Azed 2688

[SarahBandB]

The Observer on 24/12 had a crossword in by Azed (A Cool Yomp [Yule Comp?] - 2,688).  It's not a paper I usually buy so I'm not familiar with Azed's puzzles.  I'm bamboozled by the clues (they contain Spoonerisms) and I wondered if anyone had completed the puzzle and could give me a couple of answers to help me get my head around them.  I've got two answers but that's it!

The answers I have are 20A - 'Lotto Mike played chap I gripe' which I worked out was EPIGRAPHIC because Lotto Mike is a Spoonerism for Motto-like.  I've also got 2A - 'Norse came for Italian health farm, grand' which I think is SPAG because Norse Came is a Spoonerism for Coarse Name.  I'm struggling with all the others. 

Examples include 5D - 'Pop tart one nibbles by the sound of it [4]' which I assume is 'Top part' followed by a word that sounds like a definition for nibbles and 4D - 'Salt to cut? Portion went wrong mostly [8]' which I have no idea about.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

[JJ109]

4d parterre - part erre(d (portion almost went wrong)

Spoonerism = tar pare (salt and cut)

[brainiac]

How is 'parterre'   'salt to cut' ?

[JJ109]

It is a thematic crossword and parterre, pronounced par tare, gives a spoonerism of tar pare

A tar is a sailor or salt

and to pare is to cut

 

[SarahBandB]

Thankyou.  So Parterre is the answer, even though there's no definition?  Is this one of the 'nine' clues mentioned in the description?  Blimey - no wonder I'm struggling :D !!! 

[JJ109]

6d Celery = Celerity (speed - it)

= Raw stick for the table

Store rick for the table? Speed’s disposed of it (6)

I did finish this crossword and thoroughly enjoyed it but cannot remember what I got for 5d! 

 

[JJ109]

Forgive me - I was trying to work out what letters I had so have just redone the crossers

5d =Apex = top part = a(one) pex (sounds like nibbles)

 

[SarahBandB]

That's so helpful, thanks JJ109.  I love this sort of puzzle (a challenge within a challenge) but I think my vocabulary isn't a match for Azed!

[JJ109]

You learn alot with the AZED - I nearly always have to work out the parsing and then look up the definition, or the opposite, get the definition and then look up the words for the parsing.

If you haven't got it yet - the lignite one is papercoal (which I had never heard of). I shall let you see the Spoonerism. This was my favourite recent crossword - some of the answers  were very witty!