Quick Cryptic 657 by Hurley

Author   william_j_sPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic
Having drafted this blog neatly, I forgot to post it before leaving for work! Apologies for the rushed nature of the subsequent post – I will replace it with the full version this evening.

I enjoyed this puzzle, which had a different (looser?) feel to it while solving. Only 11ac caused me problems when parsing, but I hope it is clear below.

Now in full.

Definitions underlined.

Across
1 Hike — second by rugby forwards (8)
BACKPACK – BACK (second) and PACK (rugby forwards).
5 Objections over this residual part of ticket (4)
STUB – BUTS (objections) reversed (over).
8 Including name, destroy argument (3-2)
RUN-IN – RUIN (destroy) including N (name).
9 Salesman with hat one loathed (7)
REPTILE – REP (salesman) and TILE (hat).
11 Too serious about sensitivity to music at home (11)
OVEREARNEST – OVER (about), EAR (sensitivity to music), next to (at) NEST (home).
13 Excuse average teacher (6)
PARDON – PAR (average) and DON (teacher).
14 Uncomplicated foreign article on PM is backed (6)
SIMPLE – LE (foreign article, i.e. french for ‘the’), PM and IS all reversed (backed).
17 Pro equality, anti regalia possibly? (11)
EGALITARIAN – anagram of (possibly) ANTI REGALIA.
20 Motor ad wrong — he won’t complain (7)
DOORMAT – anagram of (wrong) MOTOR AD.
21 Mortify a Bachelor of Arts, quiet (5)
ABASH – A BA (bachelor of arts) and SH (quiet).
22 Eat, recalling Blyton maybe (4)
DINE – reversal of (recalling) ENID (Blyton maybe).
23 Salt, reefer, nautical, carrying plant (4,4)
TREE FERN – hidden in (carrying) salT REEFER Nautical.
Down
1 Drill — dull activity (4)
BORE – double definition.
2 Is able to party, pure at heart? There’s frankness (7)
CANDOUR – CAN (is able to), DO (party) and middle letters of (at heart) pURe.
3 Uproar in opium den man resolved (11)
PANDEMONIUM – anagram of (resolved) OPIUM DEN MAN.
4 My final ice-cream holder? (6)
CORNET – COR (my!) and NET (final).
6 Initially tied with ideal new English string (5)
TWINE – first letters of (initially) Tied With Ideal New English.
7 Short pause about to be welcomed by swimmer (8)
BREATHER – RE (with regards to, about) inside (welcomed by) BATHER (swimmer).
10 Pet Patricia trained to become actively involved (11)
PARTICIPATE – anagram of (trained) PET PATRICIA.
12 Spend about a pound on identity document? Brilliant! (8)
SPLENDID – SPEND around (about) L (a pound) on ID (identity document).
15 Biro, say? It’s not on birth certificate (3,4)
PEN NAME – clever double definition referring to the inventor of the eponymous writing implement.
16 Playful remarks coming from drab anteroom (6)
BANTER – hidden in (coming from) draB ANTERoom.
18 Fruit, bacon, unlimited by Royal Navy (5)
ACORN – bACOn without first and last letters (unlimited) and RN (royal navy).
19 Article new at that time (4)
THEN – THE (article) and N (new).

25 comments on “Quick Cryptic 657 by Hurley”

  1. 9 minutes, but only really knew TREE FERN because it has turned up recently in another Times puzzle.

    Without being specific and giving too much away there’s a similarity of clue and answer (and location in the grid) here and in the main puzzle today. It’s a shame that editors don’t pick up on this sort of thing but I suppose they see puzzles individually and without the date of publication in mind so perhaps it’s impossible to do so.

      1. It’s a horrible trick to play on solvers if, like me, it becomes the last one in for the second time around on the same day! The “doh” moment isn’t even in it.
  2. Quite quick for me today with a fairly typical 30 mins. I had to biff 4d. Thanks for the blog William as I would never have seen why that clue worked! I would agree that the parsing of 11a was also quite tricky.
  3. This one had a slightly tougher feel to it for me than the last couple. Had to take a break with 7d, 15d and 23a remaining as I was drawing a blank. As usual that seemed to do the trick and my total solving time was 18 minutes. COD 8a.
        1. Ah, if only that were true ! You are forgetting about the bloodsuckers at HMRC. 😊 Invariant
  5. Thanks jack for not mentioning what the crossed-over clue/answer is, I wish everyone did the same. I rather liked 12d. 11ac seemed a bit contrived for a word which I suspect is rarely used. Unfortunately nowadays 16d has been revealed as, too often, an excuse for bullying. The origins of 3d are very interesting. 6′ today, thanks william and Hurley.
  10. A good QC, with plenty to think about. I had to come back to 11, 12, and 13, but got there in the end. The diminutive 5ac and the well-hidden 23ac were my favourites. Thanks Hurley and William.
  11. Back at in the groove at 28:43, good puzzle. I’ve never liked ‘Cor’ for ‘My’, since no-one surely uses either?
    1. I believe ’tile’ is an out-of-fashion slang word for a hat. A tile goes on your roof, so to speak. The definition is just ‘one loathed’, someone who is viewed with hateful distaste, a reptile.
      1. I’m sure this came up the other week. If you can remember ‘Where did you get that hat, where did you get that tile’ you will be ok in future. Invariant
  14. I presume you mean BORE for 1d, not VORE?

    Fairly straightforward and quick today, even though it was a late night solve. Thanks for parsing CORNET – it had to be the answer but I couldn’t see why.

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