line for a haircut is enough to make one spit (8)
BARBECUE
The line for a haircut, the 'barber queue', I hear as BARBECUE: enough to make one spit.
24 Lakes seen, not in Ireland, but around Switzerland, in the fifties (5)
L(O-CH)S
In the fifties (L'S) but around Switzerland (O CH) = LOCHS: lakes seen not in Ireland (but in Scotland).
25 Go back! The French are here for the watchman (5)
OG-LE-R
Go back (OG) the French (LE) are here (R) = OGLER: for the "watch" man.
26 You've a debt somewhere between 500 and 50, Peg (5)
D-OWE-L
Somewhere between 500 and 50 (D-L) you've a debt (OWE) = DOWEL: peg.
28 It's so severe we must arrange to evacuate without Ms. Gabor (5)
ACUTE
To eva-CUATE without Ms. (Eva) Gabor = CUATE, we must arrange, an anagram = ACUTE: it's so severe.