ST4313 (Sunday, 25 January)

Author   richardvgPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic

Solving time: 10:56

It’s a while since I did a Sunday Times cryptic, and I enjoyed it more than I expected. There are reasonably interesting words, but nothing too obscure. There are some rather weak cryptic definitions, though I liked 9D. I think my favourite clue was 13D – the definition is clever, and continues the dancing surface.

I have put a link to Jean Harlow at 20D, but the Wiki page doesn’t include the story of Margot Asquith, tired of Ms Harlow pronouncing the final T of her name, saying to her: “No, Jean, the T is silent, as in Harlow”.


Across

1 PO + MADE – with only the M in place, I was thinking of the lake (COMO) rather than the river (PO)
4 IN + ERRA + N.T. ERRA being RARE*
10 NORTH-WEST (WETS*) – handy name for a PM to have, though I suppose our current premier will also be useful to Times setters once he is gone
11 VI(T)AL
12 ARTISAN – hidden
14 IONISED – I prefer to see this as a weak cryptic definition, rather than a two meanings clue where the meanings are the same
15 LE(CESTERSHIR)E, ie (IRISH+SECRET)* in LEE
22 AMMETER – cryptic def
25 MA(JO)R – and the month in question happens to be the little woman’s surname
26 PRO + CU + RING
28 DO + GHOUSE =(SO HUGE)*
29 TH(e) READ

Down

1 PINNAC(L)E – the last clue I solved. I must add “pinnace” to my mental list of crossword boats
2 MAR(e)
3 DEHI + SCENT, DEHI being HIDE*
5 NATT(I)ER
6 R(AVE.)N
7 ALTOSTRATUS – (STAR OUT LAST)* – clever to put the anagram indicator (dispersed) at the opposite end of the clue from its fodder
8 TO(LE)DO
9 PEANUT – my favourite of the cryptic defs in this puzzle
13 THIN + GUM + A JIG
16 HAIRBRUSH – cryptic def
17 MESS + AGED
19 A + TR(OP.)OS, TROS being SORT(rev)
20 HARLOW, two meanings, the first being the actress
21 WAR(ME)D – “hospitalised” here meaning “put in ward”
23 TOR + SO
27 I + K(inetic)E(nergy)

7 comments on “ST4313 (Sunday, 25 January)”

  1. 10:55 so pipped you by a second – also enjoyed it more than expected, but can’t see how 18A works “I crash and hit gate – drunken author (6,8)” is the clue, but I can’t see the exact fodder for AGATHA CHRISTIE.
    1. The version I printed out from the website this morning has 18A as “I crash and hit a gate – drunken author (6,8)” so the anagram works. Perhaps the newspaper version was missing a word?
      1. I got mine from the web-site too. Mine was the new-style print-out, and the on-line version by way of the ‘play’ button has “hit gate”. Unless there are weird chnages going on, I guess you had the old-style print-out?
        1. Yes. The Times is still refusing to accept my money to renew my subscription, and so I am using Mike O’s guide to the back door.
  2. Agree on 18a that if “and” is part of what’s “drunken” then there’s an extra “ND”; if not then there’s a missing “A”. Didn’t really notice that till it was pointed out here, since the answer was pretty obvious anyway.

    As for 13d, I think “thin+gam+a+jig” can be also defended as an answer, “gam” and “stick” both being slang words for a leg. The gum–>stick connection may be more direct.

    1. Can’t directly justify {stick=leg} from COED, Collins or Chambers, so I think “thingamajig” would have to count as a near miss, strictly.
  3. Atropos that is – at 19d – the Fate that cuts the thread of life.

    There are 2 “easies” left out of the blog.

    18a I crash and hit gate – drunken author (6,8)
    AGATHA CHRISTIE. Anagram of (I crash hit gate) with a missing A. Other online versions apparently had “I crash and hit a gate – drunken” which would supply the missing A. It is typical that the incorrect version has survived.

    24a Hesitation about things coming in threes allegedly creating puzzles (7)
    RE BUSES. Er (hesitation) backwards followed by the proverbial 3 buses that turn up all at once after a very long wait with none.

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