Times Quick Cryptic 1991 by Teazel

Author   ChrisPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic

A difficult blog day – including a very unusual (for me these days) train journey and much less leisure to enjoy the pursuit of crosswordland than usual. So I have no time to report but think this may have been a little tricky but with much wit to enjoy – I’ve enjoyed piecing the blog together. Apologies  if I haven’t given the normal level of attention to typos.

Have fun, all.

Definitions are underlined.

Across
1 Fairground ride is to revert to previous state (10)
SWITCHBACK – revert to a previous state (SWITCH BACK).
8 Quiet about incident, far from the first (7)
SEVENTH – quiet (SH) about incident (EVENT). 6 away from the first.
9 Fine palace, outside demolished, in republic (5)
NEPAL – I didn’t know that Nepal’s constitution of 2015 affirms Nepal as a secular federal parliamentary republic divided into seven provinces. Demolish the outside of fi(NE PAL)ace.
10 Not a single sister is heard (4)
NONE – homophone (is heard) of nun.
11 In van rode wildly around lake, avoiding the water (8)
OVERLAND – anagram (wildly) of VAN RODE around lake (L).
13 Lie about what is in roughage (5)
FIBRE – lie (FIB), about (RE) – it’s what breakfast is all about!
14 Wind’s double force in the end (5)
TWINE – double (TWIN), forc(E). Wind – not  the noun – the verb.
16 Parts of hearing as murder is dissected (8)
EARDRUMS – anagram (is dissected) of AS MURDER.
17 A good artist in Indian city (4)
AGRA – a (A), good (G), artist (RA).
20 Part of chain put on Charlie in prison (5)
CLINK – part of chain (LINK) then put Charlie (C) on top.
21 This protective garment superior to the rest? (7)
OVERALL – superior to the rest (OVER ALL).
22 Hermits confused in chain store (10)
ANCHORITES – anagram (confused) of CHAIN STORE. An anchorite – or anchoress (if that’s allowed these days) – was, and maybe still is for all I know, a person who lives in seclusion – a religious recluse/hermit.
Down
1 Girl taking tin round America (5)
SUSAN – tin (SN) around America (USA).
2 Virgin excited by capital composer (6,6)
IRVING BERLIN – anagram (excited) of (VIRGIN) by (next to) capital (BERLIN).
3 Miraculous place is able to amaze at the start (4)
CANA – is able to (CAN), (A)maze. The miracle here was water into wine – I seem to manage this in reverse so I’m clearly no redeemer.
4 Two very common verbs cause no trouble (6)
BEHAVE – two very common verbs (BE HAVE).
5 Trick rather obvious? Sorry! (8)
CONTRITE – trick (CON), rather obvious (TRITE).
6 Role with lines: not coming out with them all? (8,4)
SPEAKING PART – not coming out with them all – only SPEAKING PART.
7 On the shelf, pawn love token (6)
PLEDGE – pawn (P) is on the shelf (LEDGE). I think we’re in ‘pledge/plight one’s troth’ territory here.
12 Guards hat from worrying break-ins (8)
BEARSKIN – anagram (worrying) of BREAK INS.
13 Al with this painting would be in the open air (6)
FRESCO – Al (AL) with this painting (FRESCO) would be ALFRESCO – in the open air.
15 Sound like a cow in school, but get kissing (6)
SMOOCH – sound like a cow (MOO) inside school (SCH).
18 Set of maps a sailor put up (5)
ATLAS – a (A) then sailor put upwards/backwards (SALT – TLAS).
19 Some share a ride back (4)
REAR – some of sha(RE AR)ide.

55 comments on “Times Quick Cryptic 1991 by Teazel”

  1. We thought we were doing well until we came to the ne corner. Did not help in dividing 8d incorrectly, slow to get twine and pledge. Still finished within our target so not a bad day.
  2. Like many others we found this a little tricky. Somehow we were able to dredge SWITCHBACK from our memory stores but have NHO ANCHORITES so we had to work out the anagram from the checkers. Nice puzzle though, gave us a welcome 16 minute mental workout.

    FOI: SUSAN
    LOI: ANCHORITE
    COD: OVERLAND

    Thanks to Chris and Teazel

  3. Interesting fact about the SWITCHBACK — some of the later versions of these were modified into what we now know as the Waltzer… A staple of the fairground scene here in the UK. The same undulating track was used and platformed with the spinnable cars added.

    A tricky solve no doubt, but I had all but 2 clues written in 35 minutes, which is fairly quick by my standards!

    Held up by PLEDGE and TWINE.

    Edited at 2021-10-26 05:38 pm (UTC)

  5. Very pleased with this to have finished in 28 minutes.
    But this needed persistence and a bit of luck.
    LOI Pledge and wasn’t sure with the definition.
    Likewise Twine was thought of quickly but not happy to go with early….
    Anchorites needed all checkers and NHO…
    Cana very distant memory.
    Contrite also troublesome.
    Actually all I was going to say was that I had the same experiences as many others.
    Thanks all
    John George

  6. Gosh, I rarely fail to complete a QC but I could only do about half of this one. I couldn’t even get FRESCO with all the checkers because I was reading AL as AI and thinking of artificial intelligence. I think that is an apt description of my brain today. Thoroughly beaten by Teazel. Looking at the blog I can’t say it was especially hard, I just couldn’t get on the wavelength. Hard day at work is my excuse. P

  7. NHO switchback or anchorites and wasn’t about to get either. Gave up after 25 minutes With a very poor 6 still to get.
  8. Tough one, but on holiday so maybe too much sun and sangria.
    Dnk switchback.
    Loi pledge.
    Cod speaking part or irving berlin.

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