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Thursday, 30 June 2022

Weekend Quick Cryptic 54 - Solution

My fellow TimesforTheTimes contributors Phil Jordan, Sawbill and I are continuing to produce Quick Cryptic crosswords to fill the gap left by the Saturday Times not having one. The plan is for us to take turns, publishing one a fortnight, and this week it's Phil's turn. 

You can find a link to the crossword here and the answers below. Feel free to leave any comments or questions here as you would do on TfTT. You can find an index to the complete series of crosswords here.

Before looking at the answers, if you would like some additional help, click the label below.

Hints...

 Some hints and tips:
  • Can you spot the special property of the grid of answers?
  • The antelopes are perhaps a less usual spelling as people know the brand name better.
  • Not that it helps with the answer...Pansy is not a common name these days, but do you remember Pansy Potter?
  • For one answer you need to think of a weapon and remove the first and last letters.

And click on this label to get the solution.

Solution...

Definitions underlined in bold italics, (Abc)* indicating anagram of Abc, {deletions} and [] other indicators.

Across

1              Game, after which you'd enjoy this drink (6)

                SQUASH - Double definition, the second a cryptic hint.

4              Failure for lots of people at first (4)

                FLOP – Initial letters [at first] of For Lots Of People.

8              Flourish breakfast bowl? (8)

                BRANDISH – BRAN (breakfast) DISH (bowl).

9              Indian city artist is after silver (4)

                AGRA – RA (Royal Academician; artist) [after] AG (chemical symbol for silver).

11           Savagely cut guitar (3)

                AXE – Double definition.

12           Antelopes and deer return to county (9)

                REEDBUCKS – DEER [return] -> REED, BUCKS (County of Buckinghamshire). More commonly known as Reeboks.

13           Last to finish on river (6)

                ENDURE – END (finish) URE (river in North Yorkshire).

15           Heart of weapon to develop gradually (6)

                EVOLVE – Middle letters of [heart of] rEVOLVEr (weapon).

18           Bat seen after dark in late entertainment venue (9)

                NIGHTCLUB – CLUB (bat) [after] NIGHT (dark).

19           Limit international honour (3)

                CAP – Double definition.

20           Whichever way you look at it, it's twelve (4)

                NOON – A palindrome [whichever way you look at it].

21           Bang on about not voting Conservative? (8)

                BELABOUR – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint.

22           Makes more of Dad's dishevelment (4)

                ADDS – (Dad’s)* [dishevelment].

23           Whispered comments as I dress oddly (6)

Down

1              Bet it's a cut of meat for the auditor (5)

                STAKE – Sounds like [for the auditor] STEAK (cut of meat).

2              Cruelly rude winter to take on a risk (10)

                UNDERWRITE – [Crude] (rude winter)*.

3              Methodical procedure Pansy's tempted to take on board (6)

                SYSTEM – Hidden in [take on board] PanSY’S TEMpted.

5              "Go!" I call hysterically - it's clearly reasonable (7)

                LOGICAL – (Go I call)* [hysterically].

6              Afterthought to take in song and dramas (5)

                PLAYS – PS (afterthought) outside [to take in] LAY (song).

7              Jack to be idle - it's well alight (6)

                ABLAZE – AB (Able Bodied seaman; Jack) LAZE (be idle).

10           Perfectly ethical over directors (5,5)

                ABOVE BOARD – ABOVE (over) BOARD (directors).

14           Tree - and who'd pee against it they tell me (7)

                DOGWOOD – Sounds like, [they tell me] DOG WOULD. Ha ha!

16           Large business network of politician in Ireland once (6)

                EMPIRE – MP (politician) [in] EIRE (Ireland once).

17           Peels back skin at first - is dead to the world (6)

                SLEEPS – PEELS [back] -> SLEEP, Skin [at first].

18           Type of turtle back in New Jersey area finally (5)

                NINJA – IN [back] -> NI, NJ (New Jersey) areA [finally].

19           Annoyed mule? (5)

                CROSS – Double definition.
at

18 comments:

  1. Dick and Nell2 July 2022 at 11:24

    Thanks John. Enjoyed this and liked the clever use of letters!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous2 July 2022 at 11:31

      Oops! We were not so good with the letters! Should have read, 'Thanks, Phil' .

      Delete
    2. John3 July 2022 at 08:50

      Thanks for the comment, and well done for spotting the pangram.

      Delete
  2. Cedric Statherby2 July 2022 at 11:38

    Very nice puzzle; took me just under 10 minutes. Main delay was convincing myself that Reedbucks exist (NHO) but checking post completion, I see they do.

    And I spotted the pangram! Many thanks Phil
    Cedric

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John3 July 2022 at 08:53

      Thanks, Cedric. Phil is unable to reply here himself. REEDBUCKS was always going to be the hardest...it was my last one in when test solving.

      Delete
    2. Cedric Statherby3 July 2022 at 10:07

      John, this is very interesting. On crossword.info there is a different clue for the Reedbucks - "Antelopes are literate, we're told". A bit tougher, and I only got it because having met Phil I had an idea how he might pronounce Books and Bucks (clue, not quite the same as I do ...). The alternative clue, referencing the county, is much more straightforward. But why the two?
      Cedric

      Delete
    3. John3 July 2022 at 10:34

      Oops. The clue was edited following feedback from our test solvers and I must have forgotten to update the crossword.info version. There were a couple of other tweaks too, but nothing else as significant. Updated now. Thanks for letting me know.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous2 July 2022 at 12:12

    Thanks vm, Phil, for an enjoyable puzzle, not too hard, not too easy. Liked BELABOUR (LOI), SQUASH, CAP, BRANDISH, ABOVE BOARD, among others. NHO REEDBUCKS but it had to be.
    Happy tennis, Countrywoman.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John3 July 2022 at 08:53

      Thanks for the comments. BELABOUR was one of my favourites too.

      Delete
  4. Smallholder 2 July 2022 at 17:06

    Just finished over a cup of tea after a busy day in the garden. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John3 July 2022 at 08:54

      Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the comment.

      Delete
  5. Ellie from the States2 July 2022 at 17:21

    Oh, my goodness, this one was so much fun! Definitely my favorite cryptic I've worked on since getting into them recently. I didn't quite figure it all out without some hints but I got a lot.

    Learned (or probably re-learned; I'm sure I've come across it in a crossword before and forgot) the word Eire; I kept trying to make Erin fit. Never heard of REEDBUCKS or Bucks as a county.

    The clue for SYSTEM had me confused; I understand that it's in PatSY'S TEMpted but I don't know what gets taken on board? Isn't it already on board? Or perhaps I'm overthinking, haha!

    Still puzzling how CAP is an international hono(u)r. Hmmm. More Googling may be required.

    I absolutely adored the clues for FLOP, BRANDISH, BELABOUR, DOGWOOD, and CROSS. Just delightful all around!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John3 July 2022 at 09:03

      Hi Ellie. Welcome to the Weekend Quick Cryptics. Thanks for your comments and I'm glad you enjoyed it. I've not had time to add an explanation of all the clues, unfortunately, which we usually have here. Bucks is an abbreviation of Buckinghamshire, which requires a bit of local geographical knowledge. For, SYSTEM "take on board" is a wordplay indicator that the answer is hidden. CAP is another British thing I think. When a sportsperson is appointed to an international sports team, they are said to "win their cap". You can read about it here.

      Delete
    2. John3 July 2022 at 11:05

      Explanation of clues now added.

      Delete
  6. BUSMAN3 July 2022 at 14:26

    I've finally managed to access the site. Many thanks to all who've commented, and to John for responding to you all. It's good that my efforts are generally enjoyed here.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Andrew Turner3 July 2022 at 17:01

    Very entertaining but dnf as I fouled up 13a Endure. After all, it's pretty straightforward. Doh!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous3 July 2022 at 18:05

    Enjoyable as usual, but got 21ac wrong putting in “Relabour” (nearly put Remainer for some reason as well).

    I’m assuming Mule? means a mule is an example of a cross breed?

    James

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BUSMAN3 July 2022 at 18:25

      Yes, as MULE is only one example of a cross breed, the question mark is required.

      Delete