ACROSS
1. Nightmarish – extremely alarming. Anagram (horrible) of THING, swamp (MARSH) with ‘I’ inside. I toyed with ‘frightening’ for a while – anagram of thing inside fen but it didn’t work.
8. Arapaho – Native American. Soldier recalled (PARA backwards), A, small house (HO).
9. European capital – Sofia. Very (SO), fine (F), one (I), A.
10. Nissen Hut – shelter. Anagram (flickers) of THEN SUN across island (IS).
12. Rot – double definition.
13. Barney – noisy argument. Anagram (raging) of NEARBY.
15. Oriole – bird. Duck (O), (I)ndigo inside part (ROLE).
17. Run – race. Rugby Union (RU), name (N).
18. Diagnosed – identified. Anagram (needing treatment) of ADENOIDS with good (G) inside.
20. U-Boat – submarine. Anagram (to be destroyed) of ABOUT.
22. Maudlin – foolishly tearful. Gir l(MAUD), left (L), home (IN).
23. Hard and fast – strict. Firm (HARD) with (AND), fleet (FAST).
DOWN
1. Nears – approaches. Miserly (NEAR), (S)ort.
2. Gravesend – Kentish town. Important (GRAVE), post (SEND).
3. Trophy – prize. Work (OP) and hard (H) inside attempt (TRY).
4. Ass – fool. Girl (lASS – without the first letter).
5. Inferno – a blaze out of control. Anagram (building) of ON FIRE around noon (N).
6. Heartrending – causing great sadness. Direction (TREND) inside trial (HEARING).
7. Gainsborough – artist. Captures (GAINS), gold (OR) in part of tree (BOUGH).
11. Tarantula – spider. Anagram (going giddy) of ALTAR AUNT.
14. Rancour – bitterness. Homophone (heard) of private – ranker.
16. Harmed – damaged. (H)arriers, carrying weapons (ARMED).
19. Split – double definition.
21. Tea – drink. In esta(TE A)gent.
For 1d, Why does near = miserly?
I don’t understand the connection between near and miserly either, other than perhaps that to keep things near is to be miserly with them. And why are native americans always arapaho or navajo?
PlayupPompey
I presume the question about Native Americans was rhetorical? If not, it’s probably because they neatly fit some awkward letters (what else fits A-A-A-O or -A-A-O?) Actually 8a was my LOI for a puzzle that took me twice as long as usual.
Edited at 2016-09-20 11:25 am (UTC)
I was still pleased to get it finished even if it did take twice my target time.
Brian
FOI 1ac NIGHTMARISH helped a lot.
10ac NISSEN HUTs were all too common in my youth. Invented in WWI by Major Peter Nissen of the Royal Engineers.
20ac U-BOAT invented by Ulrich Boat – no – Wilhelm Bauer 1850.
I believe that 1dn NEAR is Yorkshire or at least Northern – my mother used it.
Enjoyable artsy QC
horryd Shanghai
Edited at 2016-09-20 12:51 pm (UTC)
I did manage to finish today’s QC correctly but after about another 30 minutes of hard work. Struggled with 1a. Did not know Near meant miserly. I tried to fit in Mean, with Means as Approaches. Some excellent clues. Favourite 13a, LOI 6d. David
Had MEANS for 1d for while, till I sussed 1ac.