Quick Cryptic No 169 by Orpheus

Author   macavity123Posted on Categories Quick Cryptic
Solving time: straightforward.

Morning all, thanks to my stand-in last Thursday when the good NHS called me for a very late poke and prod appointment.

Orpheus is here today and should prove a nice solve for our newer solvers. Lots of fairly straightforward stuff though the device used in 1 across where ‘content’ is used to indicate the middle of a word may be new to some. The definition of ‘dance’ in 8 may be new to some too. I have to thank a certain lady for helping me with the “content” of 1 across – I spent far too long trawling through my copy of XWD assuming I referred to some scientific abbreviation.

Incidentally, newer solvers might like to have a look on Amazon or eBay (other more 13 down shops are available!) and find a copy of Chambers XWD, it’s an essential guide to crossword abbreviations that you’ll encounter.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chambers-XWD-Dictionary-Crossword-Abbreviations/dp/055010173X

Of course I should also mention that there’s a new edition of another essential for the crossword library is out this week – Don Manley’s Chambers Crossword Manual which is a full guide to solving all the various types of crossword from blocks to bars and Quickies to Listeners. May be worth sticking it on your present wish-list.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chambers-Crossword-Manual-Don-Manley/dp/1444794639/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414665217&sr=1-1&keywords=Chambers+Crossword+Manual

Hopefully my new copy will land tomorrow!

Across
1 DOSSIER – Big file is your definition. I (content, i.e. the middle letter of bIg) inside DOSSER (Vagrant).
5 SCRUB – Double definition clue. A word meaning to cancel, do away with as well as some dense undergrowth.
8 TAPE MEASURE – Definition is “ascertain length with this”. TAPE (record) + MEASURE (a slow, stately dance).
10 ANNA – A palindromic Indian coin.
11 COCKEREL – Here, just bird is the definiton, not ‘large bird’ as ‘large’ is needed for the wordplay. COCKER (a spaniel) + E (first letter(beginning to) of EJECT + L (large).
12 FEDORA – Soft felt hat = definition. FE (chemical symbol for IRON) + DORA (lady’s name).
14 ELDEST – Most senior is the def. This answer is hidden in the phrase “SheffiELD ESTate).
16 RHEOSTAT – the def is current controller. An anagram (confused) of HAS OTTER.
18 SOLE – This is a cryptic definition clue, where the whole thing describes the answer. A type of flatfish but also a word that from the tone of the clue implies that it could also mean “the one and only”.
20 CLEAN-SHAVEN – Being without beards is the definition here. This is a word sum type clue. CLEANS (Chars, as in charlady) + HAVE (posses) + N (NAME).
22 GLOAT – Exult maliciously is the definition. GOAT (nanny) with L (pound) inside (indicated by swallows).
23 CROWNED – Invested thus is the definiton. CR (Regnal abbreviation of King Charles – Charles Rex) + OWNED (admitted).

Down
2 OFTEN – Frequently is the definition. You are looking for a word that means relax and then remove the first letter S. (S)OFTEN.
3 SOPRANO – Singer is the definition. SO (thus) with RAN (managed) inside (fall into) PO (Italian river).
4 ELM – Gorblimey, guv! The definition is Wood. The remainder of the clue, describes how a Cockney would describe the device used for steering on a boat, i.e. without the initial letter H. Think of strong winds seldom occurring in St Albans!
6 CAUSE – A homophone clue, not my favourite, but this works fine. The sound that rooks make sounds like a word that means reason.
7 USELESS – A sort of double definition clue. The main definition is to no avail. This word can br broken down into two words that sort of answer the question “How to economise?”
9 ANCIENT – Very old is the definition. The remainder is a wordsum. AN (article) on CI (cHANNEL iSLANDS) + ENT (hospital department).
11 CHASTEN – Def = subdue. CHAS (Little boy, a cryptic way of saying a shortened boy’s name) + TEN (just into double figures).
13 ETHICAL – An anagram (may be) of THE LAIC gives a word meaning principled.
15 DISAVOW – Reject is the definition. An anagram (forged) of VISA goes inside DOW (the first half of the US stock index). Hadn’t given it much thought but assumed that Dow Jones was a name rather than it being Messrs Dow and Jones. Crosswords are so educational!
17 OPERA – At first I thought this clue didn’t work grammatically. However Orpheus is trying to get us to think that Carmen here could be people who work in garages. However the other definition leapt out straightaway. What Carmen is (not are) is OP (WORK) + ERA (very long time).
19 LANCE – Weapon is the definition. N (new) with LACE (flimsy material) around it.
21 HER – The definition is ‘a woman’s’, i.e. belonging to a woman. A word meaning a heart-throb, minus it’s last letter (almost) – HER(O).

Thanks to Orpheus and I’ll see you next week!

16 comments on “Quick Cryptic No 169 by Orpheus”

  1. Usual time. I agree that the use of “content of big” in 1ac to signify the letter i is a little unusual for a QC, but other than that it was a puzzle that the target audience shouldn’t have too many problems with. RHEOSTAT was my LOI after CHASTEN.
  2. 8 minutes, which was a welcome quick solve after yesterday’s toughie and today’s 15×15.
  3. Perhaps it’s just me, but I have never found these specialised crossword books to be the least help. A good dictionary (such as the new Collins – avoid the new Chambers) is all that is needed
    1. I found Don’s book is particularly helpful in understanding advanced cryptics.

      The two books I would recommend to newcomers to blocked cryptics are Tim Moorey’s How to Crack the Times Crossword and Brian Greer’s original How to Solve the Times Cryptic Crossword.

    2. Jerry, out of interest, what’s your problem with the new Chambers? I haven’t seen it yet.
      1. I disliked the the last edition, which had several innovations such as a useless list of anagrinds, to make room for which a number of useful appendices were removed. They also highlighted about 850 words (the number is not precisely known) which the editors thought were particularly noteworthy in some way.
        As a result of a production error, these highlighted words have been omitted from the new edition altogether. In my view, this completely undermines the authority of the dictionary as a work of reference. Or further undermines it I should say, since the “Wordgame companion” and other irrelevencies of the 12th edition, and the “Word Lover’s Ramble” of the 13th, tend to do that too.
        It’s all very unfortunate as the style and typography are excellent. The 11th edition, the last one before they started fiddling, is as good a one-volume dictionary as any ever produced, perhaps the very best.
        If anyone wants to buy one nevertheless, the list price is £39.99 but it can already be had for around £26.

        1. Thanks for your detailed response. I can’t justify replacing my 12th edition anyway at the moment but I shall get the new Collins. The best price seems to be £29 (give or take a few pence) delivered, but it was only published last month so the cost may come down in a week or two.

          Edited at 2014-10-31 08:43 am (UTC)

          1. It’s a sad situation, Jack.. I bet Chambers wish they had omitted a 13th edition, and gone straight to 14! But they have resolutely refused to comment, so far.

  4. Went through this one reasonably quickly, but took a little time to see 23ac.

    I’m wondering whether this might be a trickier one to a new solver. For example, I’m trying to remember if I’ve seen the CR abbreviation before. Also measure was unknown to me, but had put the answer down before thinking too much about it. Same thing for CLEAN SHAVEN. I wouldn’t necessarily equate CLEANS=CHARS – CLEANERS=CHARS maybe….

    1. Yes, CR was a step too far. Even after I’d written in CROWNED I still couldn’t parse it. I also struggled to parse ELM, although the compilers have used that dropped-H trick before.
      2. But seriously….. I find that there are a few too many tricks in the 15×15. For the cognoscenti that’s fine, but it takes time to learn them 🙁
  5. Managed all but 5 clues in 20 mins but had to request Z8 to help me finish off.

    I did not cotton on to the Carolus Rex, nor to content of big being i.

    Being a former Economics teacher & addict of double-meaning clues, USELESS was my COD. SCRUB was the LOI – took a bit of explaining despite the double meaning 🙁

    I liked GLOAT – most female grandparents rahnd ‘ere are Nan or Nanny; I’m determinedly Grandma.

  6. It must have been an easier one as I managed to complete it in record time (too ashamed to say JUST how long, but I didn’t get thrown out of Costa). As usual, some fell into place as “must be’s”, and thanks to the blog I can now see the detailed reasons why. 12a and 23a are such examples today. 1a my LOI. Thx to recent emails of encouragement and advice – they sustained me through yesterday’s debacle. Looking forward to tomorrow.
    1. “I didn’t get thrown out of Costa” — love that line! I take it you are a five-coffee solver rather than a five-minute solver.

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