Times Quick Cryptic 1961 by Mara

Author   ChrisPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic
Very short on time today as travelling so my usually succinct blog may seem even thinner than usual.

Do chat amongst yourselves!

Definitions are underlined.

Across
1 Card put back inside uppermost part of boot (6)
TOECAP – card (ACE) backwards inside uppermost (TOP).
5 Tell class about Spanish article (6)
RELATE – class (RATE – class as in classify) about Spanish article (EL).
8 Dairy product beating the very best (8,5)
WHIPPING CREAM – beating (WHIPPING), very best (CREAM).
9 Language in Jaipur, Dutch! (4)
URDU – inside Jaip(UR DU)tch.
10 Cricketer’s ability contagious (8)
CATCHING – double definition.
11 This crossword setter tore off — a streaker? (6)
METEOR – this crossword setter (ME), anagram (off) of TORE.
13 Every bit invested in liquid — there’s money in it (6)
WALLET – every bit (ALL) inside liquid (WET).
15 One playing with toys, liar (8)
SOLITARY – anagram (playing with) TOYS LIAR.
17 Charming French city (4)
NICE – double definition – something of a chestnut.
19 Critical moment taking in probe that’s malfunctioning (8,5)
BREAKING POINT – anagram (that’s malfunctioning) of TAKING IN PROBE.
21 Organ observed filled with pulp, oddly (6)
SPLEEN – observed (SEEN) filled with (P)u(L)p.
22 Note Pavarotti possibly heard? (6)
TENNER – the currency note – homophone of tenor.

Down
2 Different order that has evidently reversed, first of all (5)
OTHER – (O)rder (T)hat (H)as(E)vidently (R)eversed.
3 Land: uphill track into promontory (7)
CAPTURE – land as in catch a fish – track – rut – upwards inside promontory (CAPE).
4 Greek character is beginning to perk up (3)
PSI – is (IS), (P)erk all upwards.
5 Correct a method immediately (5,4)
RIGHT AWAY – correct (RIGHT), a (A), method (WAY.
6 Shielded by poplar, chestnut tree (5)
LARCH – inside pop(LAR CH)estnut.
7 Aintree discombobulated colt (7)
TRAINEE – anagram (discombobulated – WOD + COD) of AINTREE.
10 Motor race, blooming thing (9)
CARNATION – motor (CAR), race (NATION).
12 Selfish activity got pier destroyed (3,4)
EGO TRIP – anagram (destroyed) of GOT PIER).
14 US president in English city (7)
LINCOLN – double definition.
16 Picture one before game, excited (5)
IMAGE – one (I) before an anagram (excited) of GAME.
18 Vessel, one empty — small boat (5)
CANOE – vessel (CAN), one empty (O)n(E).
20 Chewing the fat, all finally understand (3)
GET – chewin(G) th(E) fa(T).

43 comments on “Times Quick Cryptic 1961 by Mara”

  1. At last, a normal 20 min solve!

    Main issue was the NW corner with 1ac “Toecap” and 3dn “Capture” taking the most time. For a while wanted to put “Chantilly Cream” for 8ac.

    FOI — 2dn “Other”
    LOI — 3dn “Capture”
    COD — 10dn “Carnation”

    Thanks as usual!

  2. Quite tricky as QCs go. Took a long time to see TENNER and SOLITARY. I liked CAPTURE
    Thanks for the blog, Chris. Succinct is absolutely fine by me.
    Thank you Mara
  4. I thought 19ac ‘Breaking Point’ one of Woodie Allen’s – but it was ‘Match Point’, a decent thriller, unlike his ‘Oxford Murders’! COD 3dn Capture. Time 6:04
  5. 18:56 for me, though I took nearly four minutes on my LOI BREAKING POINT. I had seen earlier that it was an anagram but was looking for a mix up of ‘probe that’s’ within a three letter word for moment. Plenty to enjoy anyway, with my COD to CARNATION. Thanks Mara and Chris.
      1. Well, there was one that I found particularly tricky 😅 I’m not good with science — or maths, or IT, or — well the list goes on!
  7. All too easy. So easy in fact that I biffed phi without parsing and ended up with a pink square. Very careless.

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