Times Saturday 23683 (Aug 18th)

Author   linxitPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time 15:44

I’ve also now (finally) updated the blog entry for the previous Saturday (23677), which can be found here. This was quite an interesting puzzle with some excellent wordplay in places, although there were three quite hackneyed homophones in there too. I especially liked 9D.

Across

1 TITAN – “tighten”, an old chestnut but it’s always nice to be able to put in 1 across straight away!
4 T((l)EAP)ARTY
10 (anima)L,ON,GRANGE
11 P.R.,ADO – the Prado is a famous art gallery in Madrid.
14 TIP,STAFF
18 T(RIT)ON – a minor Greek sea-god. RIT is short for ritardando, a musical term for slowing down. I didn’t work that out until I came to write this.
22 (w)HEY,PRESTO
24 FI(SHERMAN’S)RING – I only got this from the wordplay with most of the crossing letters in. It’s the pope’s signet ring, used to seal official documents.
26 SHEAR – “sheer”. A nasty trap for the unwary, as a lot of people get these two words mixed up anyway.

Down

1 TRAIL,ERTRAS(arrest*),H(ome) –
4 THRONE – “thrown”. Still, at least nobody can complain that the homophones don’t work in their accent this week!
5 ATHL(one),ETIC=cite rev. – Athlone is actually very close to the geographical centre of Ireland.
6 AES(sea rev.),OP
9 C(OF,FIND)ODGER – my favourite clue, and favourite answer too!
13 PESTICIDE – anagram of “insect die”, but replacing the N with a P.
15 SUR(e),PRISES
16 ON(E)HORSE – one of the meanings of “up” is “on horseback”. I thought “basic” was quite loose as a definition, but Chambers backs it up: “(of a place) poor, mean, lacking amenities.”
21 E(THE)R – George being King George VI. I think this is the first time I’ve seen ER clued like this, so full marks to the setter for originality.

3 comments on “Times Saturday 23683 (Aug 18th)”

  1. I find this offensive, not ‘rude’, and was surprised by its inclusion. What next – supposedly facetious terms for ethnic minorities, gays, the handicapped…? As bad a lapse in taste as PHARISEE=HYPOCRITE (of a few weeks ago).
    1. I agree this was offensive – it was one of the last ones I got so I wrote it straight in. I also found 1D TRAILER TRASH offensive, thinking of it early on but not writing it in as I didn’t expect this kind of language in the Times.
  2. I did think that both 1d and 9d – as mentioned above – were offensive terms too. Whatever next!

    Ten “easies” omitted from the blog – mercifully none on the offensive side:

    8a Items for sale are higgledy-piggledy (3,4,3,4)
    ALL OVER THE SHOP

    12a About to get couple in fix (6)
    RE PAIR

    17a Face having to cut payment, making living (8)
    RE SIDE NT

    20a From concealed position, shoot bird (5)
    SNIPE. A double definition – the comma is a distraction as the two defs are “shoot from concealed position” and “bird”.

    25a Confident and loud, though unaware of it? (8)
    F EARLESS

    2d Look in shade for hunting hook (5)
    TA LO N

    3d Bitten by swiNE? VERMIN? Dogs? Don’t worry (5,4)
    NEVER MIND

    7d Was severely critical, though carried role (4,5)
    TOOK APART

    19d Skirt next to go (6)
    BY PASS

    23d Take seconds to clean off (5)
    S WIPE

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