Solving time: 5:33
A friendly offering from Lupa, a new setter, that is sure to please the ‘QCs are getting harder’ solvers. I felt there were more mildly cryptic definitions than we might usually see – certainly no bad thing in my book.
What did you think?
Definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [directions in square ones].
| Across | |
| 7 | Huge reduction in solid fuel (8) |
| COLOSSAL – LOSS (reduction) in COAL (solid fuel) | |
| 8 | Half of medicals returned the same (4) |
| IDEM – MEDI [Half of medicals] reversed [returned]
Apparently it’s used in citations to indicate an author or word that has just been mentioned e.g. James Hilton, Goodbye Mr. Chips, 1934; idem, Random Harvest, 1941 |
|
| 9 | Some pest, rodent, made determined progress (6) |
| STRODE – Hidden [Some] in pest, rodent | |
| 10 | Make amends together (5) |
| ATONE – AT ONE (together) | |
| 11 | Almond fanatic? (3) |
| NUT – Why the question mark if NUT is synonymous with “fanatic”? Perhaps it isn’t quite? Discuss. | |
| 12 | Given third class ranking, and boxed (6) |
| CRATED – If A-RATED is a first class ranking then C-RATED would be a third class ranking | |
| 14 | Still so rubbish inside (6) |
| STATIC – SIC (Latin for ‘so’ or ‘thus’) with TAT (rubbish) inside
sic is short for sic erat scriptum, “thus was it written” |
|
| 16 | Skilful King of France takes time after promotion (6) |
| ADROIT – AD (promotion) ROI (King of France – French word for King) T (time) | |
| 18 | Copy in Home Counties writer (6) |
| SCRIBE – CRIB in SE (Home Counties) | |
| 19 | Dance on one leg? (3) |
| HOP – a mildly cryptic clue, a HOP being an informal social event often involving dancing | |
| 20 | Someone having a go in German city (5) |
| TRIER – Double definition with linking word
Founded by the Romans in the late 1st century BC as Augusta Treverorum (“City of Augustus among the Treveri” – the Treveri being a local tribe of Gemanic or Celtic people), Trier is considered Germany’s oldest city. |
|
| 21 | Workplace not on rocks (6) |
| OFFICE – OFF (not on) ICE (rocks i.e. the small blocks of frozen water found in one’s drink) | |
| 23 | Performance of Callas, perhaps: missing the start (4) |
| ARIA – “Callas, perhaps” is doing double duty here – ‘Performance’ on its own wouldn’t necessarily indicate what type of performance you might be looking for… |
|
| 24 | Moving close to you, a Gallic despot (8) |
| CALIGULA – Anagram [Moving] of Caligula had been emperor for only four years when, aged 28, he was assassinated by the Praetorian Guard. His first six months as emperor are described as noble and moderate after which he became increasingly self-indulgent, sadistic and perverted, while demanding and receiving worship as a living god. He also planned to make his horse a consul. |
|
| Down | |
| 1 | Messed about, like Hogwarts Harry? (8) |
| POTTERED – Doing something in the past tense “like Hogwarts Harry?” suggests POTTER–ED | |
| 2 | Single, very depressed we hear (5) |
| SOLO – SO (very) plus homophone [we hear] of LOW (depressed) | |
| 3 | Go up higher in short descant arrangement (6) |
| ASCEND – Anagram [arrangement] of DESCAN |
|
| 4 | Stays above water, till supplies appearing (6) |
| FLOATS – Back in the olden days when folk still used cash, at the beginning of each working period, a cash till would be given a ‘FLOAT’ i.e. enough change to cope with the first several transactions where the customer typically slaps down a tenner for a packet of mints.
Therefore ’till supplies’ would be FLOATS |
|
| 5 | In our sad arrangement, one unable to adapt? (8) |
| DINOSAUR – Anagram of IN OUR SAD | |
| 6 | Only a lake (4) |
| MERE – Think this is a double definition, though I was not sure that ‘only’ and MERE are truly synonymous.
You could say “She was only a slip of a girl” which could be substituted with “She was merely a slip of a girl” though “She was a mere slip of a girl” would be allowable. Any other way to make it clearer? |
|
| 13 | Hot left back in charge of a learner (8) |
| TROPICAL – PORT (left) back i.e. reversed is TROP then IC (in charge) A L (learner) | |
| 15 | Be caught within one mile: fool! (8) |
| IMBECILE – BE C (caught) within I (one) MILE | |
| 17 | Cut the grass three times (6) |
| THRICE – TH |
|
| 18 | Destroys gains (6) |
| SPOILS – Double definition where gains = SPOILS is exemplified in ‘the SPOILS of war’ | |
| 20 | In poverty, recession, one affected by inflation (4) |
| TYRE – Mildly whimsical definition. Hidden [In] in poverty, recession | |
| 22 | Fruit in fridges, oddly (4) |
| FIGS – The odd letters of fridges | |
hi to the new setter
liked the sense of humour
6 in a row so far, getting worried
I enjoyed this puzzle. No problem with Trier as it’s twinned with my local city!
Many thanks Lupa and Mike
Thought I was on for another 2o min breeze but was stumped by Static.
Enjoyed all the word plays. Thanks Lupa
It just gets worse and worse.
I thought this was hard and was pleased with 23 minutes.
Then I came here. The Snitch rating depressed me, Mike’s comments depressed me even more, and I hit rock bottom when I saw the times recorded by solvers who were formerly my peers.
Well done to those of you with PBs and other great times. I wish I could join you outside the SCC, but I’m simply not good enough.
82 mins for the week so far is a disgrace. At least Lupa was good enough to give me a mention at 15dn.
All I want to do is to achieve times of around say 15 mins and get out of the SCC. How come so many of my former colleagues in the SCC now manage that with ease and I am nowhere? Where do I go wrong?
I now struggle with puzzles that everyone else finds easy and I don’t understood why. Perhaps I’m just not as bright as I thought I was.
Thanks for the blog Mike.
PS Did solve the Quintagram but my time was appalling. Can’t say I expected any better.
Just realised our blogger’s sentence “is sure to please the ‘QCs are getting harder’ solvers.” wasn’t meant to suggest that they will be happy because their belief is being confirmed!
15:57
This seemed medium difficulty. DNK IDEM but obvious from the wordplay and had my fingers firmly crossed for LOI ARIA.
I’m joining the “this was not easy club”. Took well over the hour, having to complete it in stages. But complete it I did, so am happy with that 😁
Late to Wednesday’s party as I save some for the weekend – when will they introduce a QC on Sat and Sun?!
17 Mins – my perfect level with some super clever clues.
Well done Lupa, just my wavelength.
COD solo, pottered and crated but loads that were really clever!