Quick Cryptic 31 set by Dazzler

Posted on Categories Quick Cryptic
Because of the broken link at the Times I’ve put up today’s Quickie #31 here:http://jackkt.livejournal.com/

This one took me 11 minutes so was possibly at the easier end of the spectrum for a Quickie, but it’s another excellent puzzle with a good variety of clue types. It’s still not available on the button and the usual trick adjusting the url didn’t work for me so I had to wait hours for the facsimile to appear on-line. I hope this gets sorted out soon so that all those who want to access the puzzle can do so. In the meantime I’m running late so I’ve kept things fairly brief in the blog.

Definitions are underlined in the clues.

Across

1 In Australia a capital idea and deal that’s extraordinary (8)
ADELAIDE – Anagram [extraordinary] of IDEA DEAL. It’s the capital city of South Australia.
5 Dessert made by wife with it (4)
WHIP – Wife, HIP (with it). Memories of the often lurid colours of Bird’s Instant Whip!
8 Fellow boxing minute title-holder (5)
CHAMP – M (minute) inside [boxing] CHAP (fellow)
9 Effectiveness of company shown by data extremely clearly (7)
COGENCY – CO (company), GEN (data), ClearY
11 Feel airport needs changing to grow rapidly (ll)
PROLIFERATE – Anagram [needs changing] of FEEL AIRPORT
13 US author to judge verse (6)
POETRY – POE (US author), TRY (judge)
14 Complete current book and part of play (6)
INTACT – I (current),NT (book – New Testament), ACT (part of play)
17 Boy accompanying queen twice is a Casanova (11)
PHILANDERER – PHIL (boy), AND (accompanying), ER ER (queen twice)
20 Famous authoress with no name on grave (7)
AUSTERE – AUSTEn (famous authoress), RE (on)
21 Group of revolutionary activists with duke in charge (5)
CADRE – D (duke) inside CARE (charge)
22 American is a jerk (4)
YANK – Double definition
23 Traveller always recalled carrying one spare (8)
REPRIEVE – REP (traveller), I (one) inside [carrying] EVER (always, reversed)

Down
1 Knowing military music hasn’t started (4)
ARCHmARCH (military music)
2 Model partner once generous (7)
EXAMPLE – EX (partner once), AMPLE (generous)
3 Take illegally? Right (11)
APPROPRIATE – Double definition
4 Nothing that is dear (6)
DUCKIE – DUCK (nothing – cricket), IE (that is). I’m not sure if this very English endearment is known abroad.
6 Dye hard girl picked up (5)
HENNA – H (hard), ANNE (girl, reversed)
7 Nasty MEP fiddled allowances (8)
PAYMENTS – Anagram [fiddled] of NASTY MEP. The Times continues its campaign against Mr Farage!
10 Market trader perhaps is inexperienced and rather vulgar, we hear (11)
GREENGROCER – GREEN (inexperienced), GROCER sounds like [we hear] ‘grosser’ (rather vulgar). I think the clue should be ‘rather more vulgar’.
12 Curate finally happy in restored church festival (8)
EPIPHANY curatE, anagram [restored] of HAPPY IN
15 Cross written at bottom of a contract (7)
ABRIDGE – A, BRIDGE (cross)
16 Stick lands regularly at this spot (6)
ADHERElAnD, HERE (this spot)
18 Playwright identified by some lines bitterly upset (5)
IBSEN – Hidden and reversed in liNES BItterly
19 Garden party making fortune reportedly (4)
FETE – Sounds like [reportedly] ‘fate’ (fortune)

11 comments on “Quick Cryptic 31 set by Dazzler”

  1. QC now in the seventh week. You would have thought they would have their act together by now.
  2. The link is now fixed(after I complained)but it does appear to be a recurring problem.
  3. Thanks, Jack, for a beautifully clear blog I solved it in 18 mins with a few vague Z8 pointers. I am beginning to fill in clues fast & parse later. My COD was greengrocer.
  4. Thanks, jackkt. Excellent blog but,although it sounds like it took ages for The Times to get the posting right, it’s disappointing at this late stage in the day for there to be only 4 previous comments to mine. I liked greengrocer, too. It reminded me of one of my favourite Goon Show lines: “Oh, you’re a greengrocer.” “Nah, mate, more of a dirty yellow colour.”! 15mins so a medium length solve but a good puzzle.
    1. Thanks, Martin. I expect the Bank Holiday accounts for the low turnout today as much as the Times’ inefficiency resulting in the puzzle being unavailable until mid-morning. I guess more people read than post anyway so I don’t feel my efforts were wasted.
  5. First, big thanks to Jack for saving the day with his publication (and, as ever, excellent blog).

    Is it just me, or is the link (around 10.30 pm Monday UK time) taking us to puzzle 27 pulished middle of last week (well mine is anyway)? Also the trick with the URL (“back door” that has proved useful in the past) does not seem to work anymore either.

    I’m currently on holiday in New Caledonia where there is a more relaxed approach to time and precision, and I’m using a hotel internet service that can at best be described as eccentric, but I don’t think either of these would explain getting last week’s puzzle?

    Appreciate any insights, as I have my blogging day coming shortly (Wednesday) and feeling a bit jittery about these access issues!

    On edit: now the 22nd April crossword is displaying fine through the link. I notice the last three digits have changed to 137, so seems like the numeric sequence has shifted…

    Thanks

    Edited at 2014-04-22 12:29 am (UTC)

    1. Nick, I sent you a message earlier to your LJ account. You can actually access Wednesday’s puzzle for blogging if you wish though obviously the blog mustn’t be posted here until the day.
      1. Thanks very much Jack, most kind and thoughtful of you – much appreciated. Nick
  6. Thanks for all these helpful blogs. A real big thanks to the Times for introducing these excellent crosswords. As one who is not interested in non cryptically but isn’t good enough or have enough time in the day for the main cryptic, these are just right and an excellent addition as are these blogs
    1. Thanks for your comments, Bryan, and welcome if you are new to TftT. I know people at the Times drop in here so I’m sure your appreciative remarks will be noted there too.

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