Thursday, 1 May 2025

Weekend Quick Cryptic 128 - Solution

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...

  • In 8A the wintry weather can also occur in summer storms.
  • In 10A think Roman Numerals.
  • Scarlett in 1D is a character in Gone with the Wind.
  • Oscar in 3D is Oscar Wilde.
And click on this label to get the solution.




Definitions  underlined in bold italics , ( Abc )* indicating anagram of Abc,{deletions} and [] other indicators.

Across
6 Past one's best, worked in the kitchen (6-2)
WASHED-UP – Double definition
8 Enthusiastically welcome wintry weather (4)
HAIL – Double definition
9 Basket maker's sordid affair (6)
RAFFIA – [sordid] (affair)*.
10 Forty of the Romans, we're told, are outstanding (5)
EXCEL – Sounds like XL, forty in roman numerals.
11 Strangely, Charlie, Matt and I like the science of numbers (12)
ARITHMETICAL – [strangely] (Charlie Matt I)*.
12 Go viral on social media - dogs follow fashion leaders (5-7)
TREND-SETTERSTREND (go viral on social media), SETTERS (dogs).
15 Soft leather for sleeper we hear (5)
NAPPA – Sounds like NAPPER (sleeper).
16 Joie de vivre of excited sprite (6)
ESPRIT – [Excited] (sprite)*.
18 Greek goddess discovered in the bedroom! (4)
HEBE – Hidden in tHE BEdroom
19 Find record has finished (8) 
DISCOVERDISC (record) OVER (finished).
 
Down
1 Initially there are ructions at Scarlett's home (4)
TARA – Initial letters of There Are Ructions At. Home of Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind.
2 A quick recce if shut out (6)
SHUFTI – (if shut)* [out].
3 Oscar's perfect mate? (5,7)
IDEAL HUSBAND – A reference to Oscar Wilde’s play (AN) IDEAL HUSBAND.
4 Endlessly fashionable more than once, but pretentious (6)
CHICHICHI{c} (fashionable) without the last letter, twice -> CHICHI.
5 Sad smile somehow gives the wrong impression (8)
MISLEADS – (sad smile)* [somehow].
7 It describes the here and now - quietly take against unruly teens (7,5)
PRESENT TENSEP (piano; quietly) RESENT (take against) [unruly] (teens)*.
11 Organiser - a Scottish footballer on the radio (8)
ARRANGER – Sounds like a (Glasgow) RANGER (Scottish footballer).
13 The HMV dog is one that bites (6)
NIPPER – Double definition.
14 Use every method possible laying out your openings (6)
EMPLOY – Initial letters of Every Method Possible Laying Out Your.
17 Bad time for couple (4)
ITEM – [Bad] (time)*.

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