Friday, 29 May 2026

Weekend Quick Cryptic 156 - 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 Sawbill'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 with the clues click the label below.

Hints and tips...

Here are a few hints and tips.
  • In 1A the Doctor is a fictional character.
  • In 19A the "way of working" is an abbreviation for a two-word Latin term.
  • 21A is a double definition.
  • The salad in 1D contains walnuts and "picked up" is a "sounds like" indicator.
  • 11D is a cryptic definition.
  • In 13D the first of the two definitions is a cryptic hint.
  • The artist in 18D was German.
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 Doctor overheard wondering about TV schedule (6)
WATSON – Sounds like [overheard] WHAT’S ON (wondering about TV schedule).
4 With no sugar anywhere near (5)
LOCALLO-CAL (with no sugar).
7 Dad chopped up almond (3,3)
OLD MAN – [chopped up] ( almond )*.
8 Incentive to produce vegetable (6)
CARROT – Double definition.
9 A little dhow left in bay (4)
HOWL – Hidden in [a little] d HOW L eft.
10 Oddly sign name giving explanations (8)
MEANINGS – [Oddly] ( sign name )*.
12 Sort finance out, as an example (3,8)
FOR INSTANCE – ( sort finance )* [out].
17 Starts to be sick also, we hear, and stops ship ? (6,2)
HEAVES TOHEAVES (starts to be sick) + TO, sounds like, [we hear], TOO (also).
19 Way of working with small cuts (4)
MOWSMO (Modus operandi; way of working) + W (with) + S (small).
20 Value of a horse? (6)
AMOUNTA + MOUNT (horse).
21 They admit people with titles ? (6)
OWNERS – Double definition.
22 Leave Croatian city (5)
SPLIT – Double definition.
23 Goes round on some transport (6)
CYCLES – Double definition.
 
Down
1 Salad picked up behind a brick enclosure? (7)
WALDORF – Sounds like [picked up] WALLED OFF (behind a brick enclosure).
2 One who flips glass (7)
TUMBLER – Double definition.
3 Decorations ten Romans concocted (9)
ORNAMENTS – ( ten romans )* [concocted].
4 Grasp Shakespearean King Henry's essence (5)
LEARNLEAR (Shakespearean King) + middle letter, [essence], of HeNry.
5 Really bad church with Ron in charge (7)
CHRONICCH (church) + RON + IC (in charge).
6 Up-to-date tales revised over time (6)
LATESTT (time) in ( tales )* [revised].
11 Interest in stars of the future (9)
ASTROLOGY – Cryptic definition.
13 Spread placed here possibly in winning streak (2,1,4)
ON A ROLL – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
14 New loan I'm arranging in name only (7)
NOMINAL – ( n loan I’m )* [arranging], with N for NEW.
15 Sex worker (not extremely eager) cycles from the factory (2,5)
EX WORKS – SEX WORK{er} without the outside letters [not extremely] of EageR, [cycling].
16 Loads of fish in shallow water (6)
SHOALS – Double definition.
18 Artist mistakenly sent over river (5)
ERNST – R (river) in  [mistakenly] ( sent )*.

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