A gentle Quick Cryptic for a Friday from Jalna today. [Edit: I see I was in the minority in finding it so, but I had all the required vocabulary. Your mileage may differ]. I forgot to start my timer, so no time for me, but it must have been quite quick as after a first pass through the clues I had only 3 across answers left to get. My LOI was ROCKED THE BOAT. Favourite clues were the boxer’s drink at 12D and, my Clue Of the Day, the crowded passenger vehicle at 15D. Thank-you Jalna. How did you all get on?
Fortnightly Weekend Quick Cryptic. This time it is my turn to provide the extra weekend entertainment. You can find the crossword here. Can you find the Nina? If you are interested in trying our previous offerings you can find an index to all 118 here.
Definitions underlined in bold italics, (Abc)* indicating anagram of Abc, {deletions} and [] other indicators.
| Across | |
| 1 | Force people to work here? (6,7) |
| POLICE STATION – Cryptic definition. | |
| 8 | Quote about Edwardian headgear (5) |
| TOQUE -(quote)* [about]. | |
| 9 | Speech given by duke wearing a robe (7) |
| ADDRESS – D in A DRESS (a robe). | |
| 10 | Crops scattered alongside one old house (7) |
| SCORPIO – (crops)* [scattered], I (one) O (old). One of the “houses” of the zodiac. | |
| 11 | Military cap has weirdly kitsch ornamentation on the front (5) |
| SHAKO – (has)* [weirdly] and first letters of Kitsch Ornamentation. | |
| 13 | Simplicity of resting place long ago sited outside church (9) |
| INNOCENCE – CE (Church of England; church) in INN (resting place) ONCE (long ago). | |
| 17 | Consume power beyond America and Europe (3,2) |
| USE UP – US (America) EU (Europe) P (power). | |
| 19 | The use of wiretaps is annoying (7) |
| BUGGING – Double definition. | |
| 20 | I managed to grasp a new, initially indecipherable language (7) |
| IRANIAN – A N (new) and first letter of Indecipherable, in I RAN (managed) | |
| 22 | I’m going now to pick up the centrepiece for swish headdress (5) |
| TIARA – Middle letter of [centrepiece for] swIsh in TARA (I’m going now). | |
| 23 | Nasty crook with bad teeth caused trouble (6,3,4) |
| ROCKED THE BOAT – [Nasty] (crook bad teeth)*. | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Powerful alkali not ultimately found in a shop, surprisingly (6) |
| POTASH – Last letter of noT in (a shop)* [surprisingly]. | |
| 2 | Sweet, strong tipple on the rocks? (9) |
| LIQUORICE – LIQUOR (strong tipple) ICE (the rocks). | |
| 3 | Belittle chapter provided by each writer (7) |
| CHEAPEN – CH (chapter) EA (each) PEN (writer). | |
| 4 | It can be sad how, unfortunately, these MPs oppose the government (6,7) |
| SHADOW CABINET – (it can be sad how)* [unfortunately]. | |
| 5 | Big range also with three ovens at the bottom (5) |
| ANDES – AND (also) and last letters, [at the bottom; this is a down clue], of threE ovenS. Nicely deceptive surface. | |
| 6 | Somewhat directionless anger (3) |
| IRE – Hidden [somwhat] in dIREctionless. | |
| 7 | Absentee boy turned up. In what way? (2-4) |
| NO-SHOW – SON (boy) [turned up] -> NOS, HOW (in what way?). | |
| 12 | Rocky Marciano consumes energy drink (9) |
| AMERICANO – E (energy) in [rocky] (Marciano)*. I loved this one. | |
| 14 | No longer close match for item of sleepwear (7) |
| NIGHTIE – NIGH obsolete word for [no longer] (close). TIE (football match). | |
| 15 | Public transport that is run with more passengers aboard? (6) |
| BUSIER – BUS (public transport) I.E. (id est; that is) R (run). My COD for the great surface. | |
| 16 | Shocked at first, actors get heated after several takes (6) |
| AGHAST – Initial letters, [at first], of Actors Get Heated After Several Takes. | |
| 18 | First-class 11, perhaps (5) |
| PRIME – Double definition. | |
| 21 | Curved line made by a track periodically (3) |
| ARC – A and alternate letters of tRaCk [periodically]. | |
13m
Not too tricky, but held up by biffing police service. Once this was sorted, normal service was resumed.
LOI no show.
COD Americano.
thanks
28:11
I was well and truly stuffed by convincing myself 1AC was POLICE SERVICE. That rendered the NE all but impossible and it was only when I saw NO SHOW that I realised my mistake and was able to get the others. LOI NHO SHAKO.
Steady solve, but care needed, with some unusual words. A nice contrast to the brutal 15×15 of today though.
Queen Mary always wore a toque. We found it difficult at first, then ripped away. Lovely puzzle. Thank you Jalna and Johninterred