Phil Jordan, Sawbill and I are continuing to produce our series of Quick Cryptic crosswords. We 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
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:
- The answer to the clue in the title is Great Wen, a nickname for London
- The "runner" in 13A is something that runs rather than a person, i.e. a river.
- The kids in 3D are not boys and girls.
- The instrument in 16D is often found in a band with drums.
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 They're given authority with regard to public conveniences (7)
REGENTS – RE (with regard to) GENTS (public conveniences)
5 Leave car with lead-free source of ignition (4)
PARK – {s}PARK (source of ignition) without the first letter [lead-free].
7 Some travel on donkey to capital city (6)
LONDON - hidden in traveL ON DONkey. Also the answer to the clue in the title.
8 You might come across this game (6)
BRIDGE – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
9 Secret agent conceals electronic component that's hot (5)
SPICY – IC (integrated circuit; electronic component) in SPY (secret agent).
10 Levels the odds (5)
EVENS – Double definition.
11 Where one might be taught to use an agricultural tool (6)
HARROW – Double definition.
13 Runner from East Ham without a bust (6)
THAMES - ( East H {a} m )* [bust]. Runner = flower = river.
15 Return of reject social outcast (5)
LEPER – [Return of] REPEL (reject).
17 Gossip associated with oddly posh pants (5)
GASPS – GAS (gossip) and alternate letters of, [oddly], PoSh.
18 Make pelmet for place of worship (6)
TEMPLE – [make] ( pelmet )*.
19 Hairstyle of legal profession not gross (6)
BARNET – BAR (legal profession) NET (not gross).
21 Statue of East End champions (4)
EROS – {h}EROS (champions) dropping the aitch, as EastEnders do.
22 Those people leading everyone to the way to the Palace (3,4)
THE MALL – THEM (those people) ALL (everyone).
Down
1 No end to uprising here in South America (3)
RIO – RIO{t} (uprising) without the last letter, [no end to].
2 Perversely dig ride becoming even more dizzy (7)
GIDDIER – [perversely] ( dig ride )*.
3 Woman in New York is one having kids? (5)
NANNY – ANN (woman) in NY (New York). A female goat.
4 Underlying theme of message from naval vessel (7)
SUBTEXT – SUB (naval vessel) TEXT (message).
5 Reportedly sticks a nose into cup? (5)
PRIZE – PRIZE; sounds like PRIES (sticks a nose into).
6 Notices sister changed numberplate first (9)
REGISTERS – REG (numberplate) ( sister )* [changed].
9 Just half a pint maybe is not significant (5,4)
SMALL BEER – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
12 Hottest gun in old frontier (7)
WARMEST - ARM (gun) in WEST (old frontier).
14 Chicago gangster leaves one country for another (7)
AUSTRIA – AUSTR{al}IA (country) without AL (capon; Chicago gangster). A bit of a chestnut perhaps.
16 Leaders of party in Perth enjoy sound of highland instrument (5)
PIPES - First letters, [leaders], of Party In Perth Enjoy Sounds. The bagpipes, generally abbreviated to pipes.
17 Bagel shaped architectural feature (5)
GABLE – ( bagel )* [shaped].
20 Fish raised in Middle England (3)
EEL – Reverse hidden in MiddLE England.
1 They're given authority with regard to public conveniences (7)
REGENTS – RE (with regard to) GENTS (public conveniences)
5 Leave car with lead-free source of ignition (4)
PARK – {s}PARK (source of ignition) without the first letter [lead-free].
7 Some travel on donkey to capital city (6)
LONDON - hidden in traveL ON DONkey. Also the answer to the clue in the title.
8 You might come across this game (6)
BRIDGE – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
9 Secret agent conceals electronic component that's hot (5)
SPICY – IC (integrated circuit; electronic component) in SPY (secret agent).
10 Levels the odds (5)
EVENS – Double definition.
11 Where one might be taught to use an agricultural tool (6)
HARROW – Double definition.
13 Runner from East Ham without a bust (6)
THAMES - ( East H {a} m )* [bust]. Runner = flower = river.
15 Return of reject social outcast (5)
LEPER – [Return of] REPEL (reject).
17 Gossip associated with oddly posh pants (5)
GASPS – GAS (gossip) and alternate letters of, [oddly], PoSh.
18 Make pelmet for place of worship (6)
TEMPLE – [make] ( pelmet )*.
19 Hairstyle of legal profession not gross (6)
BARNET – BAR (legal profession) NET (not gross).
21 Statue of East End champions (4)
EROS – {h}EROS (champions) dropping the aitch, as EastEnders do.
22 Those people leading everyone to the way to the Palace (3,4)
THE MALL – THEM (those people) ALL (everyone).
1 No end to uprising here in South America (3)
RIO – RIO{t} (uprising) without the last letter, [no end to].
2 Perversely dig ride becoming even more dizzy (7)
GIDDIER – [perversely] ( dig ride )*.
3 Woman in New York is one having kids? (5)
NANNY – ANN (woman) in NY (New York). A female goat.
4 Underlying theme of message from naval vessel (7)
SUBTEXT – SUB (naval vessel) TEXT (message).
5 Reportedly sticks a nose into cup? (5)
PRIZE – PRIZE; sounds like PRIES (sticks a nose into).
6 Notices sister changed numberplate first (9)
REGISTERS – REG (numberplate) ( sister )* [changed].
9 Just half a pint maybe is not significant (5,4)
SMALL BEER – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
12 Hottest gun in old frontier (7)
WARMEST - ARM (gun) in WEST (old frontier).
14 Chicago gangster leaves one country for another (7)
AUSTRIA – AUSTR{al}IA (country) without AL (capon; Chicago gangster). A bit of a chestnut perhaps.
16 Leaders of party in Perth enjoy sound of highland instrument (5)
PIPES - First letters, [leaders], of Party In Perth Enjoy Sounds. The bagpipes, generally abbreviated to pipes.
17 Bagel shaped architectural feature (5)
GABLE – ( bagel )* [shaped].
20 Fish raised in Middle England (3)
EEL – Reverse hidden in MiddLE England.
Just completed over lunch today. Good one, thanks!
ReplyDeleteGlad it fitted into the time available.
DeleteLots of clever clues- lead-free was particularly dastardly! EROS, PRIZE, GASPS, and PARK were probably my favourites.The London references were fun to discover and helpful too. Thanks, John, very entertaining challenge!
ReplyDeleteThanks. It's good to hear what clues people find most fun. I enjoyed getting pants into a clue without it being an anagram indicator.
DeleteOh, realise I failed on SUBTEXT, how dim. I knew Subject wasn’t right, so left unfinished, Enjoyed the puzzle. CsOD PARK and EROS.
ReplyDeleteLHS very easy but I slowed in NE.
Thanks very much, John, for all this entertainment.
Countrywoman.
Bad luck on SUBTEXT. One of my test solvers came unstuck on that too, but I think the wordplay is clear enough.
DeleteA welcome relief after yesterday's challenge from Joker! All done in 7½ minutes and much enjoyed. LOI and only significant hold-up was SPICY where I DK IC and had to assume it meant something in computerspeak. So a pretty rapid solve and very much on wavelength - maybe it's because I'm a Londoner ...
ReplyDeleteMany thanks John
Cedric
...that I love London Town. IC for Integrated Circuit is maybe not as much general knowledge as I thought. Glad you managed to solve the clue anyway.
DeleteVery enjoyable QC. COD 9D. Thanks John for the extra QC this weekend.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback. My own favourites included NANNY and GASPS.
DeleteReally enjoyable, a relief after watching England! Lots of great clues, regents and prize stood out. Thanks very much. Chris and Francesca
ReplyDeleteThanks. It was good to meet you at The George. Do come gain next time.
Delete