Times Quick Cryptic No 2053 by Izetti

Author   TheRotterPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic
This was another quick solve for me at just inside 8 minutes, so thanks to the Don for a fairly easy ride on my blogging day.  There have been some tough QCs recently, and this has made a nice change.  I give COD to 2d for its unusual device of providing a definition by reference to another clue, and WOD to 17d.

I think this is my 150th blog, having begun (I think) on 21st April 2016.  Just noting a minor milestone, shared with Roly, my regular Thursday opposite number.

Across

1  A piece of furniture for clubs etc. (4,5)
CARD TABLE – Cryptic clue, based on one of the suits in a deck of cards.
6  What’s good in the role of fuel (3)
GAS – G(ood) and AS (in the role of, as in ‘See Alec Guiness as George Smiley – surely the greatest bit of casting ever!’.
8 Class remains disturbed (7)
SEMINAR – Anagram (disturbed) of [REMAINS].
9  Dog Rex held by extremity (5)
TRAIL – TAIL (extremity) containing R(ex).  DOG = TRAIL as in follow.
10  Female isn’t taking notice, inwardly cunning or timid? (5-7)
FAINT-HEARTED – A bit of an IKEA clue; F{emale} and AIN’T (isn’t) plus HEED (notice) containing ART (cunning).
12  Sign of life in bather swimming around (6)
BREATH – Anagram (swimming around) of [BATHER].
13  At least forty musical manuscripts (6)
SCORES – Double definition.
16  A Mrs barges in violently – it’s hard to deal with(12)
EMBARRASSING – Anagram (violently) of [A MRS BARGES IN].
19  Little creatures to get rid of, crossing river (5)
KRILL – KILL (to get rid of) crossing R{iver}.
20  Line in amusing entertainment, maybe making one sort of cross (7)
SALTIRE – SATIRE (amusing entertainment) containing L{ine}.
22 Face of a god (3)
PAN – Double definition.  PAN is a slang word for the face.
23  Nasty rogue, not a silly youth (9)
YOUNGSTER – Anagram (silly) of [NaSTY ROGUE] (not A).

Down

1  Actors in some of Americas theatres (4)
CAST – Hidden (some of) in AmeriCAS Theatres.
2  14 sheep pursued by attendant (7)
RAMPAGE – It is unusual in a QC for the definition to be given by reference to another clue.  Here, the reference is the number 14, referring to 14d, the answer to which is RUN RIOT (which becomes our definition).  The word play then follows – RAM (sheep) followed by PAGE (attendant).  RAMPAGE = RUN RIOT.
3  Container very small with bottom knocked out (3)
TIN – TIN{y} (very small) dropping the last letter (with bottom knocked out) in this down clue.
4  Broth’s different sort of soup (6)
BORSHT – Anagram (different) of [BROTH’S].  BORSHT is, I think, an acceptable alternative spelling for BORSCHT, a Russian or Polish beetroot soup.  However, this alternate spelling isn’t supported by my Chambers, and I have never knowingly come across it.  I did find a reference to it in an old Random House College Dictionary.
5 More than one arrival on stage delights (9)
ENTRANCES – Double definition.
6 Implantation is hard work (5)
GRAFT – Another double definition.
7  Firm presented with American coin of historical interest (7)
SOLIDUS – SOLID (firm) and US (American).  As well as being the oblique line separating the numerator and denominator in a fraction, a SOLIDUS can be a Roman coin.
11  Troubled aunt gets to recover – of course! (9)
NATURALLY – Anagram (troubled) of [AUNT], followed by RALLY (to recover).
12  Separate and rest on top of mountain? (5,2)
BREAK UP – BREAK (rest) and UP (on top of mountain).
14  Organise crazy trio to act violently (3,4)
RUN RIOT – RUN (organise) and an anagram (crazy) of [TRIO].
15  Capital city offering fantastic saunas (6)
NASSAU – Anagram (fantastic) of [SAUNAS] to give the name of the capital of The Bahamas.
17  Child from India in farm building (5)
BAIRN – BARN (farm building) containing I{ndia}.
18  Raise back (4)
REAR – Double definition.
21  Record kept by geologist (3)
LOG – Hidden in geoLOGist.

68 comments on “Times Quick Cryptic No 2053 by Izetti”

  1. Borsht with sour cream, topped with chives – so dreamy good! What is wrong with maozedung? I have also seen it spelled Borscht too, so many combinations. My WOD.
    My COD 22ac PAN. My Time 7:02

    Edited at 2022-01-20 01:10 pm (UTC)

  2. I seem to be out of step with everyone today and after 20 mins suffered another annoying LOI that just wouldn’t come. Today’s offering was 5dn “Entrances”, where I incorrectly put “extra” for the first 5 letters and struggled from then on.

    The rest of it I enjoyed, guessing along with many the unheard of 4dn “Borsht”.

    FOI — 1dn “Cast”
    LOI — dnf
    COD — 2dn “Rampage” — haven’t seen that type of clue before, although a sheep rampage up here in the North West is quite common.

    Thanks as usual!

    1. If it is any consolation I was tempted by EXTRAS. It was hard to dismiss. Cross-referenced clues are normally the preserve of The Grauniad and occasionally the 15×15! I have filmed sheep up at Buttermere for Whitbread Trophy, back in the eighties.
      1. There is a common in South Cumbria, providing expansive views of Morecambe Bay, where the sheep literally do not give a toss about anyone and will regularly block the road and look at you indifferently as you sit waiting for one or more of them to move.

  3. Well done on your milestone Rotter, it is thanks to you and the other bloggers that I first understood QC’s, then was able to start solving, and now normally complete them in less than 20 mins. I couldn’t have done it without you all and I am very grateful for your diligence.

    Having said that, today was 37 minutes! I struggled with ENTRANCES having convinced myself it had to start with Extra- . I also took too long to see SCORES with its clever construction. Of course more than one score has to be at least forty. Very clever.

    I also very much enjoyed YOUNGSTER for the clever construction of the double anagrind in an &lit clue. Never seen that done before and for that it gets my COD.

    Lovely puzzle Izetti! Prof

  4. Very slow start, only getting a few on first read through. However the pace picked up after that and I eventually came in at 17 mins, all parsed. Knew all the relevant vocab except pan for face and assumed that borsht was just a variant spelling.

    FOI – 12ac BREATH
    LOI – 6ac GAS
    COD – 13ac SCORES

    Thanks to Izetti and congratulations to Rotter

  5. I got a QC book for Christmas
    Is there an index anywhere which shows what the original QC number of the ones in the book is so I can look at the blog?
    1. I don’t know whether there is an index but I can usually find a past blog by a search quoting a complete random clue plus the name of the setter. Sometimes, if it doesn’t work, trying an alternative clue often might. Hope this helps.
  6. A pleasant puzzle, we were confused by the spelling of the soup, which slowed us down solving 10a and solidus at 7d. No other problems or unkown words.

  7. Well done for completing 150 QC blogs, Mr Rotter. Always helpful and informative, especially forthose of us not unused to sitting and staring at unsolved clues for minutes on end.

    CARD TABLE came straight away, but then it became more a war of attrition. I never worked out why 14 was there in 2d, and I couldn’t parse GAS. Also, I DNK SOLIDUS or PAN for face.

    FAINT HEARTED and ENTRANCES both took a long time to come, but their eventual arrival heralded a minor sprint finish … or they would have if I hadn’t been held up at the end by REAR. Total time = 39 minutes.

    Many thanks to Izetti and therotter.

  8. But very definitely in the SCC. Knew the trickier words but could not parse FAINT HEARTED or RAMPAGE which lost me a lot of time, and DNK PAN for face. Assumed BORSCHT had an alternative spelling so kept fingers crossed on submitting. Enjoyed ENTRANCES. Thanks Izetti and Rotter.
  9. A big thank you to Rotter for all that work. It would be hard to overstate the value so freely given. I am among those who are indebted to the bloggers for the education and encouragement they give those of us who have leant ‘at their knee’ as it were. I always read the daily blog, not only to check my solution but also because there is so much to learn from the entertaining contributors. My solves are generally late in the afternoon or night so my own contributions have tailed off, but I do want to express my thanks to all. Thank again.
    2. Adding my thanks to all the bloggers. A real help in improving solving skills. Few things are more frustrating than seeing an answer on the following day which one failed to solve, and still not knowing why!
  10. to you, Sir Rotter, thanks and admiration from us. Is there a CL award on offer maybe a medal made of Tin or something a bit more noble. We keep learning from all the good services of Blogs and Clues we receive. I’m glad the esteemed Izetti has been deemed easier on us today, likewise for me at time 22 min my best level so far a GN4.
  11. An enjoyable solve in 19:10 for me, not hindered by 4d since I didn’t know that BORSHT usually has a C in it. FOI was GAS, LOI RAMPAGE, COD SCORES. Thanks Izetti and Rotter, and well done on reaching 150.
  13. Pan=Face. Really? Another one for the “only in cryptic crosswords” list. No wonder people starting out are put off, when it all must seem like a cosy club for those in the know.
    1. I think it’s fun, like learning a new language. See above for e.g. dead pan and pan stick.
    2. Richard, try actually reading the comments right through, particularly where ‘dead pan’ and ‘pan-stick’ have been covered! Pan may derive from old American Yiddish slang ‘pan/panim.

      “Not ‘only in cryptic crosswords” is quite misleading. English is a very rich language; it may well be you who are in ‘the cosy club’ of ignorance’ known as bliss!

      Edited at 2022-01-20 08:23 pm (UTC)

  14. Slow, slow, slow! The NE was a particular problem as NHO SOLIDUS, struggled with TRAIL and took forever with LOI ENTRANCES where I’d been looking for a word starting EXTRA.
    1. You know this already, but for the benefit of newbies ‘Entrances’ is much loved by setters, as it can mean doors/spellbound/delights etc, so well worth remembering.
  15. Nice one Rotter! I always look to your comments in the daily blogs and enjoy those too.
    Nearly blew this on Solidus and soup but got there…
    Seeing Embarrassing and Entrances cracked it for me.
    Why did I initially think Krill was spelled Crill?
    Thanks all!

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