The link on the Times site is broken yet again so here is the correct url for those trying to access today’s Quickie: http://feeds.thetimes.co.uk/timescrossword/20140717/214/
Sorry this won’t be a very expansive blog as I’m standing in at short notice, and no clues either, I’m afraid. Please post queries on anything that’s unexplained and I’ll deal with them later. This one took me 17 minutes.
Across |
|
---|---|
1 | ANTIDOTE – Anagram [poor] of DIET NOT A. Def: remedy |
5 | ATOM – A,TOM (male cat). Def: tiny thing |
8 | TOKEN – OK (pass) inside TEN (number). Def: voucher |
9 | REFRAIN – F (female) + RA (artist – Royal Academician) inside REIN (check). Def: hold back |
11 | OPEN VERDICT – OPEN (exposed), VERDI (composer), CT (court). Def: coroner’s decision |
13 | AGENDA – A, GEN (information), DA (District Attorney). Def: items for discussion |
14 | BEAGLE – B (British), EAGLE (bird). Def: dog |
16 |
PALINDROMES – Anagram [rotten] of SPOIL R |
18 | AMATEUR – A, then anagram [struggling] of RU TEAM. Def: unpaid |
19 |
NEARS – NEAR (stingy), S |
20 |
EVEN – EVEN |
21 |
ANATHEMA – ANTHEM (song) about A, then A |
Down |
|
1 | ALTO – Anagram [bothered] of A LOT. Def: singer |
2 | TAKE ONE’S LEAVE – Double definition: say goodbye / go on holiday |
3 | DINNER DANCE – NERD (socially inept person) inside anagram [suspect] of CANNED I. Def: formal function |
4 | THRIVE – Hidden in boTH RIVErs. Def: bloom |
6 | TRADING ESTATE – TRADING (dealing), ESTATE (station wagon). Def: industrial park |
7 | MINSTREL – M (male), IN, ST (street), RE (on), L (left). Def: old musician |
10 | FORGET-ME-NOT – FORGE (smithy), then MEN inside TOT (count). Def: plant |
12 | WARPLANE – WARP (turn from correct course), LANE (channel). Def: Spitfire, say |
15 | DRY RUN – DRY (TT – tee-total), RUN (race). Def: practice |
17 |
ASIA – A |
Nice puzzle, just what the doctor ordered (‘scuse pun).
Joint favourites today, DRY RUN (which was my last one in) for its word play and PALINDROMES for its definition.
Nothing of particular note except maybe to flag 2d to newer solvers. In expressions like this the middle word in a Times crossword is almost always ONES rather than your. Than can often be useful knowledge to get checkers for other clues even if you can’t complete the whole expression at the time. But watch out for the rare occasions when it is YOUR!
I’ve re-read PB’s latest on the General club Forum and still find it just a bit delphic. With Mike at NewsInt (he is very helpful) apparently not around at the moment, posting messages outside the Club Forum can feel like putting a message in a bottle. While I’m sure Peter and RR would much rather not have to be responding to wails of pain from Club members on the Forum, it’s true that they do seem to get attention (and what’s more, generate a response) in a way that other modes of complaint do not.
Anyway, another enjoyable puzzle, with the only dissatisfaction the final one in, 20ac. Seemed a little bit too clever.
Nigel from Surrey
Anathema was LOI and palindromes was definitely my clue of the day – really enjoyed the definition. Completely stumped on NEAR as a definition of stingy (for a long time was assuming it was sting-y, like a nettle) but got there in the end.
Also, this happened half way through when I nodded off with a hand-held tablet. It really didn’t help