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
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 and tips...
Some hints and tips:
- In 9A the first definition is 4 words.
- In 21A PM stands for Prime Minister not afternoon.
- 1D is a 'reverse cryptic' where the answer is a clue to an element of the wordplay.
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 Remainder in dire straits (4)
REST – Hidden in diRE STraits.
3 Rod initially is not great filling positions (8)
STAFFING – STAFF (rod) and first letters of, [initially], Is Not Great.
8 Den is frequently sleazier (4)
LAIR – Alternate letters, [frequently], of sLeAzIeR.
9 The state of being in the money? (8)
CURRENCY – Double definition, the first of which is perhaps a little difficult to spot.
11 Used part of watch (6,4)
SECOND HAND – Double definition.
14 Odd article in Paris very bent in the middle (6)
UNEVEN – UNE (article in Paris; the in French) V (very) bENt [in the middle].
15 A draw's arranged with prizes (6)
AWARDS – (a draw’s)* [arranged].
17 Señor outside of seedy bar in Havana? He goes down (5,5)
SCUBA DIVER – SR [señor] outside CUBA DIVE (seedy bar in Havana).
20 Tunes rearranged - I seldom like in the end (8)
MELODIES – (I seldom {lik}e)* [rearranged] with [in the end] indicating use of just the last letter of like.
21 PM in garden (4)
EDEN – Double definition, the first indicating the former Prime Minister (PM), Anthony Eden.
22 Fords and goes across (8)
TRANSITS – Double definition, the second as in the transit of Mercury across the sun, for example.
23 Man, say, lies around (4)
ISLE – (lies)* [around].
1 Excludes 'lures' from a cryptic clue? (5,3)
RULES OUT – a reverse cryptic (i.e. the answer is a clue to the element of the wordplay). where LURES may be clued as RULES OUT
2 Charming women after small changes (8)
SWITCHES – S (small) WITCHES (charming women).
4 Stretched, we hear, as instructed (6)
TAUGHT – Sounds like TAUT (stretched) [we hear].
5 Find a wader flying over big area (3,3,4)
FAR AND WIDE – (find a wader)* [flying]. Nice apposite surface.
6 Pubs in north and south (4)
INNS – IN N and S (north and south).
7 Painter starts to gloss over yellowing Artex (4)
GOYA – Initial letters, [starts], of Gloss Over Yellowing Artex.
10 Pleads for screen and edit changes (10)
INTERCEDES – (screen edit)* [changes].
12 Gives publicity before videos updated (8)
PROVIDES – PR (publicity) (videos)* [updated].
13 Keep a distance from eastern way over mountains (8)
ESTRANGE – E (eastern) ST (street; way) RANGE (mountains).
16 Dispatched after sailor is missing (6)
ABSENT – AB (Able Bodied seaman; sailor) SENT (dispatched).
18 Raise time issue (4)
EMIT – Reverse, (going upwards), [Raise] TIME -> EMIT.
19 Island has some hotel bargains (4)
ELBA – Hidden in, [some], hotEL BArgains.
Very enjoyable crossword. Off to a good start with 1a going straight in and solved about half the across clues on first pass. I was about to enter bridges for 22a until I realised it did have enough letters.
ReplyDeleteI was a bit slow to see what was going on with 1d.
Last in was switches which delayed me for a couple of minutes until I twigged the required meaning of charming.
Favourite clue took me to Cuba.
Thanks John and Sawbill.
Rubeculaw
Thank you, as always. I was worried that 'Cuba dive' might be difficult.
DeleteBother, I couldn’t solve SWITCHES and put Stuffing for 3a. SECOND HAND & SCUBA DIVER made me smile, also liked ESTRANGE, ABSENT, UNEVEN, among others.
ReplyDeleteThanks for fun puzzle, Sawbill and John.
Countrywoman
Apologies, my reply entered as a 'Comment' below
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThank you. SECOND HAND seemed like a lovely opportunity.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff, took a long time in the NW, ending with the lovely 1d. Before that INTERCEDES and STAFFING had me working hard. Didn't time myself but took most of the program my wife was watching!
ReplyDeleteMendesest
RULES OUT gave me a chance to try a different clue type. Thanks as always
DeleteFAR AND WIDE, SCUBA DIVER, and RULES OUT were favourites. I first thought the definitions of TRANSITS were too similar to each other but I had forgotten the astronomy sense until it was pointed out in the solution blog. I need more help still understanding the non-money sense of CURRENCY! Thanks, Sawbill and John, a great workout!
ReplyDeleteAh. I neglected to mention in the blog that in the UK, the most popular selling van is a Ford Transit van. Maybe they don't sell it under that name where you are. As for Currency, yes it's a little tricky. If something is current it is 'in', hence currency = 'the state of being in'. Glad you enjoyed the crossword.
DeleteThe state of being 'in' ie current is one definition, the money meaning currency is the other.
DeleteThanks, I could only see "the state of being" and skipped over the "in", though it's there in plain sight!
DeleteWell that was fun! Great crossword, lots of variety in the clues, no obscure words or GK. I particularly likes Rules Out - reverse cryptic are not always my favourite type if clue but this one worked well. COD though to Scuba Diver. 10½ minutes in all for a very enjoyable puzzle - than you Sawbill and John.
ReplyDeleteCedric
Thanks Cedric. 'No obscure words or GK' is a mantra of mine. If you are near 10 minutes I know that the level of difficulty may be about right. So pleased that the Scuba diver went down well.
DeleteEnjoyable Sunday fair, and for once actually completed it. Wasn’t sure about 9ac “Currency”, but couldn’t see what else it could be. Thought 2dn “Switches” was a great clue and brought a chuckle.
ReplyDeleteJamesEd46
I meant “fare”…😀
DeleteThanks, I 'll accept 'Fair' ... my main objective.
DeleteMost enjoyable, second hand COD, liked transits. Thanjs
ReplyDeleteThank you and glad that you enjoyed it.
DeleteWas going to save this until next Sunday, but gave in as I had half an hour to spare before bed. Very enjoyable. Had to think about 14a Uneven and 2d Switches but all done and dusted in 25 gentle minutes. Many thanks!
ReplyDeleteExcellent. Now I need to start thinking about the next one.
DeleteThanks, very enjoyable. Incidentally, the clue for TAUGHT is different in the blog from the puzzle. The ordering in the puzzle clue doesn’t quite work and held me up a bit, but the rewording in the blog is fine!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rich. Sorry about that. I updated the PDF, crossword.info and Mycrossword versions of the puzzle when we changed the clue during test solving, but forgot to update the image in the blog post. Fixed now. Glad you enjoyed the puzzle.
Delete