Times Cryptic 27428

Author   jackktPosted on Categories Daily Cryptic

I’ve no solving time to offer as I dozed off for a while with barely half of the grid completed. I had started well in the NW corner and thought it was going to be very easy but then I got stuck and succumbed to tiredness. The brief shut-eye did the trick however, as on resumption the remainder fell into place in roughly 10 minutes.

As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]

Across
1 US state – limits to unspoilt area here initially (4)
UTAH – U{nspoil}T [limits], A{rea} H{ere} [initially]
3 Accused in ballroom, finally, after disrupting disco, for example (5,5)
DANCE MUSIC – Anagram [after disrupting] of ACCUSED IN {ballroo}M [finally]
9 Experimental promotion backed including a quantity of information (4,3)
DATA SET – TEST (experimental) + AD (promotion) reversed [backed] containing [including] A. Fresh in my mind from a puzzle solved elsewhere on Sunday.
11 Tough couple moving into Arkansas, America (7)
ARDUOUS – DUO (couple) contained by [moving into] AR (Arkansas) + US (America)
12 Some relaxing atmosphere sadly can’t start to redeem dining venue (10,3)
RESTAURANT CAR – REST (some relaxing), AURA (atmosphere), anagram [sadly] of CAN’T, R{edeem} [start]
14 Turned in, occupying bed after knocking back medicine (5)
TONIC – IN reversed [turned] contained by [occupying] COT (bed) reversed [after knocking back]. A little unusual to have separate reversal indicators for different components of an answer.
15 French paper shortened writer’s latest work? That’s sweet (5,4)
LEMON DROP – LE MOND{e} (French paper) [shortened], {write}R [‘s latest], OP (work)
17 Largely prosper in securing this unusual kitchen item (9)
DISHTOWEL – DO WEL{l} (prosper) [largely] containing [in securing] anagram [unusual] of THIS
19 Particular group may be performers with energy (5)
CASTE – CAST (performers), E (energy)
21 Bug picking up interesting conversations? (1,3,2,3,4)
A FLY ON THE WALL – Cryptic definition
24 Symbol of Netherlands amongst group of countries shown by European poem (7)
ECLOGUE – CLOG (symbol of Netherlands) contained by [amongst] EU (group of countries), E (European). SOED has this as ‘a short poem, esp. a pastoral dialogue such as those of Virgil’. And speaking of clogs, here’s today’s earworm courtesy of Ronnie Hilton.
25 The best work, note, saying nothing (7)
OPTIMUM – OP (work), TI (note), MUM (saying nothing)
26 Correct international measure of stature about Queen (2,3,5)
IN THE RIGHT – INT (international), HEIGHT (measure of stature) containing [about] R (Queen)
27 Cards not contributing ace to run? (4)
TROT – T{a}ROT (cards) [not contributing ace]
Down
1 Reserve covered by boss over conclusion of enquiry (10)
UNDERSTUDY – UNDER (covered by), STUD (boss), {enquir}Y [conclusion]
2 Skilled worker is appearing in Scots gear, concealing head (7)
ARTISAN – IS contained by [appearing in] {t}ARTAN (Scots gear) [concealing head]
4 Swirling fog later with fading light (9)
AFTERGLOW – Anagram [swirling] of FOG LATER, W (with)
5 Place overlooked in film star’s series (5)
CHAIN – CHA{pl}IN (film star) [place overlooked]
6 Science and the MD, I fancy, seen in supply of drugs (8,5)
MEDICINE CHEST – Anagram [fancy] of SCIENCE THE MD I
7 Fast horse – second, moving to first – hunter, perhaps (7)
SCOURER – COURSER (fast horse) becomes this when S (second) moves to the front [to first]
8 Hard to support senior officer’s weapon (4)
COSH – CO’S (senior officer’s), H (hard)
10 List of nightspots, say, representing total car usage (4,9)
STAR CATALOGUE – Anagram [re-presenting] of TOTAL CAR USAGE. Something of a cryptic definition here that leads to an expression I wasn’t aware of,
13 It’s meant to stop you going at any rate (5,5)
SPEED LIMIT – Cryptic definition. Not going at any rate of your choosing, anyway.
16 Extract extremely abridged article, something cut at an early stage (4,5)
MILK TOOTH – MILK (extract),  TOO (extremely), TH{e} (article) [abridged]
18 Vegetable? Go to consume the lot (7)
SHALLOT – SHOT (go) contains [to consume] ALL (the lot). I don’t know why we have a question mark, and ‘lot’ appearing in both answer and clue is a bit feeble even though one is not clueing the other.
20 Prison critic? (7)
SLAMMER – Two meanings of sorts
22 Indicators of further commentary crucial to no believers. (5)
OBELI – hidden in [crucial to] {n}O BELI{evers}. These ‘ere: ††
23 Leader cut from newspaper picked up in House (4)
SEMI – {t}IMES (newspaper) [leader cut] reversed [picked up]

53 comments on “Times Cryptic 27428”

  1. Monday’s puzzle a day late. Biffed 9ac, 12ac, and 6d, parsed post-submission. I was thinking that Arkansas was AK (I suppose that’s Alaska; too many A states), which made 11ac more difficult than it should have been. CHAIN was rather nice.
  2. I was tired yesterday and neglecting to parse, so I stumbled on the (quite unknown anyway, gimme a break) SE TENANT (I had TENSPOT instead of SUNSPOT), but this was a snap, almost finished before I got off the subway.

    Got 1 across first, always a good sign, and then FLY ON THE WALL, then IN THE RIGHT, and then RESTAURANT CAR… (I see that I neglected to parse a couple of these, too, but that created no errors!)

    Edited at 2019-08-13 02:55 am (UTC)

  3. The clues came to me like Mooen Ali half-volleys, which I was able to dispatch imperiously in just 15 minutes, even if I didn’t spot his arm ball at 5, for which thanks to Jack for putting me in my place – or should that be the place in my answer (and straight out again). (That’s enough Richie -Ed.)
  4. No hold-ups until the very end with ‘courser’/SCOURER. Finished in 23 minutes. I liked ‘crucial’ in 22d also indicating the shape of OBELI.

    Then went on to do the sure-to-be-even-easier Monday puzzle and was brought down a notch or two.

    Thanks to setter and blogger.

  5. Not on the setter’s wavelength a tall. Biff’d 5dn CHAIN. Sorry Kev, not a nice clue at all. Esoteric piffle.

    With 24ac bunged-in as EULOGIA (clog a symbol of Netherlands? Holland perhaps!) and 22 dn as OKAPI.
    I always thought ÷ ÷ were OBELI and †† were OKAPI (Astrix and Obelix).

    FOI 1ac UTAH

    LOI 22dn whatever!

    COD 12ac RESTAURANT CAR – full English!

    WOD WINDMILL

    Mood Meldrewvian.

    1. Are you suggesting that Charlie Chaplin is esoteric? I’d have thought he’d be a good candidate for the most famous film star of all time.
      1. Colin!! I’m alluding to the ‘The Club Monthly’ style. Even had dorsetjim and Lord Vinyl on the ropes. Probably your FOI?
        I had TROT very early on. – takes all sorts, eh!?

        Here in China, Charlie Chan gives Charlie Chaplin a run for his money!

        Edited at 2019-08-13 12:08 pm (UTC)

        1. I see!

          I once had a friendly disagreement with a Sunday Times journalist about whether or not Emilia Clarke would become more famous than Charlie Chaplin. I suspected not.

  6. A breezy 26 minutes. It’s unusual that I still have coffee left to drink while replying here. FOI 1a UTAH, LOI the innocuous 19a CASTE after 20d SLAMMER finally dislodged a possible “cadre” out of my mind.

    All parsed except for a biff of DANCE MUSIC at 3a; there didn’t seem much need to slow down at that point.

    I’d rather hoped for some GK Chesterton vocab today, as I started reading the Father Brown stories last night. Maybe tomorrow…

  7. A bit of a walk in the park after grappling with the Club Monthly last night. Held up only by SCOURER, my LOI, wondering what a pan cleaner had to do with a watch. No standout clues for me today. 12:26.
  8. Easy top to bottom solve. Biffed CHAIN and then reverse engineered Chaplin. No other problems.
  9. I sailed through this so am surprised it took me 17 minutes. AFTERGLOW was my COD so I will go and bask in it. Thanks jackkt and setter as always.
  10. 30 mins with yoghurt, granola, etc.
    My paper grid is unsullied by any marks at all today – no ticks (good clue), no crosses (weak clue), no question marks (MERs).
    And very little marginalia, except the kerfuffle working out the Aura,(can’t)*,R bit of 12ac.
    Thanks setter and J.
  11. 14′, with DANCE MUSIC LOI, which reflects my youth when ‘disco’ meant a social dance rather than a style of music. SEMI seems overused lately.

    Thanks jack and setter.

  12. Now back from a couple of months touring Scandinavia, I’m getting back into the groove with this Monday-style puzzle, dispatched in 19 mins. Only CHAIN held me up slightly — just as it seems to have done to other commenters here.
    Thanks for clarifying that one for me, jackkt, … and for the whole of your explicatory blog.
  13. DNF, thanks to having “eulogie” at 24ac. What, doesn’t parse? Surely you’ve heard of the Logi, the Dutch equivalent of the Bogeyman?
  14. Thanks, Jack. For once, though, I managed to parse everything by my little self, which is a rarity.
    I did like UNDERSTUDY.
  15. 12:16. I didn’t find this particularly easy: not much easier than yesterday’s, in fact. Just goes to show, eh?
    DISHTOWEL was unfamiliar to me. It’s a North American usage, apparently.
    STAR CATALOGUE was also new to me. You don’t see them much any more as you can order all the leading actors you need on the internet.
      1. My Scottish ex-girlfriend used a dishcloth to wipe down the surfaces, and a tea towel to dry the pots. My pal in Liverpool refers to the former as a dish rag.
          1. Horryd are you sure we are not related??? I am reminded of the Viz comic cover ‘I was the third Kray twin’.
  16. 16 minute stroll, though I didn’t work out all of the RESTAURANT CAR, not seeing the aura (perhaps I lack psychic awareness).
    I gather there are many STAR CATALOGUES, but arranging delivery is still a problem, not to mention the astronomical prices.
  17. Seemed like a Monday, was dropping answers in on sight with a chance for a PB, so finished in a PB 11 minutes, with some biffing; then found I had 2 wrong. SHOOTER at 7d and EULOGUE at 24a. Ah well, it was fun trying. I’ll stick to parsing all properly and not rushing in future. And save my £20 come November, December, or whenever it’s going to be; the 2019 Championships are in 2020 perhaps.
    1. Do you know something about the Championship that I don’t Pip ? I’m automatically qualified, but I’ve heard diddly squat. Could do with it not being the same weekend as last year, as Altrincham are away to King’s Lynn, and I have a plan that involves some serious beer sampling in Norwich for the preceding two days !
      1. I’m a bit torn on this one (a half-an-half scarf) so a good ole 0-0? Good beer in Naarich!
        1. Thanks Pip. I am now considerably wiser ! Thank goodness I’m one of the 50 automatic qualifiers, but the first year in the future that would involve me having to go into what appears to be a totally random entry process will be when I bow out.

          I’ve had my “bridesmaid moments” with a third and a fourth place finish, but my performances of late have been far less stellar. I still look with pride at the engraved decanter I won as Northern champion in 1998 (where did those 21 years go ?) but it was different then, and speed was paramount. I’m still quick – but the days of finishing four puzzles in just under half an hour are long gone now.

  18. An easy one today, 7m 6s. TROT held me up at the end, but an alphabet trawl did the job.
  19. I spent too much time trying for the tulip that wasn’t there in 24a. Someone gave me a miniature Delftware clog when I was a kid – my mother confiscated it because it contained schnapps. 16.21
  20. Steady away with everything parsed in 21:35. Started with UTAH. SCOURER took a while. Spotted Chaplin quickly. Thought of RESTAURANT CAR quickly but took a while before I saw the parsing and wrote it in. (Solved on paper today due to computer issues, and then transferred to the club site). Didn’t find this too 11a and remembered ECLOGUE from a previous puzzle. Thanks setter and Jack.
  22. Other half and I ( working together, me on paper, he on I pad) manage the QC most days and attempt the biggy sometimes – often only get a couple of clues though.

    Today, working on my own in sunny garden I completed whole of 15×15 except for 5d, 6d and 25 across ( I’d put teeth instead of tooth for 16d).

    Very very pleased with myself! Time …. er…… 2 hours plus!!!

    1. Do you need a better half though! And 5dn was a stupid clue. I too started off with teeth! Keep it up!

      Edited at 2019-08-13 04:37 pm (UTC)

  23. 9:18 so pretty easy with a good few biffs. I don’t think I’ve encountered dishtowel or star catalogue before so they went in with a little caution.

    I don’t think I’d call a fly a bug (or t’other way about) so I thought 21 was a bit meh.

      1. A fly is a specific type of insect. A bug is a specific type of insect. (Please don’t ask me to get any more specific than that, I’m not David Bellamy).

        If a walked into a room full of flies I wouldn’t say it was full of bugs.

        If I trod on a shield bug or cicada I wouldn’t say I’d squashed a fly.

        1. A fly, a shield bug (whazzat?) and a cicada are all three specific kinds of insects. You wouldn’t call a fly a cicada either, which would be the same kind of mistake.

          I didn’t know this before, but “bug” has a scientific meaning. Wikipedia: “The Hemiptera or true bugs are an order of insects comprising some 50,000 to 80,000 species of groups such as the cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, and shield bugs. They range in size from 1 mm to around 15 cm, and share a common arrangement of sucking mouthparts.”

          The looser, much more common sense of the word is generally given as (Cambridge) “an insect,” (Collins), “an insect or similar small creature.” Merriam-Webster gives the scientific definition first, then “any of various small arthropods (such as a beetle or spider) resembling the true bugs,” and then “any of several insects (such as a head louse) commonly considered obnoxious.” If obnoxiousness is a criterion of identification, then flies certainly qualify!

          As for smallness, here in New York City we have some downright enormous waterbugs.

          Some may think of a bug as a crawly thing, rather than something that flies, I guess (though “flea” is often given as a synonym)…

          Edited at 2019-08-13 04:00 pm (UTC)

          1. …a fly is not a bug in the UK. It is in the USA, maybe. Guy, you are missing the point that this crossword is published out of Lunnon Town.
  24. 18 minutes, and many were write-ins. DNK eclogue, but it parsed fine. COD dishtowel.
  25. …. the SPEED LIMIT on this one, but I didn’t think it was quite that easy. NHO STAR CATALOGUE, needed Jack’s much appreciated wisdom to parse DANCE MUSIC, and only parsed RESTAURANT CAR and IN THE RIGHT post-solve.

    FOI UTAH (cue false sense of security)
    LOI SCOURER
    COD A FLY ON THE WALL
    TIME 10:04

  26. Was hoping for a record score on this but SCOURER and TROT held me up at the end, and the parsing for the dROP had to come here for. Simple if you’re not in a rush. I’d say that the quickie was a fraction harder today.
  27. Meeting a friend at Euston today. Got 1a and 1d and a couple more before he arrived- and finished after lunch. A few biffs at the end-Dance Music and Chain in particular.
    Did not seem too hard to me. Was pleased to remember ECLOGUE from a fairly recent puzzle. LOI was SCOURER. David
  28. If I timed these things this may have been a PB, certainly well less than 10 minutes, maybe 8 or so. But as I allude, I don’t time them. But everything except CHAIN went straight in on first reading, and on returning to it I recognized the Little Tramp, and it went in too. Regards.
  29. 23:02 I made harder work of a couple in the SW than I needed and had to write the letters down for the star catalogue anagram but otherwise this was pretty straightforward.

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