Several entertaining clues here – 10a,12a in particular. LOI propound, even after getting pro and working my way through various currencies. Wordplay in 18d perhaps a bit obscure, but I suppose one always thinks that about things one doesn’t really know! Thanks to Hawthorn.
| Across | |
| 1 | Almost perfect concept: IDEA Almost perfect = IDEA(l) |
| 4 |
Intimidating snarling of seamer: FEARSOME Anagram of (snarling) OF SEAMER |
| 8 |
Unknown stone by mountains and river: STRANGER Stone = ST, mountains = RANGE, river = R |
| 9 | It’s good in July going topless – or unsightly: UGLY Good = G, in topless (j)ULY |
| 10 | Heartless city gent mistreated youngster at the bank: CYGNET Heartless C(it)Y, anagram (mistreated) of GENT |
| 11 | French article probing a timid boy or girl: ASHLEY French article = LE, inside a timid = A SHY |
| 12 | Hack gets new dirt on premier location: DOWNING STREET Anagram of (hack) GETS NEW DIRT ON |
| 16 |
Sound directly heard: STRAIT Homophone of (heard) directly = STRAIGHT |
| 17 | Send packages care of assistant: SECOND SEND outside (packages) care of = CO |
| 19 | Isle of Wight, by end of regatta, is in a state: IOWA Isle of Wight = IOW, end of regattA |
| 20 |
Present top sportsman with money: PROPOUND Top sportsman = PRO, money = POUND |
| 21 | Father at home returned after trip cut short in Caribbean island: TRINIDAD Father at home returned = DAD IN backwards, trip cut short = TRI(p) |
| 22 |
Hitch south with horse: SNAG South = S, horse = NAG |
| Down | |
| 2 |
Something to sing time after time when absorbed by home improvement: DITTY Time after time = TT, absorbed by home improvement = inside DIY |
| 3 | A profit made twice, repeatedly: AGAIN AND AGAIN A profit = A GAIN, twice |
| 4 | Runs away from shock battle: FIGHT F(r)IGHT |
| 5 | A creditor finally brings up what’s owed: ARREARS A = A, creditoR finally, brings up = REARS |
| 6 |
Stars bitter about the end of production-and angry: SOUTHERN CROSS Bitter = SOUR , about THE, end of productioN, angry = CROSS |
| 7 | Man taking in ascending scenery of Mediterranean country: MALTESE Man = MALE, including SET (stage scenery) backwards |
| 10 | Crowd regularly fish: COD CrOwD |
| 13 |
Open-air, unfashionable party, as an alternative: OUTDOOR Unfashionable = OUT, party = DO, alternative = OR |
| 14 | Fantastic poet and where one might write: NOTEPAD Anagram of (fantastic) POET AND |
| 15 | Thanks daughter for very little: TAD Thanks = TA, daughter = D |
| 17 |
Admonish last in class, showing lack of compassion: SCOLD Last in clasS, lack of compassion = COLD |
| 18 | Simone the singer hugs Jack the assassin: NINJA NINA (Simone – singer) including J(ack) |
jackkt
RE: Quick Cryptic posted 05/01/16 23:19
Could you enlighten me if there’s any particular significance to the Nina in QC476 by Teazel – the unches at the top and bottom of the grid? Also the P’s and E’s at the left and right?
– – – – – – – – –
bannman (RR Times Crossword Editor):
RE: Quick Cryptic posted 06/01/16 16:43
I asked Teazel about this and received the reply that it was simply a way of “seeding” the grid.
So there is no particular significance in the Ps and Es, nor is Teazel a particular fan of cuckoo clocks! Sometimes setters do this sort of thing, perhaps not always quite so prominently.
That said, I did not spot it at the time either!
RR
Crossword Editor
Brian
I thought this was going to be easy but then got really held up mainly on the RHS and also with 12a. But it was an enjoyable challenge so I stuck at it. Not seeing Hack at 12a as an anagram indicator was a problem but eventually I saw it, getting the Street part first.That left 6d and all I could see was Southern Cross -a very good Crosby Stills & Nash track ( there’s a good live version on Youtube which I’ve listened to recently), and it parsed. LOI was Propound (like others I see). An excellent puzzle. David
So that’s another week over??? Time flies.
Now what does LOI mean? And what are unches?
I’m having multiple problems with a recalcitrant Captcha, which is most unfriendly. Do you really need it? With it’s endless questions – I’ve given up registering, and commenting several times for it’s such a pain. Am I alone? I’m still not able to register. Help, please!
Ian Donaldson
Re cygnet, it’s the whole expression – ‘youngster at the bank’, with bank as in river bank, a good piece of misdirection by the setter.
LOI – last one in
Not come across unches, but think it could mean unchecked letters, those appearing in the answer to one clue only.
As for the captcha, can only suggest it could be the device you are using, but I have no idea actually!
The other cryptic, while usually more difficult, gives you the option to print and solve offline which very often makes it much easier. There’s something about physically writing out the letters of an anagram (or a clue where you have only some of the letters and several blanks) that – in my case at least – triggers something in my brain that recognises the pattern and arranges the letters accordingly.
I don’t know why you’re having captcha problems. You could ask Linxit who is the presiding genius of this site. His Saturday cryptic blog is up today so you could post a comment there and most likely get a reply. Happy solving!