Solution no 2,222

The solution and annotation to The Nation puzzle No. 2,222, originally published in 1969, is below the fold.

 

Legend: “*” anagram; “~” sounds like; “<“ letters reversed; “( )” letters inserted; “_” or lower case: letters deleted; “†” explicit in the clue, “^” first or last letter or letters, “{“ relocated letter or letters; “§” heteronym, “¶” letter bank

Across

1a, 28a	FASHION MODELS	Double definition
5a	LAGGARD	Quote from the poem “” by Sir Walter Scott
9a	CARCASS	Single definition
10a	*FIBROID	*BIRD OF I (anagram indicated by “something to make” and by “fancy”) Two indicators: wonder if Lewis had any test solvers
11a, 1d, 5d	THE FACTS OF LIFE	Pun. “not theoretically” hints at FACTS
13a	S(T)OLID	T (“sort of square”) contained in (“inside”) SOLID (“very firm”)
15a	DEBITS	Single definition
16a	CABINET	Single definition, cross-ref to 26d, CLOSET
17a, 19a, 21a	FREE THINKING	Pun (opposite of [“he certainly wouldn’t be”] “tied up” fat king [“Old Cole”])
19a		See 17a
20a	GOLDSMITH	Pun
21a		See 17a
23a	YARD	Reference to Scotland Yard, headquarters for detectives (“dicks”)
26a	*CED(ILL)A	ILL (“sick”) contained in (“inside”) *ACED (anagram indicated by “sort of”)
28a		See 1a
29a	*ENTAIL	*IN LATE (anagram indicated by “you might get … from it”)
30a	STY	na^STY^ (last letters indicated by “it comes to a … end”)
32a	NAIL SET	Double definition A nail set is a tool like a center punch.  You put the point on the head of a finishing nail and hit the top of the nail set with a hammer to drive the nail below the surface of the wood, then smooth the hole over with putty so the nail becomes invisible.
33a	AN(I SEE)D	AND (†) containing (“gets around”) I SEE (“I observe”)
34a	SIGHTLY	Double definition referring to sightseeing
35a	*E(LAPS)ES	*SEE (anagram indicated by “rather poorly”) containing (“about”) LAPS (“that which might be run on the track”)

Down

1d		See 11 across
2d	*SCRO(<OG<)E	*SCORE (anagram indicated by “bad”) containing (“around”) <GO< (reversal indicated by “up”)
3d	ITALIC	Double definition
4d, 18d	NEST EGG	Single definition (reference to saving for a rainy day)
5d		See 11 across
6d	GOBLET	GOB (“sailor”) + LET (“allowed”)
7d	*AB(*OLI)SH	*BASH (anagram indicated by “in a way”) containing (“about”) *OIL (anagram indicated by “development”)
8d	DO(*DGSO)N	DON (“someone like Quixote”) containing (“around”) *GODS (anagram indicated by “upset”)
12d	HAIR SHIRT	Single definition
14d	D(ALL)IES	DIES (“fades away”) containing (“around”) ALL (“everything”)
15d	DE (MILL)E	MILL (“poetic miller”) contained in (“ran in”) DEE (“river”)
18d		See 4 down
19d	THY	Single definition
21d	KIM*ONOS	KIM (“a Kipling character”) + *SOON (anagram indicated by “gets upset”)
22d	NODDING	Double definition (reference to “Homer nods”)
24d	AZ A*LEAS	AZ (“the first and last letters”) + A (†) + *SEAL (anagram indicated by “broken”)
25d	DE*LUDES	DE (“of the French”) + *DUELS (anagram indicated by “sort of”)
26d	*C(LO)SET	LO (“look”) contained in (“it’s in”) *SECT (anagram indicated by “strange”)
27d	AN(GIN)A	GIN (“spirit”) contained in (“shown in”) AN A (“a couple of articles”)
30d	STAY	Double definition
31d	YALE	Double definition (reference to Yale brand locks)