This blog was bunged together in haste as Macavity is running late at hospital and requested assitance. Given the limited time available to me I have not been able to include the clues but I hope it’s clear enough without. If not, please don’t hesitate to raise queries. I took 11 minutes to complete this and I reckon it’s the third consecutive Quickie that has contained one or two quite tricky clues. There are a few gimmes as well though so we’ll see what others make of it.
Definitions {Deletions} [Indicators]
|
Across |
|
|---|---|
| 1 | REALLY – RE (again), ALLY (come together). Definition: Genuinely |
| 4 | ADROIT – Anagram [broadcast] of RADIO, T (time). Definition: Skilful |
| 9 | SLENDER – S (small), LENDER (mortgage provider): Definition: Barely sufficient |
| 10 | NIECE – {piec}E inside [found in] NICE (Riviera spot). Definition: Relative |
| 11 | REAR – R (right), EAR. Definition: Bottom. I did a double take on this, not believing it could be so simple! |
| 12 | CLAMBAKE – CAKE (muffiin perhaps) outside LAMB (meat). Definition: American picnic |
| 14 | LET OFF STEAM – LE (the French), TOFFS (aristocrats), TEAM (XI). Definition: Work off a lot of energy |
| 18 | ROCKETRY – ROCK (shock), E (European, TRY (test). Definition: Missile technology |
| 20 | IRON – Double definition: (i) What’s used for pressing (ii) Metal |
| 22 | DRAMA – DRAM (small drink), A. Definition: Show |
| 23 | TEASING – TEA (drink), SING (chorus). Definition: Sending up |
| 24 | TENDED – Hidden in {wes}T END ED{ifices. Definition: Looked after |
| 25 | ATTEST – A literal defintion: Confirm, and one sort of cryptic: Where to see England bat against India? AT TEST. |
|
Down |
|
| 12 | RESORT – RE (once more), SORT (arrange). Definition: Place for a holiday |
| 2 | AVERAGE – AVER (state), AGE (qualification for pension?). Definition: Mean |
| 3 | LADY – LAY (not professional) encloses [grabbing] D (diamonds). Definition: Woman |
| 5 | DYNAMITE – Anagram [reposition] of ANY TIMED. Definition: Explosive |
| 6 | OPERA – OP (work), ERA (a long time). The defintion is probably the whole clue: Musical work taking a long time? or it could be taken as Musical work with ‘work’ doing double duty. I wondered if it might simply be Musical leaving the remainder free for wordplay but I don’t think it fits,even allowing for the question mark. |
| 7 | THEMED – THE MED (sea around Malta). Definition: Given a distinctive setting |
| 8 | PROLIFERATE – PRO-LIFE (anti-abortion), RATE (judge). Definition: cause to reproduce |
| 13 | MODERATE – Anagram [in revolution] of DEAR TO ME. Definition: No extremist |
| 15 | AIRLINE – Two defintions (i) What’s used to inflate tyres , (ii) Plane operator |
| 16 | CREDIT – Anagram (change) of DIRECT. Definition: Received payment. I’m taking this as a compund noun (if that’s the correct terminolgy). |
| 17 | KNIGHT – K (king), NIGH (near), T{rapped}. Definition: chess piece |
| 19 | CHAIN – CHA (tea), IN, Definition: number of similar hotels |
| 21 | TACT – First letters [heads] of T{urkish}, A{mbassadors}, C{langer}, T{hrough}. Defintion: Diplomatic skill |
I also hesitated before putting in REAR wondering whether I was missing something.
Thanks for the blog Jack.
Like rubeclaw above I thought knight was some sort of anagram of king so thanks for the clarification and for stepping in at short notice.