Saturday Times 26166 (1st Aug)

Author   linxitPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Fairly straightforward puzzle solved in 12:46, although looking at the stats on the Club website there were a few regulars who struggled a bit with it. Maybe it’s just a wavelength thing – as in what I wasn’t on for today’s puzzle! Anyway, more about that next week. For this one I got the first two across and nearly all the downs hanging off them at first look. With that start I thought I was in for a really quick time, but slowed down a bit after that.

Across
1 Lolly is fare that’s vile (5)
DOUGH – DO (fare) + UGH (that’s vile).
4 Belt with 18 holes, something for natty dresser (9)
CUFFLINKS – CUFF (belt) + LINKS (18 holes).
9 It’s ocean winding around front of littoral? (9)
COASTLINE – (It’s ocean)* around L(ittoral). &lit, although not the most elegant of the genre.
10 He’s twisted thus by decisive blow (5)
SICKO – SIC (thus) + KO (decisive blow).
11 One put in jug, at home, Paraguayan beverage (6)
INMATE – IN (at home) + MATÉ (Paraguayan beverage – a tea made from an infusion of leaves and shoots from a species of holly apparently).
12 Nothing given away by skinflint pinching a Parisian’s bum (8)
SCROUNGE – SCRO(o)GE (skinflint minus an O) around UN (“a”, Parisian).
14 In which everyone squares up — or no-one has to? (4-3-3)
FREE-FOR-ALL – double definition, the latter whimsical.
16 Missile’s outside, held by opponents in game — duck! (4)
SMEW – M(issil)E inside S,W (bridge opponents).
19 Haul instrument around (4)
LOOT – TOOL reversed.
20 Bull to take for a ride after so long (10)
TARADIDDLE – DIDDLE (take for a ride) after TA-RA (so long, Cilla). A word I thought I knew as a drum roll, but that’s a paradiddle!
22 Sense there’s agreement among group having a row (8)
EYESIGHT – YES (agreement) inside EIGHT (group having a row).
23 A slap in the face from theological expert? (6)
REBUFF – a theological expert might be a R.E. BUFF.
26 Mad judge’s confession? (5)
IRATE – “I rate, I do”, said the judge, unconvincingly.
27 Setting etc? Aiming for cryptic (9)
ENIGMATIC – (etc aiming)*.
28 One speculates then loses backing, with increase in gold (9)
THEORISER – THE(n) + RISE (increase) inside OR (gold).
29 Very much agree about edition’s covers (2,3)
NO END – NOD (agree) around E(ditio)N.

Down
1 Sneaky compiler enters deft clue, originally (9)
DECEITFUL – I (compiler) inside (deft clue)*.
2 Make harmless, primarily racy cracks revolting football team (5)
UNARM – R(acy) inside MAN U (revolting football team) reversed. Yeah, I know “revolting” is supposed to be the reversal indicator, but I support Southampton, and it is the first day of the season!
3 A dish just out of the oven to eat greedily? (3,5)
HOT STUFF – HOT (just out of the oven) + STUFF (eat greedily).
4 Singular accompaniment for fish counter (4)
CHIP – double definition.
5 Following sprain, but not with head pain? (6,4)
FRENCH LOAF – F(ollowing) + (w)RENCH (sprain minus the W) + LOAF (head). “Pain” is French for bread.
6 In fewer garments, having this reprimand (6)
LESSON – “LESS ON”.
7 Given handle‘s stolen, chap trapped inside turned back (9)
NICKNAMED – NICKED (stolen) around MAN (chap) reversed.
8 Lead from SCART to stick in connector coming from hub (5)
SPOKE – S(cart) + POKE (to stick in).
13 What priest may do, nurturing pounding heart in a state of excitement (10)
BREATHLESS – BLESS (what priest may do) around (heart)*.
15 Clear river keeps running with speed (9)
EXONERATE – EXE (river) around ON (running), + RATE (speed).
17 Pasty course, it’s said, foremost of foodies served well (9)
WHEYFACED – sounds like “way” (course), + F(oodies) + ACED (served well). Should have been (4-5) I think.
18 Flag-waver‘s verses and unfinished scores (8)
LINESMAN – LINES (verses) + MAN(y) (unfinished scores).
21 Brahms and Liszt retain an unmusical attribute (3,3)
TIN EAR – (retain)*, with “Brahms and Liszt” the CRS anagram indicator. A term surprisingly missing from Chambers and Collins, although it’s in the Shorter OED.
22 Objectifier of women, maybe, wanting top taken off live (5)
EXIST – SEXIST without the first letter.
24 Free captive of mounties? (5)
UNTIE – hidden (although that’s probably the wrong word) in “mounties”.
25 One struggling in Beethoven’s quartet (4)
VIER – double definition (Vier is German for four).

6 comments on “Saturday Times 26166 (1st Aug)”

  1. 24 mins, and I noted at the time that it felt like it took ages to get on the setter’s wavelength. I don’t feel so bad now I’ve read what Andy said about the times some of the regulars posted on the club site. A biffed TIN EAR was my LOI and I only saw the anagram fodder post-solve. I thought the clue for FRENCH LOAF was excellent.
  2. 13:41, so I seem to have been on the wavelength. I’m sure I’ve confused PARADIDDLE (which I have known for donkey’s years) with TARADIDDLE (which I haven’t) in a past crossword, which helped with this one.
    25dn reminded me of possibly my favourite joke of all time (you have to read it out loud):
    Q: According to Freud, what comes between fear and sex?
    A: Funf.

    Edited at 2015-08-08 03:37 pm (UTC)

  3. I remember finishing and enjoying this one, around half an hour, but it seems I invented a TATADIDDLE. And I didn’t know TIN EAR.
  4. I knew tin ear, so was pleased to back solve for the CRS. I was less sure of originally as an indicator at 1d, but then the indicator almost wasn’t needed there. A leisurely 45 min, though not a proper time as I couldn’t parse INANE at 26a, but went with it anyway. Thanks Andy. Ditto setter.
  5. This looked tough at first but then things slowly fell into place and accelerated to finish with NO END in about 25 minutes. EYESIGHT the best of some good clues in a middle-of-the-road crossword.
  6. Enjoyable enough. My only reservation was the poor &lit clue at 9ac which has already been remarked upon.

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