Friday, 28 July 2023

Weekend Quick Cryptic 82 - 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 my 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 TfTTYou 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 and tips...

Some hints and tips:
  • 15A is the only non-thematic across answer and it requires you to split "Sunday Times"
  • In the wordplay for 21A the Dean is not a cleric
  • For 5D think of the Mormons
  • In 7D the whole clue is the definition
  • In 20D the first definition is a verb not a noun.
And click on this label to get the solution.



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

Across
1 It's donned by Arab moll in disguise (8)
BALMORAL – (Arab moll)* [in disguise].
6 Robin, for one, originally had only one doublet (4)
HOOD – First letters of Had Only One Doublet [originally].
8 Ben not bothered but rather obsessed with a bee in his?  (6)
BONNET – (Ben not)* [bothered].
9 Put another penny in drunkard's hat (6)
TOPPER – Add another P (penny) into TOPER (drunkard).
10 Handled soft fabric (4)
FELT – Double definition.
11 Rudolf's family hide? (8)
DEERSKINDEER’S (e.g. Rudolf’s) KIN (family).
12 Yellowish growths return (5)
STRAW – WARTS (growths) [return] -> STRAW.
13 The German's next to race (5)
DERBYDER (The in German) BY (next to).
15 Mull over tip by extreme character in Sunday Times (8)
MULTIPLYMULL outside TIP, last letter of, [extreme character in], SundaY.
17 After first sign of measles beg for PPE (4)
MASK – Initial letter [first sign] of Measles, ASK (beg).
19 Iron Lady's hat (6)
FEDORAFE (chemical symbol of iron) DORA (lady’s name). A bit of a chestnut.
20 Fish from Scottish island's out of this world (6)
MULLETMULL (Scottish island) ET (Extra-Terrestrial; out of this world)..
21 Dean, we hear, needed to cover face (4)
VEIL – Sounds like VALE (dean).
22 Medic wearing more painful old Mexican hat (8)
SOMBREROMB (medic) inside SORER (more painful) O (old).
 
Down
2 A flower that's moved from bed (5)
AROSEA ROSE (flower).
3 Scary creature highlighted in sermon's terrifying (7)
MONSTER – Hidden in serMON’S TERrifying.
4 Desert fighter's a deserter (3)
RAT – Double definition.
5 Treat Lady Gaga like a sort of saint (6-3)
LATTER-DAY – (Treat Lady)* [gaga]. The Mormon church is also known as the Church of the Latter-Day Saints.
6 Dance ends outsiders' dreams (5)
HOPESHOP (dance), outside letters, [outsiders], of EndS.
7 Condition of  someone on diet who obeys it badly (7)
OBESITY – (obeys it)* [badly]. A sort of semi-&lit.
11 Attaches less importance to Northern Irish dramas (9)
DOWNPLAYSDOWN (county in Northern Ireland) PLAYS (dramas).
12 Girlfriend or crush? (7)
SQUEEZE – Double definition.
14 Walker who goes on and on (7)
RAMBLER – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint.
16 Ugly dwarf's charge for crossing bridge over river (5)
TROLLR (river) in TOLL (charge for crossing bridge)
18 Stick fork into piece of asparagus (5)
SPEAR – Double definition.
20 Mime is keeping quiet (3)
MUM – Double definition, the first a verb not noun.

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