14:50 for me today, with usual clever clues from Hurley. A little too many anagrams for my taste, but the long ones are impressive.
LOI was LATTER which was tough because the final three checkers (-A-T-R) have dozens of solutions, and the clue could read either of two ways. S + (coffee) meaning “right”; or (coffee) + R meaning (second).
Across
| 1 | Epic drama about caring type (9) |
| PARAMEDIC – (EPIC DRAMA)*
I first heard of this word during coverage of the Challenger disaster, where parachutes were seen on the screen. The announcer said that these were not survivors but just paramedics attending the scene. Not knowing this word (which was not common in Britain we just had “ambulance drivers”) I thought the “para” suffix was just like para-trooper, or para-glider: that they were medics who arrived by parachute. Thought this for years. |
|
| 6 | Hackneyed conclusion of tedious story (5) |
| STALE – {tediou}S + TALE (story)
Hackney (in London) was historically known for supplying and grazing horses. The widespread use and frequent hiring of these horses led to the term “hackneyed” being used metaphorically to describe something that has become STALE. |
|
| 8 | Fortitude in finish: you organised church (9) |
| ENDURANCE – END (finish) + U (you) + RAN (organised) + CH{urch} | |
| 9 | Behind is displayed in daft error! (5) |
| AFTER – hidden in daft error | |
| 10 | A levy reversed staff time for growth area (9) |
| ALLOTMENT – A + LLOT(=TOLL (levy) [reversed]) + MEN (staff) + T{ime} | |
| 12 | Wife wearing jeans turning to twirl (6) |
| SWIVEL – W{ife} in SIVEL (=LEVIS(jeans) [turning]) | |
| 13 | Second coffee? Right (6) |
| LATTER – LATTE (coffee) + R{ight}
My LOI. See preamble for why. |
|
| 16 | Milan team left huddle regularly for break (9) |
| INTERLUDE – INTER [Inter Milan are a football team] + L{eft} + {h}U{d}D{l}E | |
| 18 | Landlord’s first moderate rental agreement (5) |
| LEASE – L{andlord} + EASE (moderate, the verb) | |
| 19 | One new currency unit, the writer’s stimulus (9) |
| INCENTIVE – I(one) + N{ew} + CENT (currency unit)+ I’VE (the writer has) | |
| 21 | Swiftness ultimately sees top bicycle take lead (5) |
| SPEED – last letters of “sees top bicycle take lead” | |
| 22 | Honeymooners, Lewis, Wendy, I missed out unfortunately (5-4) |
| NEWLY-WEDS – (LEW{I}S WENDY)* |
Down
| 1 | Nobles look mature (7) |
| PEERAGE – PEER (look) + AGE (mature, the verb) | |
| 2 | Sieve puzzle (6) |
| RIDDLE – Double definition
I always get confused between a Riddle and a Griddle, but the expression that something is “riddled with errors” brings the right one to mind. |
|
| 3 | Value that’s intrinsic to some rituals (5) |
| MERIT – Hidden in “some rituals”
Like many, I first heard of this word through the use of Merit badges at primary school. |
|
| 4 | End of second home racket (3) |
| DIN – {secon}D + IN (home) | |
| 5 | Sofa lifted! Cheers wildly (12) |
| CHESTERFIELD– (LIFTED CHEERS)*
Apparently the 4th Earl of Chesterfield placed an order for an elegant and comfortable sofa sometime during the 18th century. And his Lordship’s name remains, along with Sandwich and Cardigan. Very nice anagram, had me thinking of sofa, couch, futon, but couldn’t see how to get to twelve letters. |
|
| 6 | Titian cast is wrong, figures expert (12) |
| STATISTICIAN – (TITIAN CAST IS)* | |
| 7 | Perhaps Thunberg’s performance, unconventional visit (8) |
| ACTIVIST – ACT (performance) + (VISIT)* [unconventional]
When you see a phrase like “perhaps Thunberg”, GRETA looks to be the likely answer, but not this time. |
|
| 11 | Judgment by European: it’s upset friend (8) |
| ESTIMATE – E{uropean} + (ITS)*[upset] + MATE (friend) | |
| 14 | Fantastic sea legs never getting any older (7) |
| AGELESS – (SEA LEGS)* | |
| 15 | Pointless dossier containing every other letter from cult (6) |
| FUTILE – FILE (dossier) contains {c}U{l}T | |
| 17 | Angry about having long limbs (5) |
| RANGY – (ANGRY)*
The term was first used to describe animals, particularly livestock, that were accustomed to moving freely over large areas: RANGE-Y. Hence long-limbed, and later applied to people. |
|
| 20 |
Firm, western, milk supplier (3)
|
| COW – CO (firm) + W{estern} |
Despite living in Hackney, quite close to the marshes, for a few years back in the 80s, I didn’t know the history of the word hackneyed meaning STALE – very interesting, Merlin 😊
I hope the answer to 6d wasn’t random – or perhaps it was!
It’s still taking a bit of getting used to having living people and brand names in the clues, so Thunberg and Levi’s gave me brief pause for thought. I’d be more inclined to twirl in a new dress than a pair of jeans, but I thought the surface for SWIVEL was amusing. I also liked PEERAGE and there was definitely a strange situation going on at 22a – a menage a trois perhaps 😂
7:16 FOI and COD Stale LOI Swivel
Many thanks Hurley and Merlin
A rare (but becoming more regular) sub-5 for me ticking a few seconds over the 4 minute mark.
Could have been a lot quicker if I didn’t try and solve eventual LOI CHESTERFIELD from just the C. It leeped out once all the checkers were in.
Thanks blogger and setter
6:36 – some tricky areas, LOI was ESTIMATE. Good challenge – thanks both for the puzzle and blog.
Just (only just) avoided the SCC today with ACTIVIST my loi (didn’t notice what was underneath). Just the sort of QCC I like: variety of clues, nothing too esoteric, nice long anagrams and it all flowed. Excellent blog – thanks Merlin and Hurley
9 mins. OK.
3 short on 15 x 15, all of them solvable.