Times Quick Cryptic No 109 by Teazel

Author   macavity123Posted on Categories Quick Cryptic
Greetings all.

Thanks to jackkt for covering for me last week while I was away. I thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle which I tackled while waiting for my hospital appointment. I didn’t find it particularly strenuous. While away last week, I read an article about how Brits going to Tuscany gave rise to the nickname Chiantishire, so that rather fell in quickly. It is listed in the dictionary I have, so I can’t see it being a problem.

Lots of double definition clues today, and all contributed to some nice surface readings of the clues. An all-round quite elegant puzzle!

Thanks to Teazel and to you for your patience. Back to normal next week!

Across
1 LOVE – Double definition clue. To really like something and a score of nothing in tennis.
3 COMPASS – Another double def clue. Something to draw circles in geometry and a word meaning range.
8 AS FRESH AS A DAISY – Another double definition, but one of them this time is cryptic. An expression that means energised or new could be said to describe an archetypal cow whose name could be…..
9 ANN – Girl is the definition. A + N (new) + N (name).
10 ASPEN – One may tremble (a tree that is often said to) = definition. AS (when) + PEN (US prison)
12 GARMENT – Coat, say = definition, i.e. a coat is an example of this. ARM (limb) inside GENT (man).
14 KITTIES – Funds is your definition. FASTENS (Ties) stuck on the end of KIT (equipment).
16 INEPT – Definition is clumsy. PEN (writer back, i.e. reversed) inside IT.
17 COL – Double definition clue. A type of geographical pass and the (short) name for an army officer.
20 AWAY IN A MANGER – (The name of a) CAROL is the definition. A WAY IN (an entrance) + AM (in the morning) + ANGER (fury).
21 OATMEAL – I make porridge is the definition. O (nothing) + AT (for) + MEAL (breakfast).
22 MEND – Improve is the definition. M (motorway) + END (terminus).

Down
1 LEFT BANK – Double definition, with one half cryptic. An area of Paris that is said to be bohemian and arty (Rive Gauche to the locals) and what you have done literally if you dived into the River Seine.
2 VIEW – Opinion is the definition. VIE (struggle) + W (women)
3 CASING – Another double definition clue. A way of saying inspecting, as a thief might do to a prospective target and the outer shell or covering of something.
4 MODEL RAILWAY – I did wonder whether the hobby actually was the plural. Overall it’s an all-in-one type cryptic definition clue.
5 AS IT WERE – Definition is an expression meaning so to speak. An anagram (damaged) of SWEATER I.
6 SKYE – The name of a (Scottish) island is a homophone for heaven.
7 CHIANTISHIRE – I wondered whether the definition (part of Tuscany) should have had a question mark after it to indicate that it was a slang word or a slightly unusual definition. The word is in the new edition of the Big Red Book (Chambers Dictionary) so it’s fair game for me. It’s an anagram (moving) of I INHERIT CASH.
11 PETULANT – Sulky is your definition. E(English) + TU (Workers, trades union) inside PLANT.
13 TETHERED – This is a simple, slightly cryptic definition. If something is held by a line it’s this. It also could be used in IT to mean connected as in a mobile phone to a computer to connect to a network or connection.
15 SCRAWL – Illegibly write is the definition. S (small) + CRAWL (progress for a baby).
16 IAGO – the name of a famous fictional villain is found by taking I (one) + AGO (IN THE PAST).
18 OGRE – One’s terrifying is the definition. OG (GO up, reversed – up in a down clue could be used to mean a reversal) + RE (soldiers, Royal Engineers).

43 comments on “Times Quick Cryptic No 109 by Teazel”

  1. 11 minutes for this one but it contained a 12-letter word I never heard of so I don’t think it can be classed as easy. It’s a made-up word anyway which I’m surprised has found its way into a Quickie.

    Also I’m a bit doubtful about 4dn – and that’s quite apart from the inclusion of the word “child’s” which most certainly doesn’t necessarily apply. I’ll see what others have to say before perhaps expanding on my other thought.

    1. 7d, my initial thought was it should not have been in a Quickie. On reflection I find it OK, perhaps my view is clouded because I knew the word (?from when Tony Blair took his holidays there). The anagram is well signposted and the first 7 letters are reasonably clear.

      4d, whether it is OK rests on what leeway a setter should have. The clue and answer are not “tight” but when working out the meaning of training, again I found this OK.

      1. Since Macavity has now raised the issue, my other concern was that “model railway” as a hobby doesn’t sound right to me. The plural, as he suggests, would sit better. On the other hand I suppose one might say “My hobby is my model railway” and that would be fine. But I raised an eyebrow whilst solving as it seemed a bit odd.
  2. Finished but found today’s a little tricky and at this time still don’t fully understand 10ac, 1dn and 11dn.
    As I had many interruptions, I have no idea of time taken.

    Eurc.

  3. I did quite well 1d. Left bank. Went into the seine …..
    Chianti shire …. Can see why you may be puzzled at thus….
    Couldn’t do 10a or 14a and am waiting for someone to give the answers
    AnonK
  4. I thought I was getting the knack of doing the quick crossword but after 30 minutes today still uncertain of 10A (why “may tremble”?) and 11D (“Petulant” but why? Plant and English TU? not very good hint for workers) and hadn’t heard of the word Chiantishire which made it a very tricky anagram to solve.
  5. I finished today – took ages but I was delighted! Very surprised by the inclusion of Chiantishire but yeh, better than proper words which defeat me. Could someone explain what “Nothing for breakfast?” was meant to tell me please.
    1. This was my favourite clue. Nothing, O, for breakfast? at meal. Breakfast is one example of a meal, hence the?

  6. Did about 7 clues so waiting to see some answers. 7 d crazy, as I thought I read that words people and places had to be real. Is that the case? 10 a no idea and same for 11 d. Pretty hard today.
  7. Aspen trees noted for fluttering foliage -esp “Quaking Aspen”. US prison = penitentiary – but slightly clumsy clue?

    Philip

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  8. Thanks for the explanation of 1d. For the word play I had left for went but then could not see, into the Seine as bank.
  9. Chianti shire pre dates Blair by decades. I think John Mortimer coined it but he may have got it from someone else.
    Aspen on the other hand…not a clue.
    1. Here’s the OED entry:

      The region of Tuscany in Italy, esp. the area surrounding the Chianti Mountains, perceived in terms of its popularity as a holiday destination for British tourists and as a home for British expatriates.

      1986 Independent 17 Nov. 17/3 ‘Chiantishire’—the English-dominated countryside around Florence—has about it an ‘atmosphere of weekend Surrey’.

      1994 Bon Appétit July 63/2 Everywhere I went I heard the accents of Englishmen who have come to live or visit here. They number so many that back home the area is known as ‘Chiantishire’.

      1999 Design Week 10 Sept. 13/1 We were..staying in one of a string of working hilltop towns that command the foothills of the Apennines. This isn’t Chiantishire: tourists don’t usually go there.

  10. Pleased to finish but took some 45 minutes. I was held up for a long time by getting 10 ac wrong. I had ‘astir’ (‘a’ for American, ‘stir’ for prison). I thought ‘excited movements’ was a bit iffy for tremble but left it until I suddenly saw Chiantishire and realised my error. Not a bad one for beginners as much of the top third was straightforward.
  11. About 10 minutes and great fun. I loved Fresh as a daisy. A very welcome relaxation after my torrid and ultimately unsuccessful struggle with the main one earlier. Thanks Teazel.
    1. Yes, I loved that too and am now wondering how Daisy originated as a generic name for a cow (like Rover the dog?). Too late in the day now for me to investigate, what with 15×15 blogging duties looming, but perhaps someone knows the answer?
  12. 8 mins with the last couple of them spent on CHIANTISHIRE. I’d have been happier if the clue had ended in a question mark, although the OED entry that Jack cites would suggest that it didn’t need one. Probably not a clue for the QC though, and the clue for ASPEN probably wasn’t either even though I solved it fairly quickly. I agree that 4dn would probably have worked better without the “Child’s” in the clue.
  13. A lovely puzzle, keeping me on tenterhooks until the end to see if I would finish OK. Last one in 13dn – TETHERED, I guess I don’t always like such clues, but very standard fare once the checkers were in place.

    Rather enjoyed working out CHIANTISHIRE. Had the checkers that screamed Chianti for the first part, but struggled to see what it could possibly be. Then checked what letters were left and got SHIRE! Never heard of the phrase before, so I guess it was a bit of a cheat to check first before putting it in.

    Nigel from Surrey

  14. I have been reading the blog for several weeks – it is very helpful, especially when you give explanations (e.g. why RE means soldiers). I had to look a few words up, but managed to finish today’s – after a few hours…
    thanks
    Hannah
  15. Rather disappointed to see the geometric instrument a pair of compasses muddled with the navigational instrument a compass. This from a pedantic Maths teacher.
    1. Unfortunately (from your POV) the singular is listed as a valid alternative in several reputable dictionaries* so any complaints should be addressed to their lexicographers, not to the setter.

      * e.g. from the Shorter Oxford: compass : 2 sing. & (usu.) in pl. An instrument for drawing circles and arcs or measuring distances between points, most commonly consisting of two legs connected at one end by a movable joint. Also pair of compasses.

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