I don’t know what’s happened to the scheduled blogger today but as he hasn’t turned up here is a quick analysis of the clues. As I solved this puzzle a week ago I don’t remember too much about it but the note on the top of my copy says “very easy”.
| Across | ||
| 1 | CATCH UP | double def. |
| 5 | GLASSES | G (good) LASSES (girls) |
| 9 | PRESIDENT | P (parking) RESIDENT (living in) |
| 10 | MEANS | E[nough] in MAN’S (man is) |
| 11 | COMPETITION | if PETIT (little French) I (one) is replaced by M (mass) you get COMMON (usual) |
| 13 | RYE | homophone of ‘wry’ (cross-grained) – Chambers defines both cross-grained and wry as “perverse” |
| 14 | TOIL | TOIL[e] (cheap material cut) |
| 16 | WITCHCRAFT | RAF (flying force) in W (women) C[a]T[s] around ITCH (burn) |
| 18 | CONSTRAINT | CONS (studies) RAIN (wet weather) in TT (dry) |
| 19 | VEND | V (very) END (last bit) |
| 22 | AIR | [p]AIR (twins shifting piano) |
| 23 | ICEBREAKERS | *(BEERIER CASK) |
| 25 | NIMBI | homophone of ‘nimby’ (not where I live, say) – Not In My Back Yard |
| 26 | SHIPSHAPE | SHIP SHAPE (resembling a cutter) |
| 27 | LASAGNE | SAG (dip) in LANE (course) |
| 28 | YIELDED | *([w]ILD-EYED) |
| Down | ||
| 1 | COPYCAT | P (soft) YC (Young Conservatives) in COAT (Burberry) |
| 2 | THERM | R (take) in THEM (those ones) – I was under the impression that convention dictates that the definition should be at the start or the end of the clue which is not the case here. Padding has been added before the definition to create the surface. |
| 3 | HEIFER | HE (this man) IF (providing) ER (emergency room) |
| 4 | PRECIPITATE | double def. |
| 5 | GUT | TUG (pull) reversed |
| 6 | ALMANACS | CAN (may) A (are) reversed in ALMS (charitable donations) |
| 7 | STAIRCASE | AIR in *(ECSTAS[y]) |
| 8 | SUSPECT | US (America) reversed SP (odds) ECT (shocking treatment) |
| 12 | INCONGRUITY | IN CO (company) *(TINY RUG) |
| 15 | IGNORAMUS | hidden in ‘bIG NOR AMUSing’ |
| 17 | STRIKING | double def. |
| 18 | CHANNEL | ANNE (a female) in CH (children) L (left) |
| 20 | DISTEND | *(I SENT) in DD (diamonds) |
| 21 | HASSLE | HAS (owns) SLE[d] (traditional snow-mobile that’s endless) |
| 24 | ELAND | ELAN (dash) [fiel]D |
| 26 | SUE | double def. |
apologies to all my internet connection has died.. Thanks to gaufrid for the cover. I knew i should have posted it earlier. Sent I hope from my phone so bear with me for any errors. Should be ok for wednesday.
Why is this filed under IoS? Love the i crossword (ok, I can only afford the 40p edition), but finding related blogs on 15 squared is sometimes more of a cryptic exercise than the clues! Thanks
Hi Ian c
This puzzle first appeared in the IoS some 4½ years ago hence the title and category. The easiest way to find the original blog for an i puzzle is to visit the following site which provides a link each day:
https://idothei.wordpress.com/
Ah – many thanks, Gaufrid. Explains a lot!
I’m new to cryptics, and the Indie’s junior sibling is ideal at the mo, but I still need loads of online help.
Not sure why 15 sq doesn’t give it its own tab, but as you suggest, follow idothei (anag? Spanish inquisitor?) instead.
Cheers.
This could be q imp in the future, so:
Why does “R” indicate “take” ?
Ta
(sorry, was referring to the ‘therm’ clue, 2D)
Hi Ian c
R is an abbreviation for ‘recipe’ which is the Latin for ‘take’. It is mainly used on doctors’ prescriptions but you will come across it regularly in cryptic puzzles.
Blimey! I really am a L!
Thanks, Gaufrid
Ian c
Welcome to cryptics, idothei and fifteensquared. Keep at it, you’ll be surprised how quickly you get into the way of things. And if you try the Indy’s online – go to http://puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/cryptic-crossword-independent/?puzzleDate=yyyymmdd (yyyymmdd is the current day’s date) – you’ll be able to join in the discussions ‘as they happen’.