Times Quick Cryptic No 318 by Mara

Author   macavity123Posted on Categories Quick Cryptic
Hi everyone

Solving time: fairly straightforward.

Apologies for the lateness, a messy trip to hospital. Can’t remember the last time I wrestled with Aram on a Thursday, early on I think. Very pleasant and full of nice clues that raise a smile and make you enjoy solving it. A couple of minor quibbles (one of which has been largely explained by a very nice lady), but overall an enjoyable solve.

Across
8 CHIPPER – We start with a double definition clue, but one half is cryptic. A word that means upbeat can also be someone who prepares potatoes in a certain way. The question mark here is important as it’s telling you that it isn’t quite a normal word or way of saying it.
9 RANGE – The definition is number of mountains. RANG (called) + E (first letter of Everest).
10 DIZZY – Silly is the definition. Two unknowns (Z is a letter used to represent unknown in maths) inside D I Y (do-it-yourself).
11 NONAGON – Figure is the definition. NO (ON returning) + NAN (granny) around GO (to leave).
12 CHATEAU – French castle is the definition. Two words for a cuppa (CHA & TEA) + U (upper-class).
14 TWANG – Accent is the definition. TANG (distinctive flavour) around W (western).
15 NOBLE – Aristocratic is the definition. NO + BLUE (colour of said blood) minus U (another appearance for upper-class).
17 CLEAVER – Butcher’s knife is the definition [might have been Butcher’s chopper, in a less tasteful outlet!]. C (beginning, first letter of Chop) + LEAVER (one going).
19 REALISM – Authenticity is your definition. An anagram (baffling) of ME and LIARS.
20 MORAL – Definition is right. ORAL (the OU French exam I have next week!) following M (first letter of Maths).
22 THIGH – Part of the leg is the definition. T (temperature) + HIGH (much above normal).
23 NOT HALF – Another double definition clue, with a cryptic half. What Alan Freeman used to say when he meant he couldn’t agree more is also anything up to (and beyond) 50 per cent.

Down
1 ACID – Very bitter is the definition. A + CID (group of investigators).
2 PIAZZA – (Italian) square is your definition. PIZZA (round dish) around A.
3 SPRY – Active is the definition. S (small) + PRY (to nose).
4 PRONOUNCEMENT – Statement is the definition. PRONOUN (grammatical term) + CEMENT (stick).
5 BRUNETTE – Not fair! is the slightly devious definition. BRUTE (beast) with NET (trap) inside.
6 ENIGMA – I suppose you could have cryptic or puzzle as your definition, but in the interests of accuracy puzzle is the correct one. An anagram (CRYPTIC) of GAME IN. Nice clue.
7 TEENAGER – And another anagram. Youngster is the deifnition. An anagram (brewing) of GREEN TEA.
12 CONCRETE – Real is the definition. CON (hox) + CRETE (Greek island).
13 EYESIGHT – The Last One In today and probably the most difficult. Faculty is the definition. Checking my dictionaries it’s a power and as a certain lady solving chum pointed out think of the expression “all one’s faculties”. Be interested to hear what you thought. YES (absolutely!) inside EIGHT (crew).
16 BEAT IT – As with 17, this could probably have been clued differently in certain publications like Private Eye. Another double definition with one half cryptic, again the question mark tells you that you need to think out of the box a little. If you were to behave like a small garden bird (BE A TIT) you’d get a phrase meaning to vamoose, if you slightly adjust the spacing.
18 VERBAL – Insult is the definition. Hidden in the word oVERBALanced.
20 MATE – Double definition. The way a chess game normally ends and a word meaning pal.
21 LEFT – Another d/d to finish. I’m assuming the “was” here goes with Socialist, otherwise “was shown the door” doesn’t mean left.

4 comments on “Times Quick Cryptic No 318 by Mara”

  1. Relatively easy for me today, all but 5d in about 15 minutes.
    Despite seeing that the answer was probably a colour it took me about another 10 minutes to get Brunette.
  2. 11 minutes for this pleasant puzzle. Could only think “ditzy” for a while at 10ac which probably accounted for missing my 10 minute target.

    On the subject of late availability of today’s puzzle I definitely tried the url that we’ve ended up with and it didn’t work earlier, so I can only assume they failed to load the puzzle properly. I shall delete my previous posting this evening.

    Edited at 2015-05-28 03:01 pm (UTC)

  3. Relatively straightforward today for me. Didn’t like the clueing for 21d, but that could have been me reading it wrong and it took me a while to see 18d, which I only got once all the checkers were in place.
  4. Relatively easy for me today, all but 5d in about 15 minutes.
    Despite seeing that the answer was probably a colour it took me about another 10 minutes to get Brunette.

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