Keeping up with the 1991 theme, here’s a plain daily cryptic. Actually it’s a Saturday prize crossword from the Independent, the Saturday in question being 31 August 1991. Aside from silently correcting a typo (if stating the fact here counts as ‘silently’), I’ve resisted the temptation to amend clues, even if one or two made me wince. I don’t do so many Saturday competition puzzlers these days – have I got easier or has the ambient difficulty level gone up? Or is the Flynn Effect rampant among solvers?
As always my thanks to The Independent for permission to reprint it. Their weekday crossword is here. That spot also contains the weekend blocked puzzles on the relevant days, but I think they’re still one week behind.
ACROSS
1 City in this place favouring Germany (8)
5 Black spot ruined Geums – dead internally (6)
9 See me, upright, holding one symbol of remembrance (8)
10 Map’s first thing to be carried by one unsure of location? Just about (6)
11 More than one late party is rousing (5)
12 I fasten last two bits of nappy, possibly (6-3)
14 Declining meeting with tennis-player? (7,2,4)
17 Mass attack may bring benefit if one waits? (7,6)
20 Tiger-cats released according to plan (9)
21 Worried man, say, held back summary (5)
22 Sadly behind, last of cash gone (end of credit)? (2,4)
23 Mythical bird snatching soldier and queen, according to fabulist (8)
24 Shouted ‘Surrender!’ when capturing the French? One’s escaped (6)
25 Type allowed in to interview President on a superficial basis? (4-4)
DOWN
1 In-fighting declined, finally, on the way back (8)
2 Third helping of tart – dubious make – in small bowl (7)
3 Dismisses cases of arson (5)
4 Making new appointments with reference to a disturbance in Sing-Sing (11)
6 They’re first on the scene, by gum! (4-5)
7 Was hanging loose, or, conversely, coming in under the influence of drugs (7)
8 Antique navigational instrument (top missing) still available (6)
13 Time for planting? (6-5)
15 I take scripture lessons – board’s disposed to anger (9)
16 Rent reduction? (Then this must be one of joy!) (4-4)
17 Some of the nastiest rude louts may become sweet (7)
18 About to get Wagner’s Ring, say, put back in circulation (7)
19 Most of fossil rocks needing year to become hard (6)
21 New twist when serving up this shellfish (5)
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