Time: 10 minutes. Today we have a very enjoyable puzzle from Oink to mark the return of a classic QC following some of the excesses of the past week. I hope you liked it as much as I did.
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]. “Aural wordplay” is in quotation marks. I now use a tilde sign ~ to indicate an insertion point in containment clues. I usually omit all reference to juxtaposition indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.
 Across |
|
|---|---|
| 1 | Second person falling for nightclub artiste? (8) |
| STRIPPER – S (second), TRIPPER (person falling) | |
| 6 | Husband withdrawn from Hunt inquiry (4) |
| CASE – C{h}ASE (hunt) [husband withdrawn from…] | |
| 8 | Member of Pride? (4) |
| LION – Cryptic with reference to the collective noun, a pride of lions. | |
| 9 | Who gets gran shot? (8) |
| GANGSTER – Anagram [shot] of GETS GRAN | |
| 10 | Australian state champion backing AI (8) |
| VICTORIA – VICTOR (champion) then AI reversed [backing] | |
| 12 | Couple of policemen I knocked over (4) |
| ITEM – MET (policemen – Metropolitan Police) + I, reversed [knocked over]. ODE: item – a couple involved in an established romantic or sexual relationship. | |
| 13 | Socialist darlings changing leader (6) |
| ENGELS – ANGELS (darlings) when changing leader can become ENGELS. Friedrich Engels (1820 – 1895). | |
| 15 | Line the pockets of Frenchmen Richelieu entertains (6) |
| ENRICH – Hidden. {Frenchm}EN RICH{elieu} [entertains]. | |
| 17 | Complain Trump is protecting Republican (4) |
| CARP – CA~P (trump) contains [is protecting] R (Republican) | |
| 19 | A little off colour, as golfer may be (5,3) |
| BELOW PAR – Two meanings, |
|
| 21 | Practise on slow-moving vehicle (8) |
| REHEARSE – RE (on), HEARSE (slow-moving vehicle) | |
| 23 | Bachelor leaving dull country (4) |
| LAND – {b}LAND (dull) [Bachelor leaving] | |
| 24 | Old man’s sons go by (4) |
| PASS – PA’S (old man’s), S (sons) | |
| 25 | Lousy ref worried solver in particular (8) |
| YOURSELF -Anagram [worried] of LOUSY REF | |
| Down |
|
|---|---|
| 2 | Giving lessons to Inuit in trouble (7) |
| TUITION – Anagram [in trouble] of TO INUIT | |
| 3 | Pub first, then sex, right? (5) |
| INNIT – INN (pub), IT (sex) | |
| 4 | Retired GP eating last of salami? Greedy chap (3) |
| PIG – G~P reversed [retired] containing [eating] {salam}I [last of…]. Our setter’s customary porcine reference. | |
| 5 | Sound familiar, as Quasimodo should do? (4,1,4) |
| RING A BELL – The hint refers to The Hunchback of Notre Dame. | |
| 6 | I search all over the place for sack (7) |
| CASHIER – Anagram [all over the place] of I SEARCH | |
| 7 | Reportedly witnessed incident (5) |
| SCENE – Aural wordplay [reportedly]: “seen” (witnessed) | |
| 11 | Jam-maker’s disgusted utterance (9) |
| RASPBERRY – Two meanings | |
| 14 | Former journalist, say (7) |
| EXPRESS – EX (former), PRESS (journalist) | |
| 16 | French fashion designer taking new course (7) |
| CHANNEL – CHAN~EL (French fashion designer) containing [taking] N (new) | |
| 18 | Regularly agree on North American stadium (5) |
| ARENA – A{g}R{e}E [regularly], NA (North American) | |
| 20 | Mournful cries heard in the Principality (5) |
| WALES – Aural wordplay [heard]: “wails” (mournful cries) | |
| 22 | Aussie speedster married in Brussels (3) |
| EMU – M (married) contained by [in] E~U (Brussels) | |
Oh dear, another DNF. Didn’t get LAND, ITEM or SCENE (wanted seize= sees).
This former resident of the SCC (now rejected even by them) is feeling sad.
Why bother with the title “quick cryptic “ too many are just “smaller” for the boffins to have their little time trial.
Well I tried and tried but REHEARSE just wouldn’t come so this particular solver was defeated by Oink.
Enjoyed 25a YOURSELF and was amused to see ‘IT’ making yet another appearance.
Thanks Jack.
My favourite was Pub first, then sex, right. Still laughing.