Solving time: 6:37
Can’t say that there was too much I got particularly stuck on here. I didn’t see my LOI 16a until all checkers were in place, and 3d might not easily leap out until a few checkers are present. But otherwise, fair to middling?
How was it for you all?
Definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [directions in square ones].
| Across | |
| 1 | Detest curse in French article (6) |
| LOATHE – OATH (curse) inserted into LE (French definite article – (‘the’ in English)) | |
| 5 | Peter wrongly trapping a parrot (6) |
| REPEAT – Anagram [wrongly] of PETER containing [trapping] A | |
| 8 | Make less food, consuming little (8) |
| DIMINISH – DISH (food) containing [consuming] MINI (little) | |
| 9 | Conservative leaving ballet for Hamlet? (4) |
| DANE – C (Conservative) is removed [leaving] from DAN The question mark here denotes a definition by example. Other Danes are available. |
|
| 10 | Drink and kiss amorously? (4) |
| NECK – Double definition – not entirely sure why there is a question mark here, other than that NECK is an informal term for both definitions. | |
| 11 | Cross lively people in vacated terrace (8) |
| TRAVERSE – RAVERS (lively people) in the end-letters [vacated] of T{errac}E | |
| 12 | Human being virtuous — about time! (6) |
| MORTAL – MORAL (virtuous) about T (time)
Were you misdirected by ‘being’ appearing to act in its verbal capacity? |
|
| 14 | Some boots and a light shoe (6) |
| SANDAL – Hidden [Some] in boots and a light | |
| 16 | Fuel passion, romance and devotion primarily (8) |
| FIREWOOD – FIRE (passion) WOO (romance) then first letter [primarily] of D{evotion}
My last one in – nice IKEA clue |
|
| 18 | Ram and group of wolves (4) |
| PACK – Another double definition
Smooth surface where ‘Ram’ is treated as an animal, alongside the wolves |
|
| 20 | Not good imprisoning 50 without locks (4) |
| BALD – BAD (Not good) containing [imprisoning] L (50 – Roman numeral) | |
| 21 | Condemn Dune once shot (8) |
| DENOUNCE – Anagram [shot] of DUNE ONCE | |
| 23 | Newspaper: Echo? (6) |
| MIRROR – Double definition
Not sure that MIRROR and Echo are entirely synonymous – Echo is a repeated sound, whereas MIRROR suggests a reversed image. But, Echo being the name of many local newspapers, works well as part of the clue. |
|
| 24 | House easily built before cracking (6) |
| PREFAB – PRE (before) FAB (cracking)
The last word of the clue always makes me think of “Cracking cheese, Gromit!” Biffed this in flight, only parsing after completion. |
|
| Down | |
| 2 | Send up wicked old woman (5) |
| OLIVE – Reversal of EVIL (wicked) O (old) | |
| 3 | Very friendly extra-terrestrial in copse (7) |
| THICKET – THICK (Very friendly) ET (extra-terrestrial)
Collins Online describes THICK as ‘Very friendly (especially in the phrase ‘thick as thieves’) |
|
| 4 | For Spaniards, the One Priest (3) |
| ELI – EL (For Spaniards, the) I (One) | |
| 5 | Went through red here as tipsy (9) |
| REHEARSED – Anagram [tipsy] of RED HERE AS | |
| 6 | Daughter coming in to shave father (5) |
| PADRE – D (Daughter) inserted into [coming in to] PARE (shave) | |
| 7 | Is a name recollected? Not with this! (7) |
| AMNESIA – Anagram [recollected] of IS A NAME | |
| 11 | High Command demanding assignment? (4,5) |
| TALL ORDER – TALL (High) ORDER (Command)
The earliest example of TALL ORDER quoted by the OED is from 1893. The latest is from 1976: “Norwich Mercury 19 Nov. ‘You do not by any chance know of anybody with an old lion’s skin?’ she asked. A tall order indeed.“ |
|
| 13 | Paperwork finished without tears? (7) |
| ORIGAMI – A cryptic clue where ‘tears’ = rips and not watering eyes.
ORIGAMI being the Japanese art of paper-folding (from ori meaning “folding”, and kami meaning “paper”), relies on creating sculptures through only the folding or sculpting of the paper. If any cutting, gluing or marking of the paper is required, this is called KIRIGAMI. |
|
| 15 | Write uplifting melody for sea god (7) |
| NEPTUNE – Reversal [uplifting] of PEN (write) gives NEP, then TUNE (melody) | |
| 17 | Church officer in Daniel Deronda (5) |
| ELDER – Hidden [in] in Daniel Deronda | |
| 19 | Powder two firms initially allocated (5) |
| COCOA – CO CO (two firms i.e. abbreviation for company, twice) then the first letter [initially] of A{llocated} | |
| 22 | Pot knocked over — little crash? (3) |
| NAP – PAN (Pot) reversed [knocked over]
Collins Online has ‘crash’ as American slang for ‘sleep’ e.g. “I don’t think I should drive home, Mary. Would you mind if I crash here for the night?” So, a ‘little crash’ would be a short sleep or a NAP. |
|
Not so easy…a DNF as I was stuck with 8a and all I could come up with was ‘minidish’….’all the right notes but possibly in the wrong order’ comes to mind.
Creative!
Wurm is indeed always fair but tough for me rather than middling. 23:22 after getting so stuck in the southwest that I had to walk away and get on with my day. On return, TALL ORDER, FIREWOOD (my fave), MORTAL (no excuse, probably a chestnut, but I just got blocked), MIRROR, and ORIGAMI (I knew it probably had nothing to do with weeping but couldn’t get any further than that until I had the O) fell quickly. Darn those straight cryptics! Good puzzle though.
Thanks Wurm and Mike.
I felt stretched by this one and was starting to fear the worst, but DIMINISH and FIREWOOD finally revealed themselves for a finish in 17:54.
Thank you for the blog!
It gets worse. Well over an hour on 15 x 15 and several words I did not know. Got about half.
That’s 2.5 hours on cryptics today for nothing but frustration and self-doubt.
I simply don’t have what it takes to be any good at this. I look at the amazing levels of improvement shown by others and am consumed by envy.
Thought I was rushing to a PB before failure in NW corner. Neck eluded me but once blogged, immediately saw Thicket (been looking at wrong end of clue) and Mortal didn’t come even with checkers. Like many here thought Firewood was an outstanding clue. Thanks Mike and Wurm
DNF – not much on the LHS.
65% with 9 unfinished.
Gave up after a couple of hours.
Thick = to be friendly with?
Maybe pre-war.
I simply don’t speak like that.
Please can we have more modern English usage for the wordplay.
I guess if you can finish the 15×15, this would be “quick” for you.
Absolutely impossible for the rest of us.