Sydney Morning Herald 2025-08-09

PSALTERY makes another appearance in the crossword-verse this week, it's funny how that happens. Pretty fun all around.

Across

1
Monickers have misspelt main necks (9)
NICKNAMES — anagram (misspelt) of MAIN NECKS
6
No. 1 Douglas Street (5)
FIRST — FIR (douglas) ST (street)
9
Split second drink of milk (5)
SHAKE — double def.
10
Randy, Col and Sue raved about her (9)
LECHEROUS — anagram (raved) of COL SUE around HER
11
Churn out corn and rewrite by instalments (2,6)
ON CREDIT — anagram (churn out) of CORN, EDIT (rewrite)
12
Cook books at the front and rear (6)
BRAISE — B (first letter of books) RAISE (rear)
14
Sporting rock in dog fish's shade (7,5)
CURLING STONE — CUR (dog) LING'S (fish's) TONE (shade)
18
Grandfathers' dreidel shot up the hit parade (3,2,3,4)
TOP OF THE POPS — cryptic def.
21
Three times as hot in second (6)
THRICE — TRICE (second) containing H (hot)
22
Put up internet address, including answer concerning one's stance (8)
POSTURAL — POST (put up) URL (internet address) containing A (answer)
25
Determined female British leader and Labour PM welcomed a vote (6-3)
BATTLE-AXE — B (first letter of British) ATTLEE (Labour PM) containing A X (vote)
26
College issues revealing return on investment (5)
SIEGE — reversal (return) of hidden in collEGE ISsues
27
Odds that aren't at all odds in the end (5)
EVENS — cryptic def.
28
Taylor sent packing after month in city office (9)
MAYORALTY — MAY (month) anagram (sent packing) of TAYLOR

Down

1
Pretty handy with square shoulders? (2,6)
NO SLOUCH — cryptic def.
2
Opening lines in court (8)
CHANCERY — CHANCE (opening) RY (lines)
3
Kinswoman of Bonnie's other half Charlie was gutted (5)
NIECE — NIE (half of Bonnie) CE (Charlie without middle letters)
4
Spooner's showering castle mound from the crucible (7,3)
MELTING POT — Spoonerism of PELTING (showering) MOTTE (castle mound)
5
Lay waste to the elbow (4)
SACK — double def.
6
Fear green scrambled eggs, if they're ethical (4-5)
FREE-RANGE — anagram (scrambled) of FEAR GREEN
7
Tenderfoot that is underfoot of castle (6)
ROOKIE — ROOK (castle) IE (that is)
8
Smacks as class took their seats up (6)
TASTES — reversal (up) of SET (class) SAT (took their seats)
13
London's Victoria, say, and the last Queen Mary's end paper, say (10)
STATIONERY — STATION (London's Victoria, say) ER (last queen) Y (last letter of Mary)
15
So integral to shaping iceless shape (9)
ISOSCELES — anagram (shaping) of ICELESS containing SO
16
Ringer stuffed robe inside puppet (8)
DOORBELL — DOLL (puppet) containing anagram (stuffed) of ROBE
17
Let spray out of antique instrument (8)
PSALTERY — anagram (out) of LET SPRAY
19
Firm with dollars on board (6)
STABLE — S (dollars) TABLE (board)
20
Twist and turn right into white trash (6)
WRITHE — anagram (trash) of WHITE containing R (right)
23
Stare rudely at stunner (5)
TASER — anagram (rudely) of STARE
24
Hand-crafted lamp (4)
PALM — anagram (crafted) of LAMP