I think this is the second time I have blogged an Orpheus QC, and from memory, they have each been enjoyable puzzles – thanks Orpheus. Must rush now for a hospital appointment – see you later.
Across
1 Chief intimidator, likely to fall over if pushed? (3,5)
TOP HEAVY – Double definition, the first cryptic – a chief intimidator could be described as the TOP HEAVY
5 Mammals that fly, crazy (4)
BATS – a second double definition
8 Go hiking – support Wolves perhaps? (8)
BACKPACK – Another double definition – is there a trend here? The question mark indicates that other PACKs are available to support, or BACK
9 Islamic governor Coleridge’s poem is about (4)
EMIR – Samuel Taylor Coleridge is famous for penning ‘The RIME of the ancient mariner’. Turn RIME around (or about) as instructed to get EMIR, the Asian governor much loved by setters in Crosswordland
11 Some dealt a rotten card (5)
TAROT – Hidden answer indicated by ‘some’ in {deal}T A ROT{ten}
12 Most accessible listener in shelter (7)
NEAREST – The shelter is a NEST which has a listener, or EAR in it
13 Tipple that’s good in absence of spirit? (6)
NOGGIN – Absence of spirit could be NO GIN, and put G{ood} inside for the answer. A NOGGIN is a small mug or wooden cup, or its contents (beer or spirits)
15 Rickety seat is used for afternoon nap (6)
SIESTA – Anagram, indicated by ‘rickety’ of [SEAT IS]. A siesta sounds increasingly good to me with every passing year!
18 Salesman’s pitch about large dish (7)
PLATTER – A salesman’s pitch can be described as his PATTER, with L{arge} inside it describes a large flat plate or dish
19 Organised trip to catch a S American mammal (5)
TAPIR – Another anagram, this time indicated by ‘organised’, of [TRIP] and [A]
21 Flag displayed in Fair Isle (4)
IRIS – Hidden, this time obviously indicated by ‘displayed in’, in {fa}IR IS{le}. Flag in this case refers to any of the various FLAG Iris plant species that are common in our gardens
22 Left theatrical role in middle of act (8)
DEPARTED – Theatrical role is a PART which is surrounded by (is in the middle of) a DEED or act
23 Craze giving rise to intense anger (4)
RAGE – A craze is a fashion or RAGE, as in ‘it is all the rage’ as well as RAGE being an intense anger, so this is another double definition
24 In drama, represent first officer’s child’s friend (8)
PLAYMATE – ‘In drama, represent’ gives us PLAY, and the first officer of a ship is the MATE (thanks to Galspray and other’s below for clarifying this for me – I had been seeing a much more complex parsing which isn’t needed). A PLAYMATE is a child’s friend.
Down
1 Asian giant eating beef regularly (7)
TIBETAN – the giant is a TITAN ‘eating’ (i.e. containing) alternate letters (regularly) of B{e}E{f}
2 Going north, run over horse (5)
PACER – ‘Going north’ in a down clue can mean to read or write upwards. To ‘run over’ is to RECAP, which if written upwards (reversed) gives PACER, the walking harnessed horses that are popular as a gambling sport in some countries, but not in the UK as far as I am aware
3 Speak in detail about Republican, one living abroad (10)
EXPATRIATE – To speak in detail is to EXPATIATE. Add an R{epublican} and you get the noun that means ‘one settled abroad’
4 Empty container covered by tax (6)
VACANT – The tax is, of course, VAT which has a container or CAN inside
6 Posing no threat to Cockneys, like the Venus de Milo (7)
ARMLESS – The Venus de Milo is the famous Greek statue of Aphrodite, which has unfortunately lost most of her upper appendages. Cockneys, at least in Crosswordland, nearly always ‘drop their aitches’, so posing no threat to a Cockney could be described as being {h}ARMLESS
7 Minor disagreement about river fish (5)
SPRAT – A minor disagreement is a SPAT which has R{iver} in it to give the small herring-like fish
10 JPs collectively – wise men descending on southern girl (10)
MAGISTRACY – The Wise Men are the MAGI on top of S{outhern} and TRACY is the girl. MAGISTRACY is not a word I often, if ever, use knowingly, so it becomes my word of the day (WoD)
14 Framework of bars setting our teeth on edge (7)
GRATING – A kind of double definition, the second reminding me of the moment in Jaws where everyone’s attention was grabbed by Robert Shaw dragging his fingernails down the blackboard
16 Cut end of sprig carried by newly-wed (7)
ABRIDGE – A BRIDE (newlywed) containing (end of) {spri}G
17 Traumatic experience of Parisian entering exam (6)
ORDEAL – French (and therefore Parisian) for ‘of’ is DE, and this is inserted into ORAL (exam)
18 Top monk extremely popular around S American port (5)
PRIOR – Extremely popular indicates the first and last letters of P{opula}R, which letters surround (or are around) RIO
20 Bread? It’s mine, thanks (5)
PITTA – Mine is a PIT, with TA for thanks.
Rotter, for 24ac I think it’s just “In drama, represent” = PLAY, and “first officer” = MATE.
Last week we had ‘chaser’ and today ‘noggin’ which I only got from checkers. Didn’t see ‘no gin’ which raised a smile, thank you Rotter.
Any other boozy words in crossword-land I should know?
COD 6d because it also made me laugh.
Your children are obviously very perceptive, I wonder if they include ties and socks, too – another sort of giveaway!
I was probably thinking of words more or less connected with booze/alcohol. I,later, thought of DRAM which we have had recently and, possibly, TOT.
As a novice, I’m just trying to expand my repertoire!
I forgot to thank Orpheus esp. for making me LOL at 6d.
CoD for me was BACKPACK, nicely constructed clue. NOGGIN (LOI) also very good.
Made it harder for myself by starting with BATS and then working clockwise round the grid so I hardly ever seemed to have the first letter of anything! But still finished by Elmstead Woods.
Templar
WOD as per Mr. Rotter, 10ac MAGISTRACY.
COD (nothing too ingenious) 20dn PITTA as per Galspray.
Lord Galspray does have a certain ‘timbre’ (Irish pile somewhere?) – you could change your name by deed poll.
North West was the problem corner. I biffed wanderer for 8a and it took a while to sort out.
Top heavy was the catalyst for finishing.
Also struggled with backpack, vacant, and 2 unknowns noggin and LOI pacer.
COD Tibetan.
Thanks Orpheus and glad you are ok Rotter!
Edited at 2017-06-01 09:32 am (UTC)
There were a lot of very entertain clues, but I did not pause to savor them.
Coming to this I started with Pitta and got everything on first read until the NW slowed me down. I could not parse Noggin and was unsure about Pacer. Anyway it all came together in 17 minutes . Last two were 11a (another hidden I missed) and 2d. COD to 8a.
Excellent blog -thanks. David
Every time I log on it has an I phone 8 pop up
Can you check
Thanks
J