Quick Cryptic 424 by Marty

Author   emu66Posted on Categories Quick Cryptic
Herewith my first attempt at blogging the Quick crossword; please be gentle if there are anomalies in style or formatting! Nothing too troublesome, apart from the terror engendered by a blank grid and the expectation to fill it, something I felt at my first foray into the competition last Saturday. (D-definition)

Across
1 MUSCLE – D:force; homophone (out of one’s mouth) of MUSSEL (seafood)
4 AMELIA – D:girl; hidden word, cAMEL I Acquired
8 STUN GUN – D:weapon; hurt = STUNG, a French = UN
10 SET TO – D:scrap; collection = SET, homophone (it’s said) of TWO = TO
11 ABHOR – D:unable to stand; actual bodily harm = ABH, soldiers = OR
12 PICKLED – D:drunk; digging implement = PICK, was first = LED
13 HONEYCOMB – D:a lot of cavities; dear = HONEY, search = COMB
17 PANACEA – D:remedy; page = P, an expert = AN ACE, with A
19 THYME – D:plant; once belonging to you = THY, and ME
20 TASTE – D:savour; anagram (corruption) of STATE
21 HOODLUM – D:ruffian; anagram (unruly) of LOUD inside HOM(e)
22 NEATEN – D:tidy; nothing at first = N, put away = EATEN
23 CEMENT – D:join; ME, after church = CE, with biblical books = NT
Down
1 MISHAP – D:accident; one’s = IS, had initially = H, interrupting plan = inside MAP
2 SOUTH CHINA SEA – D:foreign water; anagram of CANOE THUS HAS I
3 LEG IRON – D:shackle; prisoner finally = R, captured by Roman soldiers = inside LEGION
5 MUSIC – D:notes; Greek letter = MU, thus = SIC
6 LITTLE BOY BLUE – D:nursery rhyme; child = LITTLE BOY, risque = BLUE
7 AT ODDS -D:disagreement; a demon barber = A TODD(‘)S
9 NAPPY RASH – D:baby’s discomfort; anagram of ANY SHARP P
14 OUTCOME – D:result; not in = OUT, advance = COME
15 SPOT-ON – D:precise; time = T, inside SPOON
16 HELMET – D:headgear; briefly assist = HEL(P), London police = MET
18 CREPE – D:pancake; hidden word, medioCRE PErhaps

17 comments on “Quick Cryptic 424 by Marty”

  1. Welcome to the blogger’s chair, emu66, and congratulations on your first outing which is excellent in all respects.

    I wasn’t aware of any problems with this except I lost time getting started and then things didn’t flow as smoothly as on some occasions so I ended up missing my 10-minute target by 2 minutes. Apart from Tracy’s offering on Tuesday this has been a slightly trickier week than average, at least in my view.

    Edited at 2015-10-23 06:15 am (UTC)

  2. Welcome and thanks, emu66; I trust that this will be the first, and hardest, of many more.
    I don’t remember much of this from this morning, other than trying to drag PICK out of memory. Didn’t know that ABH was an actual abbreviation, which slowed me down some. 7:25.
  3. Thanks for the blog emu66.

    Apart from Tuesday’s offering I have struggled this week and would second jackkt’s comment. Last in MUSIC and favourite THYME.

  4. Well done Emma and thanks for taking on the task from me, your maiden blog is over and I’m sure you’ll soon be less stressed to the point of actually enjoying it!
  5. Thanks from a newby to CCs. It must be terrifying to submit oneself not just to the setters’ (much appreciated) traps but to the wonderfully pedantic comments from other bloggers; you’re a much braver person than me!
  6. Nice one Emma. The blog was absolutely 15d, being just to my 20a. The 14d was perfect with not a single 1d. I certainly wouldn’t be 7d with any of your answers.
  7. Thanks and well done Emma. Nothing too difficult today, I think – a little under average time for me. 4a, 5d and 15d all tickled my fancy. 7d reminded me that when I lived in Berkshire, an excellent source of pies was Sweeney and Todds pie shop in Reading.
    1. It all seems quite straightforward in the end and the blog makes it sound easy but why did it take us more than an hour to struggle through. Last in was ABHOR. I had forgotten the South China Sea and I needed the checkers as I did not expect an anagram. Favourite were thyme and pickled.

      Edited at 2015-10-23 10:20 am (UTC)

  9. Congratulations Emma, short and to the point is ok with me. Marty’s offering today was a good mix of write-ins and little teasers. LOI 11ac was my eventual favourite. Invariant
  10. An excellent crossword which I struggled with throughout. Once each clue was solved, the answer was clear and fair but it attacked most of my weaknesses: homophones, plants and hidden clues for example.My last two were 19a where Toyme was about to go in until I had a final rethink: and 1a resisted for ages-Mysole was my invention there. Delighted to have finished it correctly unlike yesterday. David
  12. Excellent first blog Emu66. I got through most of this quite quickly and then was held up by the NE corner. When I finally figured it out I couldn’t see why it took me so long. 5d and 14d were unparsed. COD 13a
  13. liked 1A & 13A
    nice puzzle, which I found rather tricky-hints appreciated
    having trouble accessing the site-perhaps Live Journal as a gremlin in the works

Comments are closed.