Saturday Times 25939 (8th Nov)

Author   linxitPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time 12:05, so quite a gentle offering for a Saturday with a very helpful grid providing a lot of checked letters in some places. Not much else to say about this one, so straight on with the clue explanations.

Across
1 Type of solution wife missed in short riddle (8)
SANSERIF – ANSWER (solution) without the W (wife missed), inside SIF(t) (short riddle).
9 Holding my resignation announcement, I state it’s great injustice (8)
INIQUITY – I QUIT (my resignation announcement) inside I + N.Y. (state). Great clue, my COD.
10 Earlier form (8)
PREVIOUS – double definition, the second of which is the sort the police would be interested in.
11 Guide old woman around one church (8)
CICERONE – CRONE (old woman) around I (one) + CE (church).
12 Bargain offer — lots here (1,5,4)
A GREAT DEAL – double definition.
14 Shriek of excitement as new driver fails to make turn (4)
WHEE – WHEEL (turn) without the L (new driver fails).
15 The way to speak? Yes and no (7)
STUTTER – ST (way) + UTTER (speak). Semi-&lit, in that you need the whole clue to get the definition, but it isn’t really a definition of the answer.
17 In bases place fractions, ignoring the first initially (7)
PLINTHS – PL(ace) + (n)INTHS (fractions, minus the first letter).
21 It’s hurtful if there is no time to keep in contact (4)
OUCH – TOUCH (keep in contact) without the T for time.
22 Difficult old puzzle priest threatening not to complete (10)
ELIMINATOR – ELI (priest) + MINATOR(y) (threatening, minus the last letter). I assume the definition is referring to the old-style Times Crossword Championships, where they kept the numbers down at the regional finals by publishing a puzzle similar to the Club Monthly (only harder) as an eliminator.
23 After backing, intend to keep birthday (a century!) in state (8)
CAMBODIA – AIM (intend) around D.O.B. (birthday), + A + C(entury), all reversed.
25 Crop said to be failing, having big gaps (8)
SPORADIC – (crop said)*.
26 Filling vessels, miss out on shots? (5-3)
CLOSE-UPS – LOSE (miss out on) inside CUPS (vessels).
27 Having open exhibition initially, secure honours — or pass? (8)
OVERTAKE – OVERT (open) + E(xhibition) around A,K (honour cards in bridge).

Down
2 It’s divided and put in properly sealed (8)
AIRTIGHT – ARIGHT (properly) with the letters of IT separately inserted.
3 Small climb is the most demanding (8)
SEVEREST – S(mall) + EVEREST (climb).
4 Opportunity to tie up (4)
ROOM – MOOR (tie up) reversed.
5 Bobby, one trawling to catch criminals’ chief (7)
FISCHER – FISHER (one trawling) around C(riminals). Legendary American chess player.
6 In a pickle, select a girl to speak (10)
PICCALILLI – sounds like “PICK A LILY”.
7 Bouncer’s right to eat choice morsels (8)
RICOCHET – RT (right) around (choice)*.
8 Such vehicles unroadworthy, yet reportedly never slowing? (8)
TYRELESS – sounds like TIRELESS.
13 Huge monster due to run amok (10)
TREMENDOUS – (monster due)*.
15 Don’t let bird pipe, controlling emission (8)
STOPCOCK – STOP (don’t let) + COCK (bird).
16 Very masculine Scotsman is not often seen (8)
UNCOMMON – UNCO (Scottish for very) + M(asculine) + MON (Scottish for man).
18 Regions appearing in final in this part of the world? (4,4)
NEAR EAST – AREAS (regions) inside NET (final).
19 Deceive gangster with silent signal (8)
HOODWINK – HOOD (gangster) + WINK (silent signal).
20 As artist, silly man is in good company (7)
PICASSO – ASS (silly man) inside PI (good), CO (company).
24 Once moved it may block your progress (4)
CONE – (once)*. Arguably but not necessarily an &lit.

6 comments on “Saturday Times 25939 (8th Nov)”

  1. 27m. I found this really difficult! I can’t remember why other than that 1ac took me forever: a very devious clue. I eventually got it from the well-hidden definition and reverse-engineered the wordplay.
  2. From memory, Eliminator puzzles were not only difficult, but jumbo-sized. I remember finishing one once and thinking “That’s it! I can go in for the championships now,” and then “On the other hand, it has taken you ten days..”
  3. Hard but very enjoyable. Was unable to understand “difficult old” in 22ac.

    Edited at 2014-11-15 10:28 am (UTC)

  4. Found this a real struggle, but managed to complete it (after several hours of determined slog). Not much humour in it to alleviate the grind.

    However, still do not understand SANSERIF: how is SIFT a “riddle”? Sorry if I’m missing something obvious, but checked dictionary and still no idea.

    Couple of others were put in without fully parsing (e.g. UNCOMMON) so thanks for the clear explanations Andy.

    1. According to Chambers riddle can also be a verb – “to pass through or sift with a riddle”.
      1. Ah, thanks – somehow missed that second entry, sorry about that! (I think I was in a state of mental exhaustion having tackled this Saturday’s beast…)

        Edited at 2014-11-15 09:12 pm (UTC)

Comments are closed.