Hello all, and welcome to Loon. I really enjoyed this debut, finding a little more cryptic cunning on display than on some Mondays, but not enough to extend my time too much: I still took a little under my average time for a QC. My favourite clue was 12a, CUTS A DASH, with an honourable mention to the cold body part in 2d. Thanks Loon!
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 | Attractive tailless insect approaching (8) |
| BECOMING — Without its last letter (tailless) BEe (insect) + COMING (approaching) | |
| 5a | When initially in space, stare open-mouthed (4) |
| GAWP — The first letter of (… initially) When in GAP (space) | |
| 9a | Ignoring its tip, earth’s spherical (5) |
| ROUND — Omitting its initial letter (ignoring its tip), gROUND (earth) | |
| 10a | That woman’s family is after good food to pickle (7) |
| GHERKIN — HER KIN (that woman’s family) is after G (good) | |
| 11a | Badger or horse? (3) |
| NAG — Two definitions | |
| 12a | Chopped down tree has striking appearance (4,1,4) |
| CUTS A DASH — CUT (chopped) + SAD (down) + ASH (tree) | |
| 13a | Group of workers search engine pipes? (6) |
| TUBING — TU (group of workers) + BING (search engine) | |
| 15a | Marshy area ahead of the German guard (6) |
| FENDER — FEN (marshy area) preceding (ahead of) DER (the German) | |
| 17a | Most despicable taxi drivers blocking street (9) |
| SCABBIEST — CABBIES (taxi drivers) inside (blocking) ST (street) | |
| 19a | Biblical character’s task (3) |
| JOB — Two definitions | |
| 20a | Famous Italian goalie tumbles across line (7) |
| GALILEO — GOALIE is anagrammed (tumbles) around (across) L (line) | |
| 21a | Old French wine, the ultimate for entrée like lamb? (5) |
| OVINE — O (old) + VIN (French wine) + the last letter of (the ultimate for) entréE | |
| 22a | Regretted offensive broadcast (4) |
| RUED — RUDE (offensive), as heard (broadcast) | |
| 23a | Manufactured clash, yet in a restrained way (8) |
| CHASTELY — An anagram of (manufactured) CLASH, YET | |
| Down | |
| 1d | Aristocrat open-minded at first visiting London borough (7) |
| BARONET — The initial letter of (… at first) Open-minded entering (visiting) BARNET (London borough) | |
| 2d | Clutched cold body part (5) |
| CLUNG — C (cold) + LUNG (body part) | |
| 3d | CID men liable to break training equipment (8,4) |
| MEDICINE BALL — CID MEN LIABLE to be anagrammed (to break) | |
| 4d | Almost time when stars are visible (5) |
| NIGHT — NIGH (almost) + T (time) | |
| 6d | Difficult week, Grant admits (7) |
| AWKWARD — WK (week), which AWARD (grant) takes in (admits) | |
| 7d | Contribution to hardship in Chelmsford nick (5) |
| PINCH — A part of (contribution to) hardshiP IN CHelmsford | |
| 8d | Months ago, trainees resolved situation with three involved (6,1,5) |
| MÉNAGE À TROIS — M (months) + an anagram of (… resolved) AGO, TRAINEES | |
| 14d | Raised details intended to make Reading more accessible? (7) |
| BRAILLE — A cryptic definition | |
| 16d | Flexible like part of bridge? (7) |
| RUBBERY — A series of (usually) three games in the game of bridge is a rubber, so whimsically something akin to this could be described as RUBBERY | |
| 17d | Tease American about sweetener in tea? (5) |
| SUGAR — RAG (tease) and US (American) backwards (about) | |
| 18d | Making a comeback, survive hard period (5) |
| EPOCH — In reverse (making a comeback) COPE (survive) + H (hard) | |
| 19d | Drink most of pitcher — very cold water (5) |
| JUICE — Most of JUg (pitcher) + ICE (very cold water) | |
Yes it was all there, but. RUBBERY requires some imagination, ROUND could be ‘Rotund’ without the ‘T’, CLUNG equals ‘Clutched’, OVINE on a restaurant menu, ‘Bing’ for a search not me, it’s quite fun having a moan! Happy to finish, please don’t take offence. Good luck Loon.
Welcome Loon… I anticipated this would be tricky, especially with a new Setter. My fears were not really justified once I saw 1a and 1d straight off. That foothold proved useful. Struggled a bit for the first three letters of FENder – I associate this term with North America. I only use it when singing (well, that’s what I call it):
“I tied them to my fender
and got them home somehow
two game wardens, seven hunters and a cow”… thanks to the blessed Tom Lehrer
I was beginning to suspect Loon as a Canadian, but now having to have second thoughts with 1d.
FOI 1a Becoming
LOI 13a Tubing – bifd, but now see it
COD 20a Galileo
I also enjoyed Loon’s debut – it was a nice mix of user-friendly and a bit more challenging. I do like a GHERKIN, and thanks go to CO for the etymology 😊 What with it being Halloween in a day or two I’ve got a couple of gourds / pumpkins ready for carving – I’m now going to search (not on Bing) for their roots, so to speak 😅
I liked MEDICINE BALL, TUBING and BRAILLE.
12:35 FOI Gawp LOI Menage a trois COD Galileo
Thanks Loon and Kitty
Welcome Loon! I enjoyed your first puzzle which seemed perfectly pitched as a QC. Look forward to seeing more from you.
Thanks Kitty for the blog.
No such a Yank as I would know cuts a dash!
A little tricky but very pleasant. Didn’t know the bridge reference but answer was obvious. Didn’t know cuts a dash, but I know of people being said to cut a striking figure or similar, luckily though of sad for down otherwise could easily have got stuck there.
Though I didn’t finish it, this was an enjoyable puzzle. COD goes to BRAILLE for me. Thanks for the blog 😁
8 minutes, but my day was ruined by a stupid error on the 15 x 15, which I failed by one letter! Even more annoyingly, I had the correct answer and then changed it. Very silly.
Spent 2 hours on ST puzzle yesterday and got about 3/4. Not sure what to make of that.
8:00 – just enough toughitude to take it out of biff-fest but retain the character of a QC. Great debut.
Enjoyable challenge which came together after correcting my job lot mix up. Convinced myself that pin was somehow a contribution to hardship as I failed to spot the hidden.
FOI medicine ball
LOI rubbery
COD rued
Thanks Loon and Kitty