Good morning, and we have a very enjoyable puzzle from Juji this morning. It took me 12:29, almost exactly what I consider my par time, and with a varied set of clues and no unusual words or archaisms, I am scoring this as a first rate QC which I hope will please experienced solvers and newer members of our community alike. Thank you Juji!
It is also my first blog since the new blog-creation aids were set up – I think I may be the last of the regular QC bloggers to try them, and if my style below looks a little unfamiliar in places, my apologies but I am still getting used to them.
How did everyone else get on?
Definitions underlined in bold italics, (abc)* indicates an anagram of abc, ~ marks insertion points and strike-through-text shows deletions.
ACROSS
8 Most gracious type is French (7)
KINDEST – KIND (type) + EST (“is” in French).
9 Not moving from Bury? Time to shift position (5)
INERT – INTER (bury) with the T moved to the end of the word (“time to shift position”). My FOI, with the nod to our colleague John Interred making this a write-in.
10 Mock husband bitten by small horse (5)
PHONY – H (husband) inserted into (“bitten by”) P~ONY (small horse).
11 Waterproof cloth ordered in kilos (7)
OILSKIN – (in kilos)*, the anagram indicator being “ordered”.
12 Seriously advanced fencing around home (9)
EARNESTLY – EAR~LY (advanced – think early warning = advance warning) containing (“fencing around”) NEST (home).
14 Heard Welshman break down (3)
DIE – sounds like DAI (a Welsh man’s name), with the homophone indicator being the straightforward “heard”.
16 Polite form of address digital assistant shortened (3)
SIR – SIRI (digital assistant) with the final I deleted (“shortened”).
18 Free a labrador locked up by a vile rogue (9)
AVAILABLE – A (from the clue) + VAI~LE (ie (a vile)*, with the anagram indicator being “rogue”) containing LAB (labrador), with the containment indicator being “locked up by”.
A little bit of care needed here to sort out the wordplay, as at first I thought A LAB was going to be included in something, but that would have given the non-word AViaLABLE.
21 Cheat musician (7)
FIDDLER – A DD. Two word clues are very often DDs.
22 Proposal cancelled, then back on (5)
OFFER – OFF (cancelled) + ER (re, ie on, backwards)
23 Stood up ones I regret in retrospect, partially (5)
RISEN – a backwards hidden, in oNES I Regret, with the hidden indicator being “partially” and the reversal being given by “in retrospect”.
24 Caught in flying toucan’s bill (7)
ACCOUNT – C (caught) in (toucan)*, the anagram indicator being “flying”. And a nice use of bill for both account and the very colourful feature of a toucan which makes them so spectacular.
DOWN
1 Captains bringing herring aboard ship (8)
SKIPPERS – KIPPER (herring) in (ie “aboard”) S~S (ship, the standard Crosswordland ship being the SS something).
2 Aware of guru boundlessly moving from place to place (2,4)
ON TOUR – ONTO (aware of, as in “I’m onto it”) + UR (middle letters of guru, the deletion of the first and last letter given by “boundlessly”).
3 Really overturned your electric car (4)
VERY – YR (your) + EV (electric car or vehicle), all reversed (“overturned”).
4 Regularly viewed customs of saint as extreme (6)
UTMOST – Every other letter of cUsToMs Of + ST (saint).
5 Rum do – ally is unfaithful (8)
DISLOYAL – (do ally is)*, with the anagram indicator being “rum”. I needed all the checkers for this one, as the Y in the sixth place was rather awkward and I was wondering how the word might end. A real PDM when the answer emerged from the fog of my brain.
6 Climber finishes in trek, he had reached highest point (6)
PEAKED – PEA (a climbing plant) + KED (the last letters of, ie “finishes in”, treK hE haD).
7 Gun bags on the counter (4)
STEN – NETS (bags) reversed (“on the counter”). The Sten gun was a British sub-machine gun widely used by UK and Commonwealth forces in World War II and the Korean War.
13 Sending message to this writer laid up in poor health (8)
EMAILING – EM (me, ie this writer, reversed, ie “laid up”, this being a down clue) + AILING (in poor health).
15 Curse amount to hire senior employee? (8)
EXECRATE – EXEC (senior employee) + RATE (amount required to hire him or her).
17 Vegetable is hard to cook (6)
RADISH – (is hard)*, the anagram indicator being “cooked”. And indeed radishes are hard to cook, or at least very few people try, as they are much nicer raw!
19 On foreign soil, retired group in Granada or Barcelona (6)
ABROAD – A second backwards hidden, in GranaDA OR BArcelona, with the reversal indicator being “retired” and the hidden indicator the simple word “in”. It makes a change from Abroad being clued as a secondary road, which is a real chestnut.
20 Winged beast — poultry, we’re told is dirty (6)
BEFOUL – BE (sounds like bee, a somewhat whimsical example of a winged beast) + FOUL (sounds like fowl or poultry), with the homophone indicator for both being “we’re told”. Dirty as a verb, as in “to dirty one’s own nest” / “to befoul one’s own nest”.
This was my LOI and took several minutes to parse, as I didn’t think of a bee as a beast for some time, and one also has to allow the homophone indicator to work on two parts of the wordplay.
21 Company not yielding to pressure (4)
FIRM – A simple enough DD.
22 Pained expression after losing tip of finger(4)
OUCH –TOUCH (finger) with the T deleted (“losing tip”).
8:57
I never figured out PEAKED or the BE in BEFOUL; trying to added some time.
I found this relatively straightforward, although I did have to biff a few: sten, available, emailing. Yes, I could have figured them out if I had to blog the puzzle. Befoul was my LOI, and not at all what I expected, thinking winged beast would be the literal.
Time: 7:59
P.S. The boilerplate generated by the blogging script is just a suggestion; you can use whatever notation you want.
5:58. I quite enjoyed this one. Thought I was on for a top time but then spent the last 2 or 3 mins figuring out AVAILABLE/EXECRATE. As Cedric notes, the AVAILABLE wordplay was tough – so tough for me, in fact, that I had to wait until it magically appeared and made itself biffable. Thank you!
9:43. Good fun, especially working out PEAKED, BEFOUL and the correct parsing of AVAILABLE, as explained by Cedric. Favourite bit was the ‘toucan’s bill’ in 24a.
Thanks to Juji and Cedric
I neglected to record my solving time for this one but I know I didn’t find it easy.
BEFOUL was my LOI but I found the parsing elusive, wondering along the way if ‘beast’ was ‘beef’ and ‘poultry’ was ‘owl’ – neither of which seemed remotely credible!
A bit sluggish this morning but there was nothing overly tricky (apart from failing to parse the ‘be’ in BEFOUL).
Started with KINDEST and finished with EXECRATE in 9.29.
Thanks to Cedric for the excellent blog and Juji for the enjoyable puzzle.
36:46 (average: 35, target: 45)
Despite coming in quite a way under my target I found this very challenging. There were a lot of straightforward ones and the grid was pretty full after my first pass but the last ones were harder. I definitely agree it was a good QC.
I finished with EARNESTLY, ON TOUR and STEN all of which took several minutes. EXECRATE and BEFOUL were also notable time stealers.
Thanks Cedric. Good to see you back on the blogging side. And thanks Juji.
Anyone else finding the grid is today postage stamp size and not fit for purpose on android smartphone?
Apologies for hijacking blog btw
Usual size grid for me on Android smartphone. Everything OK (except for BEFOUL)
Yes see my post below sorry it crossed.
yes, it’s infuriating.
yes I’ve got the same. had it since yesterday, Times tech support suggested deleting and reinstalling the app, although it seems to be a software problem. I didn’t do that since I’ve had problems with The Times since they introduced bonus accounts. I’ll wait until they correct it
Yes, I have that problem on my android phone too. Makes it very hard to solve as need to keep zooming in and out. My sister found same issue on her i-Phone as well.
Yes, unfortunately, the grid was so tiny that I had to use the alternative format to write the answers in.
Advice from anyone, on how to reset it to readable, would be most welcome, please.
I think it’s a Times App issue and nothing one can do through resetting etc. I will try to contact them again now
Doing rather well until BEFOUL and AVAILABLE put us at edge of SCC.
Always appreciate Mr S’s guiding blogs – dotted as they are with hints and pointers for the less experienced. Had not previously come across ‘on the counter’ as a reverse indicator.
Needed blog to parse PEAKED – clever, we thought.
Came up with all manner of synonyms for swear before PDM with EXECRATE- at which point we did
Thankyou Juji and Mr S.
14:40, a large chunk of which was spent on LOI BEFOUL. I liked the RADISH. Many thanks to Juji and Cedric
5:48. Nice puzzle. Thanks for the shout-out in the blog. Both AVAILABLE and PEAKED took me a while to spot. LOI UTMOST. I liked OFFER and BEFOUL best. Thanks Juji and Cedric.
We’re missing 22 down!
Reinstated. And I have literally no idea how that happened. I’d like to blame my unfamiliarity with the new blogging aids, but I suspect it was just straightforward incompetence. Apologies all.
One of the ones I came to find the parsing but I think it is finger – touch – tip (t) giving ouch for pained expression
I made VERY heavy weather of this.
FOI KINDEST
LOI VERY
COD INERT
TIME 7:52
A slow start, as usual, but I made decent progress with a fair few PDMs. I came to a halt in the SE corner and had to trog through the alphabet to get BEFOUL and EXECRATE providing a frustrating end to an otherwise tough but satisfying solve. These two took me into the SCC (24 min).
Thanks to Juji and, especially, to Cedric for a helpful blog which made up for the odd partial biff in my part.
Does the Times think I am a baby mouse or what????
Can’t access this on my phone.
There has been a change in formatting. of QC on app.
Half the screen is given over to the clue. A quarter to the keyboard..
The whole crossword grid is literally 2cm x 2 cm max. ( I kid you not) The setting to enlarge grid does not enlarge the whole grid just a part within the 2 x 2cm square.
I am getting so very very annoyed. I have constant problems with the app. This really is inexcusable. Have been having to access crossword club in a very convoluted way via the Times on the web.
(This is me being mild. Aliot of Anglo-Saxon words have passed my lips at home.
🤯🤬🤬
When I have calmed down I shall reinstalling app and then phone them up; yet again…..
Samsung S23Ultra Android 16 Fully up to date software including apps
Anyone else having the same difficulties?
No. Reinstalling did not help.
Yep, exactly the same using a Pixel 9 running Android 16.
same setup same scenario
Have contacted the Times.
Tx for responses – ot enabled me to say that quite a few had this problem.
It is a ” known issue”.
(I did politely point out that not being able to access the crossword club was a known issue several weeks ago – and still hasn’t been sorted)
**Apparently the postage stamp size grid is not a problem on the Times puzzles app.
I have downloaded it and that does indeed seem to be OK. ( Doesn’t have crossword club .) **
(I dont know if it is worth putting this piece of info in introduction at top to help others)
Ta XWN
First time that we’ve had this problem. Unusable on the phone so we waited until we could switch to a PC. Thanks for following up with The Times.
Yes
exactly the same, reinstalled, no better. So fed up…
I’ve had the same problem. Persevered but it wasn’t fun.
I always get words like EXECRATE and EXCORIATE confused so was glad to see the right one today.
I managed this on the puzzles app. Not easy as the app was not configured for my phone screen and it was hard to access the last row of querty keyboard which was overlaid by back buttons.
Several biffed and I did use the check button a couple of times.
Thanks Cedric and Juji
From SKIPPERS to RADISH in 8:03. PEAKED and BEFOUL took a moment’s cogitation. Thanks Juji and Cedric.
10.25
Back from foreign climes and got through this okay until BEFOUL which took me an age.
Liked AVAILABLE
Thanks Cedric and Juji
Difficult, I thought. Very slow but got there in the end. Among LOsI were BEFOUL (CNP the Bee – winged beast? Had been thinking of Gryphons etc), and EARNESTLY, ON TOUR, INERT. CNP OUCH or STEN.
Liked AVAILABLE, EXECRATE.
Thanks vm, Cedric. Blog much needed.
Time 15 min to work out clues plus 10 to work around ridiculous app formatting
Ta CAJ
Dnf…
Started off well and thought I was on for an average sub 20 time, but then got stuck on 18ac “Available”, 15dn “Execrate” and 20dn “Befoul”.
If I’d lingered over them longer, I may have got them eventually, but I was in a rush had to throw in the towel.
I will have to make a note of “on the counter” as a reversal indicator.
FOI – 8ac “Kindest”
LOI – Dnf
COD – 22dn “Ouch” – lovely wordplay.
Thanks as usual!
7:43
Mostly comfortable until the end when the convoluted AVAILABLE held me up, prior to the, on reflection, easier BEFOUL, then finally the tricky VERY – I don’t have an electric vehicle myself and don’t immediately think EV when I see those words, so spent a good minute staring at the four-letter word of which two letters were filled in.
Thanks Cedric for the informative blog, and Juji for the puzzle
15.09 I was slow in the SE. Once I had EXECRATE, AVAILABLE and BEFOUL quickly followed and I biffed STEN to finish. Thanks Cedric and Juji.
DNF AVAILABLE and BEFOUL did for me. I tried SILKINO first but then saw OILSKIN. Out of curiosity I looked up the former to see if it was a word. Indeed it is and seems to be a word referring to “the mercerization process for knitted fabrics”. Apparently it produces an excellent sheen and “keeps a dry sensation”!
Blimey – less than 1 K and only a minute slower than Phil. That’s a win in my book 😅
It was enjoyable and not too hard, but with a couple of trickier ones to add some grit – AVAILABLE and BEFOUL in particular. OFFER and STEN also gave me grief – I struggled with the reverse indicators today! Hiddens are often my downfall, especially reverse ones, but ABROAD jumped out straightaway, and I liked it a lot. As Cedric says, a nice change from the minor by way.
8:50 FOI Kindest LOI Sten COD Account
Thanks Juji and CS.
Off to see The Golden Spurtle shortly – it should be a nice way to spend the afternoon in this rotten weather.
In answer to XWN, yes I’m still having problems getting into the club site. It goes straight to the subscribe / log in page, and nothing else. It’s been weeks now. I too am getting increasingly hacked off. This on both my tablet and my phone – both Android.
My plane is delayed because of the storm and the crossword is almost invisible. Not my day
Very hard indeed. 48 minutes for me, despite getting off to a sprightly start and reaching halfway in good time. Probably around 30 minutes for my last eight clues.
I couldn’t parse ON TOUR, OUCH, VERY or STEN and my L3I were EXECRATE (which I DNK), AVAILABLE (very tough) and BEFOUL (which I also could not parse and DNK).
Time for a cuppa.
Many thanks to Cedric and Juji.
Nothing to add; BEFOUL LOI. Seemed quite tough.
All done in 09:13. Many thanks Juji and Cedric.
Nice puzzle. LOI OUCH was tricky, also had to BIFF STEN, BEFOUL, and DIE, but the last, was the only I couldn’t have reasoned out in time, which is about as friendly to the novice American as these get.
Not on the wavelength today. We were doing OK to start with but then got majorly held up by OFFER, OUCH, BEFOUL and EXECRATE. On top of that we delayed entering STEN for a long time having not recognised ‘on the counter’ as a reversal indicator. We finally limped across the line at 18:45 but were glad to have persevered. Thanks all.
The format on my phone app has changed making the grid very small, top third of the screen, and the clue in a third. Keyboard in a third. Not conducive to a solve.
Anyone else has this happen? Is it a setting I can change.
Thanks Rob
See xwordnumpty above at 9.52am.
Tricky one today, but all done in 19:29. Had a quick start with the first four acrosses all going in at first look, but then the wheels came off and it was hard going for a while. Finally finished with VERY, and it took a while to decide between STEN and STUN for the gun, until I figured out the wordplay.
Thanks to Cedric and Juji.
Found this difficult. BEFOUL, PEAKED, AVAILABLE, STEN, EXECRATE, OUCH all caused problems. Thanks for the blog for explanations – much needed!
Really struggled here. Several missed, just couldn’t get any momentum.
I think there must be something wrong with my brain – my last three days have seen a DNF, a 40-minuter and today another DNF. By far my worst string of performances since I took up this hobby a couple of years ago; I’m going to have to find a source of easier puzzles if this carries on.
Thank you for the blog!
Another nightmare.
Too embarrassed to give my time. Why do I bother when I simply do not have the necessary mental capacity for this?
Whizzed through, no write ins but no holdups at all. LOIs execrate got only from wordplay and available from the crossers. Thanks to Juji and Cedric.
BTW got 2 “Page unavailable or capacity limit reached”, but have been back in three or four times since without a hitch. I am on a PC.
An enjoyable puzzle, learnt some new crossword stuff, like counter being backwards. Had 3 in the end I couldn’t figure out, but it didn’t detract from it. Thank you for the blog 😁
I don’t understand the clue for EARNESTLY. The clue should surely have read “advance”, rather than “advanced”, to mean “early”. You don’t give advanced warning, but advance warning, as Cedric rightly says. Advanced warning might include lots of technical details, but it wouldn’t necessarily be given early.