Weekend Quick Cryptic 61 - 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 Sawbill'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:

• "Especially" is an unusual anagram indicator.
• The grapes are the dried fruit!
• 5D has a novel way of clueing a hidden answer.
• For "houses" think "signs of the zodiac".

And click on this label to get the solution.

Solution and explanation of the answers...

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

Across

1  Unusual to move tea interval... (11)

ALTERNATIVE - [move] (tea interval)*.

9  ...especially after I sip drinks (9)

APERITIFS - [especially] (after I sip)*.

10  A stag might, in truth? (3)

RUT - hidden [in] tRUTh

11  At home Matilda frequently comes back in a state (5)

INDIA - IN (at home) and alternate letters of [frequently] mAtIlDa [comes back] -> DIA.

13  Not odd to mix gin before nightfall (7)

EVENING - EVEN (not odd) [to mix] (gin)*

14  Fasten tie regularly on the right (6)

TETHER - Alternate letters of TiE [regularly] [on] THE R (right).

15  Sailor providing forecast originally in charge (6)

TARIFF - TAR (jolly Jack; sailor) IF (providing) F{orecast} [originally].

18  Lifting dried fruit (grapes first) (7)

RAISING - RAISIN (dried fruit) G{rapes} [first]. The dried fruit being dried grapes. Ha ha!

20  Ian is returning to desert (5)

SINAI - Reversal of IAN IS [returning] -> SINAI.

21  Picked up sheep in operation (3)

USE - Sounds like [picked up] EWES (sheep).

22  Comic angle in Finding Nemo? (9)

CLOWNFISH - CLOWN (comic) FISH (angle).

24  Old reptile in a pretty cold building (11)

PTERODACTYL - (a pretty cold)*  [building].

 

Down

2  The French include one in story (3)

LIE - LE (The in French) [include] I (one).

3  Are time changes needed in Dubai, say? (7)

EMIRATE - (are time)* changes.

4  Fixed trouble that Ned concealed (6)

NAILED - AIL (trouble) in NED [concealed].

5  Sense that a stew is missing, what? (5)

TASTE - {tha}T A STE{w} without the letters of, [missing], WHAT.

6  American from Richmond needs drink after six in swirling rain (9)

VIRGINIAN - GIN (drink) [after] VI (six in Roman numerals) [in] [swirling] (rain)*.

7  A guitarist’s playing in one of the houses (11)

SAGITTARIUS - (A guitarist's)* [playing]. Houses being another name for signs of the Zodiac.

8  Difficulty going on (5,6)

STAGE FRIGHT - Cryptic definition.

12 Tried nuts before people talked initially of harm (9)

DETRIMENT - (Tried)* [nuts] MEN (people) T{alked} [initially].

16  Element turned up in medicines rarely (7)

ARSENIC - Reverse hidden in [turned up in] mediCINES RArely. Nice surface - Arsenic is poisonous.

17 Ancient silver lode refined (3-3)

AGE-OLD - AG (Chemical symbol for silver) (lode)* [refined].

19  Collect dog inside earlier (5)

INCUR - IN (inside) before [earlier] CUR (dog).

23  Plant at the start is virtually empty (3)

IVY - Initial letter, [at the start] of Is and outside letters of V(irtuall}Y [empty].