Completed via the web edition of the paper because that is all my subscription permits. Pleased to see correct letter counts for multiple word solutions but disappointed not to see a print button.
I notice that some deride the existence of the new puzzle and question the need to blog about it here. However I’m delighted with it. Even when I succeed with the main cryptic, it takes me so long to solve it that I often don’t bother starting – especially on a work day. I have often wished for something easier than the main puzzle but using the same principles to help develop my skills.
The level of difficulty seems to have hit the sweet spot for me. So far I seem to have a lot more to show for my time on the quickie and can see me attempting it more regularly than the main puzzle because I’m unlikely to feel disheartened with only a few solutions to show for an hour’s worth of effort. The wordplay is often sufficiently difficult for me to wrestle with it for a while and many clues teach me something new.
Only time will tell if it successfully acts as a gateway to more frequent and faster solutions to the main puzzle for me.
My favourite clue was 8d. The one I found most difficult was 1d for some reason I can’t explain. I had to resort to the dictionary to verify the wordplay on 16d. Surprised by how many definitions were at the front of the clues.
Time: a shade under 45 mins.
Across | |
1 | DOVE – hidden. Def: Bird |
3 | ASSASSIN – ASS + ASS + IN(batting). Def: One to dispatch |
9 | ARCHAIC – ARCH(curved structure) + I inside AC(account). Def: Ancient |
10 | EVADE – AD(A D-notice) inside EVE(day before). Def: Escape |
11 |
LURCH – RUL |
12 | ENDEAR – END (intent) + EAR (listener). Def: Win over |
14 | NEEDLESS TO SAY – cryptic NEED LESS TO SAY |
17 | SPIDER – P(quietly) inside(stopping) SIDE(team) + R(runs). Def: Spinner(as in web) |
19 | RIGID – GI(soldier) inside RID(free). Def: Hard |
22 | AGAIN – A + GAIN(profit). Def: once more |
23 | INFERNO – IN + FERN(plant) + O(last letter or close of Sligo). Def: Intense fire |
24 | HANG OVER – G(Germany’s first letter or leader) inside HANOVER(German city). Def: Threaten |
25 |
DOZE – DOZE |
Down | ||
1 | DEADLINE – DEAD(insensitive) + LINE(column). Def: Deadlines, usually a problem for editors | |
2 |
VICAR – V(verse) + I(one) + |
|
4 | SECRET SERVICE – cryptic obvious | |
5 | AHEAD – A + HEAD(crown). Def: Winning | |
6 |
SEA BASS – |
|
7 | NEED – NÉE(born) + D(died). Def: poverty | |
8 | RACHEL – ACHE(pain) inside RL(right and left – both sides). Def: Girl | |
13 | SYNDROME – DR(doctor) inside(probing) SYNOME(anagram of MY NOSE). Def: Pattern of symptoms | |
15 | EXPLAIN – EX(former) + PLAIN(patent). Def: Interpret | |
16 | THRIFT – Double meaning. Thrift alternative name for a plant called Sea Pink. Never heard of it. | |
18 | DINGO – GO(shot or attempt) following DIN(row). Def: Wild dog | |
20 | GARBO – GARB(dress) + O(circle). Def: Renowned actress (Greta) | |
21 | LASH – L(first letter or top of leafy) + ASH(tree). Def: birch |
Edited to correct 2d and 6d. Thanks jackkt.
Edited at 2014-03-11 02:42 am (UTC)
Always seems so obvious once you know doesn’t it?
Edited at 2014-03-11 08:04 am (UTC)
I take all your comments, but judging from your ability to parse I’d say it’s only practice that’s required to make the transition to the main puzzle. It took me enough!
Great, concise blog, very easy to get to grips with. Many thanks.
And welcome to all the new bloggers! If you have any questions, ask Jim!
I too liked HANG OVER, not least for the “wait a sec, that’s one word” moment
I can go to the club, but there there is no Quickie and no keyboard popping up anyway.
Edited at 2014-03-11 02:17 pm (UTC)
I’ve been on to the Times online help only to be told all about re-loading the Times app (which is spectacularly unhelpful).
Are you still managing OK and if so are you using iPad IOS 7.1? Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Chris.
I’m rather hoping I might get to 5 minutes on the new puzzle or perhaps 10 fully parsed. It’s something to aim for anyway, and maybe, just maybe, my cryptic-solving will improve a bit after all.
The plant THRIFT is familiar to everyone who remembers the dodecagonal 3d coins, though probably not as ‘sea pink’.
Both yesterday and today I did the main puzzle before doing the QC, and the switch to an easier cluing style threw me both days. It seems to take me a minute or so to adjust my thinking.
Fully agree your sentiments re. the value of the new offering, and your response to the deriders.
Thought several of today’s clues would not have been in any way out of place in the Quickie’s big sibling: particularly NEEDLESS TO SAY, SEA BASS, DEADLINE, SPIDER.
Great to see they have sorted out the multi word issue in the web edition. I saw that as adding a frisson of excitement beyond what I needed for my first ever blog tomorrow!
The main difference between the two puzzles for me is that the main cryptic employs more effective disguise that makes it harder for me to identify which part of the clue is the definition.
A request for help – how are people navigating around the online version? Using a Mac, my arrow keys only allow me to move within the current answer so if I want to move to a different answer then I have to use the mouse to click on a square within that new answer. It also seems that when you enter the last letter of an answer, it takes you to the first letter of the next answer (in clue order) – maybe I’m in a minority, but I never solve in that order so it’s an unhelpful feature.
I also use a Mac (I don’t think the computer matters actually) and I get the same behaviour and must resort to the mouse. Using an iPad is the same but the tapping required is more intuitive because that is what one is used to in order to get a keyboard up.
Like you, I tend to solve clues intersecting with the answer I just filled in so the next clue in the list is almost never the one I want to do next.
Who is deriding the existence of these puzzles? You don’t have to love them but the option of not doing them is open to all. I’ve rather liked the first two.
I was a bit surprised to see a rather obscure flower in this one, but the clue remains pretty easy from the other definition and it is of course vital to develop the confidence to put in the answer from a partial understanding of the clue.
I’ve reported this to The Times. Typically the helpdesk’s first response was to tell me it hasn’t started yet but once we’d agreed it has they said they would look into it.
Edited at 2014-03-11 08:07 pm (UTC)
First in Dove, last in Syndrome.
Solving the crosswords on the iPad edition of the newspaper is a joy!