Times 26445 – 3rd Qualifier for 2016 Championships, published 22 June

Author   piquetPosted on Categories Daily Cryptic
13 minutes for this straightforward puzzle, much the same level as the first two qualifiers as one would expect. My LOI was 17a which took a minute or two, running through the possibilities to find one which works.

Across
1 EGYPTIAN – (TINY PAGE)*, D ancient language.
9 APHORISM – Hidden word in TELEGR(APH OR IS M)ISSING; D brief statement.
10 CALAIS – C = caught, ALAS = I regret to say, insert I; D port.
11 UNATTACHED – UNA = girl, TT = hollow TaunT, ACHED = hurt; D single.
12 HISS – HIS = male’s, S = twisted character, D audibly disapprove of.
13 APOSTROPHE – Cryptic definition; thanks to Lynne Truss for trying to put everyone right on its usage, with limited success it seems when I browse the small ads.
16 MILITIA – AIM = prepare to fire, reverse it, insert I LIT; D armed men.
17 GATEMAN – NAME = identify, TAG = quote, all reversed; D (Saint) Peter, for example..
20 THROUGHOUT – D everywhere; sounds like THREW OUT = casually mentioned.
22 BUSY – US = setter and solver, inside BY = past; D occupied.
23 RINGLEADER – RING those operas by Wagner, LEADER sounds like LIEDER as in songs by Schubert; D top person in band.
25 OLD MAN – Double definition; OLD MAN RIVER, OLD MAN = captain.
26 ADELAIDE – A, then E DIALED reversed; D city.
27 DISUNITY – (IN STUDY I)*: D lack of cohesion.

Down
2 GRAFFITI – GI = American fighter; insert RAF and FIT (attack); D mural art.
3 PIANISSIMO – P = pressure, I, A, (MISSION)*: D very hush-hush?
4 INSULATING – INSULTING = offensive, insert A = area; D cutting off.
5 NAVAJOS – SO = thus, JAVAN = Asian islander; all reversed; D some Indians.
6 WHIT – W = leader of Workers, HIT = strike; D a week after Easter. I thought it was 50 days / 7 weeks after Easter?
7 MISHAP – IS H inside MAP = plan; D accident.
8 SMIDGEON – MIDGE for insect, inside SON: D it amounts to very little.
14 TRAITOROUS – OR = gold, inside (A TOURIST)*: D not true.
15 OVERBURDEN – VERB inside O UR, DEN = study; D attach too much weight to.
16 MATERIAL – MATE = friend, RIAL = foreign currency; D legally important.
18 ABSTRACT – A, B’s = bishop’s, TRACT = religious pamphlet; D summarize.
19 CODDLED – C = child initially, ODD = not even, LED = given guidance; D spoilt.
21 RANKER – D private (soldier), sounds like RANCOUR = bitterness.
24 EXIT – X for vote, inside TIE reversed; D to leave. A+ for topicality.

12 comments on “Times 26445 – 3rd Qualifier for 2016 Championships, published 22 June”

  1. 29 minutes with one error as I forgot to go back and parse 5dn which I biffed from “Indians” without remembering that it’s spelt with a J, not and H. I think (re 26ac) the English spelling is “dialled” so there might have been some indication in the clue that an alternative “foreign” spelling was required.

    Edited at 2016-06-30 07:47 am (UTC)

      2. I took it as a sort double definition. Adelaide is a city and a girl’s name. Then we have the wordplay.

        Edited at 2016-06-30 12:16 pm (UTC)

  2. 27mins here, same as my time for the 2nd qualifier. My guess is that, like my entry for that one, this one won’t get me to London, either.
  3. The definition for WHIT was “a week after Easter”, not “THE week …”

    RR

  4. I went through this in just under 20 mins but ADELAIDE was a complete guess from the crossers so I did not submit. Obviously my limited contact with girls over my lifetime did not assist, as I have never heard Adelaide as a girl’s name. Neither has my daughter! Thanks pip for the explanation

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