Most important features of a man a gal hoped to change (5,3,5) Shanties including trendy elements to add flavour (10)ĬAST DD “Company” in the sense of “a group of opera singers, dancers, or actors who work together” (Collins) overlaps the sense of “cast” as “the group of performers to whom parts are assigned players.”ĭied, squeezed by increasingly tight snake (7) GUFFAWING GUFF, “Empty talk” + AWING, “inspiring fear” LANCE CORPORAL LANCE, “cut open” + COR, “my(!)” + P(OR)AL (CHINA being “pal” via CRS and OR our old standby the “Other Ranks”)Įmpty talk inspiring fear or laughter (9) Soldier cut open by my men in China (5,8) PARTICLE P(iano) + ARTICLE, “for example, a” On piano, for example, a minute piece (8) Resistance and division ousting Scotland’s first minister (6) Unqualified, say, in cacti or bananas (9)Īt sea a way to plot and exact revenge (4,9)ĭEAD RECKONING DEAD, “exact” + RECKONING, “revenge”īack roads unevenly filled with mixed oil and tar (6) ACROSSīoundary by India playing for charity (10)ĬOMPASSION COMPASS, “Boundary” + I(ndia) + ON, “playing” …“Boundary” is a shot that makes contact with the eponymous line on the field in cricket, one of the many sports about which I am utterly ignorant. I indicate (Ars Magna)* like this, and italicize anagrinds in the clues. But-IMHO-here on Earth we must proceed by 12, with no celestial guidance. Yes, that’s a Bible verse cited by this confirmed nonbeliever. “Don’t look to the skies, to the sun or the moon or the stars, all the heavenly bodies, and be led astray, worshipping and serving them,” saith Deuteronomy 4:19. And I was confused about 19, thinking it must hinge on a rare and even dubious definition, which I certainly didn’t expect from M Price, until Keriothe informed me that I had the wrong answer (d’oh!). For a time, the surface of 1A seemed rather opaque, which isn’t his style, but that was my own fault. Another fine Bob creation that garners nothing but praise from me.

Curl meander crossword