Hello hello … another new setter! Welcome Pipsqueak.
Although the name is new, this did not have a rookie feel to it and I wouldn’t be surprised to find we are in the hands of an experienced setter. I found it very well pitched for a Quick Cryptic; it took me comfortably less than my median time and I enjoyed it. The answers to the double definitions have inspired the blog title. Thanks Pipsqueak, and hope to see you again soon.
Definitions are underlined in the clues below. In the explanations, most quoted indicators are in italics, specified [deletions] are in square brackets, and I’ve capitalised and emboldened letters which appear in the ANSWER. For clarity, I omit most link words and some juxtaposition indicators.
| Across | |
| 1a | Bath perhaps welcoming female climber (6) |
| SHERPA — SPA (Bath perhaps) taking in (welcoming) HER (female) | |
| 4a | Some sponsor a clerical authority (6) |
| ORACLE — Some sponsOR A CLErical | |
| 8a | Dish fit for a queen? (7) |
| CATFOOD — Cryptic definition, queen being an adult female cat | |
| 10a | Report of behaviour in country house (5) |
| MANOR — Homophone of (report of) MANNER (behaviour) | |
| 11a | Distinguished prize-giver moving east (5) |
| NOBLE — NOBEL (prize-giver) moving E (east) | |
| 12a | Post for Paddington? (7) |
| STATION — Two definitions, the second by example | |
| 13a | Set up an academy (9) |
| INSTITUTE — Another double definition | |
| 17a | Two articles about grant for long jumper? (7) |
| ATHLETE — A and THE (two articles, of the grammatical kind) around (about) LET (grant) | |
| 19a | American Indian leaving hospital very quickly (5) |
| APACE — APAC[h]E (American Indian) omitting (leaving) H (hospital) | |
| 20a | Letter Goethe tantalisingly conceals (5) |
| THETA — GoeTHE TAntalisingly conceals the answer | |
| 21a | Terrible strain, meeting a Russian ruler (7) |
| TSARINA — An anagram of (terrible) STRAIN by (meeting) A | |
| 22a | Old man in Rome with extra time for sales pitch (6) |
| PATTER — PATER (old man in Rome – Latin for father) with an extra T (time) | |
| 23a | Singer said to be getting this in payment? (6) |
| TENNER — Sounds like (… said) TENOR (singer) | |
| Down | |
| 1d | Support commanding officer in post (6) |
| SECOND — CO (commanding officer) in SEND (post) | |
| 2d | Formation of the ruling class (13) |
| ESTABLISHMENT — Double definition | |
| 3d | Operation sees old Conservative obstructing newspapers (7) |
| PROCESS — O (old) and C (Conservative) inside (obstructing) PRESS (newspapers) | |
| 5d | Dance and drink with returning sailor (5) |
| RUMBA — RUM (drink) + AB (sailor) going backwards (returning …) | |
| 6d | Are conditions at sea a factor? (13) |
| CONSIDERATION — ARE CONDITIONS anagrammed (at sea) | |
| 7d | Job Elizabeth I managed diligently at first (6) |
| ERRAND — ER (Elizabeth I) + RAN (managed) + Diligently at first | |
| 9d | Rebellious Democrat insisted on reform (9) |
| DISSIDENT — D (Democrat) + INSISTED when anagrammed (on reform) | |
| 14d | Ignorant of tune lacking intro about a conflict (7) |
| UNAWARE — Without the first letter (… lacking intro), tUNE around (about) A WAR (conflict) | |
| 15d | Friend turning up with excellent computer (6) |
| LAPTOP — PAL (friend) reversed (turning up, in a down entry) + TOP (excellent) | |
| 16d | Patch up two Royal Engineers? (6) |
| REPAIR — If a RE is one Royal Engineer, a RE PAIR is two of them | |
| 18d | First Lady inspiring Bill’s escape (5) |
| EVADE — EVE (first Lady) taking in (inspiring) AD (bill) | |
9:00 earlier today. I wasn’t in a rush but felt I could have been quicker if I tried, particularly as there were indeed a lot of chestnuts, but I just enjoyed the ride.
Must dash – son has just arrived home for a couple of days 😊
FOI Oracle LOI Athlete COD Catfood
Many thanks and welcome to Pipsqueak and thanks to Kitty too
A thoroughly depressing experience.
16 mins for all except 8ac and then spent 40 plus minutes not having a clue about that one. NHO Queen for female cat but I should have been able to work this out. Shocking that I couldn’t.
I haven’t read the other comments because they will just depress me.
I am utterly, utterly useless! A horrible DNF.
I spent over 10 hours trying to get my head around the proper crossword last week and I’m still absolutely incapable of doing this. Why can’t I get this right?
Say that again. You completed this puzzle in 16 minutes (with the exception of the rather tricky CATFOOD) and you think that’s terrible?
Knew queen for female cat, just too dim to bring it to mind quickly but ended up all green so I’m happy enough after last week’s typofest. Six on the first pass of acrosses for an average start before ending up a bit slower than usual. Good fun.
DNF
Beaten by LOI CATFOOD. Went through my types of queen from monarchs, drag queens, bees, playing cards, etc. I’ve never come across the word to describe a cat!
Shared the problems in the NW: Noble (had Nobel then puzzled)/Catfood (had food but the stuck)/Sherpa (working with she, not her)/Second (looking to start or end with co). Took some time to get into Pipsqueak’s style working around the grid.
FOI 10a Manor
LOI 1a Sherpa (was dreading a plant eg roses)
COD 17a Athlete – was anticipating grasshopper relative…
17:13. Late solve. Also found the NW corner hard. Never seen AD=invoice, and I work with Finance all the time.
Lots of good clues, well judged QC.