The solved grid
1O
P
2E
N
S
3D
E
4A
R
5O
N
6E
N
X
D
X
S
7T
R
O
O
8P
9F
A
V
E
L
A
S
R
T
R
O
A
I
A
10U
N
I
S
O
N
S
11N
I
P
P
Y
S
C
V
T
C
T
12A
L
O
N
E
N
E
S
13S
14G
C
R
M
T
O
15V
I
16L
L
A
17I
K
E
B
A
N
A
I
O
T
N
N
M
D
18C
O
R
N
I
N
G
19T
E
M
P
I
E
R
O
E
N
20S
A
Y
I
N
G
S
21S
H
R
U
G
Across
1 Across Starts, mangled peons (5) → OPENS Anagram
Anagram of “peons”.
3 Across Crazed Doreen a sweetheart (4,3) → DEAR ONE Anagram
Anagram of “Doreen a”.
7 Across Unit with temperature, Aussie hopper, quiet (5) → TROOP Charade
T + ROO + P.
9 Across Slums, broad beans hugging elevated railway (7) → FAVELAS Container
EL inside FAVAS.
10 Across Harmonies from campus boys (7) → UNISONS Charade
UNI + SONS.
11 Across Chilly, sharp-tongued without south (5) → NIPPY Deletion
SNIPPY without its initial S.
12 Across Solitude for metal, single cape (9) → ALONENESS Charade
AL + ONE + NESS.
15 Across Holiday home, openers of very interesting lengthy lectures abroad (5) → VILLA Initialism
First letters of: very, interesting, lengthy, lectures, abroad.
17 Across Flower arranging returning in Diana be kind (7) → IKEBANA Hidden backwards
Hidden backwards inside “Diana be kind”.
18 Across Salting, despising beheaded (7) → CORNING Deletion
SCORNING without its initial S.
19 Across Musical speeds from stopgap worker, one (5) → TEMPI Charade
TEMP + I.
20 Across Maxims from gassy in disarray (7) → SAYINGS Anagram
Anagram of “gassy in”.
21 Across Hush, blanket for dismissive gesture (5) → SHRUG Charade
SH + RUG.
Down
1 Down Without proof, turns to rearranged (2,5) → ON TRUST Anagram
Anagram of “turns to”.
2 Down Rarities seen in complex otic aid (7) → EXOTICA Hidden word
Hidden inside “complex otic aid”.
4 Down Plug, light vehicle, binder for promotion (11) → ADVANCEMENT Charade
AD + VAN + CEMENT.
5 Down Spring bloom found in box lipstick (5) → OXLIP Hidden word
Hidden inside “box lipstick”.
6 Down Paper within dress a youngster (5) → ESSAY Hidden word
Hidden inside “dress a youngster”.
8 Down Professional five, oxygen, positive ion for incitement (11) → PROVOCATION Charade
PRO + V + O + CATION.
9 Down Nurturing ruined fingers to (9) → FOSTERING Anagram
Anagram of “fingers to”.
13 Down Stutter lurking backwards in harem mats (7) → STAMMER Hidden backwards
Hidden backwards inside “harem mats”.
14 Down Spurring vim, ace, chime (7) → GOADING Charade
GO + A + DING.
15 Down Contends gripping hundred, bad habits (5) → VICES Container
C inside VIES.
16 Down Truck, parrot swallowing rook (5) → LORRY Container
R inside LORY.
How this puzzle was checked
Every clue in this crossword was verified against its own wordplay by
software, then the finished puzzle was read and edited by hand before
publication: definitions, indicators, enumerations and surface readings
all get looked at, and clues that don't hold up are rewritten. The
editorial standards set out what that
covers.
Spotted something wrong here? Email
badclues@decryptic.app and
this page will be corrected. See the
corrections policy.
