Quick Cryptic 513 by Hurley

Author   oliviarhinebeckPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic

After last week’s ups and downs we seem to be on a more even keel.  Today we have two examples of regular crossword usage it helps to know and remember, one quibble, and one I was really slow to see.  Nice puzzle with several long clues to fill up the grid quickly.

The new print option is helpful, as is the timer.  Speaking of timing, I noted that last week there were some who took exception to the posting of times, thinking it might be (a) discouraging and/or (b) bragging.  When Peter Biddlecombe set up this blog 10 years ago this is what he said, “The purpose of stating solving times is not to make you depressed because you took much longer (or chuffed because you were quicker), but to give you an idea of the difficulty of the puzzle.”  So this is why it’s called Times for the Times.  Some of us post times, some don’t.  I rather like to check on how my immediate solving peers do on a puzzle (Sotira, with whom I’m usually neck and neck, outsolved me by over 7 minutes on one15x15 last week!) and I am under no illusions about my place in the pecking order.  Having said that, I’m streets ahead of where I was just a very few years ago so it’s worth hanging in there, assuming you get pleasure out of the exercise.  Today’s took me 9 minutes and change.

Definitions in italics underlined.  Answers in bold caps.

Across
1.  Write one’s name and send for roadside help? (8)
SIGNPOST.  SIGN=write one’s name.  POST=send.
5.  Inventor with a non-drinker (4)
WATT.  W[ith] A TT=non-drinker.  TT for teetotaller comes up often in cryptics.
8.  Initially added, bemused, or very organised from start? (2,3)
AB OVO.  First letters (initially) of the second through sixth words of the clue.
9.  Invention of firm – popular lager outsiders ignored (7)
COINAGE.  CO=firm, IN=popular l[AGE]r (ignore first and last letters – outsiders).
11.  Ken’s reptile oddly resembling snake (11)
SERPENTLIKE.  Anagram (oddly) of KENS’ REPTILE.
13.  Private home at second street (6)
INMOST.  IN=home. MO=second.  ST=street.
Good stove in farm house (5)
GRANGE.  G[ood]. RANGE=stove.
16.  Feature of Wimbledon policy after overhaul (7,4)
SERVICE LINE.  SERVICE=overhaul.  LINE=policy.  I made this far too complicated, thanks to having been conditioned by these puzzles to think of a chin or a nose when I see the word “feature”.  Took me a while to straighten myself out.  Good clue.
18.  Some wear ties, trendy, most pretentious (7)
ARTIEST.  Containment clue – [we]AR TIES T[rendy].  Nice.
19.  Inexperienced politician concerned with environment (5)
GREEN.  Triple definition – naive, the politician and ecological.  Easy but also first rate clue.
20.  Academic, English, is tricked (4)
DONE.  DON=academic.  E=English.
21.  Is inquisitive regularly at play, referring to clergman (8)
PRIESTLY.  PRIES=is inquisitive with the even letters of [a]T [p]L[a]Y (regularly).

Down
1.  Small tree to become wet (4)
SOAK. S[mall] OAK=tree.
2. Kind person is to do anagram, complicated (4,9)
GOOD SAMARITAN.  Anagram (complicated) of IS TO DO ANAGRAM.  Rather neatly done.
3.  Very sore gripes — upset, favouring reform (11)
PROGRESSIVE.  Anagram (upset) of VERY SORE GRIPES.
4.  Footwear, we hear, used with hesitation for game (6)
SOCCER.  Homophone (we hear) for “sock”=footwear.  ER=hesitation.  A hesitation is almost always Um or ER and this homophone works for everyone.
6.  Horse Scotsman to abandon, reaching dry land (7,6)
ARABIAN DESERT.  ARAB=horse. IAN=Scotsman. DESERT=ABANDON. Ian is usually the go-to Scotsman for these puzzles.
7.  Tweet wife missed before daughter wavered (8)
TEETERED.  Remove W[ife] from “tweet” (missed) ERE=before. D[aughter].
10.  During school time, solitary – heading off to mix together (11)
INTERMINGLE.  IN TERM=during school time.  Remove the S (heading off) from [s]INGLE.
12.  Under trees, thanks I’d added for emergency assistance (5,3)
FIRST AID.  FIRS=trees. TA=thanks with ID.
15.  Safe holding first of women’s kitchenware items (6)
PEWTER.  PETER=safe, holding W[omen].  I’m not sure what the origin of “peter” meaning safe is – perhaps Cockney – but it turns up with some regularity in crosswords so it’s worth remembering if it’s unfamiliar.  And here comes the quibble.  We do have some pewter items in our cupboards but they consist exclusively of my husband’s and late father-in-law’s collections of beer mugs.  They’re not used for cooking!
17.  Messenger lacking nothing creates grudging discontent (4)
ENVY.  Remove the O (lacking nothing) from ENV[o]Y=messenger.  Not difficult but a very nice clue with a good definition.

39 comments on “Quick Cryptic 513 by Hurley”

  1. Nice one, although perhaps too easily biffable in spots. It features a bunch of standard clues, some of which Olivia mentioned, all of them worth making mental note of; at the risk of repeating what everyone knows: non-drinker (etc.)=TT, ‘initially’ (‘primarily’, ‘at first’,…)= initial letters, ‘popular’=IN, ‘second’=MO, ‘good’=G, ‘some’ to indicate containment or a hidden word, ‘academic’ (‘fellow’, …)=DON, ‘regularly’=every other letter, usually the evens, ‘small’=S, ‘hesitation’= UM or ER, ‘we hear’ (etc., etc.) for a homophone (or what some Brits would consider a homophone!), ‘wife’=W. I had no problem with PEWTER, although I’ve never had any; surely ‘kitchenware items’ can include plate? 4:09.
    If I may add one comment to Olivia’s (and Peter’s) on reporting times: there’s absolutely no reason to be discouraged by someone else’s speed (I’ve been doing these for 8 years, and I STANK when I started), and no one–no one–here has ever given the slightest reason to think that he was bragging.

    Edited at 2016-02-25 02:17 am (UTC)

  2. 9 minutes for this one and like Olivia I raised an eyebrow at PEWTER being defined as ‘kitchenware items’. But a little research found ‘kitchen utensils’ in Collins and ‘utensils’ in COED. Chambers was more in tune with my own thinking as it only mentioned beer tankards as an example of pewter items of practical use rather than solely decorative.

    AB OVO seemed new to me (it literally means ‘from the egg’) but I note it came up in a 15×15 Times puzzle in January 2009 and in my comments then I didn’t say that it was unknown to me. But anyway I didn’t remember it today so it was as well that the wordplay was clear and left no room for doubt

    Looking back to that blog was a trip down memory lane and possibly relevant to the continuing discussions about solving times. It was written by one Foggyweb (Stephen, IIRC) a regular blogger I identified as one whose solving times were always respectable but seemed achievable to me when compared with most of the other bloggers in those days who finished the main puzzle within 10 minutes, which I knew was beyond me. So rather than paying too much attention to them, I used Foggy as a yardstick to measure my own performance and progress.

    There’s no reason why anyone should bother about solving times if they don’t want to, but if you choose to and want to bump them up bit it can be useful, as I did, to find a regular contributor (it doesn’t have to be a duty-blogger) to measure your times against.

    For the record I long ago reached a certain point with the main puzzle where I’ve accepted that I’m never going to be in the 10 minute league but for a while I gave it my best shot and I’ve now settled for a target that’s more achievable and includes time to enjoy the scenery along the way.

    Edited at 2016-02-25 05:40 am (UTC)

  3. I fully endorse Olivia’s comments. I distinctly remember a time when I proudly announced that I’d got a single answer in the Times crossword! Now some 15 years later I know the tricks and conventions, though if I’d discovered this blog earlier I’d have been a lot better a lot sooner.
    Just accept that some people have the warped mentality and aptitude to complete these stupid pastimes in ridiculous times and choose your own targets. For what it’s worth, mine are 30 minutes for the 15×15, 10 minutes for the Quickie. Anything under that I give myself a pat on the back, anything over and its the setter’s fault.
    I too have my benchmark bloggers – but I’m not saying who!
    In case anyone’s interested, just over 10 minutes today, so I reckon mid-range difficulty
  4. I have no idea how coinage relates to invention. Could someone please explain the link. Not bad for me today about 75% done could not get coinage or the Arabian desert, even though I had no blanks.
  6. I have no idea how coinage relates to invention. Could someone please explain the link. Not bad for me today about 75% done could not get coinage or the Arabian desert, even though I had no blanks.
  7. When you coin money or a phrase you are in effect making or even perhaps inventing it where there was nothing before. The verb to “coin” becomes the noun “coinage” by adding AGE to it.

    Dear Anonymouses – it would be so very nice if you would name yourselves. You certainly aren’t obliged to get a Live Journal moniker, although it’s free and doesn’t take long, all you need do is add a name or sobriquet to the end of your comments. Quite a few people do that and it works well.

  8. A DNF for me today after two good times. Was pleased to get AB OVO, with my trusty Latin O-level. MO for ‘second’, what’s that about? Liked the triple def of GREEN and the anagram for 2d which incorporates ‘anagram’, so my COD.
    1. ‘Mo’ is used as a contraction for moment, in the sense “I’ll be there in a moment ” meaning a short period of time. An even shorter period of time is the Cockney “arf a mo”!
      GeoffH
    2. You do sometimes hear someone say “half a mo”, as in “wait a sec”. Short for “moment” I assume. I also have a Greek O level (no idea how I actually passed it) and it too comes in amazingly handy on occasions! P.S. Sorry Geoff – you nipped in ahead of me.

      Edited at 2016-02-25 11:12 am (UTC)

  9. and instructive, too.

    4/4 so far this week, hoping for the first full house in what seems like an age!

  10. I always enjoy Olivia’s blogs. She has the ability to encourage lots of varied responses, and has clearly succeeded this time. And lots of different photographs as a bonus.

    Never heard ab ovo before but sussed it from ovo = egg = beginning. Missed that it was the start letters of the words of the clue.

    Pewter as kitchenware. Not nowadays I agree, but a couple of centuries ago kitchens would have been full of it.

    Never come across Peter for safe, but do know that in old underworld slang a “Peterman” was a safe breaker.
    Playuppompey (not that they have this week!!)

  12. Another DNF in 45 minutes, again in the SE corner. ‘Pries’ was a completely new word which didnt help and I thought of ‘Pewter’ didnt use it.
    I find all times useful, I started almost a year ago and Im pleased to have got down to a 30 minute target with the help of the blog.
    Its worth pointing out that all the words and meanings are in the recommended dictionary (Chambers) including ‘coin’ ‘peter’ ‘mo’ ‘preis” and ‘ab ovo’ from todays puzzle. I use the Chambers app on my phone whIch has all the same entries as the book but is much more convenient to use.
    Brian
  13. Excellent, Brian! Just one point is that as far as I’m aware the daily Times uses the Concise Oxford and Collins as its main source dictionaries though occasionally something from Chambers will creep in. Those three combined are what I refer to as “the usual sources”. I believe the Sunday Times is different in the light of recent comments made my Peter Biddlecombe the crossword editor and they may make more use of Chambers and on-line versions.
  14. Put back in my place after yesterday’s PB. Found this one quite testing and had to have a second go before the SE corner fell into place. The 15d/21ac combination didn’t help, and neither did the surface in 6d, just pleased to get there in the end. Invariant

    PS Thanks Olivia for the Rufus (Monday Guardian) tip from a few weeks ago. That guy can certainly hide an anagram.

  15. Question on all these dictionaries ? What ‘rules’ do we solvers have as to when/how they are used? My rule is you can look up a single word if you have guessed the definition, as in ORIBI from earlier this week. On-line “crossword solvers” only after a DNF has been admitted.
    1. Merlin, I think the rules are that they aren’t really any – we make up our own. I’ve been at this wonderful pastime for a number of years and here are mine. Except for the weekly TLS (I’ll come back to that) I solve under championship conditions – i.e. no reference books or websites of any sort while solving. After submission if I’m at a loss (happens not infrequently) I go to the most likely source which with all their faults may be Google or Wikipedia, or it may be my well-thumbed 2 vol. Shorter OED.

      I don’t own Chambers and from habit I rarely consult it online. I do have the pocket-size Collins Gem Puzzle Solver which is invaluable – I can’t stress that enough and they’re not paying me for the plug!
      If I have a mental block with, for example, the element table and its abbreviations, I have the Oxford Reference Dictionary. I also have the very small Times atlas which was handed out to club members a few years ago as a consolation prize for putting up with the overhaul of the club website.

      As for the TLS, the regulars make no bones about looking up anything we don’t know for sure, which is often more than half the puzzle!

      In other words, do what makes you comfortable (including if absolutely essential the online answer sites but they are rather guilt-making), with the long-term aim of leaving the aids behind.

  16. Fastest of the week for me, romping home with a time of 18:53. Fairly plain sailing, although I’ve never heard of “peter” meaning “safe” before.
  17. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen hence don’t start on TTQC until after lunch. The only pewter in my house is a beer tankard given to me as a 21st birthday present 53 years ago and I’ve never heard a safe called a Peter. Ab ovo I have seen before in puzzles. Inmost didn’t strike me as much of a word, normal usage would be innermost, no?
  18. Apart from last Friday, I’ve not attacked the Quickie for quite a while. I like the new format and options. While I was completing it, I did wonder how many would be familiar with ‘peter’ for safe, but as Olivia says, it is a fairly regular visitor as are CO, IAN and TT among others.
    I’m very impressed with Olivia’s self-imposed “championship conditions”. Unlike her times, mine will never get me that far so I do use an online dictionary and thesaurus plus the occasional foray into Wikipedia but none of the online answer sites. I have that Times mini-atlas, too!
    Regarding completion times, I second what Olivia and Kevin Gregg have said. I started around 14 years ago with the Saturday prize cryptic. Sometimes I was able to complete it before the week had expired, sometimes I wasn’t. Somebody at The Times must have taken pity on me as I won two prizes during those years, so if you are struggling, don’t give up. I find that people here and in The Times Crossword Club are very helpful.
    For the record this was 15m 05s for me. That’s around 10 minutes less than for today’s regular 15×15 cryptic. In other words, I believe I have come a long way in those 14 years.
    1. I seem to remember an advert on the London Underground many years ago with a picture of a man writing a letter saying “I’ve been doing the Times Crossword for 3 months now, and when I finish that one, I’ll do another”.
      Sometimes I know how he feels.
  19. I was flying through this very enjoyable puzzle and completed all bar 15d in 22 minutes, which is quick for me. However it took me a couple more sittings to convince myself that pewter was the answer, never having heard it meaning safe before. COD 6d
  20. Just wanted to say a big thank you to all the bloggers on here. I am starting to get better at the Quick, and I find all comments helpful! 😉
  21. Phew, what a full blog today!
    21a: I think should be regularly a[T] p[L]a[Y] not just p[L]a[Y]. Usual great blog from Olivia – thanks very much.
    From JohnHH but having some signing in problems today.
  22. Well, well! Must be nearly springtime, it’s taking almost longer to read all the blogs than to solve the clues! Crosswordland is a funny place and of course I’ll trust Peter to memory, but I haven’t quite got it yet, sorry, was I born too far from Bow bells? How does Peter = safe … I just left that answer blank so I could read the blog. You see most of the pewter nowadays is in the kitchens of The National Trust, not quite the kitchenware of eveyman, but there wasn’t any other word and I couldn’t make myself believe it!
  23. Many thanks to all for the comments. I googled “peter” meaning safe and wasn’t any the wiser as to the origin. The SOED doesn’t venture any opinion on the derivation. So there we are. Yes, Noondial has a point about the length of the blogs but just think how long it takes to write the stuff (compared with solving)! Back next week d.v.
    1. Apologies, did not wish to suggest any blog was too long, each one is excellent. Only admiring the volume of contributions, which seem to be more and more all the time, TfT is becoming a very lively place!
    2. Does it have anything to do with Peter, the name, meaning rock implying something steady and very secure?

      The blogs are v useful, thanks for your efforts

      Sue

  24. In 4d I understand the homophone but why does sock becomes socc which is not a word is it?
    Also, is Peter = safe something to do with Peter being a rock in the Bible perhaps?
    I like many others am a relative newbie and have only got to where I am today due to this blog so thanks everyone.
    1. Anything that sounds like “sock” will do as a homophone whether or not it’s an actual word in its own right, but if it helps you can think of the whole answer, so SOCCER sounds like “sock er” (footwear + hesitation).
  25. Have spent much of today on trains and so have had plenty of time for this and the main crossword.
    I had to work at this and there were several guesses including my LOI Pewter (seemed the only possible solution, albeit doubtful).
    I thought this was a good and enjoyable test.
    I managed just over half of the main crossword so am going to read that blog and see what people thought.
    And today’s Times Daily Quiz (which the paper features above each day’s QC) always has a picture question last- today’s was: Which species of antelope is featured?
    There is no escape from these creatures! David
  26. A DNF. Deduced 15d pewter but it didn’t feel right to me. If I had stuck it in, I might have forced 21a priestly as I had all the checkers. Thought 8a a bit cheeky as not an English term but from the clue, it had to be. No issue with timings but for me today was hours to conceding defeat!
  27. My wife and I have just finished (not put off by all those who take ten minutes or so) with three blanks (Artiest, considered but discarded as a superlative only in form and never encountered in the real world; Pewter, knew peter but did not think of it; Priestly, which we should have got).
    Surely “Ian” is the normal English form now with “Iain” the Scots form. Will try to remember that “normal” does not extend to crosswords.
    Misocapnic

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