Quick cryptic No 1013 by Teazel

Author   TheRotterPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic
Fairly straightforward in terms of difficulty I thought, but with some lovely precise and succinct clueing from Teazel.  There are some novel ANAGRINDS (anagram indicators), plenty of double definitions, charades, containers, initialisms, deletions and combinations.  I often confuse purely cryptic definitions with &lits and vice versa (for those newcomers reading this who may not be familiar with &lit, this is an abbreviation of ‘literally so’, a type of cryptic clue where the whole clue acts as the definition and the wordplay), so these may also be present, but not flagged below.

My time was well inside my target of 15 minutes, and there is nothing in this puzzle that requires any special General Knowledge, so ideal I would say for the QC.

Incidentally, I tend to err on the side of caution when blogging, trying to explain the answers to the nth degree, as opposed to some rather less detailed blogs from my esteemed fellow bloggers.  This is because I imagine that my readers are all newbies to cryptic crosswords, but I can understand that this level of detail may annoy or patronise others with more experience.  If this is the case for any of you, please accept my apologies.  I also tend to add any GK which I find interesting.  Unless my approach offends a significant number of you, I will continue as I have started and not worry too much about teaching granny to suck eggs.

Across

1  Make sense in total (3,2)
ADD UP – Double definition – to ADD UP is to make sense, and to ADD UP is also to total
8  Coffee’s nice aroma wafting about (9)
AMERICANO – Anagram (wafting about – nice anagrind) of [NICE AROMA]
9  Connect to computer using identifying symbol and name (3,2)
LOG ON – An identifying symbol is a LOGO followed by N{ame}
10  Gibbet shines, fitted with aluminium (7)
GALLOWS – Shines gives GLOWS which is ‘fitted with‘ (contains) the chemical symbol for aluminium, AL.  I always wondered why our North American friends pronounce ‘aluminium’ so strangely, but after a modicum of research I discover that the spelling is different across the pond, and therein lies the difference.  Aluminium was originally called alumium by its discoverer, Sir Humphrey Davy, in 1808, who later changed his mind and spelled it aluminum from 1812, giving some weight to the North American version.  However, despite Sir Humph’s two versions, the ‘…ium’ spelling was adopted very early to conform with the -ium names of most other elements, and is used throughout the world, except North America.  Both spellings are acceptable, so I suppose we must accept the legitimacy of their odd-sounding pronunciation.
11  Malicious programs such as Bond might use? (7)
SPYWARE – This is a purely cryptic clue where the whole clue acts as the definition.  Bond was, of course, a famous spy, and SPYWARE is a term applied to various types of malicious software in computers.
12  A requirement to mask one’s strong scent (7)
ANISEED – A requirement is A NEED, and this masks (contains) I’S (one’s).  ANISEED (the seed of the anise plant) is a very aromatic ingredient used in cooking.
16 Dye farmworkers applied to tail of beast (7)
PIGMENT – The farmworkers here are PIGMEN and the T comes from the tail (last letter) of {beas}T
17  So keen a Colonel? (7)
MUSTARD – Double definition, the first from the informal expression ‘keen as MUSTARD’, the second from the character from Cluedo – Colonel Mustard
20  State has popular princess (7)
INDIANA – IN (popular) and arguably the world’s favourite princess – DIANA, Princess of Wales
22  Frightening sort of clock (5)
ALARM – To ALARM is to strike with fear, as well as being a type of clock.  I’m not sure that this clue works perfectly as a double definition, because ‘frightening’ would suggest ‘alarming’ rather than ALARM.
23  Fresh effort for millennial government (3,6)
NEW LABOUR – Another double definition, the second referring to the Government in place in the UK at the turn of the millennium
24  Shame about end of true religious devotion (5)
PIETY – PITY (shame) about (containing) end of (last letter) of {tru}E.  One definition of PIETY is ‘devoutness’.

Down

1 A sailor looking up guide to the world (5)
ATLAS – A (a) and SALT (sailor) reversed (which equates to looking or reading up{wards} in a down clue)
2  In which spare food is taken back to the lab? (5,3)
DOGGY BAG – The ‘lab’ in this case might be a Labrador or even a Labradoodle rather than a laboratory.  Witty and amusing misdirection from another cryptic clue.
3  Nature god initially defending a creature that’s endangered (5)
PANDA – PAN (the Greek god of pastures, flocks and woods) with (initially) D{efending} and A (a)
4  Officer’s fabric more important to clothe worker (8,5)
SERGEANT MAJOR – The fabric is SERGE, more important is MAJOR, and these wrap around (or clothe) ANT (worker).  SERGEANT-MAJOR is currently the senior non-commissioned officer rank in the Army (Warrant Officers being ‘commissioned’ or ‘warranted’).
5  Criminal’s nice house and home (7)
VILLAIN – VILLA (nice house) and IN (home) – nice succinct clueing from Teazel
6 Cereal-producing palm, small in the past (4)
SAGO – S{mall} and AGO (in the past).  The starchy cereal substance SAGO is produced from the pith of the SAGO palm, and is boiled with sugar and milk to produce the school pudding that we all referred to as ‘frog spawn’
7  Beef beats fish (7)
TOPSIDE – TOPS is beats and IDE is the chub-like fish.  Another nicely compact clue.
13 Mischievous adventure has disturbed peace – sad (8)
ESCAPADE – Anagram (disturbed) of [PEACE – SAD]
14  Nothing at first?  Points out choices (7)
OPTIONS – O (nothing) followed (at first) by an anagram (out) of [POINTS].  I think the interrogative is because an anagram of [POINTS] containing the letter O (nothing) could be an alternative solution.
15  Sort of car for 5?  I don’t believe it!  (3,4)
GET AWAY – Another double definition.  A villain (answer to 5d) might use a GET AWAY car, and GET AWAY! is also an interjection expressing disbelief
18  Note, part of lush arpeggio (5)
SHARP – A SHARP in music is a note that is a semi-tone higher in pitch and is opposite to flat, which is lowering of pitch.  The answer is hidden in {lu}SH ARP{eggio}
19  Mummy’s rhyme that soothes baby (5)
DUMMY – This is the first time I have knowingly seen a rhyming word clued like this.  DUMMY rhymes with mummy and soothes a baby.  I think it is a bit too easy.  Maybe there is more to it?  For our US friends, this is Britspeak for a baby pacifier (also known as binky, soother or teether)
21  Begin to appear, waving wand (4)
DAWN – anagram (waving) of [WAND]

32 comments on “Quick cryptic No 1013 by Teazel”

  1. Another US solver who had some trouble. DNK DUMMY, but it seemed unavoidable; DNK AMERICANO, but it was an easy enough anagram–once I counted the A’s; knew TOPSIDE only because it showed up quite recently in a 15×15. Cluedo in the US is called Clue, but the characters are the same. A criminal would not likely use a GET AWAY car, if such there be. I think, by the way, that the US equivalent to ‘Get away!’ would be ‘Get out of here!’. 9:41.

    Edited at 2018-01-25 06:10 am (UTC)

  2. 15 minutes, held up by the spelling of sergeant. Last two were villain and topside.

    Spyware, How about malicious software generated yawpers.

    Liked pigmen, and aniseed because I had that in the Christmas turkey and its not easy to clue.

    COD doggy bag.

  3. A very pleasant offering from Teazel today which took me exactly 8 minutes.

    I wondered if biffers and speed-merchants might come a cropper at 9ac where LOG IN could be tempting as an alternative and consideration of wordplay would be essential to resolve the issue.

    MER (‘minor eyebrow raise’ – courtesy Myrtillus) at VILLA clued by ‘nice house’ which surely is subjective, and NEW LABOUR clued by ‘millennial government’ although I’m not sure exactly why.

    Unless you wish to do so for your own reasons, Rotter, don’t even think of changing your blogging style which is excellent as it is.

    Edited at 2018-01-25 06:56 am (UTC)

    2. I think villa generally means a larger, comfortable house – probably compared to terraced housing.
  5. 24 minutes so slightly over average. But mainly because I got held up the end by villain and hence get away and then topside. Anyone else think that sharp is not a note but an accidental? A sharp, B sharp etc are notes.
    1. We had a discussion about this a while back when ‘accidental’ was in a clue, or maybe it was the answer. I can’t remember all the details now, but to me it’s clear that whilst the sharp (#) may be an accidental the note affected by it is also a sharp.

      One could go on to argue that a sharp isn’t always an accidental anyway e.g. if it’s in the key signature.

      Edited at 2018-01-25 12:04 pm (UTC)


  6. Likewise, Rotter,reading all the extra bits of info. provided by bloggers and commentators adds to my GK and enjoyment.If one already knows the info., one can always skip those parts. I’ve learnt a lot since begining QCs and 15×15 in March last year so thanks to you and others.(I am currently filling up my third A4-sized book of ‘things I must remember’!)
    Thanks to Teazel too for a good QC.
    1. Unspammed. I’m afraid in the event of a full-stop not being followed by a space LJ automatically sends comments to the sin bin.
  7. If I tell you that I could not think of a type of MAJOR despite having two ex-Sergeant Majors in the family, it tells you what kind of day I had. Think I will just go back to bed and start again! DUMMY was the first time I had seen a “rhyming” clue like this as well, so took me a while to cotton on. I had never realised that SAGO came from a palm, so learnt something today.
    To be picky blogger, SMs are not “commissioned”. Hence, non commissioned officers.
    Overall, not my finest hour.
    PlayUpPompey
  8. I thought this was a very enjoyable puzzle that was let down a bit by 19d, where I couldn’t bring myself to put the answer in until all the checkers in place as I doubted it could be that simple.
    COD 2d and completed with LOI 5d in 13 minutes, so at the gentler end of the spectrum for me.
    Rotter, your blogs are excellent in their existing format/depth
  9. I did this after arriving home in the early hours, after a convivial musical evening with friends, and made a mess of it. As Jack suspected, some silly biffer would probably shove LOG IN into 9a. Guilty as charged! It also took me 17:55, which I think is my slowest ever QC, as I got held up for ages by GET AWAY. Just couldn’t see it! However I can now report that I had an excellent night’s sleep and don’t have a hangover. Thanks Teazel and Rotter. Keep up the good work Rotter:-)
  11. Went in steadily except the NE corner. Once villain went in – after get away – they fell into place nicely. LOI was topside but that and gallows, aniseed and villain felt like joint last ones in.
  12. As this is my first post, I wanted to thank all the contributors to this blog for sharing their wisdom and helping me to fill in some gaps in my incompetence. You all make it seem so easy! Today I thought was on the easier side and was a minute inside my 20 minute target. I’m afraid I am going to tarnish my first blog by being a pedant: a SM is a warrant officer and can be either class 1 or class 2 (never 2nd class as I was told by a particularly irate Grenadier).
    1. Please see my response above to ant 45’s comment. Also it’s helpful to read what others have said before commenting oneself in case one’s point has already been made and discussed. There’s no harm in discussing it further if you wish but not worth making exactly the same point a second time.
  14. While “nice house” clearly is meant to gives us VILLA, I would suggest to new solvers that when they see “nice” in a clue it often means “in French” ie from Nice.
  15. This went fairly smoothly. I enjoyed the humour in 2d and 15d; a get-away car is definitely the phrase I remember.
    I slowed down when finally getting to a very blank NE. Paused over Sago -did not know it was also a palm and slow to get Gallows. LOI was Topside where I was not sure about Ide being a fish.
    14 minutes and with a careless Log In at 9a so one wrong. David
  16. Keep on with all the detail to the nth degree please, as I for one find it very helpful as a relative new by. Thank you very much – I’m learning a great deal and possibly improving!!
  17. Don’t change, Rotter! I love these blogs; they help relative newcomers like me and I really enjoy the GK and humour that a lot of the contributors get in. TOPSIDE I found tough (ha!), because ide was new to me until I googled it. A lovely puzzle today, though, and just the right level for me.
    Re: 15D, in the daily quiz above Q3 was (I paraphrase) “Whose catchphrase was ‘I don’t believe it!’?” First time I’ve seen one puzzle mirror the other.
  18. I think don’t sago is associated with Frog’s Spawn pudding. In my day – a long time ago – tapioca was the jelly like cereal making pudding. I shall now have to research sago but I think it is nearer ground rice. I once spent a whole term learning how to make all the various types of milk pudding!! Thank goodness school cookery lessons seem to have improved.
  20. Excellent puzzle and blog. Tightly clued and nicely explained by the blogger. He does it after all for the benefit of us newbies and I appreciate his efforts. This setter understands what a quick cryptic should be like. Thanks both
  21. I think the way you present the reasoning, with the clues in full and the definition underlined,is excellent and I wish some of your colleagues would do the same. For those of us doing the QC online, it is quite annoying when the clue is not presented exactly as in the original because we then have to close th blog and re-open the QC to see exactly how it all fitted together.
    Many thanks.
    Raymond
    1. I agree, it’s easier when bloggers reproduce the clues. Your browser should however allow you to open the crossword and the blog in separate tabs at the same time.

      Thanks for another good one Teazel and Rotter.

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