Apologies for the delay. Check up completed and hearing aids now fitted, so hearing the clack clack of my keyboard for the first time. This may take some getting used to!
Today’s puzzle was a medium solve for me. I thought there were a couple of clues that would not have been out of place in the Quick’s bigger brother. Nothing troubled me too much, to be honest, but I wonder whether the newer solvers would say the same.
Thanks to Flamande for today’s challenge. See you next week and best wishes to a chum of mine who will be making his blogging debut in the very very near future!
Across |
1 |
SET ASIDE – A word sum to start with. Determined (SET) + A + team (side). Reserve is your definition. |
5 |
BLUE – Double definition. A word for a sporting student at Cambridge and the feeling when you are down. |
8 |
CHAIR – Item of furniture = def. I (one) inside CHAR (worker). |
9 |
AFFRAYS – Fights = def. A homophone (you might say) of A PHRASE (a few words). |
11 |
FREEMASONRY – A double definition, the second part of which is cryptic. A secret society is a type of building work in the sense of structure that costs you nothing! |
13 |
AT LAST – Finally = def. T (a sort of junction) goes after ATLAS (map). |
14 |
DIVERS – Another double definition clue. An old word that means various (more commonly seen with an extra ‘e’ on the end). It also means another name for people who go into water. |
17 |
DELIVERANCE – Mixed feelings about this clue, perhaps more at home in a 15 x 15. A word meaning release is the title of a famous 1970’s film, which starred Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds and a lot of water. |
20 |
ADVERSE – unfavourable = def. A wordsum. AD (publicity) + VERSE (poet’s output). |
21 |
BREVE – Note = def. B (bachelor) + EVER (rev, getting repulsed). |
22 |
EURO – Coin = def. RUE (street of paris) [rev] + O (round). |
23 |
PEDESTAL – Stand = def. P.E. (gym exercises) + anag (nuts) of SALTED. |
Down |
1 |
SACK – Double definition. Something that holds coal when it is bought and a word meaning to fire from exployment. |
2 |
TEARFUL – Becomes very sad = def. Anagram (strangely) of AFTER + U (university) + L (LEARNER). |
3 |
SCREENSAVER – A double definition clue with both parts cryptic. Someone who was trying to prevent the closure of a cinema may be said to be one of these. it also refers to a sort of picture seen on your PC. |
4 |
DEAR ME – Gosh = def. ARM (weapon) inside DEE (RIVER). |
6 |
LEARN – Like 17, I wonder whether this belongs in a quick puzzle. To find the definition you need to complete the clue with the answer and make a statement. It’s sort of asking you to think backwards. The rest of the ‘clue’ is also the wordplay. EAR (attention) goes inside L N (start and end of ‘lesson’). |
7 |
ESSAYIST – Writer = def. SAY (for example) + IS inside EST (Centre of Chester.) |
10 |
FASHIONABLE – Cool = def. SH (quiet) + IONA (Hebridean island) inside FABLE (story). |
12 |
HARD CASE – Tough guy = def. An anagram (organised) of CHARADES. |
15 |
EVEREST – Challenge for climber = def. Inside SEVERE STORM = EVEREST. |
16 |
FREEZE – A pet hate in homophone clues is where the indicator comes in the middle so that you can’t decide which of the two to enter (e.g. as in “Number said as well (3)’). Luckily here the homophone indicator is at the end, so the one to enter is the definition of don’t move. |
18 |
LIVER – Organ = def. (O)LIVER – musical except for the beginning, |
19 |
TELL – A double definition clue = a word meaning to count is also the surname of a famous Swiss folk hero, named William. |
Edited at 2014-05-22 08:43 am (UTC)
From beginner/improver
My own feeling is that such clues may put off the newer solvers and perhaps should be avoided. But maybe if the quick cryptic is viewed as an introduction to “big brother” then they have a purpose. If there’s a fence I’m happy to sit on it 🙂
Nigel from Surrey