Cryptic crossword No 1,721
Sat 20 Apr 2024, set byGuava
11
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Lovely theme: seamless. I doubt lowbrow has ever been so highbrow. Your in-depth knowledge worries me enormously! Proper lean, great surfaces and wit to boot. Fair but (especially in the South) chewy. What’s not to like? I could have happily ticked pretty much every clue but …
Wonderfully done Guava, took a little while to get on your wavelength but once I worked out what you were up to with your theme I thoroughly enjoyed teasing out all of your creative constructions. Typically fun and inventive with a grid that did 31a very much indeed. Favourites included 9a (very neat), 10a (cute), 11a (smooth surface), 16a (fun def), 20a (nicely done), 23a (very nice), 1d (fun and neat), 2d (very neat), 5d (likewise), 8d (very clean), 13d (nice) and 27d (COTD - great def and WP)
A tour de force! Definitely a real challenge, but a satisfying one. The themeing is superbly done, and the clue surfaces generally smooth and often witty. A real pleasure to tackle. Prolific use of L&S was fun and fair once I cottoned on to it, as was most of the rest of the stretchiness, and I loved seeing the different ways the shows could be used. Very very tiny quibbles in the reply.
Thanks Guava, what a ride! Got there by skin of my teeth, with a fair bit of checking and needed your notes to parse some - but what an incredible theme, and what wonderful wordplay! Lots of great ones to enjoy, including 5a, 16a, 20a, 29a, 2d, 4d, 16d, and wow - 27d is amazing - was pretty stunned by that one! 🤩
Strewth, Guava! Not sure I found this as solvable as some; I needed some judicious help towards the end. You clearly know your theme - and somewhat better than I. Some very creative constructions, some of which I did not see through. Faves inc 1a, 10a, 20a, 22a, 2d, 8d, 18d and 19d. Spoiler in Reply. Thanks. PM
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