SubscriptionsJanuary 2025 Puzzle Solutions
Across: 7 Homophone (we hear) of enlarged (grew) + 1st letter (the opening to) of (M)ezzanine = GROOM (school), 8 CD, 10 CD, 11 This month (INST) inserted into (is stuffing) fish (EEl) minus last letter (a great deal of) + at home (IN) = EINSTEIN (scientist), 12 CD, 13 Unshaven (hAIRY) in a London accent = AIRY (cheerful), 15 DD (ie ‘I sittin’ on de fence, maan!’)/guard duty = DEFENCE, 17 CD, 20 Reverse (comes over) hidden (to some extent) = MERE (pure and simple), 22 Present (NOW) + having got (juxtaposition) ON + reversal (from the East End) of ruby (RED) = NO WONDER (unsurprising), 25 CD, 26 Left (QUIT) replacing (going over) the contents of E(ssa)Y = EQUITY (impartiality), 27 Anagram (animatedly) of middle letter (essentially) of bo(B)by + ITERATES = BATTERIES (they are likely to be charged), 28 Whimsical DD with BE A NO being ‘advice naysayer might offer’.
Down: 1 Anagram (out) of CRUDE FART = FRACTURED (cracked), 2 Anagram (is affected) of BAD IF ONE = BONA FIDE (real), 3 Different ways (MODE + ST) + last letter (back to) of simplicit(Y) = MODESTY (propriety), 4 Whimsical reading of ELON-GATE (draw out), 5 w(AV)e minus out letters (goodbye to extremists) + A + reversal (twisted) of tell-tale (RAT) = AVATAR (image online), 6 PETIT (little in French, indicated by Nice) read as PET IT (way of making dog happy) , 9 Hidden (‘s content) and reversed (from the South) in bigOT EVacuated = VETO (refuse approval), 14 Bunk (bERTh) without the outer letters (being discovered) with ruined (UNDONE) outside = UNDERTONE (suggestion), 16 DD, coming over the pond indicating the Americanism, 18 Anagram (by mistake) of USED RENT = DENTURES (canines to be taken out regularly?), 19 Stylish (IN) + group of nuns (ORDER) = IN ORDER (well-organised), 21 Old (EX) + SEAT with 1st letter to last (cycling) = EXEATS (more than one time out), 23 My friends and I (WE) by (juxtaposition) 1st letter (primarily) of (T)alking containing (about) H (beethoven’s 5th) = WHET (stimulate), 24 (S)ucceeded + perfectly (TO A T) = STOAT (small predator).
