Friday 22 September 2023

Weekend Quick Cryptic 86 - 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 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:
  • In 8A the "thinking match" is done on a board.
  • 2D is a name for the plant after it has gone to seed.
  • The Backs in 6D are not the parts of the Cambridge colleges by the river but may be found playing for Cambridge United.
  • As well as appearing in Greek and Roman mythology, the twins in 7D, who are an example of "heteropaternal superfecundation" are also a pair of stars in a well-known constellation.
  • Entirely coincidentally, the clue for 19D appeared in a Times crossword shortly after Phil had compiled his.
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 MC in fast car, artist in fairground ride (5,5)
GHOST TRAINHOST (MC) in GT (fast car) RA (artist) IN.
8 Thinking match is coming to a conclusion, blow the whistle (7)
ENDGAMEEND GAME (blow the (final) whistle). The “thinking match” being a game of Chess.
9 Knock down a casual chap (5)
FELLAFELL (knock down) A.
10 Close tight (4)
NEAR – Double definition. Think “mean” for the second.
11 Confirms what Goldilocks found (5,3)
BEARS OUT  - Double definition, the second a cryptic hint. Ha ha!
13 In nightmares I try to take an exam again (5)
RESIT – Hidden in nightmaRES I Try.
14 Last year's winner fails to open as he's advanced in years (5)
OLDER -  {h}OLDER (last year’s winner) without the first letter.
16 Repierce clumsily - it's more chilling (8)
CREEPIER – (Repierce)* [clumsily].
17 Old king to bid noisily (4)
OFFA – Sounds like OFFER (bid) [noisily].
20 Prize money could be super! (5)
PURSE – [could be] (super)*.
21 Odd outsider fails to finish (7)
STRANGESTRANGE{r} (outsider) [fails to finish].
22 It'll stop the bleeding strange nit circulating (10)
ASTRINGENT – (strange nit)* [circulating].
 
Down
1 Inexperienced politician (5)
GREEN – Double definition.
2 Clematis found on Captain Birdseye? (3,4,5)
OLD MAN’S BEARD – Double definition the second a cryptic hint.
3 The Farm oddly supplied players (4)
TEAM – Odd letters od ThE fArM.
4 Jacket for smoking? (6)
REEFER – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint.
5 It's not best to suggest French King is to return (8)
INFERIORINFER (suggest) ROI (French King) [to return] -> IOR.
6 Sandbags for The Backs after deluge (5,7)
FLOOD DEFENCEFLOOD (deluge) DEFENCE (the backs in football).
7 One twin aids easy movement (6)
CASTOR – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint. Castor’s twin was Pollux. The ‘aid to easy movement’ is of items of furniture not the reputed effects of Castor oil, as I originally thought.
12 Slow trains found in bottlenecks (8)
STOPPERS – Double definition the second a cryptic hint.
13 Cooking instructions befuddled epicure (not acceptable) (6)
RECIPE – (epic{u}re)* [befuddled] without the U (acceptable).
15 Crones cavorting - this official may have to act (6)
CENSOR – (crones)* [cavorting]. Nice surface!
18 Watchful old consort losing battle at first (5)
ALERTAL{b}ERT (old consort) without the first letter of Battle.
19 Press club (4)
IRON – Double definition.


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