Friday 26 January 2024

Weekend Quick Cryptic 95 - Solution

Although The Times has bowed to pressure and started providing a Saturday Quick Cryptic crossword, my fellow TimesforTheTimes contributors Phil Jordan, Sawbill and I are continuing to produce Quick Cryptic crosswords to fill the gap left by the Sunday 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 this week's 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:
  • It's not really a theme but we have a few Scottish references today. It helps if you know your Scottish football teams.
  • 17A is a definition by example. You could substitute "Telegraph is a" for "Express" and the clue would still work.
  • For 4D think of iced cupcakes.
  • The name mentioned in 8D is not a footballer and became famous for what he achieved in 1967.
  • The economist at 14D was also a philosopher.
  • The measure in 16D is a distance.. and quite a small one.
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 Editor embarrassed cast member (8)
REDACTORRED (embarrassed) ACTOR (cast member).
5 Occasionally outswear drug fiend (4)
USER – Alternate letters [occasionally] of oUtSwEaR
9 Make yourself scarce - Marc's back (5)
SCRAM – MARC’S [back].
10 Treatment of man gatecrashing rowdy party (7)
THERAPYHE (man) in (party)* [rowdy].
11 Guy encountered in Denver, a Yankee (3)
RAY – Hidden [encountered] in DenveR A Yankee.
12 Unbiased I fancy (9)
IMPARTIALI’M PARTIAL (I fancy).
13 Stare wildly meeting unknown substitute (6)
ERSATZ – (Stare)* [wildly], Z (unknown in equations).
15 Flee from Leek we're told (6)
ESCAPE – LEAK sounds like, [we’re told], LEEK.
17 Express means of providing information? (9)
NEWSPAPER – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint. The ? indicates it’s a definition by example.
19 Theatre company's agent (3)
REP – Doubled definition.
20 Gloomy fighter pilot's disgusted expression (7)
GRIMACEGRIM (gloomy) ACE (fighter pilot).
21 Half-hearted niggle about Scottish town (5)
ELGIN – NIG{g}LE [half-hearted] reversed, [about] -> ELGIN.
22 Cash register discovered in Kirkintilloch (4)
TILL – Hidden in, [discovered in], KirkinTILLoch.
23 In good health? I suppose I accept that (4,4)
VERY WELL – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
 
Down
1 Madly reveres book (7)
RESERVE (reveres)* [madly].
2 From the outset doctor is really thorough, yet unhygienic (5)
DIRTY – Initial letters, [from the outset], of Doctor Is Really Thorough Yet.
3 What a theatregoer may do to become effective (4,4,4)
COME INTO PLAY – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
4 In control like a cherry? (2,3)
ON TOP – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint. Think of an iced cupcake.
6 Social workers return to protect French friend's staying power (7)
STAMINAAMI (friend in French), in ANTS (social workers) reversed -> STNA.
7 Two men are sort of blue (5)
ROYALROY and AL (two men).
8 Scottish players press line creating goal for Christiaan Barnard (5,7)
HEART SURGERYHEARTS (Scottish players) URGE (press) RY (line; railway line). Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful human heart transplant in 1967.
14 Spotted economist in factory (7)
SAWMILLSAW (spotted) MILL (John Stuart; economist). If like me you remember philosophers names from the Monty Python Bruces’ song, you will have maybe thought“…of his own free will on half a pint of shandy got particularly ill”.
16 Measure penal reform, and call up for jury service (7)
EMPANELEM (measure; a size of space in printing) (penal)* [reform]. EM an its close cousin EN are worth remembering as they come up regularly in crosswords.
17 Bad thing, darkness (5)
NIGHT – (thing)* [bad].
18 Portion of food taken to church (5)
PIECE - PIE (food) CE (Churcn of England; church)
19 Villain to proceed upwards in French street (5)
ROGUE – GO (proceed) [upwards -> OG, in RUE (French street).
 

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