Time: 9 minutes. Heron is one of out newer setters and this is only his/her fourth puzzle, yet I also blogged the most recent one in April. I’ve been having a bad run of QC times lately so I welcome a return to form with this very pleasant offering. How did you do?
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 Caret 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 | River Test is used for manufacturing (10) |
| INDUSTRIAL – INDUS (river), TRIAL (test) | |
| 8 | Exaggerate contents of undercover document (6) |
| OVERDO – Hidden in [contents of] {underc}OVER DO{cument} | |
| 9 | Outline a day in exhibition (6) |
| SHADOW – A + D (day) contained by [in] SH⁁OW (exhibition) | |
| 10 | Highlight paving stone (4) |
| FLAG – Two meanings | |
| 11 | Liqueur strangely in tea set (8) |
| ANISETTE – Anagram [strangely] of IN TEA SET | |
| 12 | Outdoor bath and barrel put back behind house (3,3) |
| HOT TUB – HO (house), BUTT (barrel) [put back] | |
| 14 | Regularly query fellow calling for immediate action (6) |
| URGENT – {q}U{e}R{y} [regularly], GENT (fellow) | |
| 16 | The world of dancing in revues (8) |
| UNIVERSE – Anagram [dancing] of IN REVUES | |
| 18 | Fast starts to laps ensure notable times (4) |
| LENT – L{aps} + E{nsure} + N{otable} + T{imes} [starts to…] | |
| 20 | Believe in fragment of sacred item (6) |
| CREDIT – Hidden in [fragment of] {sa}CRED IT{em} | |
| 21 | Quietly mention favour (6) |
| PREFER – P (quietly}, REFER {mention} | |
| 22 | Manage publicity with clergywoman (10) |
| ADMINISTER – AD (publicity), MINISTER (clergywoman) | |
| Down |
|
|---|---|
| 2 | Reverse vehicle in front of a line of ships (5) |
| NAVAL – VAN (vehicle) reversed [reverse], A, L (line) | |
| 3 | High Tory is honourable (7) |
| UPRIGHT – UP (high), RIGHT (Tory) | |
| 4 | Pair also in conversation (3) |
| TWO – Aural wordplay [in conversation]: “too” (also) | |
| 5 | Establish academy (9) |
| INSTITUTE – Two meanings | |
| 6 | Rent out fields before close of June (5) |
| LEASE – LEAS (fields), {Jun}E [close of…] | |
| 7 | Material in child’s bed not turned back (6) |
| COTTON – COT (child’s bed), then NOT reversed [turned back] | |
| 11 | A river had stripped stump in botanical garden (9) |
| ARBORETUM – A, R (river), BORE (had), {s}TUM{p} [stripped] | |
| 13 | Proprietors worsen supply (6) |
| OWNERS – Anagram [supply] of WORSEN | |
| 15 | Cooking areas close to long passageways (7) |
| GALLEYS – {lon}G [close to…], ALLEYS (passageways) | |
| 17 | Dvořák composed without right spirit (5) |
| VODKA – Anagram [composed] of DVO{r}AK [without right] | |
| 19 | French city accommodates English relative (5) |
| NIECE – NI⁁CE (French city) contains [accommodates] E (English) | |
| 21 | Criticise cooking implement (3) |
| PAN – Two meanings | |
One of the few occasions I’ve completed in under 30 mins. Lovely puzzle and a great confidence booster for newbies like me. Currently on holiday where it’s 10pm on Sunday night rather than my usual finish (if I’m lucky) at 5pm! I especially liked 1a which was also my LOI. Many thanks to Heron and Jackkt
Not too hard, despite a few mishaps – no, 1 across does not end in -oral. That prevented institute for a long time. Arboretum was also a bit tricky.
Time: 7:05