8 minutes. I’ve had quite a bad patch of QC solving times recently which finally ended last Friday with 8 minutes spent on an offering from Wurm, my first sub-10 solve since Trelawney’s last outing on 20th April (also 8 minutes). Today with the return of Trelawney I’ve equalled that. I don’t keep track these days, but I think both of these setters are generally considered to be at the easier end of the spectrum. How did you get on?
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]. “Aural wordplay” is in quotation marks. I now use a Caret sign ⁁ to indicate an insertion point in containment clues. I usually omit all reference to juxtaposition indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.
 Across |
|
|---|---|
| 1 | Least expensive copy found in wooden box (8) |
| CHEAPEST – APE (copy) contained by [found in] CHE⁁ST (wooden box). I wonder if I was alone in thinking of coffin before chest? | |
| 5 | Some nap secretly in part of church (4) |
| APSE – Hidden in [some] {n}AP SE{cretly} | |
| 9 | Closely follow mum’s doctrine (5) |
| DOGMA – DOG (closely follow), MA (mum) | |
| 10 | American writer turned into fat cat (7) |
| LEOPARD – POE (American writer) reversed [turned] contained by [into] L⁁ARD (fat). My LOI and one of the few clues I needed to return to when more checkers were in place. | |
| 11 | Consequence of extremely rude orchestra section (12) |
| REPERCUSSION – R{ud}E [extremely], PERCUSSION (orchestra section) | |
| 13 | Tolerate part of play featuring creep periodically (6) |
| ACCEPT – AC⁁T (part of play) containing [featuring] C{r}E{e}P [periodically] | |
| 15 | Detest a hotel terribly (6) |
| LOATHE – Anagram [terribly] of A HOTEL | |
| 17 | Scarlet Lycra pants very obvious! (7-5) |
| CRYSTAL-CLEAR – Anagram [pants] of SCARLET LYCRA | |
| 20 | Inventor’s right to hug one invalid? (7) |
| PATIENT – PAT⁁ENT (inventor’s right) containing [to hug] I (one) | |
| 21 | Wireless advertisement in Brazilian city (5) |
| RADIO – AD (advertisement) contained by [in] R⁁IO (Brazilian city) | |
| 22 | Pleasant afternoon finally to chill (4) |
| NICE – {afternoo}N [finally], ICE (chill) | |
| 23 | Save prisoner to join the military? (8) |
| CONSERVE – CON (prisoner), SERVE (join the military) | |
| Down |
|
|---|---|
| 1 | Swimmer ultimately broke cipher (4) |
| CODE – COD (swimmer), {brok}E [ultimately] | |
| 2 | Gale disturbed European bird (5) |
| EAGLE – Anagram [disturbed] of GALE, then E (European) | |
| 3 | Aviation enthusiast quietly tracks ceramicist (12) |
| PLANESPOTTER – P (quietly), LANES (tracks), POTTER (ceramicist) | |
| 4 | Choose the Spanish to infiltrate faction (6) |
| SELECT – EL (‘the’ in Spanish) contained by [to infiltrate] S⁁ECT (faction) | |
| 6 | Musician heading back inside west Sinai peninsula (7) |
| PIANIST – Reversed [heading back] and hidden [inside] {wes}T SINAI P{eninsula} | |
| 7 | Jeopardise finale and get cross (8) |
| ENDANGER – END (finale), ANGER (get cross) | |
| 8 | Peer group? (5,2,5) |
| HOUSE OF LORDS – Cryptic | |
| 12 | Cooked canapé with US kitchen utensil (8) |
| SAUCEPAN – Anagram [cooked] of CANAPE US | |
| 14 | Mysterious wail before photo capturing ghost’s foot (7) |
| CRYPTIC – CRY (wail), P⁁IC (photo) containing [capturing] {ghos}T [’s foot] | |
| 16 | Rather drunk, beginning to bet on numbers game (6) |
| BLOTTO – B{et} [beginning to…], LOTTO (numbers game) | |
| 18 | More unhappy after losing small snake (5) |
| ADDER – {s}ADDER (more unhappy) [after losing small] | |
| 19 | Wisecrack from judge offended King Edward primarily (4) |
| JOKE – J{udge} + O{ffended} + K{ing} + E{dward} [primarily] | |
4:52 for my 3rd fastest solve, following up another top-10 solve last Monday. I’ve been struggling more than usual with QCs recently (more DNFs than I’ve had in quite a long time), so it’s nice to have a confidence booster.
This was a very nice puzzle, I would imagine it would be a very good introduction to a new solver.
Yes, a Monday puzzle if there ever was one. Saucepan and leopard were the only ones that gave just the slightest bit of difficulty.
Time: 5:40
6:38
Currently the NITCH is at 68, one of the lowest this year (I’m bringing up the rear again with a 95). Like Vinyl, I needed a bit of time for LEOPARD & SAUCEPAN.