Solving time: 7 minutes
A rare sub-10 minute solve for me these days since I allowed myself a little more time to admire the scenery. Prior to today I last achieved that on 26th March. Was it easy or was I simply on the setter’s wavelength for once? How did you all get on?
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 juxtaposition indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.
 Across |
|
| 1 | Crass act? No! Strangely seen as beyond criticism (10) |
| SACROSANCT | |
| Anagram [strangely] of CRASS ACT NO | |
| 7 | Acknowledged love — married around November (5) |
| OWNED | |
| O (love), WED (married) containing [around] N (November – NATO) | |
| 8 | Popular party tourist regularly within building (7) |
| INDOORS | |
| IN (popular), DO (party), {t}O{u}R{i}S{t} [regularly] | |
| 10 | Straightforward Irish county? Correct (9) |
| DOWNRIGHT | |
| DOWN (Irish county), RIGHT (correct). Collins: downright – frank or straightforward; blunt e.g. downright speech | |
| 12 | Some era — generally a long period (3) |
| AGE | |
| Hidden in [some] {er}A GE{nerally} | |
| 13 | Idea that’s unacceptable about island (6) |
| NOTION | |
| NOT ON (unacceptable) containing [about] I (island) | |
| 15 | Fitting move downwards when son moves out (6) |
| DECENT | |
| DE{s}CENT (move downwards) [when son – s – moves out] | |
| 16 | Left Old Boy, shy (3) |
| LOB | |
| L (left), OB (Old Boy). SOED: shy – throw or fling a missile. As one does at a fairground coconut shy. | |
| 17 | Clued “bide” in new way that can be worked out? (9) |
| DEDUCIBLE | |
| Anagram [in new way] of CLUED BIDE | |
| 20 | With no Test experience? (7) |
| UNTRIED | |
| Barely cryptic with the surface reading suggesting a reference to cricket. EDIT: Thanks to Daniel for pointing out that thinking of test rugby rather than test cricket improves the cryptic reading of the clue. | |
| 22 | Modify church table, reportedly (5) |
| ALTER | |
| Sounds like [reportedly] “altar” (church table) | |
| 23 | Rudely having feature of shoe at edges, not lovely (10) |
| INSOLENTLY | |
| INSOLE (feature of shoe), N{o}T + L{ovel}Y [at edges] | |
| Down |
|
| 1 | Tendon — there’s something wrong we turned up (5) |
| SINEW | |
| SIN (something wrong), then WE reversed [turned up] | |
| 2 | Crack a word code for oil source (9) |
| CEDARWOOD | |
| Anagram [crack] of A WORD CODE. The oil of the tree is used in the manufacture of soaps, perfumes, and insecticides. |
|
| 3 | Oscar, rugby player, outstanding (5) |
| OWING | |
| O (Oscar), WING (rugby player) | |
| 4 | Help from Shanghai donation in part (3) |
| AID | |
| Hidden [in part] {Shangh}AI D{onation} | |
| 5 | Hard task including a learner in hymn tune (7) |
| CHORALE | |
| CHORE (hard task) containing [including] A + L (learner). It’s a simple tune accompanied by mainly block harmonies. | |
| 6 | Old bouncer resolved description of high quality cook (6,4) |
| CORDON BLEU | |
| Anagram [resolved] of OLD BOUNCER | |
| 9 | “Very little in street” — hear Tom’s first girlfriend (10) |
| SWEETHEART | |
| WEE (very little) contained by [in] ST (street), HEAR, T{om’s} [first] | |
| 11 | Worker south of fortified area is incisive (9) |
| TRENCHANT | |
| TRENCH (fortified area), ANT (worker). SOED: Of language, style, etc: incisive; vigorous and clear. | |
| 14 | Letter from Greece put in container for Asian (7) |
| TIBETAN | |
| BETA (letter from Greece) contained by [put in] TIN (container) | |
| 18 | Clever contrivance of Venetian magistrate restricting Duke (5) |
| DODGE | |
| DOGE (Venetian magistrate) containing [restricting] D (Duke) The highest official in the old Venetian Republic. | |
| 19 | Club, extremely tacky, eccentric (5) |
| BATTY | |
| BAT (club), T{ack}Y [extremely] | |
| 21 | African language? Is bang on initially (3) |
| IBO | |
| I{s} + B{ang} + O{n} [initially]. I guess the question mark is intended to help the surface slightly as I can’t see any other possible reason for it. | |
An enjoyable start to the week. Happy with shy/lob from fairground days trying to win the ever elusive coconut!
18 minutes
All bar 23ac – 9 mins
23ac – 9 mins
Awful (and you won’t convince me otherwise).
Thanks for the blog Jackkt.
PS I attempted a ‘proper/big’ cryptic yesterday, a mistake I won’t make again. 90 mins for 12 answers, with the rest completely impenetrable.
Finished in about 47mins which is good for me making 2 successful solves on the trot – that is a first!