Quick Cryptic 2374 by Alfie

Author   CuraristPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic

An engaging puzzle that came in just over par at 7 minutes, so perhaps more tricky than average. It’s also an example of that rare beast, the double pangram. Favourite clue is the very neat 21ac. Held up by 4dn because I never learn.

Across
6 Exclamation of alarm as a horde assembled (2,4)
OH DEAR – anagram (‘assembled’) of A HORDE
7 Inter again later the club you swear by, ultimately! (6)
REBURY – last letters of lateR thE cluB yoU sweaR bY
9 Variable IQ reflected after taking in university pub event? (4)
QUIZ – Z (variable) + IQ  all backwards with U for university inserted
10 Make the most of revolutionary mix in corn (8)
MAXIMIZE – MIX backwards inside MAIZE. US spelling because the clue doesn’t work otherwise
11 Kiss Pole madly in winter sports setting (3,5)
SKI SLOPE – anagram (‘madly’) of KISS POLE
13 Eye venue for return, regularly — experiencing this? (4)
ENVY – reversed alternate letters of eYe VeNuE
15 A biscuit or photo? It’s the same thing! (4)
SNAP – triple definition
16 MP in France I involved in projects that take off immediately? (4,4)
JUMP JETS – MP + JE (in France, ‘I’) inside JUTS. The definition is a bit clunky but I suppose it’s a semi-&lit
18 Very unpleasant fag would, when put out (3-5)
GOD-AWFUL – anagram (‘put out’) of FAG WOULD
20 Charlie cut a toffee, perhaps (4)
CHEW – C + HEW. Chew is also a noun, of course.
21 City some discover on Adige (6)
VERONA – hidden word: discoVER ON Adige. Also a nice &lit because Verona lies on the Adige river, which I did not know until today.
22 Money order spoken for by vet or E European? (6)
CHEQUE – sounds like CHECK and CZECH
Down
1 Say nothing: manage with knowledge that’s much reduced? (8)
SHRUNKEN – SH (say nothing) + RUN + KEN
2 Pram zone zoo’s organised for female singer (5-7)
MEZZO-SOPRANO – anagram (‘organised’) of PRAM ZONE ZOO’S
3 Cases of cider, ice-cream and Barolo for Christmas (6)
CRIMBO – outside letters of CideR + Ice-creaM + BarolO. Fairly familiar British slang word for Christmas
4 Girl endlessly tries to grab one kiss (6)
TRIXIE – TRIE[S] with I X inside. Better name for a dog than a person. Note in the 15 x 15 such a clue would use a synonym rather than the word itself, and it catches me out every single time in the QC. There are dozens of synonyms for ‘try’ (shot, bash, stab, go, essay, hear…) so I was barking up the wrong tree for a while.
5 Place in Austria making razors for paring down (4)
GRAZ – hidden word: makinG RAZors
8 Aircraft to lift alien’s coat (6,6)
BOMBER JACKET – BOMBER + JACK + ET
12 Greek character with ukulele originally more musical (3)
PIÙ – PI + U for ukulele. Italian for ‘more’, used in musical notation. Apologies for pretentiously adding the accent.
14 Our vet is upset, becoming glassy (8)
VITREOUS – anagram (‘upset’) of OUR VET IS
16 Yes German females like oranges! (6)
JAFFAS -JA (‘yes’ in German)+ F + F + AS (like)
17 Evil intent of maiden, a girl in wonderland (6)
MALICE – M for maiden (cricket abbreviation) + ALICE
19 One arranged to keep ten cattle (4)
OXEN – anagram (‘arranged’) of ONE with X (ten) inserted

103 comments on “Quick Cryptic 2374 by Alfie”

  1. Found this much easier than most recently and came home with my second fastest of the year so far (and 10th fastest ever) at 11:11. Didn’t notice the double pangram, but very impressive, especially given that none of the words (with the exception of PIU for me) were particularly unusual. Lots of great clues, my favourites being those for SNAP and QUIZ. LOI was JUMP JETS. Thanks Alfie and Curarist.

  2. Doofer’s time reversed – 11:01! I had the same issues regarding MAXIMIZE and GRAZ, and could kick myself because I realised that the corn was MAIZE (after also initially reading it as COM) but still whacked in MAXIMISE (my default spelling, as discussed last week 😂) Trying to resolve that took a minute or so.
    As soon as I saw Alfie’s name, I knew we were in for a letter-based theme, and saw the pangram, but not the double. And yet, I was very surprised by the numbers of Zs. Not enough to follow through though! OH DEAR is right 😅
    FOI Oh dear LOI Graz COD Jaffas
    Thanks Alfie and Curarist

    1. Well done PennyB – back to form after your SCC application was rejected! 😀

  3. In contrast to most other comments I found the wordplay very clunky and its only saving grace is that it is a double pangram (although I only spotted one pangram).

    As a Christian I find CRIMBO and GOD AWFUL slightly offensive and I would never use either expression myself. I’m sure our Jewish and Muslim friends would also have the same reaction to certain expressions.

    Anyway, rant over.

  4. A clever puzzle which was enjoyable to work out after all the trials of the 4 tough ones this week. For once I noticed the surfeit of unusual letters and saw their were two of each: well done, Alfie!

  5. Thank you Fatima for your Christian rant – with which I agree. We do however sometimes get Christian belief references in the various cryptics! The double pangram was excellent and ingenious, though the puzzle I thought on the easier side. COD PIU.

  6. Enjoyable QC. FOI REBURY (only saw parsing later). LOsI CHEW and GRAZ, having put MAXIMIsE at first.
    Am surprised some of you chaps haven’t heard of JUMP JETS, though I have the advantage of working on a naval magazine in days of yore, when the Harrier was first deployed.
    Liked JAFFAS, CHEQUE, SNAP, BOMBER JACKET (PDM).
    TRIXIE features in Call the Midwife!
    Thanks vm, Curarist.

      1. Not a journalist, but have worked on various types of publications on and off most of my life. Now retired to the Parish Magazine😇

        1. Interesting! Having worked in internal comms most of my working life, I am now retired to a volunteers newsletter – still enjoy it too and deadlines are more flexible 😊

  7. A very interesting puzzle and a 9 minute completion brings the running total for the week to exactly my target 60 minutes. Not quite all parsed (Jump Jets was put in from the two Js, and the explanation for Bomber Jacket also escaped me – should have got that one), and a few clunky surfaces, but the cleverness of a double pangram probably excuses those.

    As for the ISE/IZE question (again …), I’m an ISE person on the whole. Sometimes it matters (eg prise/prize), sometimes only one version can be right (eg size) but most times, each to his own. Just please don’t shout at me for using the version you don’t!

    Many thanks to Curarist for the blog and a good weekend to all
    Cedric

  8. I only knew Crimbo from a neighbour hailing from Liverpool. My SE/East Anglian upbringing never used it!

    1. Interesting. I always imagine it being a Bertie Wooster sort of word. “Aunt Agatha’s for Crimbo? Dash it all, Jeeves!”

      1. Oh no, it’s a ghastly word from Merseyside that’s crept into our language in the last few years. One of my pet hates.

        1. Hmmm … I’m sure we used to refer to Crimbo back in the 90s. Maybe it’s a southern thing.

          I don’t mind terms like that until they get overused like “hollibobs” or “thanks lovely” 🙄 Then it just becomes sickly.

          I remember the days when people complained about it being called Xmas ….

  9. Interesting the blogger comments harder than average. I think the average over the last few weeks has steadily got harder to the point where I am not sure why we have QC’s. Certainly we no longer have the 30-40% easier ones as we used to. I accept I will never run through the puzzles but it would be nice to get the occasional easy one. I know there are some who solve the puzzles in sub 3 minute times but not sure why they bother as it is clearly not a challenge for them and if it is not a challenge what is the point other than bragging rights. So a plea to setters give those of us trying to learn crosswords some hope with at least 1 puzzle a week that is on the easier side.

    1. I would agree with the blogger that over the long term this was harder than average. Not that I’m sure what average is these days.

      Prior to the QC, I did the Quick Crossword in the paper my mother gets for about four years. I was usually solving that in 4-5mins. My fastest was around 2min40 and a few in the 3s. I never got bored of it because I was always looking for the elusive faster solve. That became the challenge.

      Nnetheless I empathise with your desire for easier ones here. I would like to have a chance at quickening up my faster solves!

  10. Well said Tim. I must add that I was also a bit disappointed to read (above) that anything over a 10 minute solve qualifies one for the oft derided ‘Slow Coach Club’. That seems a bit harsh to me. I dread to think what club I get allocated to when I limp over in 30+ minutes! Suggestions on a post card please…..

    1. I thought it was over 20 mins. Has it changed? Have I been frequenting the SCC all this time?

      1. Apologies. You’re correct. I take it back. I misread Mendesest’s comment. 😊

    2. Oh please don’t think the SCC is derided – it was coined a while back very much in jest by someone who found themselves usually in the 20 min + region (I’m afraid I don’t remember who) and is meant to be good-humoured.
      As someone who really struggled in the early days, I do agree that a gentler crossword is much needed every now and then to boost your ego. I think Vinyl’s point earlier this week about setters finding it hard to judge difficulty is a good one. It’s easy when you know what you meant or when you’ve got the answers in front of you, as I frequently shout at Paxo on University Challenge 😅

      2. Penny, I must confess that the term ‘SCC’ was originally down to me in 2018 after a series of comments from bloggers similar to the current ones. I will paste one of many subsequent comments – from me in 2019- in answer to a query from another solver, the esteemed Don (Astartedon). Others quickly became involved – bloggers like sonofjim and former bloggers like Don also joined the discussion. It was always used in fun and never, ever used as a derogatory term. It always referred to times of 20 mins + (as you say).

        Quote:
        SCC = Slow Coach Club. The term has been credited to me and sonofjim** because we both try to be very honest about our times
        and are beyond being embarrassed by taking longer that members of the ‘Formula One Club’ who vie to post times below 5 minutes. I think many newer, less-experienced, and less quick-witted solvers can still get enormous pleasure from pitting their wits against the QC and deserve to do so without any feeling of embarrassment or inadequacy because they take their time. John M.
        ** Note. I used the term ‘slowcoach’ earlier – on Nov. 19th 2018 – and sonofjim picked up on it less than half an hour later. I think quite a few people now take some pride in enjoying their crossword-solving as members of the SCC.

        Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. John.

        1. It’s a club I enjoy being a member of, although it’s nice to escape every so often.

        2. How time flies – how could I have forgotten the founder of such an illustrious club!
          I am also with you regarding -ise 😏

          1. How kind. I am still proud to be a member of the SCC from time to time. Perhaps a little too often in the past week or more!
            Yes. The ‘ise’ have it! 🙄
            John

    3. I think you might have misread Mendesest’s comment above where he took 10 minutes on first portion, then almost ten on second part. He says he just escaped SCC by a few seconds but my first quick reading thought he said 10 minutes was cut-off. Puzzled,I reread and saw the 20 minute standard was indeed affirmed!

  11. Well thank goodness for that! I haven’t done the QC regularly for a while and this week’s offerings made me think I was losing my touch. Tuesday’s QC I completed with aids, Wednesday’s I could only do two thirds of even with aids, Thursday ‘s required help but today I completed it unaided in a shortish time and thoroughly enjoyed it. Crimbo made me laugh. Thank you Curarist and Alfie.

  12. 16 mins…

    A fun end to the week, and whilst I spotted it was a pangram, I didn’t notice it was a double one.

    Like a few above, I nearly put Dog Awful for 18ac, but thankfully changed it. As a kid in the 70’s, I used to have a rather bright blue padded “bomber” jacket with multicoloured stripes across the front – although the UK bomber jackets were different to the ones actually worn by pilots. As a small aside, I believe 5dn “Graz” is the original birth place of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

    FOI – 5dn “Graz”
    LOI – 7ac “Rebury”
    COD – 16dn “Jaffas”

    Thanks as usual!

  13. 7.09 After a dreadful week (total time 106 minutes) this made a nice change. NHO PIU. Completely failed to spot the pangram. CRIMBO made me smile and I might have struggled with CHEW if we hadn’t had HEW a few days ago. Good fun. Thanks both.

  14. Thanks Alfie for a return to sanity! I should have timed carefully, I might just have escaped the SCC today!! Time around 20 minutes. And like some others I am hurt by CRIMBO for CHRISTMAS.

  15. While we found most of this straightforward we failed with 4d trixie, and 3d crime.

  16. Nice end to the week! Missed the DOUBLE pangram.
    FOI 6a oh dear
    LOI 7a rebury – unsure of part of the clue
    COD 8d bomber jacket

  17. Well inside the SCC cut-off today for a happy end to the week. I did a lot of biffing and only appreciated the quality of the clues when reading the blog.

    A host of fine clues, with particular mentions for SNAP, JAFFAS and GRAZ (got this from my knowledge of European football).

    A few NHOs (PIU and VITREOUS), but all capable of being worked out. I hate the word CRIMBO, but I did like the clue for this.

    Thanks for the excellent blog. I hope everyone has a great weekend and that the ☀️ shines!

    PS Congratulated myself for spotting a pangram, only to find it was a double. D’oh!!!

    1. Good to see you back on it GA 👍 Enjoy the sunshine. Think things are calming down for us after a week of high winds. The longer, lighter days are definitely helping

  18. 13:58

    Was on the lookout for a pangram as soon as I had QUIZ, but failed to notice the double.

    Given the challenge of getting every letter in twice this was surprisingly easy with no obscure vocab, only LOI GRAZ holding me back as I’d spelt MAXIMIZE with an S.

  19. That I should live to see CRIMBO and GOD-AWFUL in the Thunderer. O tempora, o mores.

    Brilliant to achieve a double pangram in the 13×13. I had a junior once who’d been a classicist and insisted on Zs everywhere; he said it was Hellenic. I told him we were writing in English.

    All done in 07:22 for 1.2 K and an Excellent Day.

    Thanks Alfie and curarist.

    Templar

  20. Did this one earlier today and thought it was the easiest of this weeks offerings – actually managed to escape the SCC, which is a very rare occurrence for me! Spotted the pangram early on, but failed to spot the double in the excitement of a fast completion.

  21. Greetings to a fellow Arab.
    Still think we’ll survive, even if it pained me to need a favour from Aberdeen tonight.

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