Quick Cryptic 1984 by Wurm

Author   CuraristPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic
Sorry – bit late this morning but thankfully a gentle offering from Wurm which took me about 5 minutes. I did quite a lot of biffing. I stared longest at 22a, which was my LOI. You may or may not have heard of 19d, I only know it from crosswords. I am a sucker for a good cryptic definition so COD goes to 5d.

Across
1 Theatrical and exaggerated Frenchman in beret (4)
CAMP – M for French man, inside CAP
3 Bond chasing chess player in formal attire (5,3)
BLACK TIE – TIE is a bond, BLACK is a chess player
8 Exotic mink and sentient apes (7)
MANKIND – anagram (‘exotic’) of MINK AND
10 Still time for adventure (5)
EVENT – EVEN + T
11 What doors should do is obvious (4-3-4)
OPEN-AND-SHUT – double definition
13 Potion team in anger knocked back (6)
ELIXIR – XI (team) inside RILE, all backwards
15 Picnic in light wind (6)
BREEZE – double definition
17 Office item most recent one used in City group (7,4)
ELASTIC BAND – LAST I inside EC (City of London) + BAND for group
20 Rwandan king of old is back (5)
TUTSI – King TUT + IS backwards
21 Bananas all tear on the side (7)
LATERAL – anagram (‘bananas’) of ALL TEAR
22 Good bread in fact stale (8)
STAGNANT – G + NAN inside STAT
23 Cheese some sent back from a delicatessen (4)
EDAM – Reverse hidden word: froM A DElicatessen

Down
1 Familiar with monarch but no aristocrat (8)
COMMONER – COMMON + ER
2 Chop rotten at one end consumed by rodents (5)
MINCE – N (one end of ‘rotten’) inside MICE
4 Pretentious boy on Cretan mountain (2-2-2)
LA-DI-DA – LAD + IDA
5 Vanishing cream consumer? (8,3)
CHESHIRE CAT – disappearing cat from Alice in Wonderland. cryptic definition. Cute.
6 Rate revised within the playhouse (7)
THEATRE – anagram (‘revised’) of RATE inside THE
7 Takes in tea brewed by son (4)
EATS – anagram (‘brewed’) of TEA + S
9 Wise men in island country offering vision (11)
IMAGINATION – MAGI inside I NATION
12 Swinger has choice about complete uniform (8)
PENDULUM – PLUM is choice, outside END + U
14 Sloth one near it disturbed (7)
INERTIA – anagram (‘disturbed’) of I NEAR IT
16 Hot stone cracked around lake (6)
STOLEN – anagram (‘cracked’) of STONE + L
18 Parched swallowing cold bitter (5)
ACRID – ARID with C inside
19 Love shown by husband leaving this regretful lady (4)
OTIS – O + T{H}IS. ‘Miss Otis Regrets’ is a song by Cole Porter

54 comments on “Quick Cryptic 1984 by Wurm”

  1. The time was set recently at anyone over 21 minutes in order to add a bit of encouragement to the also rans. I myself was in the SCC recently – a bit of mis-direction or lack of General Knowledge (GK) or just off the wavelength can be somewhat time consuming. Penny Drop Moments (PDM’s) make it all worthwhile.
    Under thirty minutes for those starting out is encouraging and as you will find here, doing the QC with a partner can be a good way to proceed and should bring your times down more rapidly.
    The ‘Greyhounds’ who dip under five minutes are to be admired, but those who can do it in 3-4 minutes and under are either liars (neutrinos) or The Elite and there are quite a few of the latter hereabouts! Then there’s Verlaine!

    Most can ride a bicycle and should have learnt how to swim; the QC simply requires a bit of dedication and practice. Bon Chance!

    Edited at 2021-10-15 05:05 pm (UTC)

  2. I was over the line on the Greyhound Bus, 4:19 mins. My COD goes to the inscrutable Cheshire Cat at 5dn.
    My FOI Camp was fun, as was Miss Otis!

    Edited at 2021-10-15 05:15 pm (UTC)

  3. Was on for a very good time for me, but then came unstuck in the SW with 19d and 22a. After what seemed like an age I saw how OTIS worked, though I had no idea who she was. I had hoped that having the first letter of 22a would give it away, but no, I had another while of head scratching before the penny dropped. I was then quite surprised to find I’d still managed 21:02, which just goes to show what might have been. Oh well. COD to STOLEN. Thanks Wurm and Curarist.
  5. I’d agree with those saying the QCs are getting harder. Today STAGNANT as last one in but no idea of the parsing. Experience going up and times not coming down
  6. Not on Wurm’s wavelength.
    Too many obscure crossword canards — TUT, PLUM, EC, STAT…
    I suppose if you can remember them all it is a breeze.
    DNF SW corner
    As an engineer, I don’t see inertia as sloth — it’s resistance to movement from rest or constant motion.
    Nick
  7. Just didn’t get chance to do the QC on Friday, so only 2 days late. For what it’s worth, as I’m guessing no one will read this, I dnf — struggling on 1dn “Commoner” and 22ac “Stagnant” after 30 mins.

    Again, I thought this was hard from Wurm. DNK 19dn “Otis” nor Mt Ida for 4dn but they were obtainable.

    FOI — 3ac “Black Tie”
    LOI — dnf
    COD — 22ac “Stagnant”

    Thanks as usual!

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