Times Quick Cryptic 1586 by Trelawney

Author   ChrisPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic

A quick quickie from Trelawney completed in just 5:35 – probably a PB. I didn’t get 1ac at first pass but a few checkers made it click (and I entered it with a smile). The rest of the grid fell into place leaving a couple down the RH side. 7dn, 12dn and 22ac the last to fall in that order. COD 23ac, WOD the idiot at 19ac.  Highly enjoyable.

ACROSS

1. Referee’s informant? (7-6)
WHISTLEBLOWER – maybe not a double definition but definition=informant clued by the fact that a referee does blow a whistle.
8. One failing to win quirky roles (5)
LOSER – anagram (quirky) of ROLES.
9. Loads of hesitation with parking by young person (7)
UMPTEEN – hesitation (UM), parking beside young person (TEEN).
10. Doctor reloads tests (7)
ORDEALS – anagram (doctor) of RELOADS.
11. Rearrange dance to follow religious studies (5)
REJIG – dance (JIG) to follow religious studies (RE).
13. Sharp-eyed old maid, perhaps, smothers bachelor (9)
OBSERVANT – old (O), maid (SERVANT) holding bachelor (B).
17. Change feature of church for broadcast (5)
ALTER – homophone (for broadcast) of feature of church – ALTAR.
19. An idiot’s place in Belgium (7)
ANTWERP – an (AN), idiot (TWERP).
20. Paint I’m mixing for instruments (7)
TIMPANI – anagram (mixing) of PAINT IM.
22. One playing a minor role exceptionally (5)
EXTRA – double definition,
23. Pine for the holiday season? (9,4)
CHRISTMAS TREE – cryptic definition.

DOWN

1. Hit obstacle over work (6)
WALLOP – obstacle (WALL), on top of work (OP).
2. With the label showing, maybe, in great detail? (6-3)
INSIDE-OUT – amusing double definition.
3. Mad hatters’ warnings (7)
THREATS – anagram (mad) of HATTERS.
4. Horse riding in Times Square, strangely (13)
EQUESTRIANISM – anagram (strangely) of IN TIMES SQUARE.
5. Noble person sheltering someone who’s poorly (5)
LEPER – hidden inside nob(LE PER)son.
6. Weather over England primarily produces misery (3)
WOE – (W)eather (O)ver (E)ngland.
7. Degenerate holding back default (6)
RENEGE – as in default/renege on a deal – hidden backwards I’d side d(EGENER)ate.
12. Black dog who gets around? (3-6)
JET-SETTER – black (JET), dog (SETTER).
14. Recasts troublesome performer (7)
ACTRESS – anagram (troublesome) of RECASTS.
15. Understanding one initially cunning strategy (6)
TACTIC – I’m pretty sure there’s a difference between tactic and strategy (short/long term) but I’m enjoying this too much to quibble – understanding (TACT), one (I), (C)unning.
16. After operation, I swallowed a painkiller (6)
OPIATE – after operation (OP) we have I (I) and swallowed (ATE).
18. A lot of fantasies not getting started (5)
REAMS – fantasies not getting started d(REAMS).
21. Wreck siege weapon that’s retreating (3)
MAR – siege weapon ram – retreating (MAR).

37 comments on “Times Quick Cryptic 1586 by Trelawney”

  1. At 14dn I note that Squire Trelawney has used a rather naughty word!
    Last time out this ‘troublesome performer’ was greeted with swoons and smelling salts.
    So in this more enlightened age, ‘As the bishop said to the actor’, I will desist from mentioning the unmentionable.

    Time 6 minutes and 45rpm

    FOI 6ac LOSER

    LOI 12dn JET SETTER – no longer exists!

    COD 23ac CHRISTMAS TREE – they can’t be PC anymore!

    WOD 1ac WHISTLE-BLOWER – enemy of the people.

    Sadly I note Honor Blackman has died – she played ‘Pussy Galore’ apparently!

    Edited at 2020-04-07 07:03 am (UTC)

  2. All I can remember is that LEPER took me a while, as I was thinking of EARL or DUKE, being as obtuse as usual to the hidden. 5:08.
  3. Even more straightforward than yesterday as I whizzed through this in 5.25, which I think is only my 2nd sub 6 minute solve. I pretty much went top to bottom, finishing in the SW with TACTIC. COD to 1a.
    Thanks to chris
  4. Two under ten in two days so even with are a red square for UMPTENN I’m happy – I let myself off for errors that I’d never have made on paper. Last two were the two hiddens – typically. Never though of RENEGE as synonymous with default but once I unraveled the clue it couldn’t be anything else. Yesterday may have been faster but this was more fun. Expecting to take about an hour tomorrow.
  5. I wrote that yesterday’s puzzle was only my third 5-minute solve ever and it had been 3 years since the previous one, so what were the chances I’d achieve another today!

    WHISTLE-BLOWER went straight in and I built across the grid from there writing in every answer on first reading of the clue. My times always include parsing unless otherwise stated on very rare occasions.

  6. Finished in good time, and enjoyed.
    LOI actress, can’t think why, I usually find anagrams reasonably easy.
    Thanks, Trelawney and Chris.
    Diana
  7. Another good puzzle from Trelawney. I had to move around the grid to maintain some momentum and finally came back to see LEPER (I was also too busy looking for Earls, Peers et al.) and much of the NW – WALLOP, INSIDE OUT, and WHISTLE BLOWER (all of which were perfectly straightforward clues). 3 Mins under my target again (well under 2.5K) so not too bad. I liked JET SETTER, RENEGE, OBSERVANT, and UMPTEEN (the hesitation is UM, not U, Chris – a typo). Thanks to both for a pleasant start to the day. John M.

    Edited at 2020-04-07 08:38 am (UTC)

    1. Parsing is ‘why the answer is the answer’. The definitions are underlined in the blog – the rest of the clue is wordplay which, when parsed, gives you the answer to the definition. Take a look at the blog and see how this works. Any further questions please do ask.

      Edited at 2020-04-07 08:01 am (UTC)

        1. I had never heard ‘parsing’ used in the crossword sense until I started reading this blog. To me it was grammatical analysis, deconstructing a sentence into grammatical parts for O Level English language exam! My dictionary does not say anything about solving crossword answers. I can bring myself to use ‘parse’ but not ‘biff’ yet.
            1. Yes, I guessed from the context, even though it struck me as a strange usage!
  9. I also found this straightforward. With WOE, LEPER and RENEGE dropping in and giving me WHISTLE BLOWER, I was off to a flying start. I usually find Trelawney quite tricky, but he/she is giving us an easier ride today. My last 2 in were CHRISTMAS TREE and TACTIC. 6:43. Thanks Trelawney and Chris.

    Edited at 2020-04-07 08:55 am (UTC)

  10. Two in a row at 8 minutes and change, which is rare enough to comment on for me. Chris, you have an error in 15d – the C comes from cunning not chilly (not sure where that comes from!).

    FOI WHISTLE BLOWER, COD CHRISTMAS TREE, WOD UMPTEEN. Thanks Chris and Trelawney.

    1. Thank you – correction made. I have no idea where that came from either – unless it was a subconscious reference to the unaccustomed heights of a sub 6 minute solve!
  11. An excellent day! I crossed the line in 1.2K and scored a PB (6:20). Like Chris I missed 1a on first pass and my FOI was 8a LOSER. MY LOI was OBSERVANT as I was looking for a word with BA in rather than a lone B. In my excitement to beat the clock my touch typing skills deserted me. Thoroughly enjoyable start to the day. Thank you for that Trelawney and Chris for the blog.
  12. Another quick one for me but no time as had a couple of interruption. COD Christmas tree – love that clue! Didn’t see LOI leper, right for the wrong reason, seeing anagram of peer in there.
  13. … after yesterday’s PB, and this at 5m40 might be my second best ever. So different from the last two weeks!

    FOI 8A Loser but thereafter pretty much solved in order. LOI 5D Leper – once I got the L I was looking for a way to include Lord or Lady with an added letter for the answer, which was the only real delay.

    COD 9A, Umpteen – clever clue, and a lovely colloquial word.

    Chris – many thanks for the blog. I think though that in 4D, the anagram is made up of IN Times Square.

    Cedric

    Edited at 2020-04-07 10:09 am (UTC)

    1. Thank you – correction made. It seems my proof reading wasn’t on a par with my solving – that’s 3 corrections.
  14. Although 1a went straight in, I found this a bit harder than yesterday. LOI UMPTEEN,as mentioned a very good clue, after RENEGE.
    My COD goes to Jet Setter. About 11 minutes on paper.
    Enjoyable puzzle. David

  15. In contrast to yesterday, slotted this all in around 15 mins.However, just because I found it quick (for me), didn’t mean it wasn’t enjoyable. Particularly enjoyed 9ac “Umpteen”, 2dn “Inside Out” and 1ac “Whistleblower”.

    Did wonder about the whole tactic and strategy thing, but couldn’t have been anything else. Luckily 20ac “Timpani” was in the yesterday’s 15×15 so that went in straight away.

    FOI – 8ac “Loser”
    LOI – 5dn “Leper”
    COD – 12dn “Jet Setter”

    Thanks as usual.

  16. As one of the slow solvers I was pleased with my 20 mins, and thought there were some lovely clues along the way. Thanks for a fine blog and a good puzzle.
    Thanks also to those who suggested yesterday that the 15×15 was accessible to the likes of me – it was, albeit even more slowly. Even an easy one has a noticeably different feel to most of the QCs, I find, so I don’t often tackle it, but I will try more often given the extra time currently available to me’
    Plymouthian
  17. “ANTWERP ?”
    “No, my husband is staying home”. Boom Boom !

    Proof positive that a relatively easy puzzle can still be well-crafted.

    FOI WHISTLE-BLOWER
    LOI MAR
    COD CHRISTMAS TREE
    TIME 2:49 (0.55K)

  18. Very pleased to have raced through this again, two good days in a row.
    Many thanks all round.
  19. Like everyone else this was a quick and enjoyable solve for us too.

    FOI: whistleblower
    LOI: renege
    COD: Christmas tree

    Another hitherto never expected achievement – is that Steed cut and highlighted my hair for the very first time!

    Thanks

  20. Instead of my phone for a change. Probably knocked 30 secs off my time, but I think i would still be faster on paper.

    An enjoyable puzzle, even if all found it easy. I liked UMPTEEN and WHISTLEBLOWER. ORDEALS was my LOI, it took a while to unravel the anagram, even with the checkers.

    All the fours. 4:44.

  21. Some entertaining clues here – there are quite a lot of ticks dotted around the clues, inc next to Whistle-blower, Observant and Christmas tree. Only one smiley face tho 😊

    FOI Umpteen
    LOI Ordeals
    COD Antwerp
    Time 10:50

    Thanks Trelawney and Chris

  22. My target is 20 minutes and accept that the SCC is where I reside, so to be able to count my time in Kevins is amazing. Yes, it took me 8 minutes or 1.6 Kevins.
    I know everyone found it a doddle but I am still cock-a-hoop!! This doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy wheedling out the answers on a tough day, but it is good to feel less like a numpty occasionally. MM

    FOI WOE immediately followed by WHISTLE-BLOWER
    LOI MAR
    WOD UPMTEEN or WALLOP Words you hardly come across nowadays
    COD CHRISTMAS TREE just because it amused me

  23. Well, I really enjoyed this, even after I read the comments and realised everyone had absolutely raced through what I thought was a straightforward rather than a gift of a puzzle. My excuse is that I put in a (very) hard stint in the garden first. Either way, this was 25mins worth of enjoyment from start to finish, with 9ac, 7d and 18d all vying for CoD. My only hold up was the parsing of loi Leper, which I just couldn’t see (in more ways than one) until I read the blog. Invariant
  25. 11 mins, held up in the bottom half by LOI tact, and observant/actress/opiate.

    COD christmas tree.

Comments are closed.