Quick Cryptic No 394 by Orpheus

Author   piquetPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic
Easier, I think, than the last couple of Fridays I’ve covered; a 5 minute write-in, with only two anagrams and one hidden word clue to chew on. A fair test for cryptic solvers on the blue slopes.

D = definition, DD = double definition, ()* = anagram, [A] = anagrist.

Across
1 DIPLOMAT – DIPLOMA = certificate, T = right, ulitmately; D emissary.
5 SCAB – S(on), CAB (taxi); D strikebreaker.
9 POSSE – Insert S(mall) into POSE (model); D group of constables?
10 SURREAL – SURRE(Y) = most of county, AL Capone; D bizarre.
11 MAKE IT SNAPPY – Double definition, one a literal cryptic.
13 ENMITY – EN = ‘in’ in French, M = maidens, IT, Y = unknown; D hostility.
15 SPARTA – Insert ART (paintings, etc.) into SPA (health resort); D harsh place. Well it was a harsh place if you were one of the slaves for the Spartans.
17 POSTMISTRESS – POST (after) MI (motorway), STRESS (tension); D she handles mail.
20 RICOTTA – (ACT OR IT)*, [A] ‘it may turn into’; D cheese.
21 NOMAD – Insert MA (mother) into DON reversed (‘retired lecturer’); D wanderer.
22 YELL – YE = old form of ‘the’, LL = pair of Liberals; D loud shout.
23 MESSMATE – MESS (state of confusion), (TEAM)*, [A] ‘new’; D fellow soldier.

Down
1 DOPE – DD.
2 PASTA – PA’S T.A. would be Dad’s army; D food.
3 OVERESTIMATE – OVER = deliveries (in cricket), insert I’M into ESTATE (answer to 16d); D value too highly.
4 ASSETS – S(outhern); TESSA (girl), all reversed; D resources.
6 CREEPER – Hidden word in DE(CREE PER)FECT; D ivy, perhaps?
7 BILLYCAN – BILLY (Bunter) CAN (is able to); D cooking pot.
8 GRANDPARENTS – (ARDENT GP’S RAN)*, [A] ‘shift’; D older relatives.
12 HEN-PARTY – Insert N(ew) P(artner) into HEARTY = ebullient; D women’s do.
14 MUSICAL – Insert US into (CLAIM)*, [A} ‘foolish’; D stage show.
16 ESTATE – E(uropean), STATE (country); D car.
18 SAMOA – (American Uncle) SAM, O (round) A; D Pacific state.
19 EDGE – ED (top joirnalist), E.G. (for example) reversed (‘going over’); D border.

13 comments on “Quick Cryptic No 394 by Orpheus”

  1. It was pretty harsh for the boy with the fox, too, I’d have thought. But I digress. I seem to remember skipping a number of across clues unsolved and moving on to the downs, although looking at the grid now I can’t see what would have held me up. Thinking of what to stick on AL at 10ac, for one; I waited for checkers, which was a good idea, as I was thinking of Ireland. I’m not keen on cross-referencing clues, like 3d, in general, but especially a) in a Quickie, and b) when the reference is to a clue presumably not yet solved. Pip, you’ve got everything about 20ac except the solution! 6:10.
    1. Fixed, thanks kevin. I had terrible problems with LJ getting this blog to post and a few bits of HTML went astray.
  2. 7 minutes here. I came to this having spent not far short of 2 hours on the main puzzle wondering whether I would be on fire or brain-dead. Luckily the former proved to be the case. I agree about cross-referenced clues.
  3. I’ve been trying to complete the QC for months and today, Caloo callay, I finally managed it without recourse to any help. And it’s all thanks to you wonderful team of bloggers who have gently introduced us ingenues to the arcane mysteries of the parallel universe that is CrypticWorld.

    The brief less barrister

    1. Oh Frabjous Day Callooh Callay!! The first time also that I have entered the Cryptic World without “cheating” Last one in was “messmate” as I could not find an anagram for “state” nor could I find an anagram for “bunter”
  4. I finished this one in well under my 1 hour limit with everything parsed except 3D which I got from a few checkers and the definition – and before 16D. I must always think of cricket at least once in every puzzle!
    The anagrams seemed a bit too obvious in this one, they both jumped out at me without resorting to pen and paper.
    Brian

    ps This should not be taken as a request to make the next one ultra-difficult!

    Edited at 2015-09-11 09:59 am (UTC)

  5. As a definite novice, I enjoy the blue slopes. Motivating when I can solve the lot, although 23A was the toughie.
  6. As others have said this was nice and gentle. Completed and fully parsed in around 20 minutes, making it one of my fastest ever solves.
  7. Finished this quickly for me-practice and this blog are clearly helping.My last two were (oddly on reflection) 1d and 9a. Couldn’t see them at first and came back to them at the end of a fairly short session. I’ve got time to try the big crossword now! David
    1. David,

      I have managed to reinstate your original message and spotted the problem which was that you missed a space between a full-stop and the first word of the next sentence (like this.For example) and the Live Journal software would have read this as if it were part of a website address and automatically consigned it to Spam. If you avoid that in future and don’t actually include a url, then your messages should appear without delay.

      Several of us bloggers have admin rights to unspam contributions and can reinstate messages that have been quarantined, so if it happens again, if you hang on, one of us will come to the rescue.

      Edited at 2015-09-11 06:24 pm (UTC)

  9. After a year of trying really hard I have at last managed to complete for the very first time without help. Thanks to the blog which has helped me through . When are they producing a book of quick cryptic I need the practise .

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