Times Quick Cryptic No 323 by Marty

Author   macavity123Posted on Categories Quick Cryptic
Solving time: reasonable.

Morning all

We have Marty here today with a nice straightforward puzzle that has a few relatively easy clues to get you into the grid. All very enjoyable and overall a pleasant solve. One word, that might be troublesome for the newer solvers, but familiar to me.

Thanks to our setter and I’ll be back next week!

Across
1 SHERBET – Let’s start with a hidden answer, indicated by shows. Hidden in REVIVES HER BETWEEN is a type of fruit drink.
5 LICK – A double definition. To hammer (as in a heavy defeat) and a very small amount of paint (indecorating).
7 EIDER – Duck is your definition. RE (about) + DIE (to expire) all reversed (going the wrong way).
8 KUBRICK – The name of a famous film director is the definition. Reverse UK (backing) + BRICK (dependable chap).
10 MOW – To cut is the definition. M (end, i.e. last letter of ARM) + OW! (that hurts!)
11 BY NO MEANS – Never is the definition. An anagram (scattered) of MANY BONES.
13 ORDEAL – Trial is the definition. DE (OF in French) with ORAL (spoken) around.
14 GRAHAM – A man’s name is the definition. G (good) + RA (artist, member of the Royal Academy) + HAM (overacting).
17 LEMON SOLE – Fish is the definition in this concise clue. LEMON (fruit) + SOLE (only).
19 BAH – Contemptuous expression is the definition. The first letters (shown by at first) of Betraying Arrogance, Hard.
20 RENFREW – Scottish town is your definition. FR (Father) inside RENEW (to modernise).
22 OTTER – A swimmer in a fur coat is your definition. How someone common would refer to being much warmer (‘OTTER).
23 ZANY – Nuts is your definition. Z (first letter, start of Zucchini) + ANY (some).
24 BREWERY – One produces beer is the definition. R (right) + EWER (jug) inside BY.

Down
1 STEAMROLLER – Heavy vehicle is your first down definition. E (last letter of, close to FIVE) + AM inside STROLLER (one walking).
2 ENDOWED – Gave is the definition. END (final part) + OWED (outstanding).
3 BIRDBRAIN – Fool is the definition. An anagram (eccentric) of RIB AND RIB.
4 TAKING – Capturing is the definition. TA (volunteer soldiers, the Territorial Army) + KING (monarch).
5 LOB – To sky something (as in cricket) is the definition. LO! (behold) + B (black).
6 CHINA – Country is the definition. CH (church) + IN (popular) + A (firat letter, initially, of ATTRACTION).
9 KISS ME, HARDY – Legendary quote from hero is the definition. An anagram (broadcast) of SKY MISHEARD.
12 MORSE CODE – Method of signalling is the definition. MORSE (detective) + C (about) + ODE (poem).
15 HABITUE – Probably the hardest clue today, if you don’t know the word. Regular visitor is the definition. A BIT (partly) inside HUE (shade).
16 COBWEB – Something you are said to brush off is the definition. CO (company) + B (British) + WEB (internet).
18 MANIA – Obsession is the definition. MIA (AIM =ambition, reversed shown by rising) surrounding (to pen) AN (article).
21 RAY – A double definition clue to finish. A quantity of hope, used in speech is also the name of a fish.

12 comments on “Times Quick Cryptic No 323 by Marty”

  1. Off to a slow start, with I think just MOW, BAH, and BREWERY on the first pass of acrosses, but the downs went faster; 9d was a giveaway, as was 12d. I got SHERBET from checkers and definition, only spotting the hidden afterwards; ‘shows’ was lovely. I spent too much time on 5ac, playing with lick/lack/lock/luck until I finally remembered the paint meaning. 6:20.
  2. Just under 15 minutes here. I biffed 1ac with a couple of checkers in place but took for ever to realise it was a hidden answer. After years of solving I still regularly get caught out by the obvious!

    Edited at 2015-06-04 04:45 am (UTC)

  3. Count me in amongst those who failed to spot the hidden word in 1a, trying to force SBET to mean “shows”.
    For those unfamiliar with 15d, it should of course more properly be “habitué”, but such niceties such as accents and punctuation marks go out the window in crossword-land.
    Some people do say that 9d should more properly be “Kismet, Hardy” and who am I to say otherwise?
  4. George V’s last words were supposedly, “How goes the Empire?”, although I think it was Max Beerbohm who said it was actually, “What’s on at the Empire?”
    1. I always thought his last words were allegedly on being told he would soon be well enough to recuperate at Bognor Regis replied “Bugger Bognor” and promptly expired. It was subsequently thought “How goes the Empire?” would be a far more noble ending to a regal life, but the former is much more likely!
  5. Yes, kiss me hardy is generally presumed to be a mishearing of kismet hardy.

    That was a horrible puzzle. I finished just inside 30 minutes (just) but it was brutal. Obscure scottish towns? Fish dishes? (I’m vegan) Alcohol related clues? (I don’t drink) 🙁 Fair to say that puzzle was well far from my comfort zone. Didn’t like it at all.

  6. 7:36 Slow start for me.. 11a my first one in. Having Renfrewshire on my birth certificate I should have got 20a more quickly. Surely there must be a scottish town with ‘pa’ on the middle? Nicely hidden hidden word for 1a nearly my COD. But lovely surface to 9d signals the quote was misheard! Great clue.

    Edited at 2015-06-04 09:34 am (UTC)

  7. I made heavy weather of this. Like others I missed the hidden word in 1a – in my case until I read the blog. But it was the NE corner that really stumped me. I couldn’t think of a single word which began and ended in ‘K’, which should have been the hint that I was looking for a name. 5a (my LOI) and 5d took me for ever as well.
  8. I finished it which makes it in the easier half of these. Putting lick and hammer together may be an inadvisable on account of Miley Cyrus’ behaviour, but apart from that i thought it a v nice puzzle. Rich (I too cant work out how not to be anon)
    1. Rich, If you scroll to the top of this page you’ll see a big blue button marked “Create an account”. Just click it and follow the instructions.
  9. Well, this evening I did the 15×15 and I finished it and I got it right and yes it took an hour, so twice as long as this but still it felt easier. I guess the clues were more on my wavelength even though I struggled with many of them before enlightenment striking.

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