Saturday, November 19, 2011 - Fall Tune-up

Introduction

While I discerned no clear theme in today's offering from Cox and Rathvon, automobile service personnel do seem to be front and centre.











Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted; "†" explicit in the clue

Across

8a   ATHLETICS - anagram (developed) of LITHE ACTS

10a   DRAM|A - DRAM (shot) + A (†)

11a   FIRS|T - FIRS (evergreens) + (at) T (end of streeT)

12a   BOTTOMS UP - anagram (freely) of PUBS MOTTO

13a   LACQUER~ - sounds like (auditor's; i.e., to an auditor or listener) LACKER (someone who doesn't have)

15a   NO(THIN)G - THIN (diluted) contained in (in) NOG (Christmas drink)

16a   {GARAGE MECHANICS}* - anagram (drastically) of CHANGE CARS IMAGE

19a   IMP|LIED - IMP (little rascal) + LIED (told a fib)

21a   RESIGNS - double definition; "inks a new contract" & "quits"

23a   STAGHOUND* - anagram (badly) of A DOG HUNTS

24a   NO(B)EL - NOEL ([English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer Noel] Coward) containing (withholds) B (good; as a grade in school)

26a   I|DEAL - I (island) + DEAL (trade)

27a   HEADSTONE - anagram (misrepresented) ONES DEATH

Down

1d   L|AWFUL - L (Liberal) + AWFUL (inspiring dread)

2d   THOR_ - THORN (sticker) without its final letter (not quite finished)

3d   REST|RUNG - RUNG (called) following (after) REST (break)

4d   TIM(B)ER - B (bee) contained in (inside) TIMER (clock)

5d   AD|RO(I)T - I (†) contained in (caught in) {AD (commercial) + ROT (nonsense)}

6d   WAS|SAILING - WAS (†) + SAILING (flying high)

7d   RAM|PAGES - RAM (hit hard) + PAGES (leaves)

9d   SATANIC* - anagram (possibly) of AS ANTIC

14d   {CARD PLAYER}* - anagram (plastic) of PER LYCRA AD

Lycra - a trademark, used primarily in Britain, for an exceptionally elastic synthetic fibre more commonly known in North America as Spandex.

16d   GAINS|AID - GAINS (gets) + AID (help)

17d   M(A|D R)USH - {A (†) + DR (doctor)} contained in (amid) MUSH (journey with sled dogs)

18d   _AR|SON|IS|T_ - hidden (somewhat) in heAR SON IS Thought

20d   IN|HALE - sounds like (pronounce) {INN (tavern) + HAIL (salute)}

21d   RE(DI)AL - DI (couple of dimes; i.e., first two letters of DImes) contained in (deposited in) REAL (actual)

22d   SA(L)VER - SAVER (pack rat) containing (acquires) L (large)

25d   B|LOW - B ([musical] note) + (on) LOW (bass)

Signing off for today - Falcon