Quick Cryptic No 284 by Vista – Teds remembered

Author   piquetPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic
“No need to wash, it’s likely to rain, just bring your cosh or bicycle chain. Today’s the day the teddy-boys have their picnic.”

Sorry, I couldn’t resist it, seeing 15a and in my day leaning towards the Mods and not the Rockers. Although I preferred the Stones to the Fab Four.

Not much else to say by way of preamble, except, this was a straightforward puzzle which took me 10 minutes.

Across
1 CAMPFIRE – CA. = circa, about; MP = politician; FIRE = passion; def. traditional place to sing. Ging Gang Goolie Goolie Goolie Goolie Watcha, if I remember rightly.
5 ABEL – A, BEL(T) = heavy blow almost; def. killed second son. Done for by brother Cain.
9 STAND – Hidden in AFGHANI(STAN D)AILY; def. bear, as in tolerate.
10 SMIDGEN – S N = extremely shaken, around MIDGE = fly that bites; def. just a little bit. Apparently from the Scottish ‘smitch’.
11 FIELD MARSHAL – (I HARMED FALLS)*; def. senior military officer.
13 HARASS – H A R = initial letters of Horses and riders; ASS = fool; def. hound.
15 BUSTED – BUS = public transport; TED = 1950s hooligan; if you’re caught with drugs you’re busted. A few recreational drugs might have calmed them down a bit.
17 ROCKING HORSE – (HE RINGS CROOK)*; def. toy for child.
20 CHICKEN – Double definition, yellow, cowardly, chicken.
21 IDIOT – ID = papers, I OT = TO I returned; def. fool.
22 TENT – Sort of double definition; TENT is a red wine originally from Spain (deriv. tinta) now only found in crosswords; and you camp in a tent.
23 TAPESTRY – A PEST = a nuisance, inside TRY = attempt; def. wall hanging.

Down
1 CAST – CAT – pet, around S = small; def. shed.
2 MIAMI – MI MI = notes, around A; def. US city.
3 FIDDLESTICKS – FIDDLE(STICK)S, staff inside swindles;def. rubbish.
4 RESUME – RE = about, SUM = problem in arithmetic, E – English; def. start again.
6 BIG SHOT – BIGOT = intolerant chap, around SH = quiet; def. VIP.
7 LANDLADY – LAND = country, LAD = boy, Y = end of complimentary; def. letter, one who lets a premises.
8 NITROUS OXIDE – (TOXIN I USED OR)*; laughing gas. As once used by your dentist, no laughing matter.
12 SHORT CUT – Double definition, bob = a short haircut and a way to save time.
14 RUCTION – (IN COURT)*; def. disturbance.
16 AGENDA – G = good, END = tip, with A before and after; A(G END)A; def. schedule.
18 SHIRT – Anagram of THIS with R (queen) inserted; def. garment.
19 STAY – SAY = for example, around T = capital of Turkey; def. remain.

7 comments on “Quick Cryptic No 284 by Vista – Teds remembered”

  1. Fairly straightforward at 11 minutes. This is only Vista’s third outing, #67,#127 and today #284. Nearly biffed 18dn as SKIRT.

    Edited at 2015-04-10 05:39 am (UTC)

  2. One stalwart blogger and solver at least–Dorset Jimbo–would not be best pleased to see the Teddy boys yet once again referred to as hooligans. Thanks, Pip, for the (to me new) ‘Teddy Bears’ Picnic’. 7′ and change.
      1. Not only “Ted” – try looking up SMIDGEN in the Urban Dictionary as well (not for those of a nervous disposition)!
        Is there scope for setting a crossword with alternative answers entirely found in the Urban Dictionary?
  3. Regularly trapped by all the alternative meanings when I was fixed on the obvious: letter, bear, hound and shed.

    As for “tent” that’s one of the most obscure ones I have come across.

    My favourite was bob.

    1. Yes, this was a ‘good’ QC from the homophone point of view. Tent was unknown, but guessable, to me as well. Invariant

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