I found this a fairly straightforward start to the week though there are a couple of bits of General Knowledge that may not be familiar to all. 9 minutes.
Definitions are in bold italics, deletions in {curly brackets} and indicators in [square ones]
Across |
|
---|---|
7 | First of tourists visiting old marshland frequently (5) |
OFTEN – O (old), then T{ourists} [first of] inside FEN (marshland) | |
8 | 1950s drop-out thrashed by family from east (7) |
BEATNIK – BEAT (thrashed), KIN (family) reversed [from east] | |
10 | Serfdom in the time of 007? (7) |
BONDAGE – BOND (007), AGE (time) | |
11 | Run in a close relative for criminal activity (5) |
ARSON – A, R (run), SON (close relative) | |
12 | 18th-century composer’s time in 15 – seriously (9) |
EARNESTLY – ELY (15ac) contains ARNE’S (18th-century composer’s) + T (time). Thomas Arne is probably best known as composer of Rule, Britannia! though James Thomson who wrote the patriotic poem is all but forgotten. | |
14 | Enemy of retreating English (3) |
FOE – OF reversed [retreating], E (English) | |
15 | See replays regularly? (3) |
ELY – Alternate letters [regularly] of {r}E{p}L{a}Y{s} | |
16 | Alarming beginning involving Liberal leader (9) |
STARTLING – STARTING (beginning) encloses L{iberal} [leader] | |
18 | More restrained-sounding Hindu and Buddhist concept (5) |
KARMA – Sounding like “calmer” (more restrained) | |
20 | Flat-bottomed boat / of less weight? (7) |
LIGHTER – Two straight definitions | |
22 | Relief from ceremony including telepathic communication (7) |
RESPITE – RITE (ceremony) including ESP (telepathic communication – Extrasensory Perception) | |
23 | Good to wander in small wood (5) |
GROVE – G (good), ROVE (wander) | |
Down |
|
1 | Lookalike, one adorning bus? (6-6) |
DOUBLE-DECKER – DOUBLE (lookalike), DECKER (one adorning) | |
2 | Way trendy poet identifies fish (5-3) |
STING-RAY – ST (way – street), IN (trendy), GRAY (poet). Thomas Gray – another 18th century bod – is best known for his Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard. | |
3 | Girl left out of entry in chronicle (4) |
ANNA – ANNA{l} (entry in chronicle) [left out] | |
4 | Mind / goal (6) |
OBJECT – Two straight definitions | |
5 | One promotes change, unhappy at sly act (8) |
CATALYST – Anagram [unhappy] of AT SLY ACT | |
6 | Responsibility over seamen’s or students’ union (4) |
ONUS – O (over – cricket), NUS (National Union of Seamen or of Students) | |
9 | Early learning centre‘s unusual regard in Kent (12) |
KINDERGARTEN – Anagram [unusual] of REGARD IN KENT | |
13 | Overjoyed when City thus buries rubbish (8) |
ECSTATIC – EC (city – postal district of the City of London), then SIC (thus – Latin) contains [buries] TAT (rubbish) | |
14 | Animosity resulting from lie about king (8) |
FRICTION – FICTION (lie) about R (king) | |
17 | A prime minister once upset about son’s dozing? (6) |
ASLEEP – A, PEEL (prime minister once) reversed [upset] encloses [about] S (son) | |
19 | Reckless artist’s husband (4) |
RASH – RA’S (artist’s – Royal Academician’s), H (husband) | |
21 | Film musicians’ engagement on island (4) |
GIGI – GIG (musician’s engagement), I (island). The film musical by Lerner and Lowe. |
Three visits to complete this for me.
Brian
Tried the main cryptic but needed to use aids several times to complete but enjoyed it.
21 minutes here, so it can’t have been that hard. Didn’t parse everything but fortunately no mistakes.