Hi all. Apologies for brevity, but I’m pushed for time today. Thanks to Alex for an enjoyable puzzle as usual. I’ll be interested to hear how you all got on.
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 | Flotsam she spread is immeasurable (10) |
| FATHOMLESS — FLOTSAM SHE anagrammed (spread) | |
| 8a | Widen path through Scottish mountain (7) |
| BROADEN — ROAD (path) in (through) BEN (Scottish mountain) | |
| 9a | Climbing plant conceals yellow and off-white colour (5) |
| IVORY — IVY (climbing plant) surrounds (conceals) OR (yellow, in heraldry) | |
| 10a | Animal missing first point (4) |
| EAST — Missing its first letter, bEAST (animal) | |
| 11a | Monkey and rodent crossing southeast (8) |
| MARMOSET — MARMOT (rodent) around (crossing) SE (southeast) | |
| 13a | Sign leads to very innovative research effort (5) |
| VIRGO — The initial letters of (leads to) Very Innovative Research + GO (effort) | |
| 14a | Last piece of short, red string (5) |
| TWINE — The final letter of (last piece of) shorT + WINE (red) | |
| 16a | Cold traitor caught wearing throw is itchy (8) |
| SCRATCHY — C (cold), RAT (traitor) and C (caught) in (wearing) SHY (throw) | |
| 17a | Stop British dig (4) |
| BARB — BAR (stop) + B (British) | |
| 20a | Experience discrimination (5) |
| TASTE — A double definition | |
| 21a | Needing monarch behind the French crown primarily (7) |
| LACKING — KING (monarch) following (behind) LA (the, French) and Crown primarily | |
| 22a | Help fool with one policy (10) |
| ASSISTANCE — ASS (fool) + I (one) + STANCE (policy) | |
| Down | |
| 1d | Fellow with clever story (5) |
| FABLE — F (Fellow) + ABLE (clever) | |
| 2d | Super resorts arranged garment care facility (7,5) |
| TROUSER PRESS — SUPER RESORTS anagrammed (arranged) | |
| 3d | Extra second chances (4) |
| ODDS — ODD (extra) + S (second) | |
| 4d | Secure gold carriage (6) |
| LANDAU — LAND (secure) + AU (gold) | |
| 5d | Singular joint partner is fellow sailor (8) |
| SHIPMATE — S (singular) + HIP (joint) + MATE (partner) | |
| 6d | Cause of blockage action points fixed (12) |
| CONSTIPATION — An anagram of (… fixed) ACTION POINTS | |
| 7d | Attempt to split tree around shrub (6) |
| MYRTLE — TRY (attempt) going inside (to split) ELM (tree) all reversed (around) | |
| 12d | Secure location in favour of lock (8) |
| FORTRESS — FOR (in favour of) + TRESS (lock, of hair) | |
| 13d | Calls on six models (6) |
| VISITS — VI (six) + SITS (models) | |
| 15d | Make cold starter for Indian meal with lots of spice (6) |
| CHILLI — CHILL (make cold) + the first letter of (starter for) Indian | |
| 18d | Problem with the French instrument (5) |
| BUGLE — BUG (problem) + LE (the, French) | |
| 19d | Edinburgh native in small bed (4) |
| SCOT — S (small) + COT (bed) | |
My anagramming powers (such as they are) have waned during my recent holiday, but I managed to finish this in 15:32, held up mainly by BARB and MYRTLE. I’ve vaguely heard of the latter but couldn’t have told you that it was a shrub, botany being among my increasingly long list of shortcomings.
Thank you for the blog!
21.50 Hello to others in the SCC. Better time than expected given our first entry was 13D VISITS.
On reflection (and aided by the blog) there was little there to warrant our pain. Red > wine..we missed that… slow on SCRATCHY – shy and coconut shy>throw took a while to come.. a ‘post parse’ arrival in fact..and we join the ODD brigade. Overall, we were not on the same wavelength as Alex.
Many clever clues … just not, in our case, clever solvers.
Thanks to Kitty and to Alex.
28 minutes. The usual nightmare performance and a mile behind those I am in competition with.
I just don’t get this at all. I look at the times of the solvers I was once on a par with and ask myself what they have that I don’t. Talent? Mental dexterity? Superior intellect? Now I’m being beaten by relatively new solvers who clearly possess the skill set which I lack.
Solved 15 x 15, but doubtless the Snitch – when I check – will be so low as to render this no kind of achievement at all. ☹️
PS: Yes, thought so. Now I’m frankly embarrassed at taking 34 minutes to solve the 15 x 15. Easier than many QCs perhaps?
Me too: odds = extra? I’m still not entirely convinced.
Myrtle is a lovely shrub, late flowering and with beautifully aromatic leaves. I’ve tried taking cuttings but no success yet.
A nice start to the week – hope it continues that way!
8:19 FOI Broaden LOI Barb COD Fathomless
Thanks Alex and Kitty
I agree about the 15×15 – a 17 minute solve today 😊
absolutely horrible for a Monday. couldn’t do most of it.