Times Quick Cryptic 620 by Mara

Author   jackktPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic
I needed 14 minutes to complete this one and have to say I found it quite hard, though looking back on it when blogging I am unable to explain why. There’s one possibly unfamiliar answer at 10dn but it’s word I happen to know and it didn’t delay me. I guess I just wasn’t on the same wavelength as the setter. Here’s my blog…

 As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]

1 Rapacious government leader, shrill (6)
GREEDY – G{overnment} [leader], REEDY (shrill). I wasn’t sure about reedy for shrill but the usual sources confirm it’s fine.
4 Funny thing adding yellowish-white to scarlet, initially (6)
SCREAM – S{carlet} [initially], CREAM (yellowish-white)
9 Unfolding map, conclude it is simple (13)
UNCOMPLICATED – Anagram [unfolding] of  MAP CONCLUDE IT
10 Spoil the planet, endlessly (3)
MAR – MAR{s} (planet) [endlessly]
11 Frightening experience with dark horse (9)
NIGHTMARE – NIGHT (dark), MARE (horse)
12 Turn right before old gallery (6)
ROTATE – R (right), O (old), TATE (gallery – in London)
13 In Bognor, I’m in interesting seaside resort (6)
RIMINI – Hidden in {Bogno}R I’M IN I{nteresting}
16 Drew a stretch of land surrounded by Heath (9)
ATTRACTED – A, then TRACT (stretch of land) contained [surrounded] by TED (Heath – former UK PM)
18 Potato, carrot, broccoli, spinach and cabbage — five, say (3)
VEG – V (five – Roman), E.G. (say).  Five examples by way of definition.
19 Conference atop Everest, perhaps? (6,7)
SUMMIT MEETING – Cryptic definition
21 Loop that’s circling is coming up (6)
RISING – RING (loop) containing [circling] IS
22 Climb a trail (6)
ASCENT – A, SCENT (trail)
Down
1 Antelope starts to get nervous, uneasy (3)
GNU – First letters of [starts to] G{et}, N{ervous}, U{neasy}. Pronounced “Noo” until Flanders and Swan came along and sounded the G.
2 Only part of a book, but containing relevant introduction (7)
EXCERPT – EXCEPT (but) containing R{elevant} [introduction]
3 March day in Dorset ain’t bad (13)
DEMONSTRATION – MON (day) in anagram [bad] of DORSET AINT
5 Formal kit sold as cricket bats (8,5)
COCKTAIL DRESS – Anagram [bats] of SOLD AS CRICKET
6 More old paintings put up (5)
EXTRA – EX (old), ART (paintings) reversed [put up]
7 Demanding cryptic, irksome (9)
MADDENING – Anagram [cryptic] of DEMANDING. I don’t recall ever seeing “cryptic” used as an anagrind before, and I’m intrigued to discover that it’s not on the list of hundreds of examples in Chambers Crossword Companion.
8 Bullets for the pests! (5)
SLUGS – Two definitions
10 Spread germs near duck (9)
MERGANSER – Anagram [spread] of GERMS NEAR – a word I  learnt long ago in Crosswordland that I suspect may not be familiar to many newbies
14 Bill that’s popular, say (7)
INVOICE – IN (popular), VOICE (say)
15 Remainder of a tree / puzzle (5)
STUMP – Two definitions
17 Various items for paper (5)
TIMES – Anagram [various] of ITEMS
20 Food processor, where small vessel up-ended (3)
GUT – TUG (small vessel) reversed [up-ended]

19 comments on “Times Quick Cryptic 620 by Mara”

  1. 10 dn MERGANSER was in all the bird-spotting books – I only see them these days in ‘Crosswordland’. The common merganser – mergus merganser (the diving goose or goosander) was noted by Pliny!

    In at 8.37 – I think Jack wasn’t quite at his usual best – I don’t envy you the Monday blog.

    COD 7dn MADDENING

    horryd Shanghai

  2. Fairly straightforward puzzle, although as Jack notes, ‘cryptic’ as anagrind seemed new (and I guess, was). No problem with MERGANSER, although I don’t think I’ve ever seen one. 5:11.
  3. I seem to remember ‘cryptic’ as an anagrind but don’t remember merganser. The duck clue along with several others needed some processing – so I found this rather like Jack – and took one extra minute to prove it!
  4. So I got as far as a duck and an anagram with all checkers. Googled MARGENSER, and confidently placed it in, based on enough mis-spellings from illiterate twitchers. This gave rise to EXTRACTED, rather than ATTRACTED. So DNF.
    1. I remember once getting shafted on a puzzle whose theme was the periodic table – of the umpteen periodic tables that showed up on Google Images, I unerringly picked out one that contained multiple errors. This only became apparent after many hours of thwarted solving.
  5. How appropriate that the one clue that really perplexed me the most, and hence my LOI, was 15d.
    I last saw a merganser over 30 years ago in North Wales. Come to think of it, it’s the only one I’ve ever seen.
  6. 6’29” today, after a PB on the 15×15 – try it. For some reason today the long down answers needed lots of crossers – I have never worn a cocktail dress but on the other hand have been on many demonstrations.
  8. I found this to be a very gentle start to the week and completed it in 14 minutes. The only slight hold ups were figuring out what order to put the remaining letters into 10d once all the checkers were in place and 2d, my LOI, where I had a brief brain freeze.
  9. I find Mara taxes the mind more than most other setters. But with a bit of attention and thinking things through, the clues do eventually resolve themselves. What you want from a puzzle!

    Two sittings, about 25 mins, LOI 2d, several unparsed.

    Thanks Mara and jackkt.

  10. Found this at the easier end of the spectrum. Maybe the cooler weather helped.
    Might try the grown up one today after robrolfe’s comment!
  11. The merganser was featured on Tweet of the day this morning on Radio 4. Early birds capture 10 dn!
  12. A slow start for me, but then the RHS fell into place, and things then got easier. Needed all the checkers for the unknown duck. Invariant
  13. Found this very easy but loved some of the clues. My COD to 5d with its lovely surface. Interesting last 3 across clues all with a similar theme. Nearly completed the main puzzle except for a stupid mistake so worth a bash for improvers.
    Alan
  14. I found this tricky but like Jack don’t really know why. I think this is probably a hallmark of a good crossword when straight forward words need teasing out. Merganser was new to me but after all the other cross checkers were in, it looked like the only option. Thanks Mara and Jack .
  15. After struggles with the QCs last week, this seemed easy and I finished it in 14 minutes which is about as fast as I can go. LOI was 15d.
    I have learnt a few ducks and antelopes from crosswords but had not included the Gnu in the latter. Enjoyed the puzzle. David
  16. Such a shame. The quick cryptic was a nice bridge towards the full cryptic, so we started getting the Times again. But this is just a small version of the full one, so feel dissappointed as progress for us less able mortals has ground to a halt!
    1. Sorry you’re feeling a bit discouraged at the moment. One of the main similarities the QC has with the 15×15 puzzle is that they both vary in difficulty quite a lot, so take heart and perhaps you’ll have better luck tomorrow.

      It may be of interest that in an analysis of my own solving patterns since the QCs began, today’s setter, Mara, emerged as one of the more difficult setters but there are another 7 regulars who were ranked as easier. Tomorrow (Tuesday) we get Orpheus who was some way down the scale, so fingers crossed…

      Edited at 2016-07-25 10:25 pm (UTC)

  17. In the Guardian cryptic yesterday (no. 26,945, by Rufus) 22d was ‘Cryptic clue about northern relative’=UNCLE

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