Quick Cryptic 488 by Flamande

Author   oliviarhinebeckPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic
Another well-composed puzzle.  A smattering of crossword conventions to be noted – the kind that old-timers take for granted. The two long struts at 2 and 5 down are a big help if you can get them first because they open up the rest of the grid.  Definitions in italics underlined.  Answers in bold caps.   In case of access problems, try this:  http://feeds.thetimes.co.uk/puzzles/crossword/20160121/12978/

Across
7.  Friend tucked in, showing taste (6)
PALATE.  PAL=friend and ATE.
8. Composer‘s work introduced to Eastern land shortly (6)
CHOPIN.  OP (short for opus=work which often crops up in puzzles) contained in (introduced to) CHIN[a]=Eastern land dropping the last letter (shortly).
9.  Track first of patients at hospital (4)
PATH.  First letter in P[atients] plus AT plus H=hospital (another crossword convention).
10.  Put off storing metal receptacle as container for wine (8)
DECANTER.  DETER=put off containing (storing) CAN=metal receptacle.
11.  Socialising at university is confusing (6,2)
MIXING UP.  When you see the letters *i*ing your heart sinks at the array of possibilities, but once you have 4d you have the second word which can only be UP=at university.  We’ve many of us been only to glad to forget those excruciating early university experiences known as “mixers”….
13.  GP mentioned leaf to relieve nettle sting (4)
DOCK.  For once a homophone that works.  It sounds like (mentioned) “doc”=GP.  And the remedy really does work too but alas there is no such alleviation for poison ivy which is the gardener’s bane in the North-Eastern US.
15. Part of castle?  Look around (4)
KEEP.  PEEK=look backwards (around).
16.  Sports side departed, getting victory against fourth in league (4,4)
LEFT WING.  LEFT=departed plus WIN=victory plus 4th letter in “league”.  I know absolutely nothing about rugby so I’ll leave it there.
18.  Gosh!  North-west is linked to entire South-west region of England (8)
CORNWALL.  Another crossword convention.  COR=gosh (you may also see it sneaking in under “my” in crosswordland) then NW then ALL=entire.
20. Dislike cheap ties, every other one (4)
HATE.  Every other letter in [c]H[e]A[p] T[i]E[s].
21.  Claim walker is overwhelmed by drink (6)
ALLEGE.  LEG= walker contained in (overwhelmed by) ALE=drink.
22. Lewis, perhaps, is name adopted by boy (6)
ISLAND.  Of the Outer Hebrides off the NW of Scotland.  If you went looking for Morse you are not alone.  IS plus LAD containing (adopted by) N[ame].

Down
1.  Mother – look – has collected popular periodical (8)
MAGAZINE.  MA=mother plus GAZE=look, containing (collected) IN=popular.
2.  Criminal pinches a dress and money container (4,9)
CASH DISPENSER.  Anagram (criminal) of “pinches a dress”.
3.  Dosage adjusted for old sailor (3,3)
SEA DOG.    Anagram (adjusted) of “dosage.
4.  Notice captain covering very cold region (3,3)
ICE CAP.  Containment clue (covering) [notICE CAP[tain].
5.  Imitating skier, maybe, past his best (5,8)
GOING DOWNHILL.  Double definition.
6. Holiday accommodation:  it’s found in outskirts of Grenoble (4)
GITE.  Self-catering vacation home for rent in France.  IT contained in the first and last letters (outskirts) of G[renobl]E.
12.  Warehouseman has secured employment (3)
USE.  Another containment clue (secured).  [wareho]USE[man].
14.  Tories beat left in the end: it’s always the same (8)
CONSTANT.  CONS=Tories.  TAN=beat. Last letter in [lef]T.  No way to know if this reflects the setter’s views but it’s an entertaining clue.
16.  Maybe Prime Minister arranged deal with sovereign (6)
LEADER.  Anagram of DEAL (arranged) with ER=the Queen.
17.  Join parade and collapse (4,2)
FALL IN.  Double definition.  What I know about military drill is on a par with my knowledge of rugby but I understand this is a basic marching command.
19.  Paints dilapidated silo (4)
OILS.  Anagram (dilapidated) of SILO.

12 comments on “Quick Cryptic 488 by Flamande”

  1. My military experience isn’t too different from Olivia’s, although I did spend several years dodging the draft; but I knew FALL IN, the order to assemble in line preparatory to doing something useful like marching around. GITE I learned (and, oddly enough, remembered) from a 15×15 cryptic. I was surprised to see COR clued as ‘Gosh!’, and actually started with GEE, but dropped that quickly. ‘my’, as Olivia says, is more common–and a lot easier to overlook when solving; verb.sap. 5:20.

    Edited at 2016-01-21 04:05 am (UTC)

  3. I found the down clues easier than the acrosses with both the long answers going straight in. Held up a bit at the end with 7a, 21a and 22a.

    Joint favourites CORNWALL and ISLAND.

  4. Completed in two sittings in just under 40 mins. My biggest hold up was 2d where I spent a while thinking the definition was criminal. Once I’d figured out the clue was an anagram the remaining answers fell in pretty quickly. I thought 16a was a bit of a stretch (surely it’s a position or a side of the pitch) but the answer was clear from the word play, so no real complaints. COD was 18a and LOI 22a.
  5. It took me a couple of minutes to get going but then I raced through this in about 15 minutes. Paused a bit over Left Wing and last in was 21a but quickly parsed after I saw ale.Enjoyable and satisfying puzzle. David
  6. Another good day, 10 done in first ten minutes, and the rest followed. I know (some) people who say Cor! rather than Gosh! but I’m sorry where does the ‘my’ fit in, am I on the wrong side of the Atlantic? Also, thanks for helping how to spell allege, it always has a ‘d’ in the newspaper when it is alleged that …
  7. Managed over two sittings in about 45 minutes – generally too embarrassing to actually time myself! Now wondering what to do with the rest of the evening until it’s time to prepare supper. Silly now, but 7a palate took longest as I was fixed on fitting ‘mate’ into the indicators.
  8. Thanks to all for the comments – they are appreciated. Earlier this week Mohn recommended a try at the other cryptic – I didn’t do that today because it really was hard but if you’ve got the time (Andrew I see you’re wondering what to do with your evening) and don’t mind the frustration by all means have a go. If you’ve ever tried one of the TLS puzzles you may find yourself quite at home, and as a bonus there is Zabadak’s very entertaining blog right here on this site.

    In answer to Noondial – “my” as an exclamation (my, what a horrible mess you’ve made) has been known to be very craftily hidden as a possessive pronoun in that other cryptic and it often fools the most experienced solvers.

    As for ALLEGE, I did once hear in court a lawyer on the other side say – I denounce the allegations and the “allegators” who made them. He also described my brief as something that was “strange credulity” (he obviously was trying to say it strained credulity). Both still make me giggle.

  9. Took me half an hour, but only realised when checking here that I’d missed out the MX of MIXING UP, which would probably have taken me a while longer to get. I’ve also only just realised that it’s not the double definition it looks like – “socialising” being “mixing” and “at university” being “up” – hence perhaps why I don’t remember any university parties known as “mixers” (I do remember the “squashes” and “bops” though). Thanks for help parsing 8a, 21a and 22a.
  10. Another enjoyable solve. Rather late posting, but thanks Olivia for your blog & Flamande for the puzzle. Our COD was also 18A. bandjo

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