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Puzzle 3 by Halcyon
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Halcyon's third offering has a running theme in the clues of bygone pop. The theme is very well integrated into the clues and there are some lovely surface readings here. As with his other puzzles, there is great skill and inventiveness on display here from a setter who really knows how to entertain the solver. My favourites are 29 across and 3 down.

halcyon3.jpg

 
ACROSS
9
Is it sex orgy time? (7)
10 "Round about midnight" has an offbeat intro for Herb (7)
11 No ecstasy for Romeo's sort in dry old biddy (5)
12 Agreed Dion CD nice, but not a single new composition (9)
13 Observation: I see, I hear (8)
14 "It takes two" just back on chart (4)
17 These characters said they're getting regular hits from Ringo... (7)
19 …on the road regularly, jamming with a band (7)
20 Millie's first ska hit's a cover (4)
21 Changing at noon? (8)
26 Raunchy Tina's a hit with people in the Pacific (9)
27 Taste. No limits on Rory's plectrum – a mighty display! (5)
28 Double special edition, with Shangri-Las' finale replaced by Ronette's original (7)
29 Sung perhaps, in any Dead medley, by Pigpen (7)
 
DOWN
1
Boat entering vacant port terminal for drugs makes surreptitious noises to attract attention (5)
2 Former model (with French accent) gets a shameful showing-up (6)
3 Bed down after dawn on heath – abandoned and unknown (3,3,3)
4 Spy fits taps on one hundred phones, at last exposing mediums & seers (8)
5 Grace Slick (6)
6 Sir Paul briefly gets oriental for a top 9 ballroom hit for Gene (5)
7 Half the Duke of York side stuck in awful snow in Barnet! (8)
8 Maybe some deal could get The Animals for rock festival (9)
15 I'm the one covered in wounds from these weapons (9)
16 West-side woman stashes dope for Don? Just the opposite (9)
18 Accident involving Sierra and rear-end of convertible results in deformity (8)
19 Magpie last found in high density here (8)
22 American chopper team's pants on fire (4-2)
23 Criminal and son imprisoned in Greek port (6)
24 Mark foregoes last of bourbon, but still needs a day to get sober (5)
25 Very large, given current city investment – could be a record (5)




Solution to Puzzle 3 by Halcyon