Certainly easier than yesterday’s puzzle, but no pushover. There are a few slightly odd words as answers, which those of us relying on seeing the definition and then justifying might have struggled with. I hadn’t noticed until blogging that I DNK 16dn, and evidently just used the wordplay when solving. My only actual mistake was getting the wrong end of the stick at 11ac, but at least I was aware enough to immediately check with 2dn!
Definitions underlined.
| Across | |
| 1 | Sailors getting in the booze (8) |
| ABSINTHE – ABS (plural of able-bodied (seaman), sailors), with IN and THE. | |
| 5 | Some loathsome manager sent round note (4) |
| MEMO – hidden in (some) loathesOME Manager reversed (sent round). | |
| 9 | Let everybody down, having no limits (5) |
| ALLOW – ALL (everybody), then dOWn without its first and last letters (having no limits). | |
| 10 | One reshaped in end part of the foot (7) |
| TOENAIL – anagram of (reshaped) ONE, contained by (in) TAIL (end). | |
| 11 | How stupid of me to return this builder’s equipment (3) |
| HOD – D’OH (how stupid of me) reversed (to return). | |
| 12 | PA, on reflection sharp, given a job (9) |
| APPOINTED – reversal of (on reflection) PA, then POINTED (sharp). | |
| 13 | Move unsteadily after beginning to drink more rum (6) |
| DODDER – first letter of (beginning to) Drink, then ODDER (more rum). | |
| 15 | Brilliant, mostly sumptuous material (6) |
| FABRIC – FAB (brilliant), then all-but-the-last letter from (mostly) RICh (sumptuous). | |
| 17 | Bananas are able to develop (9) |
| ELABORATE – anagram of (bananas) ARE ABLE TO. | |
| 19 | Outstanding university in Delaware (3) |
| DUE – U (university) contained by (in) DE (Delaware). | |
| 20 | Suitable extra task for a delivery driver? (7) |
| FITTING – definition and cryptic hint; the driver delivering an appliance or piece of furniture would consider fitting it additional to his/her duties. | |
| 21 | Fly, carrying new tracking apparatus (5) |
| SONAR – SOAR (fly) containing (carrying) N (new). | |
| 22 | Famous chemist releasing book for Christmas (4) |
| NOEL – NObEL (famous chemist) deleting (releasing) ‘b’ (book). | |
| 23 | Artist is a noodler, sadly (8) |
| LEONARDO – anagram of (sadly) A NOODLER. | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Humiliated adolescent initially remains in bed (7) |
| ABASHED – first letter of (initially) Adolescent, then ASH (remains) in BED. | |
| 2 | After seconds, a youth leaves (5) |
| SALAD – A LAD (a youth) after S (seconds). | |
| 3 | Ocean wind swirling around a large eastern Pacific region (3,9) |
| NEW CALEDONIA – anagram of (swirling) OCEAN WIND, containing (around) A, L (large), and E (eastern). | |
| 4 | Angry male sheep (3,2) |
| HET UP – HE (male) and TUP (sheep). | |
| 6 | One making demands of retired player? (7) |
| EXACTOR – EX-ACTOR (retired player). | |
| 7 | Dirty, having cap removed and treated with grease (5) |
| OILED – sOILED (dirty) missing the first letter (having cap removed). | |
| 8 | Messy site cleaned to accommodate small shop (12) |
| DELICATESSEN – anagram of (messy) SITE CLEANED, containing (to accommodate) S (small). | |
| 14 | Soldier put inflatable boat in river (7) |
| DRAFTEE – RAFT (inflatable boat) contained by (in) DEE (river). | |
| 16 | Toast and two-thirds of Stilton, perhaps with port (7) |
| CHEERIO – first four letters from (two-thirds of) CHEEse (Stilton, perhaps), then RIO (port). Apparently (and according to Chambers), this can mean ‘good health’ when used as a toast, as well as ‘goodbye’. | |
| 17 | Mischievous and somewhat self-involved (5) |
| ELFIN – hidden in (somewhat) sELF-INvolved. | |
| 18 | Point of view — it may be right! (5) |
| ANGLE – definition and cryptic hint. | |
| 19 | Kebab dish finished with last bit of coriander (5) |
| DONER – DONE (finished), and the last letter from (last bit of) coriandeR. | |
Pleased to have finished in 21:46 without reaching for help for two (two!) 12-letter anagrams, which I always find difficult, especially when they are down clues, as today’s were. FOI 2a MEMO, then a circle around to LOI and COD 1a ABSINTHE.
7.05 but DELICATESSEN the spelling mistake today
No problems otherwise
Thanks all
Late to this after golf.
I had DOH at 11a -seemed to work. Doh.
Unsurprisingly my last two were ABASHED and ABSINTHE which needed all the checkers.
I wondered about the inflatable RAFT.
Not quick today.
David
I thought this was on the easier end of the spectrum for a change. A definite MER for 7d Oiled as it doesn’t do the same job as greasing – it’s why we have two substances, not just the one. 20a Fitting caused a delay, as did 1d Abashed.
FOI 5a Memo
LOI 14d Draftee – we’ve this word before, but it always seems unwieldy to me
COD 1a Absinthe – for the simplicity of the clue.
Very pleased to race across the finish line, all fully parsed, in just 24 minutes (almost sprinting for me). And, I was delighted not to be bamboozled by DRAFTEE, which I had NHO last time it came up.
Many thanks to Jalna and William.
👍
😊
Another impressive time, well done 👏
Can’t say this was straightforward, but it was hugely enjoyable. I solved it in three sittings as I was looking after my niece for much of the evening. 20ac and 18dn took some getting, but I thought the entire puzzle was beautifully constructed. COD 16dn.
Thanks for the blog. I needed this to parse a couple.
Really not on Jalna’s wavelength. I usually manage to finish in an hour or so but DNF after 3 days of intermittent trying.
Maybe this suits experienced solvers who know all the canards – so not really me.
Rum=odder
Remains=ash
Tup
Fitting for a delivery driver
Really?
And the worst one Draftee.
A random river. A raft is not an inflatable boat. Draftee could be many professionals eg American Footballer so should have had a question mark.
If all Quick Cryptics were like this I’d stick to Sudoku. Thankfully they’re not
Nick