Times Quick Cryptic 1986 by Mara

Author   ChrisPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic

Another week, another QC blog. Today’s appears a bit easier than last week’s. I had unnecessary hold ups when I got entangled in 11dn and with LOI 7dn and still came 15 seconds inside 10 minutes. So a happy start to the day for me and I hope you have one too.

Harking back to last week – towards the end of the day our setter left a comment which you may have missed. I copy the clue in question and the comment in full (well nearly, my modesty prevents me from including a compliment on the blog) below. As it contains a clue and an answer I’ve included it hidden under the link below to the blog – someone may be planning to work back to that puzzle.

12 Being, swapping tips on Luger for this weapon? (6)

Sorry that some found one or two clues in this puzzle a little bit tricky for a QC, esp MORTAR. Was conscious that one might be and added “this” to try to make it fairly unambiguously clear the definition was a weapon. But maybe that was not quite enough. Hurley

Definitions are underlined, double definitions are DD.

Across
1 Material dug the wrong way (5)
DENIM – dug (MINED) the wrong way round.
4 Chasing record, leftist gradually came to the point (7)
TAPERED – after (chasing) record (TAPE), leftist (RED).
8 Battered sword in house (7)
WINDSOR – anagram (battered) of SWORD IN.
9 Done, a Milanese dish? (5)
PASTA – done (PAST – all I can think of is past/done/beyond caring), a (A).
10 Tie game: would that be a letdown in medieval times? (10)
DRAWBRIDGE – tie (DRAW), game (BRIDGE). I liked the definition.
14 Crude trader I left in sultanate (6)
OILMAN – I (I) and left (L) inside sultanate (OMAN).
15 Street, a meeting place (6)
AVENUE – a (A), meeting place (VENUE). Seen this one before.
17 It’s for broken sink, primarily (5,2,3)
FIRST OF ALL – anagram (broken) of ITS FOR, then sink (FALL).
20 Time in New York, jangling (5)
TINNY – time (T), in (IN), New York (NY).
22 Friend covers it up after I copy someone (7)
IMITATE – friend (MATE) covers over it (IT)  all after I (I).
23 New Testament and Old Testament book written by first person, really (2,5)
IN TRUTH – New Testament (NT) and Old Testament book (RUTH) written beside first person (I).
24 Good considerable number work hard (5)
GRAFT – good (G), considerable number (RAFT).
Down
1 Feathers on the floor? (4)
DOWN – on the ceiling would be up.
2 Number in hibernation in effect (4)
NINE – the answer is in hibernatio(N IN E)ffect.
3 Whipped cream isn’t for rascal (9)
MISCREANT – anagram (whipped) of CREAM ISNT.
4 Reportedly, seat of power discarded (6)
THROWN – homophone of throne.
5 What’s sparkling, daddy? (3)
POP – DD
6 Resort in desert for hotel guest (8)
RESIDENT – anagram (resort) of IN DESERT.
7 Measurement across tier made in error (8)
DIAMETER – anagram (in error) of TIER MADE. Lots of way to try to slice and dice this clue and it took me a while to see the correct intersections.
11 Offensive uprising (9)
REVOLTING – DD. I got tied up with revulsion until GRAFT cleared the way.
12 Union paper ripped up? (8)
CONFETTI – cryptic definition,
13 Wine bottles in for orchestra member (8)
CLARINET – wine (CLARET) bottles/holds in (IN).
16 Unfriendly: piscatorial? (6)
OFFISH – piscatorial is (OF FISH).
18 Long story a source of joy when upset (4)
SAGA – a (A) and source of joy (GAS) all upwards.
19 Felt wrong, not right! (4)
LEFT – anagram (wrong) of FELT.
21 Some way out for the solver (3)
YOU – some of the clue – wa(Y OU)t.

65 comments on “Times Quick Cryptic 1986 by Mara”

  1. As mentioned above somewhere I absolutely raced through most and was on for a first sub-10 minutes when I ground to a halt in the SW corner.
    Tinny undid me — looking for N///Y and not resolving that and thinking that Confetti was to be a word outside of my vocabulary.

    So ended up as a DNF with these two and Clarinet undone — like Rotter I was expecting the orchestra member to end ‘ist’

    But COD to Confetti for deceiving me.

    And a MER at Tinny for undoing me! Drat.

    Thanks all

    John George

  2. A really enjoyable puzzle from Mara today, with a good mix of clues and various red herrings, but nothing too frustrating. FOI PASTA, LOI with a great PDM DIAMETER. Difficult to choose a COD, but as I don’t remember anyone mentioning FIRST OF ALL, I’ll go for that. Time 25:25. Thanks Mara and Chris.
  3. The top half flew in letting me think a good time was on the way. In fact the bottom half flew in too. The problem was the 10 minutes in the middle. Only when confetti clicked did the rest fall into place.
  4. As mentioned above – you have my admiration for commitment and attitude – which will, at some stage, raise you up to Mrs. R levels of achievement (although she may be in the sub 5 mins bracket by then?).

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