Times Saturday 24963 (24th Sept)

Author   linxitPosted on Categories Weekend Cryptic
Solving time 26:42, great puzzle with some brilliant anagrams. More later, time normally reserved for blogging taken up by excruciating rugby match, but at least we got there in the end!

Sorry for the late appearance of this, I got back much later than expected yesterday.

Across
1 PODGE – POD (school) + EG (say) reversed.
4 BEST-BALL – BEST (outstanding) + BALL (social event). A team golf game where the lowest score at each hole counts.
8 PONTEFRACT CAKE – (at centre of pack)*. Unlikely-looking anagram fodder. A cracker.
10 LIMBURGER – LIMB (arm, say) + URGER (one pressing).
11 SHAWL – L(ine) next to SHAW (George Bernard, the playwright).
12 RASCAL – R.A. (painter) + SCAL(e) (short climb).
14 SLIPSHOD – SLIP (piece of paper) + DOHS (notes) reversed.
17 REACTION – R.E. (soldiers) + ACTION (fighting).
18 SORTIE – SHORTIE (wee chap) without the H(orse).
20 NIECE – E (swEet heart) inside NICE (resort abroad). Ximenes wouldn’t approve, but easy enough.
22 ESOTERICA – E (drug) + SOT (lush) + ERICA (shrub)
24 VANISHING CREAM – (a rich man’s given)*. Another great anagram.
25 METEORIC – MET (found) + O (love) inside ERIC (boy).
26 LATER – LATHER (stew) minus H(ot).

Down
1 POPULAR FRONT – just a cryptic definition?
2 DENIM – (m)EN (chaps without the M for Married) inside DIM (thick).
3 EXECUTANT – EX (without) + (tune act)*.
4 BORAGE – AG (silver) inside BORE (produced). The leaves and flowers can be added to Pimms as an alternative to cucumber. That’s why I grow it anyway!
5 SECURELY – SURELY (definitely) around EC (city).
6 BOCKS – sounds like “box”.
7 LIKE A SHOT – double definition.
9 SLEDGEHAMMER – SHAMMER (person pretending) around L(arge) EDGE (advantage).
13 SHAREWARE – (r(un), we hear as)*. Software you can download for free, but which the programmer hopes you’ll pay for if you like it.
15 PROVENCAL – PROVEN (definite) + A (article) inside C(olloquia)L.
16 TOGETHER – double definition.
19 COGNAC – CAN (is able to) + GO (try) + C(old), all reversed.
21 ELITE – double definition, the second for a size of typewriter type allowing 12 letters per inch.
23 INERT – (d)INER (café without the first letter) + T(ime).

6 comments on “Times Saturday 24963 (24th Sept)”

  1. I’m recording the rugby.. I hope you aren’t a secret Scottish supporter Andy!
    Re 1dn, “Left wingers in disguise (7,5)” – did anyone else immediately think “Ah, the Liberal party!”
  2. I found this one very difficult to finish. Can normally be done in an hour or so

    6D still a mystery, even after explanation!

    Clever and entertaining, but this one got away

    1. >…
      >6D still a mystery, even after explanation!

      I’m not sure which bit is worrying you, but “bock” is defined in Chambers (2003) as “a strong German beer; …”, and “picked up” = “heard” (BOCKS sounds like “box”).

  3. 14:36 for me – another puzzle where it took me ages to get going, but which I eventually managed to plod steadily through. Most enjoyable. My compliments to the setter.
  4. I can’t remember how long this took me: I got one of those infernal errors that make you type the whole thing in again and I couldn’t be bothered. I remember finding it reasonably straightforward but very enjoyable.
    BEST BALL was new to me: I know “better ball”. Golf isn’t really my thing though.

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