Solving time: 11 minutes
I was a little disturbed by not knowing the word at 1ac but things went smoothly apart from a minor hold up at the end on 11dn and 24ac.
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 |
|
| 1 | Most unhappy person that may be seen on building site (9) |
| BLUESTONE | |
| BLUEST (most unhappy), ONE (person). Blue-grey sandstone containing clay, used for building and paving. It was just as well the wordplay was helpful as I’d never heard of this before its single appearance in a Times crossword in February last year, and of course I had forgotten it in the meantime. | |
| 6 | Leaves half blown away in meadow (3) |
| LEA | |
| LEA{ves} [half blown away] | |
| 8 | Deceive with trick, concealing passion (5,2) |
| CHEAT ON | |
| CON (trick) containing [concealing] HEAT (passion) | |
| 9 | King entertains primate in light-hearted event? (5) |
| CAPER | |
| CR (King – Charles Rex) contains [entertains] APE (primate) | |
| 10 | They offer narratives and they may be liars (12) |
| STORYTELLERS | |
| Maybe a double definition or one with a hint | |
| 12 | Woman with aim to ensnare one (4) |
| ENID | |
| END (aim) containing [to ensnare] I (one). A name long out of fashion it would appear. Brits of my generation will know Enid Blyton of course, but I can’t think of another famous one unless you count Dame Enid Diana Rigg who opted not to use her first name. | |
| 13 | Fuss to be dealt with? (2-2) |
| TO-DO | |
| Two meanings | |
| 17 | Artist exaggerating could make a cur artistic (12) |
| CARICATURIST | |
| Anagram [could make] A CUR ARTISTIC |
|
| 20 | Italian, a master seen in retrospect as fine instrument maker (5) |
| AMATI | |
| IT (Italian) + A MA (master of arts) reversed [seen in retrospect]. Alongside Stradivari, perhaps the most famous names in violin making. | |
| 21 | Painter of house and courtyard (7) |
| HOGARTH | |
| HO (house), GARTH (courtyard). ‘Garth’ defined as ‘court’ appeared in a very similar clue in QC 2511 on 24th October. | |
| 23 | Speak, for example (3) |
| SAY | |
| Two meanings | |
| 24 | Most intolerant home in which there is a right bust-up (9) |
| NARROWEST | |
| NEST (home) containing [in which there is] A + R (right) + ROW (right bust-up) | |
| Down |
|
| 1 | Footballer restored to team? (4) |
| BACK | |
| Cryptic | |
| 2 | A female in Paris with a number left in dining room? (7) |
| UNEATEN | |
| UNE (A – female in Paris), A, TEN (number). A male in Paris would be ‘un’. | |
| 3 | Rested the first day of the weekend briefly (3) |
| SAT | |
| Two meanings | |
| 4 | Decorated sumptuously in gold, awfully neat (6) |
| ORNATE | |
| OR (gold), anagram [awfully] of NEAT | |
| 5 | A feature of many a department store involving a real cost (9) |
| ESCALATOR | |
| Anagram [involving] A REAL COST | |
| 6 | Drinks with added recreational drug — moral shortcoming (5) |
| LAPSE | |
| LAPS (drinks), E (recreational drug) | |
| 7 | Stop to have a breather around end of year (6) |
| ARREST | |
| A + REST (breather) containing [around] {yea}R [end] | |
| 11 | Passionate deed — something changed in text (9) |
| REDACTION | |
| RED (passionate), ACTION (deed). I associate this with official papers released to the public with chunks of text blacked out, but it’s just another term for ‘edit’. | |
| 14 | Merit being severed somehow (7) |
| DESERVE | |
| Anagram [somehow] of SEVERED | |
| 15 | Quarrels for left-overs? (6) |
| SCRAPS | |
| Two meanings | |
| 16 | One who’s cut out to be an artist? (6) |
| ETCHER | |
| Cryptic | |
| 18 | Prepared money (5) |
| READY | |
| Two meanings | |
| 19 | Bird is cold, needing cover for head (4) |
| CHAT | |
| C (cold), HAT (cover for head) | |
| 22 | Travel round something sticky (3) |
| GOO | |
| GO (travel), O (round) | |
DNF. NHO BLUESTONE or AMATI. HOGARTH was also beyond me. Sad start to the week.
Earlier star makers include Nicolò Amati (1596-1684), who was probably Stradivari’s master in Cremona, and the Austrian Jacob Stainer (c. 1617-1683), who made violins that were highly prized by both Bach and Mozart.
From The Times -9 November 2023
My timing is not accurate enough to know if I am just outside or just inside the SCC. AMATI was a struggle as I wanted to put AMANA as a reverse hidden. AMATI and BLUESTONE were both entered with fingers crossed. I will opt for the SCC as it’s always friendly and comfortable in there.
DNF. I only know bluestone as copper sulphate for making a footbath for cattle. Hogarth, Enid, narrowest and uneaten defeated me . At least I wasn’t alone in finding this one tricky.
Another awful day – 45 mins of torture before I crossed the line. A poor performance. Should have done much better. My deficiencies were ruthlessly exposed, and my target for the week is now unattainable. ☹️
I thought 19d was Rhea, a bird, and was a hidden, foR HEAd.
DNF. Don’t usually attempt Izetti puzzles as I find them badly clued for a Qc. This was no exception. For those that like this sort of thing but not for me I’m afraid.