Unlike their previous offering, the theme of today's puzzle by Cox and Rathvon is easy to spot - even if it is up in the air, as the setters take us for a ride in a variety of airborne vehicles.
By the way, a sharp-eyed reader did spot the theme in last week's puzzle. If you are curious, you can find out what it was by visiting last Saturday's blog.
Solution to Today's Puzzle
Legend: | "*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed |
"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted |
Across
1a TRIP|LANE - TRIP (journey) + (by) LANE (road)
5a S|C|RUBS - S (second) + C (cup) + (and) RUBS (wipes)
9a AG|LOW - AG ([chemical symbol for the element] silver) + LOW (base)
10a S|PACES|HIP - S (small) + PACES (steps) + HIP (wise; as in "Having once been taken in, I'm now hip to her tricks.")
12a INGRES|S - INGRES (French painter [Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres]) + S ('s)
13a S(PL)URGE - SURGE (gush) containing (about) PL (place)
14a HELICOPTER* - anagram (flying) of CHEER PILOT
16a SPIT - double definition; "order from a dentist" & "sharply pointed rod"
19a RAYS~ - sounds like (in the sound) RAISE (bring up)
20a HO(V)ERCRAFT* -V ([Roman numeral for] five) contained in (packed into) {an anagram (convertible) of CAR FOR THE}
23a {PIT|STOP}< - reversal (to the left) of {POTS (vessels) + TIP (tilt)}
25a A|BETTOR (or A|BETTER) - A (one) + BETTOR/BETTER (gambler)
26a TUR(B)OPROP* - anagram (shakily) of POUR PORT containing B (fifth [letter] of
27a TICKS - double definition; "checks" & "bloodsuckers"
28a WREAKS~ - sounds like (audibly) REEKS (noxious odours)
29a ZE(PP|ELI)N - {PP (pages) + ELI} contained in ZEN (Buddhist school)
Down
1d TO|A|DISH - TO + A + DISH (beauty queen)
2d ILL(EG)ALLY - EG (for example) contained in (with ... outside) {ILL (sick) + ALLY (friend)}
3d LA(WREN)CE - WREN (architect [Christopher Wren]) contained in (wearing) LACE (fine fabric)
D. H. Lawrence - English writer4d NES(T)S - NESS (Scottish loch [Loch Ness]) containing T (first [letter] of T
6d C(RE)OLE - COLE (Porter [American composer and songwriter Cole Porter]) containing (carrying) RE (about)
7d US|HER - HER (that woman) following (behind) US (our group)
8d SAPIENT* - anagram (changing) of PANTIES
11d AUSTERE* - anagram (processed) of TEA SURE
15d PRO(S)PER - PROPER (fitting) containing (around) S (front [letter] of S
17d P(RACTIC*)AL - PAL (friend) containing (collecting) {an anagram (bats) of ARCTIC}
18d S|CREW-TOP - S (southern) + CREW (team) + TOP (to pass)
19d RO(PE T|O)W - {PET (favourite) + O (ring)} contained in (in) ROW (donnybrook)
21d T{URNS) IN - URNS (vessels) contained in (clad) TIN (metal)
Note: submit is used in the sense of to hand in an assignment22d A(T WO)RK - TWO (pair) contained in (aboard) ARK (Noah's boat)
24d TO(R)TE - TOTE (bag) containing (holding) R (last [letter] of
25d A(MP)LE - ALE (beer) containing (split by) MP (legislator; i.e., Member of Parliament)
Signing off for today - Falcon