15 minutes. I lost time on 4dn as my LOI, failing for too long to think of something that lets off steam, and also on the wordplay at 3dn where I missed the answer was an anagram.
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]. “Aural wordplay” is in quotation marks. I usually omit all reference to juxtaposition indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.
 Across |
|
| 1 | They help one see exact requirements (5) |
| SPECS | |
| Two meanings | |
| 4 | Source of information beginning to embarrass Secret Intelligence Service (7) |
| GENESIS | |
| GEN (information), E{mbarrass} [beginning], SIS (Secret Intelligence Service aka MI6) | |
| 8 | Somehow makes it slip (7) |
| MISTAKE | |
| Anagram [somehow] of MAKES IT | |
| 9 | Soldier nicking £1000 coat (5) |
| PARKA | |
| PARA (soldier) containing [nicking] K (£1000) | |
| 10 | The orator’s curious complaint (4,6) |
| SORE THROAT | |
| Anagram [curious] of THE ORATOR’S. I’m not quite sure of ‘curious’ as anagrind, but it’s on the Chambers list. |
|
| 14 | A number accommodated in hotel eventually (6) |
| ELEVEN | |
| Hidden [accommodated] in {hot}EL EVEN{tually} | |
| 15 | Tree-lined street, a place for musicians to perform (6) |
| AVENUE | |
| A, VENUE (place for musicians to perform) | |
| 17 | Occasion giving you a terrible shock? (3,4,3) |
| BAD HAIR DAY | |
| Cryptic. POD: shock – an unkempt or thick mass of hair. | |
| 20 | Sign of tooth decay initially ignored (5) |
| ARIES | |
| {c}ARIES (sign of tooth decay) [initially ignored] | |
| 22 | Maybe bitter about situation, as Peter was? (7) |
| APOSTLE | |
| ALE (maybe bitter) containing [about] POST (situation) | |
| 23 | Film that is tough on daughter (3,4) |
| DIE HARD | |
| D (daughter), IE (that is), HARD (tough) | |
| 24 | An article of faith, one way or another (5) |
| TENET | |
| The definition is supported by an indication that the answer is a palindrome | |
| Down |
|
| 1 | More than one problem for the auditor (4) |
| SOME | |
| Aural wordplay [for the auditor]: “Sum” (problem) | |
| 2 | For peace of mind, stop leaving Charlie out (4) |
| EASE | |
| {c}EASE (stop) [leaving Charlie out] | |
| 3 | Revised content of book appears in TV programme (4,5) |
| SOAP OPERA | |
| Anagram [revised] of {b}OO{k} [content of…] APPEARS | |
| 4 | Chap that lets off steam on the radio (6) |
| GEEZER | |
| Aural wordplay [on the radio]: “geyser” (something that lets off steam) | |
| 5 | Pin-up shot (3) |
| NIP | |
| PIN reversed [up]. For example a shot or nip of whisky. | |
| 6 | University in Bern soon rebuilt (8) |
| SORBONNE | |
| Anagram [rebuilt] of BERN SOON. The University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970). | |
| 7 | In state of shock, began to grab line (8) |
| STARTLED | |
| STARTED (began) containing [to grab] L (line) | |
| 11 | Attack and eat a ruminant (4,1,2,2) |
| HAVE A GO AT | |
| HAVE A GOAT (eat a ruminant) | |
| 12 | Important company directors enter data with this? (8) |
| KEYBOARD | |
| KEY (important), BOARD (company directors) | |
| 13 | Important date in boring profession (8) |
| DEADLINE | |
| DEAD (boring), LINE (profession) | |
| 16 | Job Elizabeth II performed dutifully at first (6) |
| ERRAND | |
| ER (Elizabeth II), RAN (performed), D{utifully} [at first] | |
| 18 | School register returned (4) |
| ETON | |
| NOTE (register) reversed [returned] | |
| 19 | Prospective MP wants this car (4) |
| SEAT | |
| A hint precedes the main definition, the Spanish car manufacturer. | |
| 21 | Reportedly catch sight of ocean (3) |
| SEA | |
| Aural wordplay [reportedly]: “see” (catch sight) | |
Long slog over several sessions, and all in at the end. Nothing that I thought was unreasonable.
I am also of the opinion that the QCs are getting harder, but I dont think the individual clues are. Its the mixture. I just had a quick check to book 1 which c0vers about the first 400 Qc’s and the mix there seems to be about 25% very easy, 25% quite easy, 1 or 2 requiring real thought, and the rest inbetween. Now very easy’s occur rarely (only Avenue in this one I think), and perhaps a third fall into the head-scratching area.
All enjoyable today though, and well worth the effort for the delightful 10 & 17 A and 11 D.
Many thanks to Setter and Blogger.
I’ve been recording my results for the books.
– Book 1 (2014) – autumn/winter 2023 – median time 24:57
– Book2 (2015) – Spring/summer 2024 – 14:32
– Book3 (2016) – autumn/winter 2024 – 13:04
– Book 4 (2017) – since Xmas 2024 – median of first 56 puzzles – 11:31
2024 median for all 300+ QCs – 18:16
2025 median so far – 16:43
Unsurprisingly I’ve got better as I’ve become a better solver having only started three years ago.
The only thing I would say against the old puzzles is that they are a selection of the year’s puzzles; not the entirety – so it might be cherrypicking ‘better’ puzzles. Occasionally I’ve see clues in them which differ from what the TfTT blog shows.
Off the subject somewhat – sometimes my name appears as “Ham” and sometimes as my full name, my picture used to appear but doesn’t any more?
No photo suggests you’re probably logged out and it’s autofilling the Username boxes from a previous occasion
As ND suggests, check you are logged in. If that doesn’t remedy the problem, please raise a query using Contact Us (via the Help menu) and someone will look into it for you.
Total nightmare!
35 minute DNF as I put SUMS instead of SOME. Bad mistake.
Another week blown to bits. Awful.
PS Completed 15 x 15, but any sense of achievement disappeared when I saw from the blog that it was a glorified QC (which the Snitch confirms).
Like many others apparently, started fast, slowed down, took 15 minutes
Shot through this but had a BAD HAIR DAY and missed the DEADLINE for a PB those two accounting for 80% of my time. Pleased to see others also struggled. My son was at the dentist today where the word caries came up which helped with that tricky one. Had a bit of De Ja Vu with AVENUE.
I quite enjoyed that puzzle. A lot of good clues and some cruel misdirection for a Quick Cryptic. It could have easily gone in the main slot:
Lots of favourites but : SORE THROAT, HAVE A GO AT, KEYBOARD, SEAT and DIE HARD were today’s winners for me.
Thanks blogger and setter.
14:45. Most went in without too much trouble but DEADLINE and ERRAND held me up ages.
DNF – Spent an hour trying to get DEADLINE.
Totally above my pay grade of cryptic solving.
I would never guess that boring = dead and profession = line.
Maybe Bertie Wooster would have spoken like that – “It’s awfully dead in here, what’s your line of business old boy”.
Not even an “important” date – it’s a limit.
Ah well, apart from that enjoyed it.
Thanks for explaining as ever…
Didn’t get to do this yesterday as I spent five hours in the hospital’s eye department (all is now fine). Tried it this evening and quit after 25 minutes with DEADLINE unsolved, but I seem to be in good company there.
Thank you for the blog!