I felt I was rather slow on this one so I was surprised to find only 11 minutes on the clock as I completed the grid. I know what Mara is capable of when he sets as Paul for The Guardian so I think he’s met the QC brief rather well without going to the easiest end of the spectrum.
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 now use a tilde sign ~ to indicate an insertion point in containment clues. I usually omit all reference to juxtaposition indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.
 Across |
|
| 1 | Spent, part of trade surplus returned (4) |
| USED | |
| Hidden [part of] and reversed [returned] in {tra}DE SU{rplus} | |
| 4 | Tries sad novel, tragedy (8) |
| DISASTER | |
| Anagram [novel] of TRIES SAD | |
| 8 | Country bid and Macao worried (8) |
| CAMBODIA | |
| Anagram [worried] of BID MACAO | |
| 9 | Initially offer another terribly harsh word (4) |
| OATH | |
| O{ffer} + A{nother} + T{erribly} + H{arsh}. ‘Harsh’ is needed for wordplay but also adds a little nudge of support to the very loose definition. | |
| 10 | A bird occupied in a particular way (2,2) |
| AT IT | |
| A, TIT (bird) | |
| 11 | A large number of people trapping a pig in wood (8) |
| MAHOGANY | |
| M~ANY (a large number of people) containing [trapping] A + HOG (pig) in wood | |
| 12 | Moderate hissy fit (6) |
| TEMPER | |
| Two meanings | |
| 14 | Number I get in New York (6) |
| NINETY | |
| I + NET (get) contained by [in] N~Y (New York) | |
| 16 | Very old goat seen cavorting (5-3) |
| STONE-AGE | |
| Anagram [cavorting] of GOAT SEEN | |
| 18 | A number doing U-turn in alliance (4) |
| AXIS | |
| A, then SIX (number) reversed [doing U-turn]. We refer to the ‘axis powers’ in WWII. | |
| 19 | Available money is about right (4) |
| FREE | |
| F~EE (money) contains [is about] R (right) | |
| 20 | How photographer might appear very quickly? (2,1,5) |
| IN A FLASH | |
| A cryptic hint precedes the main definition | |
| 22 | One stolen in theft, or different ruby (8) |
| FORTIETH | |
| I (one) contained by [stolen in] anagram [different] of THEFT OR. 40th wedding anniversary. Many thanks to Paul in London for correcting part of my original parsing. | |
| 23 | Thus ending in barley, a protein (4) |
| SOYA | |
| SO (thus), {barle}Y [ending in…], A | |
| Down |
|
| 2 | Resting place let out in US city (7) |
| SEATTLE | |
| SEAT (resting place), anagram [out] of LET | |
| 3 | Case for defence, except in first appearance (5) |
| DEBUT | |
| D{efenc}E [case for…], BUT (except) | |
| 4 | Short bloke’s failure (3) |
| DUD | |
| DUD{e} (bloke) [short]. I have revised the parsing in the light of early comments below. I originally had this as two definitions, reasoning that ‘Dud’ is an official abbreviation of Dudley, hence ‘short bloke’. I’m aware of ‘dude’ having specific meanings, but using it as a general term for a man is not within my vocabulary. | |
| 5 | Transformation in the main? (3,6) |
| SEA CHANGE | |
| Cryptic | |
| 6 | Legion’s brewed alcoholic drink (4,3) |
| SLOE GIN | |
| Anagram [brewed] of LEGION’S | |
| 7 | Groom, after doffing cap, taken down (5) |
| EATEN | |
| {n}EATEN (groom) [after doffing cap] | |
| 11 | Spread name in bad marriage (9) |
| MARGARINE | |
| N (name) contained by [in] anagram [bad] of MARRIAGE | |
| 13 | Strong man of wordplay? (7) |
| PUNGENT | |
| PUN GENT (man of wordplay) | |
| 15 | Figure squeezing last of towels dry (7) |
| THIRSTY | |
| THIR~TY (figure) containing [squeezing] {towel}S [last of …] | |
| 17 | Trunk with roots chopped up (5) |
| TORSO | |
| Anagram [chopped up] of ROOTS | |
| 18 | Geographical reference finally abridged (5) |
| ATLAS | |
| AT LAS{t} (finally) [abridged] | |
| 21 | Pipe down below article remains (3) |
| ASH | |
| A (indefinite article), SH (pipe down – be quiet] | |
A disastrous start to the week for me, failing to get AXIS, PUNGENT and FORTIETH. Nowhere near any of them despite having all the checkers, and after five minutes of no progress I gave up. Fingers crossed for a better performance tomorrow.
Thank you for the blog!
An about on par 12:54 here but perhaps more than a minute of that was spent trying to work out the missing initial letter in EATEN and staring perplexedly at FORTIETH and wondering why removing an ‘I’ from IN THEFT OR didn’t get you there. We eventually concluded that one must just refer to any one, that being N. Rather slow also with the crossing of POI THIRSTY and LOI AXIS. COD PUNGENT. Thanks, Jack and Mara.
A mostly gentle bank holiday QC. I was slowed by PUNGENT, FORTIETH and my LOI which required a long alphabet trawl AXIS. 7:43 and now off to enjoy the sunshine. Thanks Jack
Mara, my new nemesis, took me into the Club today where the company is excellent. 21:47, with alphabet trawls needed for AXIS and FREE, inability to see nEATEN for “groom”, a brain freeze at PUNGENT (haha), and a complete blank for the longest time at FORTIETH — who remembers these stupid gemstone advertising ploys for anniversaries anyway? (Thus speaks the disgruntled solver.)
Liked the old goat best. I did not think OATH was a loose definition; “I give you my word.”
Thanks to Mara and jackkt.
My thanks to Mara and jackkt. Lots of numerals. Unusual. Overall quite a hard quickie.
14a Ninety. I was surprised that we had to swap get for net in the wordplay; there was no hint, and at first I thought there was an error. But no.
LOI 18a Axis. Very good!
7d Eaten. Used Cheating Machine to find that Neaten (groom) was what we behead.
I think I get becomes ‘I net’, as in netting a prize, sat in NY for the Big Apple.
I’ve heard people say they net e.g. so much money per month when referring to their salary after tax and other deductions.
Approximately 10.00.
16:31, add me to the set of people with NATO for 18ac (approximate thought process: “well, it’s A TON with the N cycling back to the start, that could be a u-turn, perhaps”). Fortunately the crossers didn’t work, so I had to rethink that. COD to PUNGENT.
Thanks to Mara and Jackkt.
Stuck on FORTIETH, silly I had the right letters, though our own one was many years ago. The T gave me the last letter of the ‘man of wordplay’ as ‘PUN-IEST’, he must have been a very good punner/ist if not a strong person! I did like PUN-GENT when I turned to this Blog. How long did I take, well with time for coffee, lunch, a walk, and the solving, quite long. I learnt early with the QC, which I began in its earliest days, that aiming to be quick is not for me. But I do enjoy the puzzles and I’m very grateful for this daily fun.. I imagine that others feel the same. I have never been quite sure why anyone would want to class themselves as a slow-coach. Actually long ago as a beginner I found the whole idea rather off-putting, did this QC thing really want to have me here or not? As a gentle thought might the particular SCC shorthand be quietly dropped. I know it continues to appear in comments but many others simply say how long they took, 31.5 minutes or any other time, and new solvers could just feel a bit more welcome. Sorry to go on a bit, and I have just re-registered with a colourful photo byline.
… or I thought I had, that’s still the old photo!
Hi, I really think you are over reading the ‘slow’ part of the SCC. I’m sure that it was originally just a tongue in cheek response to the really fast times of Kevin et al. When all said and done, 20mins is still a very respectable time, but as you yourself note the enjoyment comes from the challenge, and sometimes even just finishing is reward enough.
PS I’ve always thought of the SCC as a vehicle (both senses), rather than just a stuffy club room. Hence the ‘slowness’ is to allow travellers to appreciate the journey, the scenery and the company of others 😉
Indeed, the Glossary states “SCC – The acronym for the Slow Coach Club, a name the less speedy solvers of the Quickie have made up for themselves. Some are permanently resigned to their fate. Others hope to improve and join the speedsters, not realising that speed isn’t important. See also Kevin.”
I love that the slower solvers created their own exclusive club which prohibits access to the faster solvers unless they are willing to lower their standards. I was a regular visitor for my first few years of solving and it’s always a pleasure to pop in and see familiar faces when the solving brain isn’t quite on track.
Completed with a little help, thanks Mara.
DNF for me, giving up after 30 minures. I never got FORTIETH. Like others I assumed stolen = take out.
I also assumed 7d was EATEN without knowing why (parsing).
And surprised by “think of a number” occurring several times.
Like some others, FORTIETH (Ruby) floored me. And as a result I failed to get PUNGENT. 2 down, but all the rest went in nicely in about 15 minutes. My first for a while (I’ve been campaigning against a dreadful quarry application) and most enjoyable – it’s good to be back!
Stuck at the end on TEMPER/PUNGENT but worked it out eventually. Lots of number clues which seemed a bit like hard work! COD PUN GENT. Many thanks both.
14 mins…
Only just got around to writing this after a pleasant completion at a cafe this morning in Bath. I was also surprised at my time, as there were some tricky clues in the bottom half. Not sure the photographer in 20ac would appear in a flash – the subject may be lit by it, but the photographer is more likely to be obscured by it.
FOI – 1ac “Used”
LOI – 22ac “Fortieth”
COD – 13dn “Pungent”
Thanks as usual!
Mostly done quite quickly, but held up by FORTIETH (COD?), FREE and TEMPER.
Just over 20 minutes needed.
15 mins.
Failed by 2 letters on 15 x 15. Over an hour in this, which has a very easy Snitch rating. Hmm.
Thanks for the blog.
Struggled with a couple EATEN – THIRSTY, not even close to a biff
Got fortieth because my wife and I just had our 40th anniversary and I gave her ruby earrings. Glad I stay married!
My friend celebrates his 30th (Pearl) this week – I suggested he gives his wife a necklace 😏
Saved this one for this morning. Speedy start, then got bogged down, so walked away and came back to see the light finally spotting that initially in 9 across applied to more than just the O.
FOI used
LOI eaten
COD goes to the cavorting old goat
thanks Mara and Jack
If Mara is indeed Paul who sets for Guardian,I’m shocked.This is really quite easy compared to the horrendous cryptic Paul set on Thursday’s cryptic at Guardian.