Quick Cryptic No 137 by Flamande

Author   ChrisPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic
I found this a very pleasant, accessible puzzle when I wandered through it in 9 minutes. As usual when I blog the word play I find bits and bobs which may cause problems to newcomers (e.g. 20ac) but on the whole I think our setter has been kind to us today.

Enjoy!

Definitions are underlined.

Across
1 Top entertainer from Ramsgate, originally (8)
&nbsp &nbspMEGASTAR – Anagram (originally) of RAMSGATE.
5 Performs in another comedy that’s successful at the start (4)
&nbsp &nbspACTS – First letters ( at the start) of Another Comedy That’s Successful.
9 Almost axe Irish singing group (5)
&nbsp &nbspCHOIR – Axe (CHOp) without the last letter (nearly) plus Irish (IR).
10 Try swallowing entire onion-like plant (7)
&nbsp &nbspSHALLOT – Try (SHOT) containing (swallowing) entire (ALL).
11 Impressionist painter’s room refurbished (12)
&nbsp &nbspIMPERSONATOR – Anagram (refurbished) of PAINTER’S ROOM. Thought this might be the name of an impressionist painter to start with but our setter (kindly) saved us from trying to dredge up some long forgotten or never heard names.
13 A couple of cents service charge (6)
&nbsp &nbspACCUSE – A (A) couple of cents (CC) service (USE – as in put into service/use).
15 Missing worker has caught terrible disease (6)
&nbsp &nbspABSENT – Worker (ANT) around (has caught) terrible disease (BSE).
17 Novel souvenir of seaside trip (8,4)
&nbsp &nbspBRIGHTON ROCK – The novel is a murder thriller by Graham Greene. Some rock from Brighton could be a souvenir from a seaside trip – but wouldn’t be a too pleasant one if kept for too long in a hot car on the way home.
20 Two bishops joining Salvation Army at far end of church … now? (7)
&nbsp &nbspSABBATH – Two bishops (BB) after (joining) Salvation Army (SA) at (AT) last letter (far end of) churcH. The … and ? show this is a possible example of when bishops and Sally Army could get together as the definition.
21 Superior meal with no starter (5)
&nbsp &nbspUPPER – sUPPER without the first letter (no starter).
22 Noble Lear, ruined (4)
&nbsp &nbspEARL – Anagram (ruined) of LEAR.
23 Was female at university a kitchen employee? (6-2)
&nbsp &nbspWASHER-UP – Was (WAS) female (HER) at university (UP).

Down
1 Manager initially wants top-class staff in office (4)
&nbsp &nbspMACE – First letter (initially) of Manager top-class (ACE).
2 Good opportunity for someone at wedding (5)
&nbsp &nbspGROOM – Good (G) opportunity (ROOM – as in room to manouvre).
3 Vastly superior ways shown by a school principal (7,5)
&nbsp &nbspSTREETS AHEAD – Ways (STREETS) a (A) school principal (HEAD).
4 Help given in class is timely (6)
&nbsp &nbspASSIST – The answer is in the clue (given in) clASS IS Timely).
6 Girl of firm character, mostly (7)
&nbsp &nbspCOLETTE – Girl’s name – firm (CO) character (LETTEr) without the last letter (mostly).
7 Wet day at the weekend, and clergyman’s forgotten hat (8)
&nbsp &nbspSATURATE – Day at the weekend (SATurday) clergyman (cURATE) without the first letter (forgotten hat).
8 Artist is victorious in local election? (12)
&nbsp &nbspGAINSBOROUGH – Someone or party victorious in a local election can be said to gain a borough.
12 Roast meat briefly, and cover with fat when cooking (8)
&nbsp &nbspLAMBASTE – Meat (LAMb) without the last letter (briefly) cover with fat when cooking (BASTE).
14 Mountaineer rose, perhaps? (7)
&nbsp &nbspCLIMBER – Rose could perhaps be a climber – along with ivy etc.
16 Kid beginning to understand a book of the Old Testament (6)
&nbsp &nbspJOSHUA – Kid (JOSH) first letter of (beginning to) Understand a (A).
18 Something added to sauce for a lark (5)
&nbsp &nbspCAPER – Double definition – made my own tartar sauce for the first time recently – was quite surprised how easy (and tasty) it was.
19 Before surgical procedure, doctor offers small amount to drink (4)
&nbsp &nbspDROP – How many (like me) went first for PREP and then couldn’t justify the word play? On sober reflection it’s surgical procedure (OP) with doctor (DR) before it.

15 comments on “Quick Cryptic No 137 by Flamande”

  1. Enjoyable puzzle. The word play at 20a was clear but I struggled to find a definition, thanks for the explanation Chris. 12d normal spelling for me would be without the final e but again the word play was clear. Joint favourite clues 1d and 8d.
  2. I got stuck with 20 across because my Ipad version reads &hellip rather than …and I did not know what &hellip is.
    And now the blog won’t print an ampersand for me.
    I wonder whether students are still going up as in 23 across!

    Edited at 2014-09-16 08:02 am (UTC)

    1. Cambridge ones are. Can’t speak for any other ones though. But then I’m not sure any other ones ever did.
    2. My iPad version didn’t do that… It does frequently have annoying question marks obscuring bits of clues or the number of letters though.
  4. 5 mins. I needed to get the B checker from ABSENT before GAINSBOROUGH clicked, and then IMPERSONATOR was my LOI. I liked the clue for SABBATH.
  6. Well, apologies for last night’s rant, carrying on like a pork chop as they say here in Sydney. Bit OTT, but I’d just had about enough of SNAFU Central. So today’s offering shows up, and I can’t resist it…

    Very nice puzzle I thought, relatively straightforward but some great surfaces and clues. GAINSBOROUGH tickled me pink – worth the admission price on its own. BRIGHTON ROCK also very good.

    Always thought LAMBASTE was without the final E, but dictionary indicates it is an alternative spelling. Live and learn.

    1. Glad you’re still around Nick. The button was broken when I first tried shortly after midnight (BST) but it was working when I returned a couple of hours later. I doubt anyone is attending to it in the middle of the night so it must be set to roll over in a different time-zone.
      1. Thanks Jack. Your observation yesterday about wanting the QC to succeed resonated strongly with me.
  7. Stymied myself for a while by having “Shot” in for 19d. Then “Dram” and finally got it right…. Enjoyed it very much. Took me about 45 mins.
  8. Very annoying thought I’d created a personal best with less than 2 hours then found 19 was drop not drip. Well 1p is a small amount and drip is what a Dr sets up before an operation or you could drink it! Pete
  9. Ramsgate happens to be my home town. After 49 years of either living or working there, it is only today I came to realise it is an anagram of Megastar!
  10. I took the now? To refer to a debate apparently arguing that Tuesday could have been the sabbath at one time

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