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 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 with the clues click the label below.
Hints and tips...
Here are a few hints and tips.
- There is a Nina hinted at by the title. Did you spot it? Answer at the bottom of this post.
- The second definition in 11A is a bit whimsical, with "-ISH" for "like".
- You need to separate "Go karting" in 18A for the wordplay.
- 19A is shamelessly copied from a recent Times Quick Cryptic as it fits the Nina so well.
- In 23A "discussed" is a soundalike wordplay indicator.
- In 7D "over" is a reversal indicator.
- For 17A you need to know the phonetic alphabet.
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 You and I on street towards setting sun (4)
WEST – WE (you and I) + ST (street).
4 Be miffed about toff blowing top coming back to Eastern county (7)
SUFFOLK – SULK (be miffed) [about] {t}OFF [blowing top] reversed [coming back] -> FFO.
8 Pilot has crashed? Take him here! (8)
HOSPITAL – (Pilot has)* [crashed].
9 Not that part of North Island (4)
THIS – Hidden in [part of] NorTH ISland.
10 Extremely, extremely valuable railway (4)
VERY – Outside letters [extremely] of ValuablE + RY (railway).
11 Thrive like a bread-maker? (8)
FLOURISH – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint based on FLOUR (something used to make bread) + -ISH (like).
12 One taking excessive interest certain to be found in ancient city (6)
USURER – SURE (certain) [to be found in] UR (ancient city).
14 Portion of ramen ought to be sufficient (6)
ENOUGH – Hidden in [portion of] ramEN OUGHt.
16 Affected niceness enrages (8)
INCENSES – (niceness)* [affected].
18 Go karting originally for a short period of time (4)
WEEK – WEE (go) + first letter of Karting [originally].
19 I'm frightened about receiving new joint (4)
KNEE – EEK (I’m frightened) [about] -> KEE outside [receiving] N (new).
20 Duo I left abandoned in the deep (8)
OUTFIELD – (Duo I left)* [abandoned].
22 Cutting borders of rosemary after rapid growth (7)
SURGERY – Outside letters of [borders of] RosemarY [after] SURGE (rapid growth).
23 Colour of horse discussed all over (4)
DONE – Sounds like DUN (colour of horse) [discussed]
Down
2 Absconding lovers slope off around middle of term (7)
ELOPERS – (slope)* [off] outside middle letters of [middle of] tERm.
3 Drunk ends with last of whisky (5)
TIPSY – TIPS (ends) + [last of] whiskY.
4 Pose in T-shirt occasionally (3)
SIT – Alternate letters [occasionally] of t-ShIrT.
5 Admirers look up surrounded by blooms (9)
FOLLOWERS – LO (look) [up] -> OL in [surrounded by] FLOWERS (blooms).
6 This part of Canada has atrocious rain too (7)
ONTARIO – [atrocious] (rain too)*.
7 Unites over horrible smell (5)
KNITS – STINK (horrible smell) [over] -> KNITS.
11 Warning! Loose horse somewhere on beach (9)
FORESHORE – FORE (warning at golf) + [loose] (horse)*.
13 Heard how cockney came by boat to find source of venison (3,4)
ROE DEER – Sounds like [heard] ROWED ‘ERE (how cockney came by boat).
15 Mischievous creature makes Mel grin (7)
GREMLIN – [makes] (Mel grin)*.
17 November 1 - start of season that's shown in Roman calendar (5)
NONES – N (November in the phonetic alphabet) + ONE (1) + [start of] Season.
18 Badly wired? That's strange (5)
WEIRD – [badly] (wired)*.
21 Hear score in rugby game (3)
TRY – Double definition, the second a nounal phrase.
1 You and I on street towards setting sun (4)
WEST – WE (you and I) + ST (street).
4 Be miffed about toff blowing top coming back to Eastern county (7)
SUFFOLK – SULK (be miffed) [about] {t}OFF [blowing top] reversed [coming back] -> FFO.
8 Pilot has crashed? Take him here! (8)
HOSPITAL – (Pilot has)* [crashed].
9 Not that part of North Island (4)
THIS – Hidden in [part of] NorTH ISland.
10 Extremely, extremely valuable railway (4)
VERY – Outside letters [extremely] of ValuablE + RY (railway).
11 Thrive like a bread-maker? (8)
FLOURISH – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint based on FLOUR (something used to make bread) + -ISH (like).
12 One taking excessive interest certain to be found in ancient city (6)
USURER – SURE (certain) [to be found in] UR (ancient city).
14 Portion of ramen ought to be sufficient (6)
ENOUGH – Hidden in [portion of] ramEN OUGHt.
16 Affected niceness enrages (8)
INCENSES – (niceness)* [affected].
18 Go karting originally for a short period of time (4)
WEEK – WEE (go) + first letter of Karting [originally].
19 I'm frightened about receiving new joint (4)
KNEE – EEK (I’m frightened) [about] -> KEE outside [receiving] N (new).
20 Duo I left abandoned in the deep (8)
OUTFIELD – (Duo I left)* [abandoned].
22 Cutting borders of rosemary after rapid growth (7)
SURGERY – Outside letters of [borders of] RosemarY [after] SURGE (rapid growth).
23 Colour of horse discussed all over (4)
DONE – Sounds like DUN (colour of horse) [discussed]
2 Absconding lovers slope off around middle of term (7)
ELOPERS – (slope)* [off] outside middle letters of [middle of] tERm.
3 Drunk ends with last of whisky (5)
TIPSY – TIPS (ends) + [last of] whiskY.
4 Pose in T-shirt occasionally (3)
SIT – Alternate letters [occasionally] of t-ShIrT.
5 Admirers look up surrounded by blooms (9)
FOLLOWERS – LO (look) [up] -> OL in [surrounded by] FLOWERS (blooms).
6 This part of Canada has atrocious rain too (7)
ONTARIO – [atrocious] (rain too)*.
7 Unites over horrible smell (5)
KNITS – STINK (horrible smell) [over] -> KNITS.
11 Warning! Loose horse somewhere on beach (9)
FORESHORE – FORE (warning at golf) + [loose] (horse)*.
13 Heard how cockney came by boat to find source of venison (3,4)
ROE DEER – Sounds like [heard] ROWED ‘ERE (how cockney came by boat).
15 Mischievous creature makes Mel grin (7)
GREMLIN – [makes] (Mel grin)*.
17 November 1 - start of season that's shown in Roman calendar (5)
NONES – N (November in the phonetic alphabet) + ONE (1) + [start of] Season.
18 Badly wired? That's strange (5)
WEIRD – [badly] (wired)*.
21 Hear score in rugby game (3)
TRY – Double definition, the second a nounal phrase.
Finally - The Nina hinted at by the title reads WEST SUFFOLK HOSPITAL THIS VERY WEEK KNEE SURGERY DONE. And it went fine.
Glad to hear the surgery has been successful and hopefully the rehab will go smoothly. ND
ReplyDeleteThanks
DeleteLovely puzzle, at the less challenging end of the spectrum I think as it took me just 6 minutes. ROE DEER in particular made me smile. Overall, much enjoyed, and delighted to hear your operation went well. Many thanks and best wishes for your recovery/rehab.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I couldn't resist ROE DEER - it made me smile when I thought of it. Thanks for the best wishes. Recovery going OK so far.
DeleteThanks John for a nice puzzle, not too hard.
ReplyDeleteWe had Pee for Go this week and now Wee. Fore also made an appearance.
Liked VERY, FOLLOWERS and of course ROE DEER.
Enjoyed the Nina and glad to hear the op went well.
I found the top quite challenging so built up from the bottom. Loved KNEE and ROE DEER for the smiles before finishing with DONE where I was well misdirected. Read county as country as usual. Good news on the op!
ReplyDeleteFrom Countrywoman. Glad knee op went well. Nice easy puzzle today. Liked many inc TIPSY, SUFFOLK, FORESHORE, and NONES and KNITS!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, John.
Thanks. Good to hear you found lvel of difficulty OK.
DeleteGlad to hear the surgery went well, my brother has had both done recently and described it as a complete new beginning to life so I hope it does the same for you.
ReplyDeleteNice crossword, I like something gentle for a Sunday. I almost always write down anagrams but today I didnt as "Toronto" was so obvious for 6d I just wrote it in.
Thanks John.
Thanks. I assume you meant ONTARIO was a write-in. Lol.
DeleteNo - I did actually put in Toronto as a write in and corrected it much later when none of the crossers fit.
DeleteThanks John, that was fun. I’m glad your surgery went well. Doofenshmirtz
ReplyDeleteThank-you Doofers. Op was 1 week ago today and I managed to walk 3 miles yesterday, so well on course with recovery (I'm not supposed to be able to do that yet).
ReplyDeleteWell we have finished!! Biffing red deer was our downfall, and the brain fade could not get incensed till today.
ReplyDeleteA very nice crossword, our stupidity apart. Cod roe deer! Other favourites, this, very and knee.
Best wishes for your recovery.
Chris and Francesca
Thanks both. Glad you managed to finish. Roe deer was a favourite of mine too.
DeleteGlad the surgery went well.
ReplyDeleteA nice puzzle - only issue was 17dn “Nones” which, if I am being honest, I didn’t know.
JamesEd46
NONES was always going to be an unknown for some, but the wordplay spells it out if you remember the phonetic alphabet.
Delete