10
$\begingroup$

Empty crossword grid
Solve on Penpa+

Across
1. Politician rejecting MAGA ideology is a bit of a cliché (6)
5. Seize outspoken drunken sailor (6)
9. Cede control of European kingdom invaded by Germany (4,4)
12. Entirely committed to interrupt evacuation of Tajikistan's capital (7)
13. Outburst from Tottenham player standing next to Brentford's central figure (5)
15. Where one must travel to receive this award? (4)
16. De Gaulle's country settles debt (4)
17. I heard a tiny insect fly (4)
18. Two hundred European Nazis follow revolutionary American blockbuster (7)
21. Much ado about wearing leggings on vacation (5)
22. Disconnects cord from the back (5)
24. Different stage is for people who discriminate (7)
28. Area east of Urals (one containing India) (4)
29. Copies timeless records (4)
33. During stargazing: "Is that Crux?" (4)
35. City about to broadcast operatic premiere (5)
36. Units of American military initially standing by Israeli president (7)
38. Speculative policy enacted by Barack Obama (Dem.), essentially unofficially (8)
39. Develop electric automobile wasting zero energy (6)
40. Moderators notice minute details, in the end (6)

Down
1. Sheets forming documents that may be prerequisites to some degree (6)
2. Hurl rocks at local pedestrians, highly originally (5)
3. Unofficial heading "CU in the NT" is not subject to censorship (5)
4. A great deal of fish and bread in the Andes (3)
5. Bad guy heads off in the navy (5)
6. Assignment left incomplete – lieutenant in shock (4)
7. Prepared in advance to be terminated (6)
8. West Country has A&E reconfigured (5)
10. Fantasy dwarf smuggled into capital of an ancient order (5)
11. After missing note, breaks musical instruments (6)
12. Recall Saw V in theatres? That occurred a long time ago (4)
14. Man, perhaps yours truly, slumbered? There's no point! (4)
19. Brittle exterior of car linked to popular road trip pastime (6)
20. He appears in both Book of Genesis and thesaurus (4)
23. Editor disregarded when author changed cities; he wrote sci-fi stories (6)
25. Live album recorded by Metallica with additional musicians, e.g. Rolling Stones (4)
26. For example, Captain Hook failing to get Peter initially might be this? (5)
27. Philosophers Adam Smith and David Hume possibly inspired me, in retrospect (6)
28. Article on donated desert flower (5)
30. Slice of pizza with cheese crust (5)
31. I wound up in southern city (5)
32. Destruction follows black bear (5)
34. Green leaves on top of lawn (4)
37. Count is stuck, turning down present (3)

$\endgroup$

1 Answer 1

9
$\begingroup$

GRID

Grid

ACROSS

1. TRUISM - TRU(-mp)ISM (h/t msh210...thanks!)
5. HIJACK - "HIGH JACK"
9. HAND OVER - HANOVER + D -Germany]
12. TALLINN - ALL IN in T_N
15. TONY (&lit) - TO + NY [New York]
16. PAYS - ddef. (PAYS is French for country)
17. FLEE - "FLEA"
18. SUCCESS - SU [revolutionary American (US<)] + CC [200] + E [European] + SS [Nazis]
21. LOADS - ADO* wearing L_S (leggings on vacation, i.e. being emptied...nice!) 22. PARTS - STRAP<
24. AGEISTS - STAGE IS*
28. ASIA (&lit) - A + _S + A containing I [NATO phonetic]
29. APES - (-t)APES
33. GIST - _G IS T_
35. CAIRO - C [about, circa] + AIR + O_
36. AMPERES - A_ M_ + PERES
38. ACADEMIC - ACA + DEM + _IC_
39. EVOLVE - E + VOLV(-o) + E
40. ADMINS - AD [notice] + MIN + _S

DOWN

1. THESES - SHEETS*
2. RALPH - R_ A_ L_ P_ H_
3. UNCUT - U_ + CU in NT
4. SOL - SOL(-e)
5. HEAVY - (-t)HE (-n)AVY
6. JOLT - JO(-b) + LT
7. CANNED - ddef.
8. KANYE - KENYA with a<->e
10. DORIC - DORI + C
11. VIOLAS - VIOLA(-te)S
12. TWAS - SAW< + T [V (#5) in theatres]
13. SPURT - SPUR + _T_
14. ISLE - I [yours truly] + SLE(-pt)
19. CRISPY - C_R + I SPY
20. ESAU - "he appears in Genesis" [def] and in thesaurus [container] (clever!)
23. ASIMOV - AS + I + MOV(-ed) (h/t samm82...thanks!)
25. GEMS - (S&M + EG)<
26. IRATE - (-p)IRATE
27. STOICS - SCOTS + I [me]<
28. AGAVE - A + GAVE
30. PIECE - PIE + C_E
31. MIAMI - I MAIM<
32. BRUIN - RUIN + B [black]
34. TEAL - TEA + L_
37. ADD - AD(-here)D

Two things I was unsure of:

In 1A, Politician rejecting MAGA seems to be a named politician losing the letters in MAGA, but I couldn't figure out who. TRUMP, TRUDEAU and TRUMAN seemed promising, but not quite sure how to work it out.

23D I just have no clue.

EDIT: Explanations provided by samm82 and msh210...thanks!

$\endgroup$
2
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ For 23D: rot13("jura nhgube punatrq pvgvrf" = "NF V ZBIRQ" - qvfertneqvat "RQvgbe" tvirf "NFVZBI") $\endgroup$
    – samm82
    Commented Jun 19 at 3:23
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ ZC-erwrpgvat Gehzcvfz $\endgroup$
    – msh210
    Commented Jun 19 at 3:39

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.