WEB Crossword No: 038 - 10 Jan 10

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This is the second WEB puzzle of the month, so I've aimed at a 2/5 difficulty rating. It's really quite friendly!

And a reminder ... the Sunday slot is still 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 A priest that takes lithium cannot be a candidate (9)
6 They get a light beer with Smith (5)
9 It's a long way to go to see a piper try a new arrangement (9)
10 See a sailor in the room at sea (5)
11 Red? That's not your vehicle! (7)
12 Around an ally, though briefly, that cries at the hunt (5-2)
13 6 letters (3)
14 Westmeath is key for the spirit (7)
17 Very, very young N or B? (7)
19 A proposition for me, or the twisted (7)
22 The poor beg, I see, and crowd around (7)
24 The fuss after 1 B.C.? (3)
25 Gathers the hoe's out of the garden? (5,2)
26 Is the rabbit, like, ever let outside? (7)
29 A circuitous route away from the centre (5)
30 Concentrated before I've played tennis (9)
31 Lament that Diana confused Reg (5)
32 Rosco lives in hope of forecasting the future (9)

Down
1 So barmy, can it be a prank? (5)
2 Times, maybe, for one father for each (5)
3 I see you backed Ireland and North Korea for the hockey (3,4)
4 A school day came maybe (7)
5 Half the gentry take just one ton, to see how it looks (3,2,2)
6 The candle doesn't burn long around Hollywood (7)
7 Somewhere snug for the little lion? (9)
8 Ray's room has lots of windows (3,6)
14 H₂O for D and CO (9)
15 Creakiest alternative found in a 3-down (3-6)
16 A dam's better half? (3)
18 A pirate often has only the one point of view (3)
20 Coolness of manner after the foot fault perhaps? (7)
21 Butch, Ann is in Meath! (7)
22 Wild lobster on the sea bed? Perhaps! (7)
23 South African and French wine that's a good second and set aside for a rainy day (7)
27 Wild one with a horn, for sure! (5)
28 The southeast is more than this (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 A priest that takes lithium cannot be a candidate (9)
A-PP-LI-CAN'T
A priest (A PP) that takes lithium (LI) cannot (CAN'T) be = APPLICANT: a candidate.
6 They get a light beer with Smith (5)
WICKS
With Smith (SMITH) they get a light (WICKS) = SMITHWICKS: beer.
9 It's a long way to go to see a piper try a new arrangement (9)
TIPPERARY
See a "piper try a" new arrangement = TIPPERARY: it's a long way to go.
10 See a sailor in the room at sea (5)
C-AB-IN
See (C) a sailor (AB) in (IN) = CABIN: the room at sea.
11 Red? That's not your vehicle! (7)
CAR-MINE
That's not your vehicle! (CAR MINE!) = CARMINE: red.
12 Around an ally, though briefly, that cries at the hunt (5-2)
T(ALLY) HO
Though briefly (T-HO) around an ally (ALLY) = TALLY-HO: that cries at the hunt.
13 6 letters (3)
MNO
The letters on the number 6 on a keypad of a phone.
14 Westmeath is key for the spirit (7)
WH-IS-KEY
Westmeath (WH) is (IS) key (KEY) for = WHISKEY: the spirit.
17 Very, very young N or B? (7)
NEW-BORN
Something very, very young is NEWBORN, and a NEW arrangement of BORN gives "N or B".
19 A proposition for me, or the twisted (7)
THEOREM
"Me or the" twisted = THEOREM: a proposition.
22 The poor beg, I see, and crowd around (7)
BESIEGE
The poor "beg I see" = BESIEGE: and crowd around.
24 The fuss after 1 B.C.? (3)
AD-O
After the year 1 B.C. maybe one has the year A.D. 0 = ADO: the fuss.
25 Gathers the hoe's out of the garden? (5,2)
RAKE'S IN
The hoe's out of the garden (RAKE'S IN) = RAKES IN: gathers.
26 Is the rabbit, like, ever let outside? (7)
L(EVER)ET
Let outside (L-ET) ever (EVER) is = LEVERET: the rabbit-like.
29 A circuitous route away from the centre (5)
OUTER
A circuitous "route" = OUTER: away from the centre.
30 Concentrated before I've played tennis (9)
INTENS-I'VE
Played "tennis" (INTENS) before I've (IVE) = INTENSIVE: concentrated.
31 Lament that Diana confused Reg (5)
DI-RGE
Diana (DI) confused "Reg" (RGE) = DIRGE: lament.
32 Rosco lives in hope of forecasting the future (9)
HO(ROSCO)PE
In hope (HO-PE) Rosco lives (ROSCO) = HOROSCOPE: forecasting the future.

Down
1 So barmy, can it be a prank? (5)
ANTIC
So barmy "can it" be = ANTIC: a prank.
2 Times, maybe, for one father for each (5)
PA-PER
One father (PA) for each (PER) = PAPER: Times maybe.
3 I see you backed Ireland and North Korea for the hockey (3,4)
IC-E RI-NK
I see (IC) you backed Ireland, 'IRE' (ERI) and North Korea (NK) = ICE RINK: for the hockey.
4 A school day came maybe (7)
ACADEMY
"Day came" maybe = ACADEMY: a school.
5 Half the gentry take just one ton, to see how it looks (3,2,2)
TRY I-T ON
Half the gen-try (TRY) take just one (I) ton (T-ON) = TRY IT ON:to see how it looks.
6 The candle doesn't burn long around Hollywood (7)
WICK-LOW
The candle doesn't burn long, because the WICK is LOW = WICKLOW: around Hollywood.
7 Somewhere snug for the little lion? (9)
CUB-BYHOLE
Somewhere snug for the lion CUB = CUBBYHOLE.
8 Ray's room has lots of windows (3,6)
SUN LOUNGE
Has lots of windows, and the room to catch the rays.
14 H₂O for D and CO (9)
WATER-FOR-D
H₂O (WATER) for D (FOR D) = WATERFORD: CO (county)
15 Creakiest alternative found in a 3-down (3-6)
ICE SKATER
"Creakiest" alternative = ICE SKATER: found in an ICE RINK
16 A dam's better half? (3)
EVE
A-dam's better half = EVE.
18 A pirate often has only the one point of view (3)
EYE
Point of view = EYE: a pirate often only has one.
20 Coolness of manner after the foot fault perhaps? (7)
RE-SERVE
After the (tennis) foot fault perhaps (RE-SERVE) = RESERVE: coolness of manner.
21 Butch, Ann is in Meath! (7)
M(ANN-IS)H
In Meath (M-H) Ann is (ANN IS) = MANNISH: butch.
22 Wild lobster on the sea bed? Perhaps! (7)
BOLSTER
Wild "lobster" = BOLSTER: on the (sea) bed.
23 South African and French wine that's a good second and set aside for a rainy day (7)
SA-VIN-G-S
South African (SA) and French wine (VIN) that's a good (G) second (S) = SAVINGS: set aside for a rainy day.
27 Wild one with a horn, for sure! (5)
RHINO
Wild, an anagram, one with a horn (I HORN) = RHINO: wild one.
28 The southeast is more than this (5)
THE-SE
The southeast (THE SE) = THESE: more than this (the plural of "this").

Reveal-An-Answer
Need just one answer to get things moving? Here is the solution to today's puzzle, in a hidden format. To reveal any particular answer, highlight the whole line under the relevant clue.

Across
1 A priest that takes lithium cannot be a candidate (9)
A-PP-LI-CAN'T
6 They get a light beer with Smith (5)
WICKS
9 It's a long way to go to see a piper try a new arrangement (9)
TIPPERARY
10 See a sailor in the room at sea (5)
C-AB-IN
11 Red? That's not your vehicle! (7)
CAR-MINE
12 Around an ally, though briefly, that cries at the hunt (5-2)
T(ALLY) HO
13 6 letters (3)
MNO
14 Westmeath is key for the spirit (7)
WH-IS-KEY
17 Very, very young N or B? (7)
NEW-BORN
19 A proposition for me, or the twisted (7)
THEOREM
22 The poor beg, I see, and crowd around (7)
BESIEGE
24 The fuss after 1 B.C.? (3)
AD-O
25 Gathers the hoe's out of the garden? (5,2)
RAKE'S IN
26 Is the rabbit, like, ever let outside? (7)
L(EVER)ET
29 A circuitous route away from the centre (5)
OUTER
30 Concentrated before I've played tennis (9)
INTENS-I'VE
31 Lament that Diana confused Reg (5)
DI-RGE
32 Rosco lives in hope of forecasting the future (9)
HO(ROSCO)PE

Down
1 So barmy, can it be a prank? (5)
ANTIC
2 Times, maybe, for one father for each (5)
PA-PER
3 I see you backed Ireland and North Korea for the hockey (3,4)
IC-E RI-NK
4 A school day came maybe (7)
ACADEMY
5 Half the gentry take just one ton, to see how it looks (3,2,2)
TRY I-T ON
6 The candle doesn't burn long around Hollywood (7)
WICK-LOW
7 Somewhere snug for the little lion? (9)
CUB-BYHOLE
8 Ray's room has lots of windows (3,6)
SUN LOUNGE
14 H₂O for D and CO (9)
WATER-FOR-D
15 Creakiest alternative found in a 3-down (3-6)
ICE SKATER
16 A dam's better half? (3)
EVE
18 A pirate often has only the one point of view (3)
EYE
20 Coolness of manner after the foot fault perhaps? (7)
RE-SERVE
21 Butch, Ann is in Meath! (7)
M(ANN-IS)H
22 Wild lobster on the sea bed? Perhaps! (7)
BOLSTER
23 South African and French wine that's a good second and set aside for a rainy day (7)
SA-VIN-G-S
27 Wild one with a horn, for sure! (5)
RHINO
28 The southeast is more than this (5)
THE-SE