Phil Jordan, Sawbill and I are continuing to produce our series of Weekend Quick Cryptic crosswords. We 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
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:
- Phil gives us plenty of practice at Double Definitions today
- In 19A the state is a country, not part of the USA
- In 16D it helps to know your phonetic alphabet
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 Einstein's exposure? A "eureka" moment! (5,2,6)
FLASH OF GENIUS – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
8 One with privileged knowledge of where apples may be used we're told (7)
INSIDER – Sounds like IN CIDER (where apples may be used).
9 Praise old road charge being cut (5)
EXTOL – EX (old) TOL{l} (road charge) without the last letter.
10 Animal makes a comeback in jungle (3)
GNU – Reverse hidden in jUNGle.
11 Slaughter race all at sea after service (8)
MASSACRE – MASS (service) (race)* [all at sea].
13 Being in agreement like Dickens's friend (6)
MUTUAL – Double definition the second a cryptic hint referring to the Dickens’ last novel Our Mutual Friend.
14 and 20D Loose stair rod? It could be a reason to refuse bail (6,4)
FLIGHT RISK – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
17 Checked dimensions certain crazy dame accepted (8)
MEASURED – SURE (certain) in [crazy] (dame)*.
19 Was in control of state I left (3)
RAN – {I}RAN (state) without the I.
21 Angry when buccaneer is beheaded (5)
IRATE – {p}IRATE (buccaneer) without the first letter.
22 Female singer thus raced into river (7)
SOPRANO – SO (thus), RAN (raced) in PO (river).
24 Alone in the heart of the castle? Tell nobody! (4,2,7)
KEEP TO ONESELF – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
Down
1 Rifle range? A reasonable target (4,4)
FAIR GAME – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
2 Attack a sailor - but only verbally (7)
ASSAULT – Sounds like A SALT (a sailor).
3 Concealed hairdo oddly (3)
HID - Alternate (odd numbered) letters if HaIrDo.
4 Doctor Foster - club in Nottingham, not Gloucester (6)
FOREST – [Doctor] (Foster)*.
5 Confronted, I wept loudly (9)
EYEBALLED – Sounds like I BAWLED (wept).
6 Italian team is not Tottenham's European rival at the outset (5)
INTER – Initial letters of Is Not Tottenham’s European Rival [at the outset].
7 Got money for clothes to kill cold at last (4)
SOLD – Final letters of clotheS tO kilL colD [at last].
11 Intends to try government welfare measure (5,4)
MEANS TEST – MEANS (intends) TEST (try).
12 Rugby player's deadlock (5-3)
STAND-OFF – Double definition.
15 Rubbish unpleasant woman in terrible rage (7)
GARBAGE – BAG (unpleasant woman) in [terrible] (rage)*.
16 Quickly correct posture once uniform is removed (6)
PRESTO – [Correct] (post{u}re)* without the U (uniform in the phonetic alphabet).
18 Rub out in temper as expected (5)
ERASE – Hidden in tempER AS Expected.
20 See 14 Across
23 Quietly I drug food (3)
PIE – P (piano; quietly) I E (Ecstasy; drug)..
1 Einstein's exposure? A "eureka" moment! (5,2,6)
FLASH OF GENIUS – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
8 One with privileged knowledge of where apples may be used we're told (7)
INSIDER – Sounds like IN CIDER (where apples may be used).
9 Praise old road charge being cut (5)
EXTOL – EX (old) TOL{l} (road charge) without the last letter.
10 Animal makes a comeback in jungle (3)
GNU – Reverse hidden in jUNGle.
11 Slaughter race all at sea after service (8)
MASSACRE – MASS (service) (race)* [all at sea].
13 Being in agreement like Dickens's friend (6)
MUTUAL – Double definition the second a cryptic hint referring to the Dickens’ last novel Our Mutual Friend.
14 and 20D Loose stair rod? It could be a reason to refuse bail (6,4)
FLIGHT RISK – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
17 Checked dimensions certain crazy dame accepted (8)
MEASURED – SURE (certain) in [crazy] (dame)*.
19 Was in control of state I left (3)
RAN – {I}RAN (state) without the I.
21 Angry when buccaneer is beheaded (5)
IRATE – {p}IRATE (buccaneer) without the first letter.
22 Female singer thus raced into river (7)
SOPRANO – SO (thus), RAN (raced) in PO (river).
24 Alone in the heart of the castle? Tell nobody! (4,2,7)
KEEP TO ONESELF – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
1 Rifle range? A reasonable target (4,4)
FAIR GAME – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
2 Attack a sailor - but only verbally (7)
ASSAULT – Sounds like A SALT (a sailor).
3 Concealed hairdo oddly (3)
HID - Alternate (odd numbered) letters if HaIrDo.
4 Doctor Foster - club in Nottingham, not Gloucester (6)
FOREST – [Doctor] (Foster)*.
5 Confronted, I wept loudly (9)
EYEBALLED – Sounds like I BAWLED (wept).
6 Italian team is not Tottenham's European rival at the outset (5)
INTER – Initial letters of Is Not Tottenham’s European Rival [at the outset].
7 Got money for clothes to kill cold at last (4)
SOLD – Final letters of clotheS tO kilL colD [at last].
11 Intends to try government welfare measure (5,4)
MEANS TEST – MEANS (intends) TEST (try).
12 Rugby player's deadlock (5-3)
STAND-OFF – Double definition.
15 Rubbish unpleasant woman in terrible rage (7)
GARBAGE – BAG (unpleasant woman) in [terrible] (rage)*.
16 Quickly correct posture once uniform is removed (6)
PRESTO – [Correct] (post{u}re)* without the U (uniform in the phonetic alphabet).
18 Rub out in temper as expected (5)
ERASE – Hidden in tempER AS Expected.
20 See 14 Across
23 Quietly I drug food (3)
PIE – P (piano; quietly) I E (Ecstasy; drug)..
Just over 12 minutes, with a large part of that on my L2I EYEBALLED and FAIR GAME, both of which needed all the checkers and then some. I thought to eyeball someone/something was to look, or more often stare, at it, but one can have an eyeball to eyeball confrontation.
ReplyDeleteThank you Phil for a nice puzzle.
Cedric
Thank you sir - glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI got hung up on Assail until ASSAULT became clear. INSIDER, PRESTO, and FLIGHT RISK were standouts for me, along with, as Cedric mentioned, the very difficult but rewarding EYEBALLED and FAIR GAME. Thanks, Phil, great fun!
ReplyDeleteOops, forgot to give name
DeleteQuite difficult. Looked up EYEBALLED which enabled me to finish FLIGHT RISK. I could not for life of me remember MUTUAL so looked up that too earlier on.Liked ASSAULT, FAIR GAME, among others.
ReplyDeleteThanks vm, Phil and John.
That was Countrywoman, sorry.
ReplyDeleteThank you for a really enjoyable puzzle.
ReplyDeleteFOI 10a Gnu
LOI 23d Pie
COD - choice of 1a Flash of Genius or 24a Keep to oneself
Thank you, we enjoyed that but had to reveal the y between the two e's in 5 down to finish. Smallholder
ReplyDeleteExcellent puzzle thanks very much, CODS flight risk and keep to oneself, but lots to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteChris and Francesca
Very enjoyable, thank you Phil! I particularly enjoyed flight risk and keep to oneself, but I think COD goes to presto for a lovely surface.
ReplyDelete(Comment from Wombat)
DeleteThanks to all who've given feedback. I'm glad you all enjoyed the puzzle. My own favourites were FLIGHT RISK and FLASH OF GENIUS, and it's always good to see which clues hit the spot for the solvers.
ReplyDelete