Solving time: 9 minutes
I hope most will find this quite straightforward as I don’t think it contains anything remotely obscure. Whilst solving I wondered if an ornithological theme was developing but in the end concluded that three types of bird and a roost do not a Nina make.
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]. I usually omit all reference to positional indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.
 Across |
|
| 7 | Part of tree containing small branch for resting birds (5) |
| ROOST | |
| ROOT (part of tree) containing S (small) | |
| 8 | Roc, this fantastic bird (7) |
| OSTRICH | |
| Anagram [fantastic] of ROC THIS | |
| 10 | Large room containing aged bag (7) |
| HOLDALL | |
| HALL (large room) containing OLD (aged) | |
| 11 | Commercial that is posh, so long (5) |
| ADIEU | |
| AD (commercial), IE (that is), U (posh) | |
| 12 | Faulty timers on a domestic appliance (5,4) |
| STEAM IRON | |
| Anagram [faulty) of TIMERS ON A | |
| 14 | Prompt letter, by the sound of it? (3) |
| CUE | |
| Sounds like [by the sound of it] “Q” (letter) | |
| 15 | Light fish (3) |
| RAY | |
| Two meanings | |
| 16 | Rum or the small beer for partner (5,4) |
| OTHER HALF | |
| Anagram [rum] of OR THE, then HALF (small beer – half a pint) | |
| 18 | One who’s taught where light enters (5) |
| PUPIL | |
| A definition and a cryptic hint referring to eyesight | |
| 20 | Alcoholic drink: drunk earns it! (7) |
| RETSINA | |
| Anagram [drunk] of EARNS IT. Greek disinfectant. | |
| 22 | Star one rubbished in act of betrayal (7) |
| TREASON | |
| Anagram [rubbished] of STAR ONE | |
| 23 | Pip lassoes head of troublesome horse (5) |
| STEED | |
| SEED (pip) contains [lassoes] T{roublesome} [head of…] | |
| Down |
|
| 1 | Where players found the car trip so awful (9,3) |
| ORCHESTRA PIT | |
| Anagram [awful] of THE CAR TRIP SO | |
| 2 | Dog, really gutless, mine (8) |
| COLLIERY | |
| COLLIE (dog), R{eall}Y [gutless] | |
| 3 | Volcano dormant, evidently has packed up! (4) |
| ETNA | |
| Hidden in [has packed] and reversed [up] in {dorm}ANT E{vidently} | |
| 4 | Prison more stylish? (6) |
| COOLER | |
| Two meanings | |
| 5 | Riddle of ultimately mysterious coach (8) |
| STRAINER | |
| {mysteriou}S [ultimately], TRAINER (coach). Riddle as in ‘sieve’. | |
| 6 | Kid in Wellington is, first of all, a New Zealander (4) |
| KIWI | |
| K{id} + I{n} + W{ellington} + I{s} [first of all] | |
| 9 | In which those in suits set up precarious scheme? (5,2,5) |
| HOUSE OF CARDS | |
| Cryptic | |
| 13 | Dark at night, spies carrying on with investigations in the end (8) |
| MOONLESS | |
| MOLES (spies) containing [carrying] ON, then {investigation}S [end] | |
| 14 | Initially nothing found inside broken article — blow it! (8) |
| CLARINET | |
| N{othing} [initially] contained by [found inside] anagram [broken] of ARTICLE | |
| 17 | That lady’s son trained birds (6) |
| HERONS | |
| HER (that lady’s), then anagram [trained] of SON | |
| 19 | Not very many heard — what a relief! (4) |
| PHEW | |
| Sounds like [heard] of “few” [not very many] | |
| 21 | Piece of libretto, shocking drivel (4) |
| TOSH | |
| Hidden in [piece of] {libret}TO SH{ocking} | |
I can’t believe how truly incompetent I still am with the QC. Struggled badly, knowing all the time that this shouldn’t have been difficult. Total blindness with anagrams. Makes me feel like a beginner again, blundering around all over the place. An awful start to the week – 35 mins.
I cannot understand how I dealt so well with Friday’s QC and then failed so miserably today. The harder I try, the more frustrated (and worse) I get. I should have been able to do this in 20 mins after 3 years of solving!
Haven’t dared to look at Don Manley’s crossword book yet. Don’t want to be reminded of how dumb I am.
☹️☹️☹️
Thanks for the blog.
PS Even worse on QUINTAGRAM. Total inability to work out the anagram in no. 4 – what is wrong with me??? Utterly pathetic!
Took me 3+ mins to unravel LOI #4 on the CQ. And I’d look at it earlier a couple of times. Was beginning to think it was a word I’d NHO. Always amazes me when I finally figure it out and it seems obvious.
I thought the QC anagrams were tough today because Ostrich and Orchestra-Pit both beginning with O- is lower likelihood.
Many years ago, I noticed on Countdown that usually the good players buzz in within 5 seconds on the 9-letter Countdown Conundrum anagram. Almost every day. But once in a while, they’d really struggle and the reason was that the letters didn’t fall into a standard patterns. E.g. if the letters contain ING or TION it wouldn’t be a word ending in that but they’d be using up time trying all those possibilities first.
I was just the same, thinking it was a word I had never come across. Then I got NEUTER in my mind and couldn’t get rid of it.
You’re right about words beginning with vowels being tricky. Some of my worst time have been caused by a double vowel in the answer.
Hoping for better tomorrow.
Dundee U began their season on Saturday with a 1-0 defeat to The Spartans in the League Cup. I’d not even heard of The Spartans before! They have apparently just joined the Scottish League. A long, hard season in prospect….
Your words have a way of inspiring hope and resilience in difficult times.