Hello everybody. A good start to the week by a setter who knows what a quick cryptic is. I’m short of time this morning so much appreciated that, but sorry for terseness. Thanks Alex!
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 | Romans insist on changing conveyance (12) |
| TRANSMISSION — Once anagrammed (… on changing) ROMANS INSIST | |
| 8a | Old, dismal scent (5) |
| ODOUR — O (old) + DOUR (dismal) | |
| 9a | Radical doctor having wine with bit of cocaine (7) |
| DRASTIC — DR (doctor) with ASTI and the first letter or bit of Cocaine | |
| 10a | Survive abroad with pounds I have (7) |
| OUTLIVE — OUT (abroad) + L (pounds) + I’VE (I have) | |
| 11a | Philosopher not working in unit of US soldiers (5) |
| PLATO — We have not the ON (working) in PLATO[on] (unit of US soldiers) | |
| 12a | Showy decoration lacking hint of nuance (6) |
| GARISH — GAR[n]ISH (decoration) lacking the first letter of (hint of) Nuance | |
| 14a | Warm male with a sheep (4,2) |
| HEAT UP — HE (male) with A + TUP (sheep) | |
| 17a | Confronts first of famous champions (5) |
| FACES — The first letter of Famous + ACES (champions) | |
| 19a | Try holding new chic remodelled Italian dish (7) |
| GNOCCHI — GO (try) around (holding) N (new) + an anagram of (… remodelled) CHIC | |
| 21a | Ruin one strange gathering of old friends (7) |
| REUNION — RUIN ONE anagrammed (strange) | |
| 22a | Support from Victor accompanied by expression of pain (5) |
| VOUCH — V (victor) accompanied by OUCH (expression of pain) | |
| 23a | Uniform is rumpled, sad and tired after start of shift (12) |
| STANDARDISED — An anagram of (rumpled) SAD AND TIRED all after the start of Shift | |
| Down | |
| 1d | Road sweeping price (12) |
| THOROUGHFARE — THOROUGH (sweeping) + FARE (price) | |
| 2d | A boxing contest is concerning (5) |
| ABOUT — A + BOUT (boxing contest) | |
| 3d | Pulls small locomotives (7) |
| STRAINS — S (small) + TRAINS (locomotives) | |
| 4d | Popular act without doubt (6) |
| INDEED — IN (popular) + DEED (act) | |
| 5d | Pointed tip of short instrument (5) |
| SHARP — The first letter of (tip of) Short + HARP (instrument) | |
| 6d | Exile unpopular group of actors (7) |
| OUTCAST — OUT (unpopular) + CAST (group of actors) | |
| 7d | Fulfilled expert (12) |
| ACCOMPLISHED — Double definition | |
| 13d | Tell heads of regional engineering company of unusual new technology (7) |
| RECOUNT — The first letters of (heads of) Regional Engineering Company Of Unusual New Technology | |
| 15d | Turned without resistance and developed (7) |
| EVOLVED — [r]EVOLVED (turned) without R (resistance) | |
| 16d | Period of time before non-disclosure agreement programme (6) |
| AGENDA — AGE (period of time) before NDA (non-disclosure agreement) | |
| 18d | Toss coins for young family member (5) |
| SCION — Make an anagram of (toss) COINS | |
| 20d | Charlie and son cover up smell for friends (5) |
| CHUMS — C (charlie) and S (son) surround (cover up) HUM (smell) | |
6:14 in two passes and all parsed – about as fast as I can write and still be vaguely legible. That’s a rare occurrence – I usually end up dotting all over the grid! GNOCCHI in a tomato and marscapone sauce for supper tonight, so that one was particularly apt. A nice, friendly crossword which may be giving us a false sense of security before the onslaught that is inevitably on its way! There were a few ‘interesting’ surfaces here – things would have to be DRASTIC before I visit that doctor for sure, and I have my doubts about the chap at 14a 😅 I liked GARISH and REUNION.
FOI Odour LOI Agenda COD Thoroughfare
Many thanks Alex and Kitty
15 mins…
A good start to the week with a nice puzzle from Alex. Can’t think of anything controversial – although my parsing of 5dn “Sharp” left something to be desired. I thought it was something to do with Sharpie felt-tip pens – the pen being the ‘instrument’ and the ‘short’ aspect an instruction to lob off the end. It was obviously something much simpler.
FOI – 2dn “About”
LOI – 1dn “Thoroughfare”
COD – 20dn “Chums” – purely on the smile from the wordplay.
Thanks as usual!
How heartening to read all of these comments, acclaiming Alex as an accomplished QC setter.
Yes, an enjoyable QC that was actually quick for those of us without superpowers. But I must take issue with Alex over TRAINS = locomotives. A locomotive pulls (or pushes) a train. The words are not synonymous with one another unless you are a 3-year-old boy.
What I think was a PB at 27 mins. Don’t mind the toughies as I learn from them, however, this was a welcome relief.
Well done!
11 minutes.
Can’t say I enjoyed it. I knew it would be seen as ‘easy’ by many, so felt under pressure to achieve a good result.
Spent 2 hours plus on Saturday with the Friday big puzzle and got about two-thirds. Got about three-quarters of the big puzzle today, but struggled hugely. Missed some I should have got.
I’m not getting any pleasure from this, largely because my performances are so bad. I lack confidence and sufficient GK.
A proper QC which we enjoyed very much. Couldn’t solve 1A or 1D at first look so moved on solving 2D, 3D, 4D, 5D on the trot; then required some darting around but all solved just under our target time.
LOsI Thoroughfare and garish
Thanks Alex and Kitty
I think this is a personal best for me, 05:38! I recognise that it was quite easy though, but super encouraging that I could do it so fast without any help.
Well done!