Times Quick Cryptic 2902 by Teazel

Hello all.  Thanks to Teazel who kicks off a fresh week of quick cryptics.  I liked the cup match running a little short in 9a, the multitudes of beasts in 15d and the upset God at 18d.  Although the same abbreviation is used twice, it’s nicely disguised the second time and I only noticed because it featured in two of my favourite clues.  How did you find it?

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 Congregation is to collapse (4)
FOLD — Two definitions, the first a churchy one.  I was very lucky I didn’t settle for a half-parsed FALL here, which would have been a FAIL!
3a Caught exactly what is required in authentic poetry reading (7)
RECITAL C (caught) and IT (exactly what is required) in REAL (authentic)
8a Some northerners sip unrivalled cocktail (13)
LIVERPUDLIANS — An anagram (cocktail) of SIP UNRIVALLED
9a In cup match, time is a minute short (3)
TIE TI[m]E lacks an M (is a minute short)
10a Anger fellow rather inhibits (5)
WRATH — FelloW RATHer holds (inhibits) the answer
12a A little condensation that’s right under your nose? (7)
DEWDROP — A double definition.  I had to check the second: a drip just where the clue says
14a What’s required by computer professional? Good memory (7)
PROGRAM PRO (professional) + G (good) + RAM (memory)
16a Cockney’s to take a breath for a long note (5)
BREVE — A Cockney might say BREVE for BREATHE (to take a breath)
17a Priest’s vestment, a pound (3)
ALB A + LB (pound)
20a What hearing aid can offer for light music (4,9)
EASY LISTENING — A hearing aid could be said to provide EASY LISTENING
21a Son goes very slowly and writes illegibly (7)
SCRAWLS S (son) + CRAWLS (goes very slowly)
22a Sounds from cat in desirable street (4)
MEWS — Two definitions
Down
1d Check progress of translation of “wolf”: “loup” (6,2)
FOLLOW UP — An anagram of (translation of) “WOLF”: “LOUP”.  (Loup is French for wolf, although you don’t need that to solve the clue)
2d Television screening priestly tribe (4)
LEVI — TeLEVIsion is hiding (screening) the answer, one of the tribes of Israel
3d Badly defeated, sent on a course (6)
ROUTED — Two definitions, although (unless you are American) the answer for each is pronounced differently
4d Intense nervousness of dog reportedly shows unsteadiness (12)
COLLYWOBBLES COLLY here sounds like (… reportedly) COLLIE (dog); add WOBBLES (shows unsteadiness)
5d Cross party-goers stuck in centre of Ostend (8)
TRAVERSE RAVERS (party-goers) stuck in the middle letters of (centre of) OsTEnd
6d By no means the first to survive (4)
LAST — A double definition
7d Relative is horrible — want out (7-2-3)
BROTHER-IN-LAW HORRIBLEWANT anagrammed (out)
11d Movement of Timor Sea is what creates mist (8)
ATOMISER — An anagram of (movement of) TIMOR SEA
13d Titles always found in poetry filling contents of books (8)
PEERAGES EER (always found in poetry) inside (filling) PAGES (contents of books)
15d Large numbers of minute beasts (6)
MASSES M (minute) + ASSES (beasts)
18d Crisis involving Eden upset God (4)
ZEUS SUEZ (crisis involving Eden) reversed (upset)
19d Uproar beginning to enliven feast (4)
DINE DIN (uproar) + the first letter of (beginning to) Enliven

72 comments on “Times Quick Cryptic 2902 by Teazel”

  1. 10.20, totally guessing LOI LEVI which I now see was a hidden. Not at all convinced by EASY LISTENING but loved ZEUS and BREVE where, for once, we were looking for something other than a dropped H. As a teenager one of my mates, new arrived in Oz from Britain, was like all of us eagerly awaiting the debut album by the much-heralded supergroup Blind Faif. Thanks to Teazel and Kitty.

  2. 14 minutes. I failed with FALL instead of FOLD, although I knew it was wrong at the time. Sometimes you just can’t help yourself!

    I took far too long to think of ZEUS as my LOI.

    Later edit: Just realised I had a second error where I made the wrong choice between COLLYWOBBLES or COLLIWOBBLES. I don’t recall seeing it in writing before today, so felt the clue was perhaps a little unfair with the 5th letter unchecked, especially as the word appears to have its origins in ‘colic’. It was used specifically for stomach disorders before acquiring a more general meaning concerning nervousness.

    1. Another ‘fall’ fail. Wondered if it might be fall then got the checkers and couldn’t help myself. Perhaps buoyed by finally seeing LEVI would work even if the definition made no sense to me. Was pleased with another sub-10 finish until the pink squares.

  3. 16:43 for the solve. Very pleased to get through that, partly because it’s Teazel on Monday. I was considering giving up around 14mins with 5-6 still to do. Problems on the east side with DEWDROP, BREVE, RECITAL, COLLYWOBBLES, PEERAGES and SUEZ finally in the SW. Didn’t like the clue at the time but really like it now solved!

  4. Tricky in places but very entertaining and I fortunately managed to avoid the temptation to biff FOLD.
    Started with TIE and finished with COD SUEZ in 8.54.
    Thanks to Kitty

  5. 13:07. LOI FOLD. Like others, I wasted some time trying to parse FALL instead. Thanks Teazel and Kitty.

  6. The 15×15 is quite gentle today – certainly easier than an Izetti QC 😉 – so those who don’t usually attempt but hope to graduate one day might want to give it a try 🙂

  7. 25:17 for a Teazel is very satisfying for me. COD was definitely Zeus, I also enjoyed collywobbles as it’s just a great word! I had to biff brother-in-law and Levi from the checkers, I couldn’t parse either of them until I read this blog, very cross with myself for missing the anagram and Levi was even more obvious with hindsight! Dine was LOI, for some reason I just couldn’t see it.

    Thanks Teazel and Kitty, I really enjoyed this one.

  8. A pretty swift (for us) with a romp through all but our last 2 in about 16 minutes. Only slowed by putting in Suez instead of Zeus – another of the tide/edit debacles where with no crossers both answers are valid?

    Once we worked out 21a couldn’t start with a z we rectified it.

    Left with the Fold/Levi crossing which took another 5 minutes until suddenly realised we were iceberged- again 😖

    Thanks Teazel and Kitty

  9. 19:05 held up by levi/fold, Zeus and masses. Thought Zeus Eden Suez ‘crisis’ very clever but perhaps a Tad Too Tricky Teazel, for a QC. Quite enjoyed the slower solve today and while I missed admission to the Slow Coach Club I most definitely joined the Second Cuppa Club
    Thanks Kitty and Teazel

  10. I was up late last night and had a go at this then. Unwise perhaps. Slow and WOE. Plumped wrongly for COLLIWOBBLES (with an I). There’s quite a few of us with one error. I wonder if it’s this one.

    On reflection, more likely to be fall/fold

  11. With FOLD, ALB and LEVI I was sure this was an Izetti (solving on phone so can’t see setter) – I literally did a double take on coming here!

    Amazingly on Teazel’s wavelength for once and romped this in 04:52 for an Excellent Day; just one of those rare days when it all clicks. COD to EASY LISTENING.

    Many thanks Teazel and Kitty.

      1. Oh wow so it is!! (OK by a second but they all count.) Thanks Janet, I hadn’t realised. Mondays are obviously my day 🙂

  12. Could not see beyond FALL, even though I knew it was wrong. In my head thought I knew of the god SEM which sort of made sense that crisis in 18D could be MESS. Having Googled it, I find there is a song Sem God by the Philthy Rich which I’m confident was never in my GK. If I had got ZEUS it would definitely have been my COD – very clever. Thanks Kitty and Teazel.

  13. Think that’s the first Teazel I’ve managed to complete. A few mystified me, so thank you, Kitty. Is that really Cockney, or is it Estuary? I was looking for either CRS or a missing initial H.
    Drat I did wonder whether LEVI but didn’t see it hidden so put LIVE for the screening – was well and truly TEAZEd. NHO “exactly what is required” = IT; context? Loved ZEUS.

    1. You might say “That’s it!” if you’d been searching for the solution to a clue and suddenly had a pdm.

  14. 9:22, with my last two being FOLD and ZEUS. ZEUS was the only god that I could think of fitting the checkers, but it took me a while to spot the reversed Suez crisis – a very clever clue.

    Thanks Kitty and Teazel

  15. From FOLLOW UP to ZEUS in 7:10. I dithered over the spelling of COLLYWOBBLES and biffed DEWDROP from the first definition. ZEUS took soom time to solve and I thought the two long anagrams LIVERPUDLIANS and BROTHER IN LAW were excellently clued. Thanks Kitty.

  16. An enjoyable 24mins but almost caught by fall/ fold. As a result this was LOI. Peerages took time and never really fully parsed that.
    Liverpudlians was a PDM, as I had been trying to think of a cocktail, initially missing this as the anagram indicator.
    Plenty to chose for COD but have gone with ZEUS.

    Thanks to Teazel and to Kitty

  17. A very nice start to the week. I do the puzzle on paper and don’t bother with timing against the clock – just plod away until the job’s done. Today, my morning cuppa was still warm when I entered my LOI (ZEUS), which was also my COD. So I deemed it as average difficulty and thanks to Teazel and Kitty.

    Busy week for me ahead (going for a TAVI on Wednesday). Thanks for Halfdan’s suggestion regarding the 15 x 15 : I will make another cuppa and have a go!

  18. Another FALLer.
    Liked SUEZ, we’ve had COLLYWOBBLES recently, I’m sure.

    15×15 was fine until it wasn’t, the SE corner defeated me there.

  19. I managed to finish in a respectable 8.26, but it would have been a fair bit quicker if I hadn’t spent time on returning to 1ac where like others I’d put in FALL. I also thankfully went back to 18dn where I’d initially put in MESS with little confidence. Once I realised that it wasn’t the biblical garden and was in fact a person referred to, ZEUS quickly followed. The further time devoted to 1ac paid dividends and FOLD then came to mind.

  20. A nice start to the week. ZEUS is my COD, great diversion with Eden! Some really clever anagrams, such as LIVERPUDLIANS and ATOMISER. Those solvers in North America may have struggled with BREVE, both for the Cockney pronunciation and that they call them half notes.

  21. An interesting start to the week. A steady solve for me with a real hesitation over FALL and LOI ZEUS which I bunged in with fingers crossed (and didn’t parse) after toying with MESS . I agree with TC that it was just a bit too clever for a QC. I wasted time with a biffed BRIEF (thinking of a legal brief) but realised it wouldn’t cross with PEERAGES and mended my ways.
    18.30 in the end. I thought the long anagrams were clever (and found them easier than the 4-letter answers).
    Thanks to both.
    Now off to follow Halfdan’s pointer to the 15×15.
    Later note. It took me less than twice my QC time so content with that. Enjoyable.

  22. 9:15, which is a lot faster than looked likely when I had only 3 acrosses after the first pass. But the downs were less demanding and the puzzle came together nicely. Biffed RECITAL and DEWDROP – NHO the second meaning for the latter at all. I see Collins calls it a “British euphemism”, but perhaps in my childhood we called a spade a spade and didn’t bother with euphemisms for things like that.

    I share Martinů’s vague query over BREVE being Cockney specifically. Lots of people say F and V for TH – here in Sarf London it is practically de rigeuer.

    Many thanks Kitty for the blog.

    1. Interestingly (worryingly?), ‘v’ or ‘f’ instead of ‘th’ has spread across the SE, at least as far as Sarfampton. (Southampton, I shd explain for those outside UK)
      As in Maffs instead of Maths.
      Also I a couple of years ago I watched a programme about pukka Army tailors and the young lad now in charge of the firm had a full Cockney accent, as opposed to his father and uncles. So it’s infectious.

  23. Dnf…

    13 minutes – but also put “Fall” for 1ac. In my mind, congregation could be interpreted as “falling-in”, although it’s probably a bit tenuous. The rest I enjoyed though.

    FOI – 1dn “Follow Up”
    LOI – 1ac “Fall” (incorrect)
    COD – 14ac “Program”

    Thanks as usual!

  24. Tricky! 19.38 and another who fell at FALL, though failure to parse should have alerted to the error. ZEUS was clever when the penny finally dropped. Likewise BREVE. Not come across that variant on Cockney-speak for clues before.

  25. Another FALLer at the first hurdle. Even when I saw the pink squares it took me a couple of minutes to see FOLD. I also hesitated over I or Y for COLLYWOBBLES, but luck was on my side. From LEVI to PEERAGES in 8,51 WOE. Thanks Teazel and Kitty.

  26. I was stuck so finished after 18 minutes with some biffs including FALL and MESS. To cap it all I had the colliwobbles.
    When you play golf, it’s a good idea to get rid of all your bad shots on one hole, particularly in matchplay.
    Let’s hope those are mine for the week.
    An excellent and challenging puzzle.
    COD to PROGRAM.
    David

  27. DNF

    Nothing too tricky, all done in 18 but with F_L_ meaning collapse I inexcusably biffed FALL and didn’t go back to check. It was PEERAGES and ZEUS that held me up longest.

    Edit: having read the rest of the comments I don’t feel so bad. It would appear the FALL trap has been doing a roaring trade today.

    Oh, and I fared better on the 15×15. Very approachable today, all done in 37.

  28. Yet another 1a Fall fail.
    4d Collywobbles; was worried it might be I rather than Y so checked, cheated indeed for a double DNF (DDNF?)
    POI 16a Breve, which meant short when the word was first coined so music must have got a lot faster?

  29. 6.20 WOE

    I took a moment at the end; squinted very hard and happily entered FALL (some nonsense to do with footfall). Whoops!

    Liked ZEUS

    Thanks all

  30. Good puzzle this one, got everything except Zeus which I can forgive myself for. While I am vaguely aware of the Suez crisis, I definitely could not have told you who was PM at the time. The historical references are often tricky for me.
    Alb was a new word for me but it was clear from the wordplay.
    Think Liverpudlians was my favourite.
    wasn’t going very quickly but under 30 mins is good for me.

  31. 13:03. I was puzzled for a while by DEWDROP as both dew and drop could be the “little condensation” and I hadn’t heard of the nose connection. When I just had the final S I thought the God could be Eros, Deus or Isis. It took a while for the Suez Crisis to pop into my brain.

  32. DNF ZEUS – what a great clue though, very gettable if only I’d had my thinking cap on… Otherwise fairly tricksy throughout but very enjoyable. Favourites were BREVE and DEWDROP (now I understand it – thanks kitty).

  33. Held up by the fold/Levi crossing and by Zeus. I eventually entered fall at ac although I couldn’t parse it. I couldn’t parse recital either (thanks Kitty). Managed to avoid putting mess at 18dn, although that was my first thought.

    FOI – 9ac TIE
    LOI – 18dn ZEUS
    COD – liked PROGRAM and ZEUS best

    Thanks to Teazel and Kitty

  34. Biffed MESS instead of ZEUS, not convinced I had the GK required to figure it out because I was sure I was looking for a synonym of Crisis. Otherwise was a fun puzzle which I completed with 1 error in 11mins

  35. Thanks, Halfdan. I had a go at the 15×15 and did it in 45 minutes approx.. It is really pretty straightforward, apart from a couple that needed biffing as NHO.

  36. 7:45

    Not the smoothest solve – ummed over FALL before thinking of FOLD; COLLI or COLLY?; LIVERPUDLIANS took a while to see. However, I’ve never heard of DEWDROP as being a drip on the end of one’s nose., so needed all checkers to confirm that. COD to ZEUS

    Thanks Kitty and Teazel

  37. Yet again with Teazel we found first ‘quick read’ sweep across brought little joy (tragically little in fact,
    only SCRAWLS and MEWS having rejected FALL) – then the same such sweep down brought much relief.
    Like Alex, we were unnecessarily slow on DINE.
    And BREVE? – ah! that kind of note – move over Julie Andrews.
    Himself jumped from Eden to SUEZ and I leapt from GOD to Zeus. Still we didn’t parse it but biffed it because it fitted…
    Now of course it is glaringly obvious . Great clue in OHO.
    24 enjoyable mid morning moments.

  38. An unparseable FALL, also, on 1a. Apart from that, a MER at ‘Cockney’ describing a V for TH substitution, but BREVE was obvious nevertheless. Good crossword.

  39. Unfortunately my FALL was also a fail – although very unsure about the parsing, I left the tentative entry as my final answer! Overall, it was a bit of a struggle. Although quite quick to start off, I dotted all over the place and was slowed down by DEWDROP, BREVE and – of course – FOLD. I did like the misdirection of Cockney pronunciation at 16a – where was the H we were meant to drop? I fink vat was very clever 😂 And yes, there are other parts of the country when people use F for TH and drop their Hs – here in Leicestershire for example, but it is particularly associated with east London, so not a problem for me. I also liked ZEUS a lot.
    DNF in 12:30 FOI Follow up COD Liverpudlians – what a terrific anagram, and fab surface too.
    Thanks Teazel and Kitty

  40. 16.09 I spent ages at the end on ZEUS (very nice) and FOLD. I couldn’t decide between FALL, FOLD and FILE but I eventually remembered the sheep connection. I’m surprised to find myself on the leaderboard. Thanks Kitty and Teazel.

  41. Failed on FOLD. Also had to look up Gods to biff LOI ZEUS but cnp. Oh, that Eden crisis. Arrgh, we had it before.
    Hard puzzle. Took ages to get going and ages to finish. Liked LIVERPUDLIANS, EASY LISTENING, COLLYWOBBLE.
    Got DEWDROP but can’t say I liked it. NHO ALB but it had to be.
    In haste….. Later, I see I also failed on PEERAGES. I was in a bit of a rush between dentist and Bridge ( game, not dental or over river).
    Thanks, Kitty. Blog much needed.

  42. Crisis involving PM Eden was a fair and lengthy history lesson today. Still don’t follow what abbreviation Kitty is referring to in her blog.

  43. 11:40 as I seem to be getting on the teaze’s wavelength a bit – but I forgot to fill in TIE! or maybe fat-fingered it away. I almost fell for FALL but thought again. Quite a few chuckles, and it was refreshing to find a Cockney not dropping aitches. Fine anagrams too, but COD to PROGRAM.

    Like Templar (to whom congratulations on the time), on the third churchy clue I started asking myself if Teazel and Izetti might be the same person.

    Thanks Teazel and Kitty.

    PS: the Big One is indeed very accessible today; I astonished myself by getting all green in just over 24 minutes.

  44. 15:06 here, although I had to reach for a dictionary to look up synonyms of “congregation”, being reasonably sure that “fall” wasn’t one. COD to LIVERPUDLIANS, where I was another one looking for the name of a cocktail.

    Thanks to Teazel and Kitty.

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