Times Quick Cryptic No 1908 by Breadman

Author   rolytolyPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic
On the gentler side of things today from Breadman. I missed three clues on a first read through of the acrosses (8, 10, 21), which made for a lot of biffing come the downs, and the grid layout seemed to help with this. That and a chestnut or two meant I came in about 6m30, which is about as quick as I get. All good fun – many thanks to Breadman!

Across
1 Sam and Bettie working? I’ve no idea (2,5,2)
IT BEATS ME – anagram (working) of SAM and BETTIE
6 Aristocrat round in farm building (5)
BARON – O (round) in BARN (farm building)
8 Tackle encapsulating inspector’s courage (9)
HARDINESS – HARNESS (tackle) encapsulating DI ([Detective] Inspector)
9 How drink might be downed at home by individual (2,3)
IN ONE – IN (at home) by ONE (individual). Well that paints a gloomy picture!
10 Palaver to fix Cockney’s cavity following damage (9)
RIGMAROLE – RIG (fix) hOLE (Cockney’s cavity) following MAR (damage). Originally a long, rambling discourse, from “Ragman Roll”, a (presumably prolix) document from 1291 where Scottish nobles acknowledged Edward I as their overlord. (OED)
12 Formal agreement to dine during test (6)
TREATY – EAT (dine) during TRY (test)
13 The old chaps meeting one Middle Eastern person (6)
YEMENI – YE (the, old) MEN (chaps) meeting I (one)
16 Sunshine transformed front of the military prefab (6,3)
NISSEN HUT – anagram (transformed) of SUNSHINE, and T (“front” of The)
18 Wine and port Jane half finished (5)
RIOJA – RIO (port) JAne (Jane “half finished”)
19 Female inside definitely astray (3-6)
OFF-COURSE – F(emale) inside OF COURSE (definitely)
21 Subdued Greek character and rock ‘n’ roll fan (5)
MUTED – MU (Greek character) and TED (rock ‘n’ roll fan)
22 Sound made by cat to rouse seabird (9)
KITTIWAKE – KITTI is the same sound as kitty (cat) ; WAKE (rouse)

Down
1 Acquire from ancestors home and their ground (7)
INHERIT – IN (home) and an anagram (ground) of THEIR
2 Robert pulled up mature aromatic herb (6)
BORAGE – BOR (ROB “pulled up”) AGE (mature)
3 Large dog walks in regularly with terriers (5)
AKITA – w A L K s I n “regularly” with TA (terriers – nickname for the TA)
4 Visit diocese (3)
SEE – double definition
5 Holiday Linda’s arranged somewhere in South Pacific (6,6)
EASTER ISLAND – anagram (arranged) of HOLIDAY LINDAS. Late edit: as spotted in the comments, this is nonsense, it is EASTER (holiday) and an anagram (arranged) of LINDAS.
6 1930s novel clear regarding musical style (8,4)
BRIGHTON ROCK – BRIGHT (clear) ON (regarding) ROCK (musical style)
7 Aussie native left in disarray without accommodation (8)
ROOMLESS – ROO (Aussie native) ; L(eft) in MESS (disarray)
11 Put too much paint on protective clothing? (8)
OVERCOAT – cryptic hint, as in over-coat/paint
14 Radical former partner Mike wearing lime perhaps (7)
EXTREME – EX (former partner) ; M(ike) wearing/in TREE(lime perhaps)
15 Health centre welcomes that woman, a climbing expert? (6)
SHERPA – SPA (health centre) welcomes HER (that woman)
17 Joe, I’m changing image in text message (5)
EMOJI – anagram (changing) of JOE IM
20 Rich Liberal leaves apartment (3)
FAT – L(iberal) leaves FLAT (apartment)

58 comments on “Times Quick Cryptic No 1908 by Breadman”

  1. I have removed the above comment as it was uncalled for. Some of us were remembering a dear departed colleague and contributor and we don’t need feeble attempts at humour at his expense.
  2. Having done National Service, terriers and nissen huts came easily, quick solve for us at abt 15m. Perhaps brains in good order having just returned from sunny N Wales. Last 3 puzzles completed up there without aids, so pleased with that.
  3. Quite a late solve for me today, owing to hosting my parents for the first time in 2+ years, but absolutely delighted at completing successfully in 31 minutes (jolly fast for me).

    Getting 1a (IT BEATS ME) early really helped, and I hopped around the grid to utilise any new checkers as they appeared. RIGMAROLE is a great word, as was the clue, once I saw its’ whole parsing.

    YEMENI was my LOI (it was a great PDM when I got it), but AKITA was my last one to parse, as I hadn’t heard of either the dog or the nickname for the TA.

    Many thanks to Breadman and to rolytoly.

  5. All went well until I got stuck on the dog. Then I dozed off and when I came to I guessed that the Royal Artillery might have been known as terriers. So a DNF in 32:28 for me. Nice puzzle though.
  7. Indeed, or dreaming of a holiday perhaps. I’LL DO A SHANDY is all I can get out of the letters I suggested, and I don’t want that! Will belatedly edit.
  8. NHO the AKITA dog but figured it from the clue, my LOI and the only real hiccup here in a ten-minute solve. FOI IT BEATS ME. I wish there was a middle ground between these and the 15×15 which so often defeats me!
  10. Regarding comments on the TA, an old pal referred to them as SAS ( being short for Saturdays and Sundays !!)

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