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Each Across clue leads to two different words that are anagrams of each other; the wordplay is for one, and the definition is for the other (in either order). For example, in the clue “Near true object (5),” the wordplay “Near true” indicates NIGHT, while the definition “object” indicates THING. Use the Down entries, which are normal, to determine which word should go in the grid.
ACROSS
1 One who opposes a country of dateless men? (10)
8 Hide second tattoo (4)
9 Wilder, Virginia to retaliate (6)
11 Deacon traditionally provides cover for liturgical singer (6)
12 Less than two times one hundred plus one (4)
13 Laurel embracing the author’s religious icon (5)
15 Take back automobile, returning within a certain distance (7)
17 Turned around and became mellow in essay (7)
22 Warning is withdrawn about unfinished conversation (5)
23 Towheaded urchin licks adults on their faces (4)
24 Eliminating error, duplicates a revolutionary political ideology (6)
25 Hunt (Oscar-winning actress) bears a son (6)
26 Cheese and ale for the audience (4)
27 Extremely speedy South American dictator takes oath at start of inauguration (10)
DOWN
1 Scarf taking the place of a bed (5)
2 Can Connecticut be red or blue? (5)
3 Insect beginning to eat chips, perhaps (4)
4 A medical professional goes in to pick up a stone (6)
5 New England friend is a neighbor to 6 (5)
6 The Nation is independent, I admit up front (5)
7 Examine candidate’s tooth filling (4)
10 General that is a granter of wishes (5)
14 Backers of Jesus may curl up with slender woman (5)
16 Give a hearing to the people who plant trees (6)
18 Gather outside front of courthouse for summary (5)
19 A flower came up (5)
20 Young Glaswegian I placed in animal shelter (5)
21 Native of Mexico hosted by Stockholm eccentric (5)
22 Curves and matrices, subtracting the odd elements (4)
23 Burns leaving New Jersey city as a vagrant (4)
SOLUTION TO PUZZLE NO. 3489
ACROSS 1 SU(PERM ODE)L[k] 6 anag. 9 GO(D)P AREN’T 10 [i/ME]-DEA 11 SA(L)VE 12 CAME + RAMEN 13 POLK(ADO)T 15 COR[o]NER 17 BE TIDE 18 S(CO)F + FLAW 21 BAR + CEL + ON A 22 NIGE-[r/L] 24 O(XLI)P[en] 25 PEPP[i]ER + ON-I 26 S(KY)E 27 WA(TERN)Y + MPH
DOWN 1 SIGN (anag.) + SUP 2 PE + DAL (rev.) 3 REA(DEMAND + WEE)P 4 OVERC (anag.) + O + OK 5 ENTOM (anag.) + B 7 anag. 8 S + CANNER 10 MARG + O(TFO)N + TEYN (rev.) 14 LITE + RALLY 16 SC[a]R + APPLE 17 BA(BOON)S 19 WOL (rev.) + FISH 20 HOOP-LA (rev.) 23 G + ROOM
Joshua Kosman and Henri PicciottoJoshua Kosman and Henri Picciotto are The Nation’s puzzlers. To read more about Kosman, click here. To read more about Picciotto, click here. Kosman and Picciotto explain what they’re up to in “Solving The Nation’s Cryptic Crosswords” (also available as a PDF). Check out The Nation’s Current Issue page each week for the latest puzzle.