Saturday Times 24945 (3rd Sept)

Author   linxitPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time 14:31, solved as a warm-up before tackling Anax’s brilliant Sunday Times debut, which took nearly twice as long. Not that there was much wrong with this one – I thought 5D was particularly good, and the surfaces were sound throughout.

Across
1 CHAR – CHAR(y). A fish in the salmon family, found in mountain lakes and rivers. Can also take two R’s at the end.
4 SCRUPULOUS – S(ee) + (us colour up)*, less one of the O’s (nonetheless). Cheeky!
9 BRICKLAYER – cryptic definition, ref. “to drop a brick” meaning to do or say something excruciatingly embarrassing.
10 DODO – DO (mimic) + DO (abbreviation for ditto).
11 TEMPLE – TE (note) + MP (politician) + LE(t) (almost allowed).
12 LUNCHEON – LEON (Trotsky) around (b)UNCH (group needing leader).
14 WANE – sounds like “Wayne”, i.e. John.
15 TOLERATION – (Let Ontario)*
17 BITTERNESS – BITTERN-ESS, the cry of the bittern being a booming sound which can be heard for miles.
20 APEX – APE (copy) + X (opposite of a tick).
21 RHEOSTAT – (O + the arts)*, the O an abbreviation for “over”.
23 ENSIGN – (r)ESIGN around N(oon).
24 LOAN – LON(don) around A.
25 FRACTIONAL – FRA(i)L around ACTION.
26 CAT BURGLAR – cryptic definition.
27 TIDY – alternate letters of ThIrDlY.

Down
2 HORSERADISH – HORSE RASH around I,D (one had) reversed.
3 RECIPIENT – (trip, niece)*
4 SOLVENT – SOL (the sun) + VENT (free air).
5 ROYAL ALBERT HALL – ROY, AL, ALBERT and HAL or ROY, AL, AL, BERT and HAL + L(eft).
6 PARTNER – PAR (standard) + RENT (hire fee) reversed.
7 OZONE – OZ (Australian) + ONE (a certain).
8 SPOON – NO OPS reversed.
13 ON ONE’S GUARD – ON (about) + (dangerous)*
16 TRANSPORT – T(ons) + RAN (managed) + SPORT (e.g. football).
18 ROTIFER – RIFER (more widespread) around O(rdovician), T(ime).
19 SWEATER – W(a)S reversed + EATER.
21 RELIC – RE-LIC(k).
22 EXALT – EX (husband that was) + A LT.

6 comments on “Saturday Times 24945 (3rd Sept)”

  1. 25 minutes for all but 18, 25 and 17 which I needed assistance with.

    Incidentally boomer/bittern is not in ANY of the usual sources. The only way I confirmed it was typing both words into Google where I found several references.

  2. Correction. Just looked again and found Collins defines ‘boom’ as ‘the cry of certain animals esp. the bittern’ so I guess that covers ‘boomer’ more or less. But maybe it’s still a bit naughty as we then have to stretch things further by adding -ESS to cover the concept of ‘female’.
  3. 8:49 for me. I was pleased to break 10 minutes for a Saturday puzzle for the first time for ages.
  4. A steady but slow 40 minutes. I thoughtlessly put DIMPLE at 11a whih made if hard for me to see the should-be-obvious 2d. I had saved the puzzle to do this morning after the rugby. (Poor Wales! We wuz robbed!)The puzzle cheered me up though – very enjoyable.
    1. Saturday puzzles are always blogged a week later as they’re prize competitions. 24951 will be available on Saturday morning, usually from about 9am.

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