Quick Cryptic 15 by Joker

Author   william_j_sPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic
Quite a bit more taxing than the last couple of puzzles, and no less entertaining for it. I liked 17dn, with a more playful version of ‘both sides’ = R + L (right and left), and especially 3dn when the penny eventually dropped.

Across
7 CORONA – light from the sun is CORN (maize) absorbing O (oxygen) + A.
8 PULPIT – a double definition: from where some preach, and what you might do with soft fruit (pulp it).
9 VEST – garment is the definition. VET (examine) around (outside of) S (small).
10 POISONER – the trickiest clue, I thought, and my last one in. Crippen, perhaps gives the definition by example, which is also ON (operating, or working) in POISE (self-confidence) + the last letter (ending) of murdeR.
11 DISAGREE – DIm SAd GREEk without any of the endings (never quite finishing), gives a synonym for argue.
13 PROW – front of boat is P (quietly in music, piano) + ROW (use oars).
15 WELD – first letters (leaders) of Western Europe Largely Do, gives join together.
16 MACKEREL – MAC (waterproof) + KEEL (ship’s bottom) with first letter (head) of Razor inside, for a fish.
18 FASTENER – FASTER (more quickly) around mEN (top-less men) for security device.
20 SWAN – large bird, most of SWANk (impressive, or at least ostentatious, display).
21 SEANCE – spiritualist meeting from anagram of CAN (indicated by upset) inside SEE (holy see, diocese of the Pope).
22 MERLOT – anagram of MOTEL (indicated by served up) around the last letter of suppeR for wine.

Down
1 NOSE DIVE – NOSE sounds like (by report) “knows” (is aware of) + DIVE (disreputable bar) gives sharp decline.
2 PORTLAND STONE – a building material from PORT (Liverpool, for example) + LANDS (comes down) + anagram of NOTE (indicated by adjusted).
3 TAMPER – TAM (tam o’ shanter, Scottish hat) + PER (for each). The definition is monkey, as in ‘monkey around with’.
4 SPRITE – supernatural creature is an anagram of PRIEST (indicated by upsetting).
5 BLOOD PRESSURE – BLOOD (related) + PRESSURE (sense of urgency), and something which generally increases in the elderly.
6 VINE – climber in some of nerVINEss.
12 ERA – ER (the Queen) over A, for historic period.
14 OPERATOR – crafty manager: put OPERA (Carmen, perhaps) on TOR (a rocky height).
16 MANNER – ANNE (girl) surrounded by (dressed in) M (medium) and R (right), gives style.
17 CHROME – C + H (cold and hot, both taps) + anagram of MORE (indicated by damaged) for shiny plating.
19 AREA – A + REAl (most of genuine) for part (as in, ‘around these parts’).

8 comments on “Quick Cryptic 15 by Joker”

  1. I’d agree this was marginally harder than yesterday’s and I had a bit of as hold-up at the end over BLOOD PRESSURE and SWAN which extended my solving time to 16 minutes. Joker’s last outing (puzzle #5) took me 20 minutes so there’s some improvement.
    1. 10 mins. this one and getting the hang of filling it in. Nice blog , by the way.
  2. Yes, nice blog, william. I like the trend towards underlining the definition. Like barracuda, I’m getting the hang of filling in the grid without also filling in unwanted squares. Again, there were good examples of Times setting that weren’t too difficult to solve. My favourite was 3dn. 21mins which puts it at the higher end of my solving times for the Quickie.
  3. Took a lot longer than yesterday. About 30 minutes but I found this an enjoyable puzzle with several answers going in with a smile. My favourite was NOSEDIVE and last one in AREA.

    Was not able to parse POISONER, thanks for the explanation William.

  4. 5 mins and quite enjoyable. I agree with Jackkt that this was marginally more difficult than yesterday’s, which I only just got around to doing. In this one TAMPER was my LOI after POISONER when I realised which definition of “monkey” the setter was referring to.
  5. Thank you so much all of you for doing this blog and explaining things so well. I am so proud to have now fully completed two of these new crosswords. I am utterly awed by your speeds; I wouldn’t dare look at my watch! As you all say these puzzles are so entertaining. I aspire to the main Times……..one day…………again, thank you!
  6. Good puzzle, good blog – thanks William.

    Also had POISONER and TAMPER as last ones in – the latter had me convinced I was looking for some kind of ape…

  7. I’ve never been able to do cryptic crosswords but thought I would have a go at these. Really enjoying them, finished one and almost finished this one. 10 A and 3 & 16 down had me stumped.

    Well done to the Times for including these in the puzzle section.

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