Sunday Times 4543 (23 Jun 2013) by Tim Moorey

Author   daveperryPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time: Just inside an hour all told, over three sessions. I started it while relaxing in a hot bath but had to stop after about 25 minutes as the paper was getting damp and my pen wouldn’t write on it. I then got all but five a bit later on in another 20 minutes. The last 5 (4d/10a, 22a/21d/23d) went the next morning after about another 10 minutes of thought.

I did wonder if some it wasn’t a little Anglo-centric, and what our American cousins would make of 8d, 22a, 4d and maybe even 3d. But then, maybe I’m doing them a disservice, and perhaps they are more familiar with these expressions than I give them credit for.

cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (–)*, and removals like this

Across
1 MARGINALIA = (Royal + MAIL AGAIN)*
7 RAPS = SPAR rev
9 NAVAL OPERATIONS = “NAVEL OPERATIONS”
10 STOP + BYe
12 IN THE CAN – dd
13 MASSEUR = (MUSt + ERASe)*
15 OYSTER = (STOREY)*
17 STASI + S
18 GRENADA = (ronalD + REAGAN)* – a clever semi-&lit clue
19 ESTIMATE = (SET)* + I + MATE
21 ROTTERdam
22 CAPABILITY + BROWN – The great English landscape gardener
24 DEC + Off
25 SUNG + LASSES
Down
2 rABAt – I’ve never heard of an aba, but luckily I do know my capitals pretty well.
3 GOALPOSTS = GOATS about (S + OP + L) rev
4 NOOKY = (ONlY OK)* – Technically, what the wordplay is saying, is ONLY OK = (NOOKY + Libido)* – It’s a semi-&lit but a little contrived for my tastes
5 L + EERIER
6 AT A STROKE = (TAKE TO ARmS)*
7 RAISE = I in (ARSE)* – This made me laugh so I’ll give it my COD. I guess I’m just a sucker for schoolboy humour.
8 PANCAKE RACE – cd
11 TI + MET + OS + PARE
14 ECSTASIES = (mASSES CITE)*
16 START + URNS
18 GRECIAN = (NICE RAG)*
20 IDAHO = I DO about (A + H)
21 ROYAL = LOYAL with first letter switch from L to R
23 WYE = “Y” – a weak clue, I thought, as it could just as easily have been DEE or EXE.

4 comments on “Sunday Times 4543 (23 Jun 2013) by Tim Moorey”

  1. An hour here with 1 and 2 going in last as I’d never heard of either. I still don’t know what “Conservative” is doing in 2dn.

    I agree with your comments on 4dn which seems a little over-contrived to me too. I had EXE for ages 23dn but hadn’t thought of DEE which is just as good, so another poor clue. Are we missing an anagrind at 14?

    1. I guess the anagrind must be ‘singular’ as that’s the only word not doing anything else, but I don’t really see it myself.
      1. Yes, that would appear to be it. Thanks. Collins Thesaurus has: “curious, eccentric,extraordinary, odd, out-of-the-way, peculiar, puzzling, queer, strange, unusual” all of which would work. It’s odd then that “singular” didn’t make it to the long list of anagrinds in the Chambers crossword supplement.
  2. We Americans move the goalposts with enthusiasm, but don’t know pancakes races from Capability Brown. Nooky is too rude a word in the States to be in the Times puzzle. And we’re (I am) weak on all the three letter rivers – so I struggled with DEE not crossing with Brown.

    .

    Edited at 2013-06-30 11:57 am (UTC)

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