Times 24710: 14 in 17 13

Author   glhPosted on Categories Daily Cryptic
Solving time : 10 minutes, slow start but a very fast finish for one of my better times. There’s some long answers that can be confidently entered from the definition alone, which is a help. 18 was my last one in, then I kicked myself since some of the wordplay has appeared just a few days ago. Nothing too obscure, and some of the answers appealed to the arrested development adult in me, so enjoy the links. I suspect then that there will be some lightning times. Zap. Away we go…

Across
1 FOOLPROOF: rather nice clue, pudding being a fool (slow person), and “the proof is in the pudding”
6 BAIRN: I in BAR, N
9 let’s leave this one for the acrosses
10 HARDIHOOD: Thomas Hardy I was familiar with, but I didn’t know Thomas Hood
11 SUN,DIAL: the second half is LAID reversed
12 AILMENT: AIN’T around L(from cLues),ME
13 D,IS IN FORMATION Edit: as ulaca pointed out, I had misplaced a comma in the blog originally
17 CHARACTERISTIC: (TEA,CRITICS,RATE)* Edit: one of the dangers of putting the answer in from definition and not properly revisiting wordplay – it is CHA,(CRITICS,RATE)* – thanks to commenters
21 SHORTEN: S then E in (NORTH)*
23 COEXIST: EX,I in COST
25 BRIGADIER: BRIG(vessel) then DIE(stop running) in A,R. One of the entries that went in without thinking much of the cryptic
26 T,EACH
27 EIGHT: GI in THE all reversed, 2 to the power of 3 (added after the question in comments)
28 AFTERWORD: (OR,DRAFT,WE)
 
Down
1 F,I,RESIDE
2 ONION: I in ON, ON
3 PENSIONER: (PERSON,IN,E)*, the last E coming from lifE, &lit
4 OTHELLO: The opera is OTELLO
5 FORE,ARM
6 BRILL: double def – didn’t know the fish but it checks out, it’s like a turbot
7 IRONED OUT: IRON(club) then (DUE TO)*
8 NUDITY: (UNTIDY)* – “Carry on camping” anybody?
14 SCHOOLING: CHOO(without the other CHOO) in SLING
15 TRIMESTER: (TERM,IS) then TER(m)
16 SCOTCH,ED
18 CANT,IN,A: CANT as specialised jargon I believe has appeared recently
19 EXCERPT: R in EXCEPT
20 let’s omit this one from the downs
22 TRACT: double definition, princess lucky has huge ones of land
24 I’D,A,HO: Idaho borders Washington state (it’s just to the NW)

65 comments on “Times 24710: 14 in 17 13”

  1. Easier than yesterday, I thought. A leisurely solve in 30 minutes, taking time to note clues I thought rather good (6ac, 10ac and 3dn in particular).
  2. Well, I found this one difficult. Looks like I’m the only one! Couldn’t do a single one of the downs on first read through (!!) and my first across solved was COEXIST. Once I’d got a few more acrosses I slowly completed the left hand side then quickly the NW corner and finally very slowly the SW. Last two in were CANTINA then TRACT. Full marks to me for persevering and completing without aids! I didn’t know until today that SABLE was the animal aswell as its fur – d’uh!

    Thought “a tot of Scotch” was a lovely definition… it put in mind my three Scottish nephews. Also liked “power of two” for 2 x 2 x 2.

    Two of my friends are nudists, one of them very keen. They both stripped off for Spencer Tunick’s “Everday People” nude installation in Salford and Manchester earlier this year.

    1. I got my lefts and rights muddled up, just like my better half. I meant of course that I slowly completed the right hand side.

      By the way, how do people add hyperlinks to their comments? When I’ve tried pasting them in from Word they get undone!

      1. Look under “tips for this blog” in memories above.
        While we’re on the subject can anyone tell me how to change the format of text (to italics, for example)?
        1. Use “b” (bold), “i” (italic) or “u” underlined, in angle brackets – so when I change the curly brackets to angle brackets in {b}bold{/b} {u}underlined{/u} {i}italic{/i}, {I}{B}{U}all three{/I}{/B}{/U} I get bold underlined italic all three (and the case of the U/B/I doesn’t matter).
  3. 5:03 online – a new best for me.

    Easier than yesterday for me too. I did not pick up all the nuances (e.g. 3D) until coming here.

  4. 13.39 Not helped by erasing my online solve halfway through and having to start again.I used the somewhat obscure Thomas Ness in 10 at first. Certainly didn’t notice the correct anagram for 17.
    Rather liked the choo-choo today.
    Seeing the mention of McGonagall in relation to Hood above I have to agree that they’re not in the same league. I also have to hastily mention that the former was not, as is sometimes assumed, a Dundonian (like me) but a son of Edinburgh
  5. Firstly, congratulations to Mr. B on the fifth birthday. It’s a great blog and one that will be on the favourites list until I log off for the last time.

    In regards to your response about changing the crossword to give us the amazing ‘south and north in conflict’ today. Your answer was exactly what I expected from you – please forgive me for being presumptuous – : citing statistical evidence (lies, damn lies etc) and basing your hypothesis on recurring action in the past. That is to say, a cold, scientific approach. You say it would be ‘nice’ to think they would change it just for us. Flipping awesome, I say. I don’t know any of these men and women personally, but judging by the puzzles they create I don’t think they’re incapable of changing a single clue at two days notice, any more than I believe them capable of writing a typo as huge a ‘opponents’ for ‘partners’.

    As for the issue with ‘European’ in the fish clue. Some feel that it is superfluous. I coundn’t disagree more. The inclusion of the word European drags this clue out of the telegraph and into the times. Don’t you see it’s there to SLOW US DOWN? We are timing ourselves, after all. Didn’t you think ‘E, Pole, Dane, Lett, Finn’ etc when you saw the word? Didn’t you have to check the answer with crossing letters just to be sure? That’s adding to your time. If there were no foundation for it I would be in full agreement, but there it is, in your blessed dictionary. A European fish. Usually a brill, but today also the COD.

    Peace.

    1. On changing the crossword: No, they’re not incapable of changing things. I don’t know exactly what the “lily-livered” apology said yesterday, but if the crossword editor views the “opponents” clue as a mistake, it seems extremely unlikely that any of his setters would ask for a change that reminds people about it. That’s human nature as well as “cold science”.

      With you on “European”, and other accurate words added to a one-word def like “fish”, even if not part of the dictionary def.

      1. “Lily-livered apology?” I highly approved of what The Times did yesterday, publishing “Apologies for the error in 28 across yesterday”, and then giving the correct clue. Far better than those appalling people who say “never apologise, never explain”, something that too many people do nowadays. The Times Crossword Editor held his hands up and said “we made a cock-up”. The world would be a better place if a few more people did this sort of thing.
        1. Wil: Not sure if you saw all the discussion on Tuesday, but just to be clear, that’s exactly what I think, and why “lily-livered” was in quotes – it’s what someone called the apology in comments yesterday.
          1. My apologies, missed the discussion on Tuesday. So am guilty of posting without quite knowing what I’m referring to. Delighted that we are in agreement.
  6. 18:48 (including an attack by a cat – on the puzzle, not me).

    Easier but entertaining, with a couple of head-scratching moments. HARDIHOOD nearly did for me.

  7. Like Jack I found this lively and very entertaining. No reliable time due to numerous interruptions but somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes I’d hazard.
  8. 5dn reminds me of the gentleman who was informed by his flustered hostess that he would be required to escort no fewer than four ladies in to dinner. “That will be no problem,” he said “forewarned is four-armed”.
  9. A straightforward 27 minutes for this. Pleased with the OTHELLO clue. I remember singing that opening chorus referenced by PB in a concert of operatic snippets. Great fun – especially when the tenor makes his entrance.
  10. Wish I’d timed myself, as this might have been my fastest ever, certainly under 20 minutes. Why can’t they all be like this? COD schooling. Made me giggle.
  11. 30 minutes exactly – not bad for me (especially after a couple of gin and tonics (gins and tonic?) so not surprised to see it generally regarded as easy. I do remember a University Challenge contestant asked to name the month in Thomas Hood’s poem (No sun – no moon! etc) inexplicably coming up with “July”. Was held up by “furry creature” in 20d – didn’t realise sable could be the animal itself, not just its fur, and didn’t spot that “a head” = “each” in 26a as in £50 each.

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