There’s lots to enjoy in this third Quick Cryptic from Loon. Some great clues and immaculate surfaces. It took me 6:11 – exactly the same time as I took for Loon’s first in October. My COD goes to the amusing and clever 10A, but I also liked 17A…. and plenty of others. Thank-you Loon! How did you all get on?
Fortnightly Weekend Quick Cryptic. This time it is Phil’s turn to provide the extra weekend entertainment. You can find the crossword here. If you are interested in trying our previous offerings you can find an index to all 149 here.
Definitions underlined in bold italics, (Abc)* indicating anagram of Abc, {deletions}, and [] other indicators.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | I must get into dynamic core and abs exercise (8) |
| AEROBICS – I getting into [dynamic] (core abs)*. | |
| 5 | Recognise geek from the back (4) |
| KNOW – WONK (geek) reversed, [from the back]. | |
| 9 | Obscure album plugged by singer Reed (5) |
| CLOUD – LOU (singer Lou Reed) in CD (album), with [plugged] the insertion indicator. | |
| 10 | State where Prince Harry spent nine months? (7) |
| INDIANA – A bit of whimsy – Prince Harry was IN DIANA when she was pregnant with him. My COD. | |
| 11 | Unfriendly, expensive public relations leaves (3) |
| ICY – {pr}ICY (expensive) without the PR (public relations). | |
| 12 | Gold leaf coats Chinese children’s home (9) |
| ORPHANAGE – OR (gold in heraldry) + PAGE (leaf; piece of paper) outside, [coating], HAN (Chinese) | |
| 13 | Make concrete dome by using mixer? (6) |
| EMBODY – (dome by)* [using mixer]. We had EMBODY as recently as this Monday’s Trelawney. | |
| 15 | Dash off to swim after end of Friends (6) |
| SCRAWL – Last letter, [end], of FriendS + CRAWL (swim). Dash off as in writing quickly. | |
| 17 | Stupidly short the adapter? That could kill you (9) |
| DEATHTRAP – [Stupidly] (th{e} adapter)*, shortening the “the”. Great surface. | |
| 19 | Gossip initially about living in Great Britain (3) |
| GAB – First letter, [initially] of About in GB (Great Britain). | |
| 20 | On the wrong path going around hot waste receptacle (7) |
| ASHTRAY – ASTRAY (on the wrong path) [going around] H (hot). | |
| 21 | Right issue and terms of reference (5) |
| REMIT – R (right) + EMIT (issue). | |
| 22 | Phrase checked by interpreter maybe (4) |
| TERM – Hidden in, [checked by], interpreTER Maybe. | |
| 23 | Try interrupting sportsperson who’s focused on the drama? (8) |
| PLAYGOER – GO (try) in PLAYER (sportsperson). | |
| Down | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Principal setter’s record collection (7) |
| ARCHIVE – ARCH (principal) + I’VE (setter’s). | |
| 2 | Small jumper belonging to me is generously proportioned (5) |
| ROOMY – ROO (abbreviation of kangaroo; small jumper) + MY (belonging to me). | |
| 3 | County forbids introduction of deer here, strangely (12) |
| BEDFORDSHIRE – (forbids d{eer} here)* [strangely], with just the first letter, [introduction], of Deer. | |
| 4 | King Charles is beginning to prepare snack using potato (5) |
| CRISP – CR (King Charles) + IS + first letter, [beginning to], of Prepare. | |
| 6 | Falls over in North America? (7) |
| NIAGARA – Cryptic definition. | |
| 7 | Large animal’s audible sound of distress (5) |
| WHALE – Sounds like, [audible], WAIL (sound of distress). | |
| 8 | Notice vice-president gathering troops for initial mission (7,5) |
| ADVANCE PARTY – AD (notice) + VANCE (vice-president of the USA) + PARTY (gathering). | |
| 14 | Relatively tasteless, second-rate slice of bacon? (7) |
| BRASHER – B (second-rate) + RASHER (slice of bacon). | |
| 16 | Gastronomic delicacy served up in Margaret’s bolognese (7) |
| LOBSTER – Reverse hidden in, [served up in], MargaRET’S BOLognese. | |
| 17 | Plan recruitment of American soldiers (5) |
| DRAFT – Double definition. | |
| 18 | Leads in remake of Yojimbo are looking magnificent (5) |
| ROYAL – Initial letters of [leads in] Remake Of Yojimbo Are Looking. Fortunately you don’t need to know this Japanese film to solve the clue. | |
| 19 | Soup’s adhesive with unpleasant smell (5) |
| GUMBO – GUM (adhesive) + BO (body odour; unpleasant smell). | |
4m 20. Delayed for at least 10 seconds struggling to contain myself after solving 10ac. Very nice.
I was a bit alarmed seeing cloud in the blog, as I didn’t remember solving that clue. Then I realized I had put Lou in the middle, and much later solved archived and Bedfordshire, and I didn’t even notice that I had the answer – no pictures on scorecards! I agree the in Diana clue is a truly great one. The puzzle was not an easy one – both John and I are a bit over our average.
Time: 10:05
There is a nice modern feel to this with the Spare and the Veep. Quirky and fun.
9:51
Yes, well. At 11ac I put IVY instead of ICY, thinking the def was ‘leaves’ on the end of the clue. No it made no sense at all, top marks for stupidity, otherwise enjoyable though not easy, I ‘finished’ in about 10. Thanks John and Loon.
Biffed a bunch–CLOUD (DNK Lou Reed), BEDS, AEROBICS, DEATHTRAP, …–and it still took me 10′. INDIANA was a great clue, but I got it instantly.