Saturday Times 25137 (14th April)

Author   linxitPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time 13:20. Sorry for the brevity, but I have no time this weekend.

Across
1 PASSAGES – PASS (spend) + AGES (a long time).
6 SUSSEX – SUSS (discover) + EX (old).
9 SHOE – S(on) + HOE (work in garden).
10 FLAGGING UP – double definition.
11 WINCHESTER – TER(m) after W(estern) INCHES (isles). Famous public school.
13 POPS – P(iano) + OPS (works).
14 STORABLE – OR (gold) inside STABLE (firm).
16 ANTHEM – hidden in “ChristiAN THEMe”.
18 ACCUSE – A + CC (couple of cents) + USE (service).
20 SEEDCORN – “cede” + COR (my) + N(ew).
22 ABEL – (b)ABEL.
24 MINUTE HAND – MINUTE (very little) + HAND (help).
26 WARDENSHIP – (PHD was in R.E.)*
28 BLOC – BLO(g) + C(onservative).
29 SHANTY – double def.
30 DONATIST – (stationd)*

Down
2 ATHEISTIC – HE IS inside ATTIC.
3 SPENCER – SR around PENCE.
4 GAFFE – GAFF + (plac)E
5 SPA – first letters of See Patients At.
6 SUGAR CANE – GUS(h) reversed + ARCANE.
7 SANDPIT – AND (with) inside SPIT.
8 EQUIP – E(cstasy) + QUIP.
12 TREASON – (rate)* + NOS reversed.
15 BEER MONEY – BEE + M(ale) ONE inside RY.
17 ERRONEOUS – ER (British sovereign) + (euros, no)*
19 UNLADEN – LAD inside UNE (a foreign) + (policema)N.
21 COHABIT – HO + C(osts) reversed, + A BIT.
23 BRASH – R(epublican) inside BASH.
25 TAP-IN – TAPIN(g).
27 HID – odd letters of HaIrDo.

10 comments on “Saturday Times 25137 (14th April)”

  1. 39′, pretty much the same sentiment as vinyl. Some nice surfaces, though. LOI 10ac, and I didn’t know GAFF
  2. I found this an enjoyable challenge, clocking in at 70 minutes with STORABLE last in. Ticks against FLAGGING UP and BEER MONEY – SPENCER now added to my mental wardrobe. Thanks to Andy for the prompt post, and I will approach today’s (21 Apr) with due trepidation.
  3. Not so easy here. This one took me 55 minutes. I didn’t know DONATIST or the SPENCER jacket, didn’t understand 7dn until coming here. Nevertheless an enjoyable solve.
    1. Thanks Jon, corrected. This was one of that annoying sequence with no puzzle number, and I made a hurried guess.
  5. I have been in the habit of posting my completed crossword, cut out from the paper,to The Times address.

    But the instruction is ambiguous e.g. : “Entries should be …..sent to Jumbo 976, The Times…” etc.

    But does this mean the xword itself cut out from the paper, or does it mean a list of numbered answers ?

    SJ

    1. I’ve always taken it to mean the puzzle cut out, as they have a dotted line around it and space for your name & address underneath (at least, that used to be the case, but I’ve been doing them online for the last 8 years or so). I’m pretty sure a list format is also acceptable though.
  6. 11.31 on the club timer, so indeed straightforward. I hadn’t heard of the jacket either, and I was glad the heretic didn’t turn out to be a danotist.
    This week’s was a rather different affair, taking me nearly four times as long!
  7. 10:44 for me. This was one of those crosswords where I started horribly slowly, but then suddenly found the setter’s wavelength and raced through the rest of it. Nice puzzle.

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